Текст книги "Beautifully Loyal"

Автор книги: Nicole Edwards

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 25 страниц)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Not exactly how they’d planned it, but...

Present day

Saturday night, November 7 th

One thing about being a highly respected mafia boss, when you made a phone call insisting that a meeting take place, people didn’t argue. In a matter of minutes, Max had done what Leyton hadn’t been able to do all damn day.

Now, as Leyton followed Max into the small Italian restaurant, he was feeling a little jumpy.

Moroso had agreed to meet with Max tonight, to discuss options. Little did Moroso know, but they were actually going to talk about the only option available—cancelling the contract on Ashlynn. Otherwise, things were going to get ugly.

The place was cleared out, as Max had instructed it to be. Not even the owner was present, which didn’t surprise Leyton, either.

Marco Moroso—a short, heavyset man, probably in his late thirties, possibly early forties, with dark hair and a long, straight nose—sat at a table next to another man, both with a glass of wine in their hands, their expressions bored as Max and Leyton joined them. Rock and Dane had come along for the ride, both joining them inside while they had four other men standing guard outside. From what Leyton could tell, there were three guys, clearly Moroso’s men, standing guard in the corners. Everyone was armed to the teeth, but that wasn’t unexpected, either.

“Adorite,” Moroso greeted but didn’t bother getting up.

His lack of respect for Max wasn’t earning him any points tonight.

Max took a seat across from Moroso, leaning back in his chair as though this were just another casual conversation.

Leyton didn’t sit. Instead, he stood behind Max as he’d done in the past, holding his favorite assault rifle at the ready.

“You wanted to talk?” Moroso said. “Talk.”

Max’s head cocked to the side. “I think you’re forgettin’ who you’re talkin’ to.”

Moroso smiled, a slimy devil-may-care smile. “I’ve got shit to do. I need to hurry this along if you don’t mind.”

“Actually, I do mind,” Max said more firmly. “We’ve got an issue. And until that’s resolved, your other shit is gonna have to wait.”

Moroso’s expression hardened. “Your sister killed my brother.”

“Oh, that’s fucking bullshit,” Max retorted. “First of all, my sister didn’t kill anyone. But if she did, Tony was nothin’ more than an errand boy. Half brother or not.”

“He was still family.”

“He was a fucking rat is what he was,” Max countered. “But yeah, that does about sum it up. I see it now. The family resemblance and all.”

Moroso cleared his throat. “You better watch yourself.”

“Is that a threat?” Max asked.

“It’s a promise,” Moroso declared.

Rock growled, clearly not impressed with Moroso’s response. The rough sound drew Moroso’s attention, and it appeared he’d just realized he was there. Rock was not the type of guy anyone wanted to go up against.

“Where’re my guns?” Max asked when Moroso glanced over at him once again.

Moroso shrugged. “Don’t know nothin’ about your guns.”

“No? That’s not what Tony said, right before his tongue was cut out of his fucking mouth,” Max relayed, his tone oddly calm. It was apparent he’d just lost his patience with the man.

Moroso’s eyes widened briefly, but he managed to mask his reaction quickly. “Is that why you brought me here? To call me a thief?”

“I’ve got people lookin’ for the guns,” Max explained. “And if I find out you’ve got them, it’s not gonna be pretty.”

“Is that a threat?” Moroso asked, tossing Max’s question back at him.

Max leaned forward. “It’s a fucking promise. And I’ll give you an hour to cancel the hit on my sister.”

“Or…?”

“I heard your brother’s appeal was denied,” Max relayed, obviously changing the subject.

Moroso’s eyes widened slightly, but he tried to hide his surprise.

“I’ve got more power than you’ll ever dream of having, Moroso. If you think puttin’ a hit out on my sister is gonna get you where you wanna go, you’re delusional.”

“All a matter of time,” Moroso replied.

Leyton’s finger itched to pull the trigger, to put Moroso out of his fucking misery. But he managed to refrain, watching the interaction between the two men.

Max considered Moroso for a moment. “You’ve got a sister, right?”

Moroso didn’t respond.

