The Vault Collection [Volume One] Page 4

  “Your condo is gorgeous, but this area is amazing.” I turned slowly, taking in the numerous potted plants, top-of-the-line patio furniture, swaths of grass amid the paver stones, the outdoor kitchen, and the private lap pool. It was the perfect oasis in the middle of the concrete jungle.

  As I leaned against the half wall surrounding the patio, gazing at the bright city lights below, the shooting replayed in my mind, and the fear began taking root in my chest again. My coping mechanisms were failing me, allowing the terrifying scene to repeat with alarming clarity. Damon seemed to sense my distress. His arms encircled me from behind. His chin rested on my shoulder, his cheek next to mine.

  “You’re shaking. Is the breeze up here too cool for you?” His tone was easy and soothing, but also knowing. He gave me an out, a way to avoid talking about my angst if I chose to take it.

  But I needed his comfort. I needed to hear the words come from him. When he promised he’d take care of me, I believed him. “No, I just can’t stop thinking about what happened earlier.”

  He turned me toward him and held my face in his hands. “I understand, but believe me when I say we have it covered. You don’t have to worry now.”

  “That’s all either of us can do, isn’t it? Believe that the people responsible will be found and held accountable for their actions.”

  “I believe they will be. With all my heart and soul, I believe it.”

  Chapter Five

  Damon

  Though my gut insisted Jillian shouldn’t go to work, I took her anyway. With Benny driving, I sat in the back with her and kept a vigilant watch the entire ride. She was more nervous the morning after the attempt on us than she was right after it happened. She said everything felt like a dream immediately after the shooting, but it all came rushing back when she had time to think about it—and it was suddenly all very real and scary to her.

  “Will my car be ready today?” She fidgeted with her hands, wringing them and stretching them out on her thigh to stop herself.

  I picked up one of her hands and brought it to my lips. She looked up at me, fear still evident in her expression. “Hey. Remember what I said?”

  “You said not to worry because you’d protect me.”

  “I’m a man of my word, Jillian. I protect what’s mine.”

  “And I’m yours?”

  “You know you are.”

  She nodded and relaxed a little. “And my car?”

  “It’ll be ready this afternoon and waiting for you at your apartment.” Her expression was a mixture of disappointment and relief.

  I understood the feeling—I didn’t want her to leave my side until I had a better grasp on what exactly was going down with the Sanfratello family. At least my dad’s men had time to put extra security cameras in her apartment last night so we could keep an eye on her and any visitors—expected or unexpected. She’d be safe if she stayed in the building working, Percy would see to that. If she left during the day, my father’s men would cover her, and she’d never know they were there.

  “Something wrong?”

  She dropped her chin and shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

  I knew she was lying, but I also knew why, so I let it slide. She already thought she was imposing on me for the rides to work and back, so asking for anything more was out of the question in her mind. While I wouldn’t mind if she spent the night in my bed occasionally, I wasn’t ready for her to be a full-time resident.

  Benny pulled alongside the curb and stopped. She inhaled a deep breath when I exited the car. I took her hand to help her stand then pulled her to me with my arm around her waist and my lips against her temple. “I’ll be here when you get off work today.”

  When we drove off, I called Percy to tell him she was on her way up. Then I called my dad to find out what he and Uncle Leo had learned.

  “Good morning, son. Your mother wants to know if you’re bringing your friend to Saturday dinner.” That was his greeting when he answered his phone, and the question from my mom wasn’t a request or simple curiosity—it was an expectation.

  “You ratted me out, Dad?” I chuckled, knowing even though he was the family Boss and his word was final in business, Mama’s word was final on anything involving her family. My dad knew better than to cross her on any matters related to her children and their lives.

  “She tells me every day how much she wants grandbabies, but none of her kids loves her enough to give her one after everything she sacrificed to make a happy home. You took a beautiful girl to dinner last night. She’s hopeful.”

