Clean Slate (New Mafia Trilogy #2) (13 page)

Grant and I were
walking back to the beach house when his cell phone rang. He fished it out of
the front pocket of his jeans and glanced at the screen before answering. “Hey
baby, we were just talking about you.” He stopped walking and gestured for me
to continue on. Understanding the need for a private conversation with Miranda,
I left him at the water’s edge.

Jason, Dominic and
Chelsea were all sitting on the deck in the same spots as when I left.

           
“Did Grant fill you in?” Dom asked and I nodded, sitting
down next to him and reaching for my beer, which was now lukewarm, but I took a
sip anyway.

           
“Who’s he talking to?”

           
“Miranda,” Grant answered, reaching the top of the stairs
that led to the beach. “She said Marco is wondering where we are. He isn’t
buying her story.”

           
“So we need to head back.”

           
“Yeah, leaving tomorrow morning would be best. We can
make an appearance at Crimson before last call and hopefully end any
suspicions. Natalie will be safe here, which is all that matters.”

I had one night left
before saying goodbye. There were chances that things could go horribly wrong
in Philly and I’d never see either one of them again. This also meant I had one
night left with Dominic before officially ending things between us.

Grant sat down at the
table next to me and grabbed another beer. “We might as well enjoy sitting
outside while we can, it’s already freakin’ cold in Philly.”

           
“Well, I have to go to work,” Jason said, standing up and
placing his empty bottle back in the cardboard carrier. I looked over at him,
but his face was unreadable. Callie was kind enough to give me the night off
considering my panic attack and unexpected visitors. I got up and followed
Jason into the house.

           
“Make yourself at home Nat,” Jason said, reaching for his
car keys that were on the kitchen counter. “I’m going back to my apartment
after work so you do what you need to do.” He regarded me from across the room
and paused as if debating something. “Call me when they’re gone.”

Just as Jason closed
the front door behind him, Chelsea came in from the deck. “We’re starving,” she
announced, making her way to the refrigerator and pulling out steaks.

           
“Where did all of this come from?” I asked as Chelsea
continued to place food on the counter.”

           
“Jason stopped at a store after he picked me up. He
didn’t know how long we’d be staying so he bought a lot.” Chelsea bit into a
tortilla chip before popping open a jar of salsa.

           
“Wow, he didn’t have to do that.” If I didn’t feel guilty
before, I certainly felt it then. Despite my fawning all over Dom, Jason was
taking hospitality to a whole new level and was backing off, giving me the
space needed to end things.

Chelsea shrugged and
fished out a platter from a cabinet next to the oven. “Dom said he’s cooking,
which earns him some points in my book.”

           
“Oh he can cook, let me tell ya! So, while he’s doing
that, I’m going to shower and get out of my pajamas.”

           
“Good idea, considering it’s almost dark out.”

I laughed at her
snarkiness as I left the kitchen and made my way upstairs. My clothes were
haphazardly stuffed in the duffle bag. After rooting through, I pulled out the
least wrinkled pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a long sleeved white t-shirt.

The guest bathroom was
enormous with a large glassed in shower taking up half of the room and it
reminded me of an aquarium. Six showerheads pointing in different directions
sprouted from the one tile wall.

After twisting my hair
in a knot, I stepped in, immediately relaxing under the multiple streams of hot
water. Steam quickly fogged up the glass. There was an assortment of body wash
to choose from and I selected the lime coconut. I was in the middle of working
up a rich lather when I heard the shower door behind me click shut. With a
gasp, I spun around crossing my arms in front in an attempt to cover myself.
Dominic stood at the other end of the shower. He was naked and water sprayed
against his olive skin, making it glisten. I stared at him, taking in the sight
of his body; the scars, his muscular arms, his tattoo, his six-pack abs, and
the trail of dark hair that ended at his erection. With a shuddering breath, I
lowered my arms, revealing my body to him. His green eyes were bright as his
hungry gaze wandered slowly from my breasts to an area already slick with want.

“I
thought you were cooking dinner?”

           
“I was, until I heard you were taking a shower and I
imagined you just like this.”

In one stride, Dominic
was right in front of me and I was pulled into his arms, crushed against him
with enough force to loosen the knot, causing my hair to spill down around my
shoulders.