“How would you feel if there was a contract out on Sabrina?” Max asked, referring to Moroso’s sister by name. “It would suck for little Joseph to grow up without a mommy, wouldn’t it?”

Moroso hissed, but Max didn’t react whatsoever. For as long as Leyton had known Max, he’d never hurt a woman or a child, but he knew that Max wasn’t above making threats to get people to do what he expected them to do.

“One fucking hour,” Max snarled. “That’s all the time you’ve got. If the hit’s not cancelled and I don’t have my guns, your sister and your nephew will find themselves relocated until it’s done.”

With that, Max stood. Leyton waited until Rock and Sal flanked Max before backing out of the restaurant, holding his assault rifle in front of him as he did. He didn’t trust these bastards and for good reason.

They were bottom-feeders. Bottom-feeders who were clearly looking to make a name for themselves.

Leyton only hoped like hell they didn’t succeed. Because in order to do that…

No, he wasn’t going to think about it. If he did, Moroso wouldn’t be walking out of that building ever again.

Not that killing him wasn’t a good idea, because it was. It definitely was.

Chapter Thirty-Six

About damn time.

Ashlynn was pacing the kitchen when Leyton finally strolled into her house. It was after midnight. Everyone else had gone to bed, including Jase, who had told her he’d be waiting for her when she was ready. But Ashlynn couldn’t sleep, so she’d settled on walking circles around the kitchen island, waiting to hear something from someone. Anyone.

She’d been worried. Not only because she wasn’t sure Max wouldn’t kill Leyton for wanting to be with her but also because Sal had informed her that Max and Leyton had decided to pay Marco a visit. It’d been a last-minute meeting at Max’s insistence, and she knew how those could go.

“Where have you been?” she asked him when he appeared in the doorway, not expecting an answer.

When he stepped into the room, she raked her gaze over him slowly. He looked fine. Better than fine, actually. He looked good. Still wearing the same suit he’d had on earlier, he looked like the enforcer she’d always known him to be. With his height, wide shoulders, tousled dirty-blond hair, and ruggedly handsome features, he was sexy as hell. Always had been.

“Where’s everyone?” he asked, glancing around the room.

“Bed.”

She’d left most of the lights off, with the exception of the single pendulum light that hung above the center island. While she knew Teddy and Derrick were somewhere lurking outside the house, keeping an eye on things, she had been hoping not to draw their attention while she’d waited for Leyton. Although her mind had been going a million miles a minute, she hadn’t wanted to talk to anyone. No one except for Leyton, anyway.

As she watched him, Leyton kept his gaze pinned on her as he removed his jacket and tossed it over a chair.

“So how’d it go?” she asked, turning to face him.

“Which part?”

Ashlynn cocked her head.

Leyton smirked.

“Your brother didn’t kill me,” he said, his eyes glittering with heat. “And we didn’t kill Marco. So I’d say it was a good night.”

Leyton moved closer, and Ashlynn suddenly had nothing to say to him. A million questions had been running through her head for the past couple of hours, but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of a single one. She was too caught up in the heat she sensed radiating from him. She felt like prey all of a sudden.

“What do you have on beneath this?” he asked, one finger sliding beneath the deep V of her red silk robe.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” she rasped in response, her eyes locked on his face.

Leyton stole the air from her lungs when he reached for her, hefting her up onto the countertop and stepping between her legs. His hands slid down to the tie on her robe, and without a word, he freed the sash, allowing it to fall open.

“Beautiful,” he whispered.

For the first time in her life, Ashlynn was at a loss for words. She knew what was coming, knew exactly where this was headed, and she didn’t want to say anything that might change that, so it was a good thing she couldn’t come up with anything to say.

When Leyton hefted her breasts in his big, warm hands, she sucked in a breath, the sensation overwhelming her. Grabbing on to his shoulders for support, she felt the muscles flex beneath her hands.

“Do you know how fucking long I’ve waited for this?” he asked.

Rather than say anything, she shook her head.

“So damn long,” he muttered, leaning down and kissing the tip of her pebbled nipple.