  “She’s right beside you, isn’t she?”

  “Yes.” I knew from the deep rumble of his laugh that she was already making plans for my wedding. It was what she did every time any of her sons had a date—she broke out the bridal magazines and started checking availability at wedding venues.

  “Dad, I just met Jillian—and she works at Blaine Financial Services. I don’t know what it all means yet. Make Mama stop before she sends out wedding invitations.”

  “Your mother and I only knew each other a week before I knew she was the one I’d marry.”

  I couldn’t believe he was taking Mama’s side. “But you were sixteen and lived in a small village in Italy. There probably weren’t even any other women your age who weren’t already family. It’s different now. But that’s not why I’m calling. What’d you find out last night?”

  “First, there’s no one better than your mother, regardless of where we lived. She wants to meet your girlfriend and decide for herself if this girl is a good match for you. Now, on to business. My guys tracked down the car and interrogated the driver. They’re watching Jillian, but those bullets were meant for you. They think you’re behind Milo’s disappearance.”

  “Milo worked for the same company, managing the nurses’ union retirement fund. I had good reason to believe he snitched on us to the Sanfratellos, tipping them off about our operations. He had to be taken out of play.”

  “Apparently, your girlfriend just happened to be assigned to the same fund after Milo abruptly left. That raised a lot of red flags, even though they should know we’d be more discreet. If we replaced him, it damn sure wouldn’t be with your girlfriend. The Sanfratello family doesn’t own Blaine Financial, but they have men in place to funnel money out the same as we do.”

  “Did you get rid of the driver?”

  “No, but he’s missing a few protruding body parts. I decided to send him back with a strong message to stay clear of you and Jillian. They stick to their business, we stick to ours. But if they so much as look at any of us wrong, we will finish them.” His voice turned gruff and forceful, giving a glimpse of the man who terrified his opponents.

  “If they’re posturing and positioning for power, do you think they’ll go for that?” I pictured Jillian in her office, unaware of the coming war, working beside Lorenzo. “Dad, Jillian knows nothing about this. They could tell her anything about us and she’d believe it.”

  “I think you need to give her more credit than that, Damon. Your Uncle Leo and I both saw how she looked at you last night. She likes you. A lot. As for the Sanfratellos, we’ll know soon enough. We have people on the inside.”

  She deserved the benefit of a warning—about me, about Lorenzo, about what would be expected if she and I continued seeing each other. I had no problem with putting a bullet in the brain of anyone who crossed me, but she hadn’t done anything wrong. I was the one who insisted on taking her to the hospital, and I couldn’t have her innocent blood on my hands.

  “Okay, Dad. I’m glad to hear it was me they were gunning for and not her. If they know what’s good for them, they’ll leave her out of it.”

  “I know that tone, Damon. If you threaten Lorenzo with mere words, you’re just daring him to defy you. And then he will do it out of spite. Trust me, they heard my message loud and clear.”

  “You and Mama have always been able to read me like a fucking book.”

  “Of course. You’re a
Marchetti. As such, I expect you to bring her to the family dinner Saturday to meet your mother.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  We disconnected, and I turned the conversation to Benny, my longtime friend who knew my family almost as well as I did. “Benny, my mother wants Jillian there Saturday. How do you think it’ll go?”

  Benny met my gaze in the rearview mirror. “Jillian isn’t Italian, Damon.”

  He didn’t have to say more than that. I’d never hear the end of it from my mother. “You’re right…it’ll be painful.”

  I was too keyed up to sit in my office all day, so we made the rounds to my crew to collect money from their jobs, set up plans for new tasks, and gather any information they’d learned from the street. Word was the rival family was planning something big, moving their men around and shaking up their normal routines. But no one had any solid leads on what the final goal was. The top brass keeping the plans that close to the vest meant we had to be extra vigilant.

