"You like that, baby?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Good. You have the best pussy. I cannot believe how fuckin' good you feel."
With the hand that wasn't stroking her clit, I fisted her hair and gave her a little tug. Then I drove into her even harder and faster until both of us toppled over the edge.
Afterward, I held Markie as she drifted off to sleep, silently promising her that nothing would take her from me.
Not even cancer.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Markie
BEING WITH ANGEL'S family was surreal. First, his father, Dom, pulled me aside and led me to his office. Uninvited, Angel came along and stood behind me as I sat in front of Dom's desk. Dom grilled me about Adamo Pelino, and I explained that I'd picked up a pamphlet at the doctor's office when I'd gone in for a pain killer refill.
"Do you still have the pamphlet?" Dom asked.
I dug around in my purse until I found it, all folded and mutilated from its time in the bottom of my bag. After I handed it over, he examined it, and then turned his attention to his laptop.
"No mention of Adamo on their website." He opened his desk drawer and withdrew the business card I'd given Angel. "Logos don't match. Looks like he made up a card at a print shop."
"Think he tapped in on Markie's call?" Angel asked.
Dom nodded. "The bastard clearly has resources. How many times had you met up with Angel before your doctor's appointment?"
I thought back. "I don't know. A few times?"
"Do you remember where you guys went?"
"The restaurant at the airport, the Ozone, a Cajun restaurant Bones took us to, the High Roller. I think it was the day after that," I said.
Dom thanked me for my time, apologized for his previous assumptions, and hugged me, kissing my cheek as he welcomed me to his family. Weird. Still, Dom's welcome wasn't hollow. It carried weight, and brought on a strange sense of belonging. I was part of a family again. A huge, dangerous family, but a family, nonetheless. Warmth spread through me. I thanked him and followed Angel out to find his mom.
People were everywhere, talking, laughing, genuinely enjoying being together. Angel introduced me around as we made our way to the living room where Nonna, Annetta, and Annetta's best friend, Adona, had everything organized, and were handing out lists of the items families had requested. Angel's seven-year-old twin siblings, Luciana and Georgio, latched on to me immediately, tugging me into the toy room to see the fort they'd built the night before.
"Are you Angel's girlfriend?" Luciana asked. She was so adorable with her dark curls and big green eyes, that I wanted to keep her.
Angel had followed us and stood just outside the door, talking to Adona's husband, Mario.
"Um..." Angel and I hadn't exactly defined our relationship yet, and I didn't know if he could hear us or not. "I'm not sure."
"Well, if you're not attached, I'm in the market for a girl," Georgio said.
"You can't be in the market for a girl," Luciana told him. "That's stupid. It makes girls sound like something you can buy."
"What about the girls on the billboards? Uncle Carlo says--"
"Whoa," Angel cut in, giving Georgio a sharp look as he approached. "Not something you should be talking about. Especially in front of ladies, Georgie."
Georgio deflated, letting out a dramatic sigh. "Sorry."
Angel ruffled his hair. "It's okay. Go get your jackets, you two. We're about to head out."
"Can we ride with you?" Luciana asked.
"Not this time. Father's already got security lined out, and I'm not messing with it."