She watched him as his tongue curled around the tip. His eyes closed, and he sucked her into his mouth, drawing a moan from her, the pull of his lips sending a lightning bolt of sensation straight to her clit. His hand worked its way up her thigh, coming to rest above her aching sex. As he sucked on her breast, his fingers parted her folds, teasing her briefly.

He wasn’t hesitating, and she was glad, because if she had to wait another second for him, she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t spontaneously combust.

“You’re already wet for me,” he said, his mouth coming to rest above hers, hovering just out of reach. “Warm and wet. I want to feel your pussy slide over my dick.”

His words sent more liquid warmth between her legs.

“Is that what you want, Ash? You want to feel me filling you?”

“Yes,” she whispered, trying to get closer to his mouth, only he moved back a fraction of an inch.

His eyes were locked with hers. The intensity she saw there sucked the oxygen out of the room.

“Leyton,” she said on a breath. “Please.”

“Please what?” he asked, his fingers doing delicious things as he tormented her, dipping one inside her, then two.

“I need to feel you inside me.”

He nodded, and she got the impression he was giving himself permission. Once again worried he’d change his mind, she kept her thoughts to herself.

Finally, his mouth met hers. The kiss started gentle, but that lasted only a millisecond before she was wrapped around him, her arms winding around his neck, their tongues gliding against one another in a battle so furious Ashlynn wasn’t sure she’d survive it. Never had a man kissed her like that, with a desperate, aching need that echoed deep in her core.

To her relief, Leyton worked his slacks open, freeing his cock as their mouths remained fused together, tongues battling, seeking, searching, taking. The only sound was their labored breaths and her involuntary moans of pleasure.

The counter she was sitting on put her at the perfect height for him. The head of his cock brushed her entrance, and she yearned to feel him inside her. There was no hesitation, as though this moment had been a long time coming and neither of them could bear to spend another second apart.

He guided himself to her, pushing in slowly as his hands slid behind her, up her back, then curling over her shoulders as he leaned her back onto the counter, hovering above her as he filled her in one swift move.

“Oh, God,” she groaned as his cock stretched her. “So good.”

“Fuck.” His half groan, half growl echoed as his hips rolled forward. “Ash. Baby. Goddamn.”

Her body acclimated to the intrusion as he impaled her, going deeper than she’d ever thought possible.

And then he was looking down at her, his fingers digging into her shoulders, pulling her onto him with every punishing thrust. It was intensely beautiful, unlike anything she’d ever known before. He continued to fuck her, alternating his thrusts. Slow and deep. Fast and shallow. Leyton never let up, never tore his gaze from hers, and Ashlynn felt something inside her crack open, something she wasn’t willing to acknowledge.

“Ashlynn. God, baby, I’ve waited my whole fucking life for this.”

Digging her nails into his back, she held on for dear life. The friction, the delicious friction lit up sensitive nerve endings deep inside, driving her higher and higher until she knew she was going to shatter into a million pieces.

“Come for me, Ash. I wanna feel you.”

Ashlynn closed her eyes and pressed her mouth to his, unsure she could watch this. Whatever he was doing to her, it was shredding her, toppling all her defenses, and she couldn’t bear it.

“Open your eyes,” he commanded, pulling back from her.

Her eyes snapped open, locking with his.

“That’s it,” he encouraged. “Keep your eyes on me, baby. Watch me. I want you to know exactly who’s inside you, who’s fucking you, who’s owning you.”

“Leyton,” she cried out, unable to contain the electrical charge that ignited in her womb, radiating outward from there until her entire body was consumed by glorious, mind-numbing sensation.

“That’s it, little one. Come for me.”

Her body bowed upward, her chest pressing against his as she came undone so exquisitely she wasn’t sure she’d ever be the same again.

“Are you on the pill?” he asked suddenly. “Or do I need to pull out?”

“Pill,” she acknowledged, her nails still digging into his skin. “Come inside me.”

Leyton slammed into her several more times, his eyes still locked with hers. His teeth slammed together, his forehead drawing taut as his body stilled. And then he was pulsing inside of her, filling her, sending her over the edge once again as another orgasm shook her.