  Back in the car, I glanced at my watch and realized it was well after lunch, but I hadn’t eaten a single bite. The uneasy feeling hadn’t left me all day, so I decided to ask my girl if she’d already eaten. She answered on the third ring.

  “You must be a mind reader. I was just thinking about you,” she said when she came on the line.

  “Didn’t I tell you? I can read your every thought. Maybe I should’ve mentioned that earlier, huh?”

  “Oh yeah? What am I thinking right now, then?”

  “You’re thinking about how hungry you are, and you want me to take you out to lunch.”

  Her laugh filled the line, and my cock twitched from the sound. “You’re amazing. That’s exactly what I was thinking. Since you knew that, I expect you to be waiting for me downstairs.”

  “I’ll be there by the time you step out the front door, so bring your sexy ass down to me.”

  “Yes, sir. I love it when you’re so bossy like that.”

  She had no idea how her playful banter made my cock spring to life. “Doll, you haven’t seen bossy yet. Just remember you asked for it when you get more than you bargained for later tonight.”

  “Tonight?” Her breathy single-word question revealed her excitement. “But I thought—I just assumed…”

  She stepped out of the large glass door onto the sidewalk, her cell phone still pressed to her ear. I moved up beside her and murmured into her other ear. “You just assumed last night was a one-night stand?”

  Her eyes shot up to mine, and a smile crept across her face. She shrugged one shoulder as she lowered her hand. “When you said my car would be waiting for me at my apartment and you’d take me back there this evening, I thought maybe you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

  “Is that why you looked so sad this morning?”

  “Part of why.” Her voice trailed off, and a light pink flush covered her face.

  “I guess I’ll have to make a believer out of you, then. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say. If one night of that luscious pussy was all I wanted, you’d know it. I’ve told you more than a couple of times that I’ve claimed you, marked you as mine. But you still don’t believe me. After tonight, you won’t doubt me again.”

  “Okay.” Her chest rose and fell in quick succession. Her lips parted, and her eyes flew open wider. My words struck a potent chord in her—one she couldn’t deny she enjoyed.

  “Lunch first.” With my hand on her lower back, inching my fingers down toward her ass, I guided her to the car and opened the door. Seated beside her, I slid my hand between her thighs, and her breath hitched. One corner of my lips lifted, though I tried to hide my amusement. With a firm grip, I pulled her across the plush leather seat. “Don’t you want to sit closer to me?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  My finger stroked the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, causing goose bumps to pebble across her skin, then I pulled her knee over my leg. Her eyes never left mine as my fingers moved up her leg. When I reached the apex, I felt the strip of soft curls covering her pussy. Then it was my turn to be surprised.

  “Why are you not wearing any panties at work?” I kept my voice low and my mouth close to her ear so Benny couldn’t hear. The level of jealousy that bubbled up inside me was a first. I’d never had a problem attracting and keeping any woman, much less had a reason to feel jealousy over one. This woman tested me in all different ways.

  “I forgot to grab a pair when we were at my apartment last night.” Her breaths came faster, and her legs opened wider as my finger hovered over her entrance, teasing her with what was to come.

  “You’ve been at work all day, with other men who want you the same way I do, without any panties on?” I thrust my middle finger into her wetness, and she bit back a whimper. With long, lazy strokes, I fingered her sweetness, wishing I could bury my face between her legs to taste her instead. The tighter she gripped my arm, the tighter her pussy gripped my finger. She held her breath and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, trying to remain silent while her excitement increased. With a curl of my finger and a little more pressure, she came apart under my touch.

  Her head fell back against the seat, and she closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she watched me lick her juice off my finger. “Oh my God.”

  I pulled the silk handkerchief from my jacket pocket and wiped away the wetness between her legs. After I’d stuffed it into my front pocket, I turned my attention back to our conversation. “Are you going to answer my question now?”

  “What did you ask?”

  “Forget the question. Here’s the answer. If you go commando without me beside you again, your ass will be sore for a full week. Are we clear?” My eyes bored into hers. My tone drove the seriousness of my point home.

