The crying baby goes quiet.
“Seems like he got what he’s looking for,” Stroviak says.
“Always. She can never get away for long,” Trick murmurs. “But he’s in for a rude awakening when little brother gets here and usurps Mommy’s pretty nipples.”
“Jealous? You didn’t have to have them back-to-back. Heard that was your fault.”
A small smile plays at Trick’s lips. “No comment.”
I didn’t know two of the three C Crue founders were family men. Most of what’s said about them is how young they were when they rose up to form their own empire and how different C Crue’s operations are from traditional Mafia rackets. They do have some gambling operations, but a lot of that is online. They run guns and an escort service that’s a front for prostitution. But it’s all high end, and some of their girls engage in sex practices most won’t. ‘Dark fantasies delivered’ is the tagline for girls who provide specialty services. They also host concerts and events that, in reality, are a cover for drug dealing. They’ve put a modern spin on crime, and I’m sure what I’ve heard about is the tip of the iceberg. They’re reportedly a multibillion-dollar business now. I’m ambitious and would love to reach that kind of success. It’s strange then that what draws the most interest from me isn’t their business, it’s the way they live. That little dark-haired girl perching on my foot really made an impression.
Natalia and I stay seated, and let the others file out. The bride falls back and then steps into the row in front of us. She sits on the bench, and she’s so petite that the wooden back comes almost to her throat. How did she end up with my half-brother? It’s like a bull mating a bunny.
“Hi. I’m Rachel,” she says, extending a small hand.
“Alexei,” I say, taking hers for a second to squeeze it. A handshake between us seems ridiculous. I can palm a basketball. Her best is probably a plum. “Congratulations,” I say, nodding at the front of the chapel.
“Thanks. It’s very nice to meet you.” She holds her hand out to Natalia.
Natalia squeezes her hand and leans forward. “I have never seen a bride with so much dark color on her dress. It is even black in places? This is very strange. I would like to know, how did you make this choice?”
I clear my throat, but Natalia doesn’t take the hint. Instead, she examines Rachel’s hand where the fingernails are painted a blue-black shade that goes with her dress.
“We like dark colors,” Rachel says.
“Yes, I see. Today, I look more like traditional bride than you really,” Natalia announces.
Rachel laughs softly and then glances at me.
I don’t explain or apologize. If she’s married to my brother, the apparent son of Russian parents, she should understand that speaking honestly and directly is culturally normal and shouldn’t be taken as offensive. I think about my absentee father. Was he with my brother and my brother’s mother when he wasn’t with us? Is that why we never saw him?
“Raven, come.”
Even though I know Stroviak’s voice sounds like mine, it’s a surprise every time I hear it. It’s like coming face-to-face with a clone.
His wife’s fine-boned, like a bird. Maybe that’s why he nicknamed her Raven.
There’s a mischievous glint in her eyes when she speaks to us. “We have to take a few pictures and things, so give us a few minutes.” To Natalia, she says, “We’ll talk more about dresses at the reception, all right?”
Natalia nods.
My brother’s wife rises and leaves, and we stay sitting in the chapel. My thumb strokes Natalia’s bare arm. It’s cool outside, so she should have a wrap around her shoulders, but I didn’t think to buy her one. The dress was chosen because it was formal and appealing. And what appealed to me was the amount of her skin that would show while she wears it.
I stand and remove my suit jacket. “Put this on before we walk outside.”
She slides her arms into the sleeves, which hang down over her hands. It’s much too big. Still, Natalia’s at least six or seven inches taller than my brother’s wife, so she’ll be fine.
Then I glance at my hand and remember the way I couldn’t get a finger into her pussy. She may not be as tiny as Rachel Stroviak, but Natalia’s innocent and tight. For now.
The thought of being the first man inside her appeals to me more and more. Her pouty pussy lips were damp with arousal after I spanked her. She’s innocent, but she’s also susceptible to dark desires. The thought of punishing her pretty ass as foreplay before I open her with my fingers to ready her for my thick cock makes me hard again. I want to pin her down and fuck her hard. I wish she’d been mine during my fighting days. After battles in the ring, there was nothing I craved more than to spend the night driving my cock into the soft, tight pussy of a beautiful girl.
“What is it?” Natalia asks.
I look away, wondering whether my expression betrays my thoughts. “Nothing. Nice wedding.”
“Yes, unusual, but very nice. Cozy place, cozy people.”
I smother a chuckle at that. C Crue’s empire rests on a river of blood. When they splintered off of the Italian crime family, it caused a war with plenty of casualties. Then recognition hits me. My brother’s wife is Rachel Palermo, the daughter of C Crue’s ex-boss. A man they killed. It seems the warm, cozy family vibe is an illusion.
