Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75450 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
His forehead pressed to mine for a moment before he dipped, his lips pressing softly to mine.
My arm went around him, pulling him close as the kiss tipped, went needier, hungrier.
But just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Then we were climbing out, drying off, and making our way into the bedroom.
I had a few changes of clothes, but he helped me into my panties and one of his tees instead.
He pulled on pants; then we fell into bed, him pulling me onto his chest, and both of us drifting off to sleep within a few minutes.
I wanted a hundred more nights exactly like it.
Even if I knew the clock was likely already ticking down.
And, eventually, I’d be back in my own bed. Alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Rune
Carmen was practically bouncing as we stood in a line nearly out the door at Lucky Grassi’s pizza place.
We’d already done She’s Bean Around on our way to Junior’s apartment. She’d spent almost ten full minutes gushing over not only the “vibes” of the coffee shop but the actual coffee she’d gotten as well.
After applying some of the makeup meant to cover up tattoos, she’d been excited to get out of the clubhouse for a bit.
If the light hit her just right, I could see the shadow of the bruises. Then again, maybe I only saw them because I knew they were hiding there under the makeup.
“Is that him?” she asked, nodding toward the man tossing the pizza dough up in the air, making his apron stretch over his stomach.
“No. That’s just Dino. A staple, but not a made guy.”
Ever since learning about all the various criminal syndicates in Navesink Bank, she’d been excited to spot the people in the wild. Never mind that she was in a club full of outlaw bikers.
“Yeah, but I already met you,” she’d said when I’d pointed that out. “I haven’t met a mafia boss yet.”
“Running into Jase Mallick and spotting my cousin Ferryn weren’t enough, huh?”
“Think of this like a celebrity autograph book. I have a biker, a loan shark, a mercenary, and a hacker. But I don’t have the signature from a mafia guy yet.”
If she was going to be this excited about them, I would personally drive her to every criminal in Navesink Bank’s house just so she could meet them.
“We should swing by Hope’s place on the way back to the clubhouse,” I said, my hand going to her lower back to scoot her closer so a guy with a giant stack of pizza boxes could pass.
“Hope… who is married to a cartel boss?”
“Yep. We’d probably walk out of there with a new dog for you, though.” At her pinched-brow look, I shrugged. “A is a dog person. He’s got a whole pack of pit bulls.”
“I definitely want a dog again eventually. I miss Hammy, even though I know she’ll be happier with Sofia. Oh! Is that him?” she asked when another guy came out of the back.
“That kid is all of eighteen,” I said, chuckling.
“I don’t know how old mafia dudes need to be to get made.”
“Usually at least drinking age,” I told her as we got closer to the counter.
As she was rattling off the different slices she wanted, I spotted Lucky and his trademark all-black suit outfit moving around in the back.
“Lucky,” I called, making his head whip over, brow raised.
Carmen’s eyes were saucers as he came walking out, offering me a hand. “Long time no see.”
“Yeah, you know how it is.”
“That I do.”
“This is Carmen. She wanted to meet someone… in your profession.”
Lucky’s keen eyes moved from Carmen’s face to her hand, then back again.
He offered his hand, then pulled her closer over the counter. “Tell me his name, and I’ll make him disappear,” he said, making Carmen’s mouth fall open.
He shot me a smirk, knowing exactly what he was doing. “I got this handled,” I told him.
“If she really wants to be impressed by… local restaurateurs, you should take her to Famiglia when she’s feeling up to it,” he said as someone slid our slices onto the counter. “Enjoy your lunch. It was nice to meet you, Carmen.”
“Okay,” Carmen said, shooting me a smile as we sat at a booth. “I think I could pick a mafia guy out of a crowd now.”
“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”
“They have a certain vibe. Kind of like how you and the bikers have a vibe. Just different.”
With that, we ate pizza, talked about Famiglia and various other businesses that washed criminal money around Navesink Bank.
“Do you still want to hit up the beach, or are you in too much of a food coma?”
“I know I need to take it easy on my ankle, but I wouldn’t mind a short, slow walk.”
“If you get tired, I can piggyback you,” I assured her, bussing our tray, then leading her to the door.