  “We’re clear.” Her eyes darted back and forth between mine, taking in my determination. “You are one of a kind, Damon. Should I be flattered over your jealousy and possessiveness? Or concerned?”

  She had me pegged, caught red-handed by my own words. My face softened because I couldn’t deny the answer to the real question behind her words. “We’re here. Let’s eat.”

  Chapter Six

  Jillian

  I saw the shift in his demeanor before he avoided answering my question, but I couldn’t read him as well as he could read me. He took my hand as I got out of the car in front of a door I wouldn’t have even noticed if I’d walked right by it. Inside, the restaurant was much more casual than where we’d had dinner the night before. The homey vibe was warm and welcoming, as was the older lady who greeted us with a smile.

  “Mio nipote!” She pulled Damon into her arms and rocked from side to side. “It’s been too long since the last time you came to see me. What, my nephew doesn’t have time for his favorite aunt anymore?” She didn’t give him time to answer before turning her attention to me. “Who is this pretty girl? Does your mother know about her?”

  “Aunt Maria, this is Jillian Hart. Jillian, Maria is Uncle Leo’s wife. She owns this restaurant and makes the best veal parmesan and spinach ravioli in the city.”

  She pinched his cheeks while wearing the brightest smile. “You only say that because your mama doesn’t live in the city. You’re a smart boy.” Turning back to me, she continued speaking. “It’s so nice to meet you, Jillian. Come, have a seat. Let me get you both something to eat. You’re too thin—you need food.”

  She walked ahead of us and motioned to an empty table. “Have a seat. I’ll bring your food out.”

  Damon recognized my confused expression. “Aunt Maria never lets me order from the menu. I eat whatever she wants me to eat.”

  He pulled out my chair, and we settled in for what smelled like a delicious home-cooked meal. “What did she mean when she asked if your mother knew about me?”

  Damon smiled—that dazzling smile rendered me speechless every time—and appeared almost boyish for a second or two. “About that. After we saw my dad last night, he told my mother about you, naturally. I called him this morning, and
I was given strict instructions to bring you to our family dinner this weekend.”

  If dying from hyperventilation were possible, I was sure my death was imminent. I’d met his father by coincidence, and that only lasted a couple of minutes. Dinner at his parents’ house was a whole new ball game—in a completely different league. My mouth opened and closed several times to speak, like a fish gulping for air, but nothing came out. Damon reached across the table and took my hand.

  “Breathe, doll, before you pass out.”

  Wouldn’t that cause a spectacle in his aunt’s restaurant?

  “Damon, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, we’ve moved fast as it is. But where I’m from, meeting the parents is a big deal. It’s a major step in a relationship.”

  He sat back in his chair, his keen eyes assessing me and my words. “And?”

  “And…when you tell her we only met a couple of days ago, she’ll hate me.” My voice was panicky, anxiety making the pitch ratchet up higher and higher with every word.

  His aunt Maria bustled through the swinging kitchen door, carrying two large plates in her hands. Another woman followed closely behind her with a tray of salads, bread, and drinks. Damon stood to help them place the food on the table and kissed his aunt on the cheek.

  “Can we get some wine to go with this delicious meal?” His charm was fully intact, with no hint of the turmoil at our table not three seconds before.

  “Of course, of course.” Maria called to another employee to bring two glasses of Chianti to us. “Take a bite. I want to see your faces when you try it.”

  Despite how my stomach still rolled from the news of dinner with his parents, I cut a piece of the cheese-covered veal. The look of pure indulgence on my face pleased Maria if her beaming smile was any indication. “This is delicious, Maria. Pure heaven.”

  She looked at Damon. “I like her. And I love her accent. She’s coming to dinner Saturday, no?”

  My fork, loaded with fettuccine Alfredo, stalled halfway to my mouth. Damon nodded to answer her, but his gaze moved to mine.