Dead. She is dead. That’s why I am here.
A flash of skin, a creamy length of thigh. My groin hardens and my legs wobble. I lurch over a bump in the ground. The hell? I right myself, leap forward, inching closer, closer. She reaches a curve in the path, disappears out of sight.
My heart hammers in my chest. I will not lose her, will not. Here, Beauty, come to Daddy. The wind whistles past my ears. I pump my legs, lengthen my strides, turn the corner. There’s no one there. Huh?
My heart hammers and the blood pounds at my wrists, my temples; adrenaline thrums in my veins. I slow down, come to a stop. Scan the clearing.
The hairs on my forearms prickle. She’s here. Not far, but where? Where is she? I prowl across to the edge of the clearing, under the tree with its spreading branches.
When I get my hands on you, Beauty, I’ll spread your legs like the pages of a poem. Dip into your honeyed sweetness, like a quill pen in ink. Drag my aching shaft across that melting, weeping entrance. My balls throb. My groin tightens. The crack of a branch above shivers across my stretched nerve endings. I swoop forward, hold out my arms, and close my grasp around the trembling, squirming mass of precious humanity. I cradle her close to my chest, heart beating thud-thud-thud, overwhelming any other thought.
Mine. All mine. The hell is wrong with me? She wriggles her little body, and her curves slide across my forearms. My shoulders bunch and my fingers tingle. She kicks out with her legs and arches her back, thrusting her breasts up so her nipples are outlined against the fabric of her sports bra. She dared to come out dressed like that? In that scrap of fabric that barely covers her luscious flesh?
"Let me go." She whips her head toward me and her hair flows around her shoulders, across her face. She blows it out of the way. "You monster, get away from me."
Anger drums at the backs of my eyes and desire tugs at my groin. The scent of her is sheer torture, something I had dreamed of in the wee hours of twilight when dusk turned into night.
She’s not real. She’s not the woman I think she is. She is my downfall. My sweet poison. The bitter medicine I must partake of to cure the ills that plague my company.
"Fine." I lower my arms and she tumbles to the grass, hits the ground butt first.
"How dare you." She huffs out a breath, her hair messily arranged across her face.
I shove my hands into the pockets of my fitted pants, knees slightly bent, legs apart. Tip my chin down and watch her as she sprawls at my feet.
"You… dropped me?" She makes a sound deep in her throat.
So damn adorable.
"Your wish is my command." I quirk my lips.
"You don’t mean it."
"You’re right." I lean my weight forward on the balls of my feet and she flinches.
"What… what do you want?"
"You."
She pales. "You want to… to rob me? I have nothing of consequence.
"Oh, but you do, Beauty."
I lean in and every muscle in her body tenses. Good. She’s wary. She should be. She should have been alert enough to have run as soon as she sensed my presence. But she hadn’t.
I should spare her because she's the woman from my dreams… but I won't. She's a debt I intend to collect. She owes me, and I've delayed what was meant to happen long enough.
I pull the gun from my holster, point it at her.
Her gaze widens and her breath hitches. I expect her to plead with me for her life, but she doesn't. She stares back at me with her huge dilated pupils. She licks her lips and the blood drains to my groin. Che cazzo! Why does her lack of fear turn me on so?
"Your phone," I murmur, "take out your phone."
She draws in a breath, then reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone.
"Call your sister."
"What?"
"Dial your sister, Beauty. Tell her you are going away on a long trip to Sicily with your new male friend."
"What?"
"You heard me." I curl my lips. "Do it, now!'
She blinks, looks like she is about to protest, then her fingers fly over the phone.
Damn, and I had been looking forward to coaxing her into doing my bidding.
She holds her phone to her ear. I can hear the phone ring on the other side, before it goes to voicemail. She glances at me and I jerk my chin. She looks away, takes a deep breath, then speaks in a cheerful voice, "Hi Summer, it's me, Karma. I, ah, have to go away for a bit. This new… ah, friend of mine… He has an extra ticket and he has invited me to Sicily to spend some time with him. I… ah, I don't know when, exactly, I'll be back, but I'll message you and let you know. Take care. Love ya sis, I—"
I snatch the phone from her, disconnect the call, then hold the gun to her temple, "Goodbye, Beauty."
To find out what happens next read Mafia King HERE
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Read about the Seven in the Big Bad Billionaires series
US
UK
Want to find out more about Karma and Summer’s babies and Isla’s child? You’ll find this and more in The Agreement.
Read Cade and Abby’s, brother’s best friend, fake relationship romance in The Agreement HERE
Read Daddy JJ’s, age-gap romance in Mafia Lust HERE
Read Olivia and Massimo’s second chance romance in Mafia Obsession here
Did you know the Seven and The Sovranos are part of the same world and their stories intertwine from The Proposal onward.
You can find the suggested reading order HERE
From L. Steele
PS – I want to hear from you!
Hello I’m L. Steele and I love watching movies and writing books. I live in London with my family.
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CHRISTMAS ROMANCE BOOKS BY L. STEELE FOR YOU
Want to find out how Weston and Amelie met? Read The Billionaire’s Christmas Bride HERE
Want even more Christmas Romance books? Read A very Mafia Christmas, Christian and Aurora’s story HERE
Read a marriage of convenience billionaire Christmas romance, Hunter and Zara’s story - The Christmas One Night Stand HERE
MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE FROM L. STEELE
The Billionaire’s Fake Wife - Sinclair and Summer’s story that started this universe The Billionaire’s Secret - Victoria and Saint’s story. Saint is maybe the most alphahole of them all!
Marrying the Billionaire Single Dad - Damian and Julia’s story, watch out for the plot twist!
The Proposal - Liam and Isla’s story. What’s a wedding planner to do when you tell the bride not to go through with the wedding and the groom demands you take her place and give him a heir?