Time seemed to stand still as they stared at one another. Ashlynn wasn’t sure what to say or what to do. Didn’t know if she’d ever be the same again, but she knew she needed to get it together. Although he’d somehow changed her, Ashlynn knew she couldn’t let him know that.

The power he wielded over her wasn’t something she could admit to, even if that was his intention. He’d told her that she wouldn’t be in control.

And though she’d heard the words, never in her wildest dreams had she imagined it would be like that.

Never.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Point of no return.

After having a brief conversation with Teddy and Leo regarding how he wanted things to be handled for the next few days, Jase had gone up to Ashlynn’s room and waited for her to join him. When she hadn’t, he hadn’t been able to sleep, but he had attempted to give her a little space.

It wasn’t until he’d heard a noise downstairs that he’d emerged from her bedroom, slipping down the stairs. He’d come to an abrupt stop in the doorway to the kitchen when he saw Ashlynn and Leyton…

Leyton had had Ashlynn pinned to the counter, fucking her like a crazed man. It’d taken every ounce of his self-control to walk away, not to join them when he wanted nothing more than to simply watch. They were beautiful together, highlighted by that single light above them. Ashlynn’s robe had hung open while Leyton had been fully dressed, his cock buried between her legs. So fucking hot.

Somehow, Jase had managed to force himself to turn around. Rather than go back upstairs, though, he’d decided to go out front to talk to Derrick, who was manning things from the porch.

“You doin’ good?” he asked his brother when he stepped outside, pulling the front door shut quietly behind him.

Derrick smiled over at him, puffing on the cigarette dangling from his mouth. “Not bad. You?”

“Same shit, different day. Have one of those to spare?”

Derrick retrieved the pack from his pocket and shook one out. Jase took it, then borrowed his brother’s lighter.

“I hear ya.” Derrick peered out at the yard, blowing out a stream of smoke. “Heard from Mom today.”

Jase inhaled deeply, enjoying the slight rush he got from the nicotine. “Yeah? What’d she want?”

It had been months since Jase had heard from their mother. Their relationship couldn’t be considered close by any stretch of the imagination. From the day Jase had moved out of the house, his mother hadn’t had much to do with him or Derrick. She was on boyfriend number … hell, Jase wasn’t even sure which number it was. After their father left, when Jase was only six months old, it seemed that Amy Malone had been sowing some wild oats. Only now, at—what was she now? Fifty-four? Fifty-five?—hell, Jase wasn’t sure, but he knew she hadn’t slowed down.

She still worked as a cashier at the local Walmart close to the house he’d grown up in, something she’d been doing for nearly three decades and loved her job, or so she said. Her lovers were the only thing she could keep up with these days, which wasn’t much different than when he’d been growing up. It seemed that her kids had always been an afterthought. Jase had long ago stopped trying to keep in touch, because most of the time their conversations went down in a blaze, and he had more important things to deal with than her apparent disappointment in them.

“She’s met someone else. Said he could be the one,” Derrick told him.

“Yeah? More accurately, number forty-one,” he muttered. “Hasn’t she said that about them all?”

“Probably.” Derrick flicked the cherry off the end of his cigarette, stomping it out on the concrete before pocketing the butt.

“You need anything?” Jase asked when it was clear they had nothing else to talk about. Though he loved his brother, Jase and Derrick had never been all that close. Derrick had gone down a different path, having taken up a life full of drugs and booze while Jase had steered clear of all that shit, choosing to fight as a way to work off his excess aggression.

Since Derrick had reappeared in his life, it seemed he was trying to make amends. Not that Jase felt his brother owed him anything. Derrick hadn’t always made the best decisions, but neither had Jase.

As far as he was concerned, though, he’d taken the better path.

Working for the mob required him to keep a level head or he would’ve probably succumbed to his own addictive personality on more than one occasion. As it was, he already had one addiction.

Make that two.

