The old men are still chattering in Italian, lighting their second cigarettes, and taking covert swigs from a silver flask. Their tone is energetic but there’s something relaxed about them. The way they gesture at one another, like they have all the time in the world to explain their points. I imagine it’s us, Adriano, Bobby, Morelli and I. All in our seventies, our fighting days behind us. Enjoying the sunshine as we commiserate an old friend passing.
As I watch an older woman approaches the men. Her grey hair is short and her face, though lined, is small and pretty. One of the old boys says something and she swats his arm, chiding him in a Neapolitan dialect I know all too well. My heart lurches in my chest like a fish.
I can’t go to Vegas.
I can’t kill Parker.
I need to protect my brothers.
I need to protect January.
The anger inside me twists higher, howling in protest but it might as well be the wind. My mind has locked and bolted.
I can’t go to Vegas.
I can’t kill Parker.
I can’t have my revenge.
I need to protect January.
“Nico?” a voice whispers. “Can we go?”
I turn and see a veiled January hesitating on the steps and all of my anger redirects itself, locking in on her. I grip her upper arm. “Oh, we can fucking go alright. Follow me.”
I practically drag her past the old guys, all of whom turn to stare at her ass.
Take a good fucking look, boysI think, my teeth gritted tight.That’s all you’ll ever do.
January seems dazed as we head back to the car. Out of it. I don’t fucking care. I’m giving up everything for her. My whole fucking world.
I unlock the BMW and practically shove her into the back seat. She doesn’t protest, if anything she goes easily. I climb in after her yanking off her hat and veil. After an hour of looking at black material, the sight of her perfect face makes my heart ache. I ignore it and I reach for the chain around her neck and pull it over her head. I don’t need Zia Teresa judging what I’m about to do. January blinks up at me, mute and perfect. Perfect enough that I have to fight to keep my anger in place. I toss the necklace into the driver’s seat and grab her chin. “Here’s what’s about to happen, Tesorina. I have to give up something important for you. So you’re gonna give up something important to me.”
She stares at me. Her dress has ridden up, exposing her creamy thighs to the afternoon sun. “I don’t… what is it?”
“I think you can figure it out from context cues. Pull down your panties.”
Her eyes go glassy as she complies, shimmying her pink thong down her legs. But the few seconds it takes her is enough for me to lose all my remaining control. I grip a fistful of her hair and pull her face close to mine. “Kiss me. And make it good, not like the high school bullshit you’ve done so far.”
I expect her to slap me. Instead, she launches herself at me like a horny demon. When she presses her lips on mine, I’m so surprised, I don’t kiss her back. “Tits…”
She grips my hair and goes in again, sliding her sweet little tongue into my mouth. She’s all over me, tugging up her long skirt and grinding her hips. I can’t fucking believe it. I was going to take whatever I could from her, but this is wild. It feels like she’s gonna sit on my cock and ride me to hell.
Her fingers fumble at my tie and she practically tears my shirt open. She runs her hands across my chest, scratching at my tattoos. “You have such an amazing body.”
She’s humping up against me and her pussy is soaking, I can feel it through my suit pants. I make an animalistic noise, something that sounds crazy even to my own ears and she licks the side of my neck. “Nico…”
What the fuck is going on? Did I leave some Orchard lying around or something? I grip her face and stare into her eyes. They’re full of unshed tears. This isn’t passion. This is the need to think and feel anything but what she’s thinking and feeling, and that’s fine with me. I let go of her cheeks and press a hand to her throat. “You’re gonna give me whatever I want or I’m gonna hurt you. You got that you little nymph?”
She nods and I force her back onto the car seat. As I unbutton my pants I glance through the windshield. There’s no one around but that’s no guarantee people couldn’t come past. And the windows are tinted but not so tinted you couldn’t see through them up close. But fuck it, let them watch. Let everyone fucking watch me make January mine.
I slide two fingers into her willing cunt and January gives a yelp that turns into a moan. She contracts around me, her pussy as desperate as the rest of her. “Doc.Nico.”
“Domenico,” I correct, pistoning inside her. “That’s the only thing you call me when I’m in your cunt, you got that.”
She nods, pushing against my fingers, a look of pure ecstasy on her face.
“Oh my God, I’m so full. I’m sofull.”