Dominic ran a hand up
the back of my neck, underneath the now damp locks as he moved his mouth over
mine. I melted into him, wrapping my arms around his hips, lightly scraping my
nails against his ass causing him to jerk forward.

           
“Nat baby, I missed you so much,” he breathed into my ear
before tracing a trail of kisses down my neck. He paused when he reached my
scar and gently kissed the raised skin.

“I
tried to block the bullet, babe.” Dom looked up at me. His dark, thick lashes
were wet from the shower, or tears, I wasn’t sure.

“I
know,” I whispered. He held my gaze for a few seconds before lowering his head
again and sucking a nipple into his mouth, the exquisite pressure making me
moan. Reaching a hand down between us, I stroked his length until he was
moaning with me.

He focused on my other
nipple, gently biting as he sucked, setting every nerve ending on fire. I
gasped and held onto him as my legs suddenly went weak. Then he was kissing me,
devouring my mouth as if making up for our months apart. I met his passion
equally, feeling him grow harder in my hand when I slid my tongue into his
mouth.

He scooped me up,
cupping my ass as I wrapped my legs around his hips, lowering myself onto him.
The moment he was inside me I felt weightless, breathless. Water streamed down
his chest and rippled across his abs, disappearing where our bodies joined.
Leaning forward, I kissed his scars as he rocked his hips, slowly making love
to me. We held each other, pressing impossibly close as he drove deeper.

           
“Oh Dom, yes!” I cried into his shoulder and absorbed
every shock, every thrust, never wanting it to end.

He sped up and I clung
to him, taking all he was willing to give. The pressure began to build and I
felt myself tighten around him, increasing the pleasure until it was almost
unbearable. I shifted slightly, causing him to go even deeper, triggering an
explosion. Dom came with me, filling me up. With another cry, I rode out waves
that left me shaky and giddy. Dom didn’t let me go, he held me in his arms and
I was stuck to him like a barnacle. We were both panting with our foreheads
touching as we came down from our highs. When our breathing had returned to
normal, Dom released his hold, lowering me onto unsteady legs and keeping his
arms around my waist.

           
“I love you, Nat,” he whispered.

           
“I never stopped,” I admitted, my voice tight with
emotion.

Dom kissed me.
 
A slow, gentle kiss infused with his love for
me. He took his time as if savoring my lips, committing their texture and taste
to memory. I did the same knowing that this would be the last time we’d be
together. It had to be.

***

When Dom and I went
back downstairs to join Chelsea and Grant on the deck, they were engaged in a
heated conversation.

           
“Grant, I don’t understand how she can’t be concerned
about Nat’s whereabouts?”

           
“That’s how our mom is. She’s always been that way.”

           
“I know she can be cruel, but to try to get you to stop
looking for her own daughter?”

Grant shrugged and took
a sip of beer. He acted nonchalant and his expression was hidden from Chelsea
by the dim candlelight, but I saw the tense set of his jaw and the angry glint
in his eyes. I set my hand on his shoulder, feeling the tension buried deep beneath
his muscles. Yes, Grant was very pissed at our mother.

           
“Why do you think I always wanted to hang out at your
house, Chels? And those weeks at the shore with your family were truly a
vacation. Mom will always be like that and Grant, you’ve run interference so
many times, I refuse to let her get to me anymore.” I declared, giving my
brother’s shoulder a squeeze before going inside and getting a cup of water.

I came back outside and
sat down. A salad in a large glass bowl was on the center of the table as well
as a half-eaten bag of tortilla chips and a platter of raw steaks. Dom busied
himself with getting the grill ready while Chelsea and Grant had moved on to a
different, but not less serious topic: the state of the Eagles deplorable 5-8
record for the season. Chelsea was born and raised an Eagles fan. Her first
fashion “project” was a redesign of their uniforms. She was eight and I
remember one of the highlights included green glittery pants. I rolled my eyes
and tuned them out, choosing to watch Dom work the grill instead.

Just his very presence
was comforting and I enjoyed watching him cook. He moved with ease as he
flipped steaks, avoiding flames that surged higher, accelerated by grease. This
felt right being surrounded by the most important people in my life. My love
was cooking while Grant and Chelsea bickered in the background over the latest
quarterback’s performance. God, how I wished this could last.