After last night with Leyton … Jase hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. More than once, his thoughts had drifted to Ashlynn and Leyton. Particularly, he’d wanted to join them in her office earlier when it had been clear they’d been getting cozy. He’d seen it with his own two eyes on the security monitors and hadn’t been able to look away. Much to his disappointment, Leyton had left before anything good had started.

And now…

He knew they were probably still in the kitchen, still going at each other. It wasn’t that he was jealous; he simply had waited so long for the three of them to be together … he was tired of waiting.

“I’m gonna go check on Ashlynn,” Jase told his brother after putting out the cigarette. “If you need anything, let Leo or Teddy know.”

Derrick nodded, then pulled another cigarette out of his pack and lit it.

Jase left his brother on the porch and went in search of Ashlynn and Leyton. He was headed for the kitchen when a noise on the stairs stopped him.

“Last I saw her, she went upstairs,” Cowboy mumbled as he hobbled down the stairs.

“And Leyton?”

“Haven’t seen him,” Cowboy said.

“Thanks.” Jase slipped past Cowboy, then headed upstairs.

Ashlynn’s bedroom door was closed, but he stopped to knock on it, anyway.

“Come in,” she called out.

Jase opened the door and found her standing at the window, her wet hair hanging down her back as she peered out into the night. Apparently she’d taken a quick shower and gotten dressed for bed.

“Something wrong?” he asked.

The lamps in her bedroom were off, the only light coming from the bathroom, highlighting her glorious curves covered only by a white silk camisole and a pair of tiny matching shorts. He glanced into the bathroom, but he didn’t see Leyton anywhere.

“Where’s Leyton?”

She met his gaze, her face somber. “Did you see us?”

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“I’m sorry,” she began, but he quickly cut her off.

“Don’t be sorry. There’s nothing to apologize for.”

“It just happened.”

Jase smiled down at her. “Did he leave?”

“Don’t know,” she said, turning to face him, leaning against the window. “I thought you’d have the answer to that question.”

Making his way over to her, Jase put his hands on her hips. He tried to read her expression, but Ashlynn was keeping whatever she was feeling under wraps. Not that it surprised him.

Neither of them said anything for a minute. Moving closer, Jase cupped her shoulders. “You saw us last night, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “It was … incredible,” she whispered. “So fucking beautiful to watch.”

“Never figured you for a voyeur,” he teased.

“I want to watch the two of you again.”

“I want you to join us,” he said. Jase nuzzled her neck. “You should’ve joined us last night.”

“I know how much you needed that,” she told him, tilting her head to give him better access to her neck.

“The same way you needed Leyton,” he said. That was the very reason he hadn’t interrupted them. Leyton had told him that he’d have to work things out with Ashlynn on his own. Apparently they’d gotten that out of their system.

That still didn’t explain where Leyton was.

Sliding his hands down into her silky shorts, he cupped her bare mound, easing his middle finger between her soft folds. “I watched you,” he admitted. “Watched Leyton fucking you in the kitchen.”

“And?”

“Fucking beautiful.”

“Jase,” she whispered, widening her stance as she grabbed his biceps, holding on tightly.

“I wanted to join you, wanted to be part of that.”

To his surprise, Ashlynn pulled away. “I’m not sure that’s gonna happen again.”

Jase’s forehead creased, unable to disguise his confusion. “Why’s that?”

“Leyton wants more from me than I can give.” Ashlynn headed across the room and flipped on the lamp beside her bed. “He wants me to love him.”

Jase knew better than to broach this subject with her. Anytime he thought she was remotely close to showing her true feelings, Ashlynn had a habit of closing herself off. Whether that was because she truly didn’t want to care about him or she simply didn’t understand what those feelings meant, he hadn’t yet determined. But he’d been with her long enough to know that pursuing that conversation would only end up with him alone in his bed.

Clearly something had happened between them. Whether it was during or after, he didn’t know, but something had changed in her. He just wasn’t sure what.

“He’ll come around,” he told her instead, following her around to her side of the bed.

“I doubt that,” she said. She forced a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes, which told Jase she was about to change the subject entirely.

And he knew exactly which direction she was headed.