After dinner and more
drinks, Chelsea started to yawn and disappeared upstairs. I sat on Dom’s lap.
One of his arms was loosely draped around my waist, occasionally dropping lower
to caress my thigh. Grant was slouched low in his chair with his head back,
staring at the stars.

           
“It’s so nice not to be freezing my ass off,” Grant said,
breaking the silence. “If this is why you don’t want to come back to Philly, I
don’t blame you.”

I laughed, remembering
the barren chill of the city as if the concrete froze and held in all of the
cold. Dominic’s arm tightened around my waist and I knew Grant’s comment was
making him think about tomorrow. The morning would be here before we knew it.

Next it was my turn to
yawn, the effects of an emotionally turbulent day catching up with me. We
cleared the table and Grant extinguished the fire in the chiminea before we
went inside. Initially I was going to sleep in my own room, but I was an addict
and Dominic was my crack. I needed to get my fix before extricating him from my
life, so I followed him into his guest room. The bed wasn’t made; the dark gray
comforter was twisted, indicating a restless night. All of the walls were a
grayish blue and the trim around the windows a stark white. Wide slatted
vertical blinds were open, revealing a black expanse of ocean. A large piece of
driftwood was placed above the bed like a sculpture. The rest of the room was
plain, a whitewashed dresser and a plush white ottoman at the foot of the bed were
the only other furnishings.

We got ready for bed
and while Dominic was in the bathroom, I stripped out of my clothes, sliding
underneath the covers completely naked. Dominic saw my clothes on the floor and
immediately removed his before joining me. He curled up behind me, his body
engulfing mine and I nestled in closer. Cupping my breast, he kissed my neck.

           
“It’s been difficult sleeping without you beside me,” Dom
whispered in my ear. As if to prove his point, within minutes he was lightly
snoring, his breathing ruffling my hair. I wish I fell asleep as easily in the
comfort of Dom’s arms. Instead I was wide awake thinking about how I was going
to end things with him and worried about the hornet’s nest he and Grant were
going to stir up once they were back in Philly. It was a long night, to say the
least, and by the time dawn lightened the sky outside the window, I was already
dressed and in the kitchen making coffee.

Chelsea was the first
to join me. She took one look at the bags under my eyes and pulled me into a
hug before sitting on the stool next to me.

           
“So you’re going through with it?”

           
“Yes, I have to.”

           
“But you don’t want to?”

Staring at the dregs of
coffee in the bottom of my mug, I shook my head no. Chelsea placed her hand on
top of mine and squeezed it. “I’m here for ya, girl.”

           
“Thanks, I know.” I gave her a weak smile. There was
movement upstairs then the sound of water running. I was on my second cup of
coffee, but unable to drink a drop since my stomach was in knots, when Grant
and Dom came downstairs carrying their bags. Both were clean shaven and looked
more refreshed than when they arrived.

           
“Do you guys want coffee?” Chelsea asked, getting up off
her stool and walking into the kitchen.

           
“Sure, black for me,” Dom said.

           
“That’d be great, Chelsea, thanks,” Grant said. “I’ll
take cream and sugar, none of that artificial sweetener shit Nat likes.” I
stuck my tongue out at him and he laughed.

           
“I take it you’re heading out soon?” I asked.

Dom came over to sit
next to me. His hair was still wet and caught the overhead light. His scent
washed over me and I breathed it in, committing it to memory. “Yeah, we’re just
waiting on one of Gio’s guys to come collect the guns he let us borrow then I’m
heading down to San Diego and Grant’s driving to San Francisco. Even though we
have fake id’s we don’t want to take any chances by being seen flying out of
LAX or even flying together.”

           
“That makes sense.” I was still staring at the coffee in
my mug, unable to meet Dom’s eyes.

           
“You alright?” Placing a finger beneath my chin, he
lifted my head, so I couldn’t avoid looking at him. I swallowed past the
thickness in my throat, willing the tears away.

I sensed Grant and
Chelsea were watching us and didn’t want an audience for what I was about to
do.

           
“Can we go outside and talk?” I slid off my stool and
crossed the room, opening the door leading to the deck. I heard Dominic behind
me. It was cooler this morning with a brisk wind whipping off the water that
scattered my hair in every direction.

           
“What’s going on, Nat?”

Taking a deep breath, I
turned to face him. “Dom, I love you, but I can’t do this anymore and I sure as
hell can’t have you kill your uncle because of me.”

           
“What are you saying?” He crossed his arms across his
broad chest and stared at me with a guarded expression.

           
“I’m saying,” my voice cracked and tears began to spill
despite my efforts at keeping them in check. “This is goodbye, for real and for
good. Go home, Dom. Go back to your family and your life.”

           
“You don’t get it. You, you are my life!” he yelled.

           
“I can’t be anymore,” I said in a whisper, barely finding
strength to voice the words.

           
‘Can’t or won’t?” He had stopped yelling, but now spoke
in a cold, monotonous tone making me prefer his shouting. At least that was
infused with passion.

           
“Does it matter? Goodbye, Dom.” I turned and fled back
into the house, rushing past Grant and Chelsea on my way to the stairs. I hid
myself away in one of the second floor bathrooms with the door locked. I heard
the front door slam followed by the sound of a car peeling out. Moments later
there was a knock on the bathroom door.

           
“Nat, it’s me, Chelsea. Are you okay?”

           
“Nat, open up, what the hell did you say to Dom?” Grant
asked.
 
Their voices were muffled through
the wood.

My body was wracked
with sobs so I couldn’t answer. Getting up from the floor where I was sitting
with my back against the vanity cabinets, I crossed the room on unsteady legs
and unlocked the door. Chelsea opened it and I greeted her with a tear streaked
face. She instantly pulled me into a hug.

           
“What the hell happened?” Grant asked, stepping into the
bathroom.

           
“She ended things with him,” Chelsea answered for me.

           
“You did what? Fuck!” Grant began pacing the small room.
“Why?”

           
“Grant, it’s bad enough worrying about you. I don’t have
the emotional capacity to be a Mob girlfriend.”

At that moment the
doorbell rang, its chimes echoing throughout the first floor and up the stairs
to the second floor.

           
“Shit, I bet that’s Gio’s guy. You two stay up here…and
Natalie, I hope Dom doesn’t do something fucking stupid that gets him killed.”

Grant left on that
note, leaving me even more bereft at the realization Dom might do something
crazy; reacting based on emotion and not logic. Chelsea hugged me again, her
body absorbed my shaking and her shirt soaked up my tears.

           
“Shhh, it will be okay,” she said over and over again in
a soothing tone. Eventually I quieted down and my focus was drawn to the murmur
of voices downstairs. Curiosity won out so Chelsea and I crept to the top of
the stairs for a listen. Grant and another man were talking in the kitchen, but
their voices carried.

           
“Dom had to leave early to catch his flight. Here’s my
gun and his. Thank Gio again for letting us borrow them.”

           
“He’s a reasonable guy and wants to protect his
investment. Speaking of which, where’s the girl?”

           
“Natalie is upstairs.”

Footsteps on the tile
alerted us to their approach and we started to move back from the top of the
stairs where we were eavesdropping, but didn’t move fast enough. A man, just as
tall and as muscular as Dominic came into view. He had black hair that skimmed
the top of his shoulders. Each arm was covered with brightly colored tattoos
that disappeared underneath the sleeves of his black t-shirt. When he looked up
the stairs at us, I noticed the piercing in his eyebrow. A silver stud winked
at me in the light coming in from the glass surrounding the front door.

           
“Who is that?” Chelsea asked. I glanced over at her and
saw she was eyeing this man appreciatively.

           
“Hi Natalie,” the man said. His dark eyes locked on mine
leaving no doubt he already knew who I was. “I need to talk to you.”

I looked over at Grant
who stood behind this man and he nodded. With a quick wipe to my face, removing
any lingering tears, I stood up and made my way down the stairs. Chelsea crept
along behind me, practically glued to my back.

The man followed my
progress with his thin lips twisted into a smirk that did nothing to quell my
nerves. He met me at the bottom of the stairs. He was taller than Grant and Dom
and towered over me. “I’m Victor, your own personal bodyguard.” He held his
hand out and I noticed the tattoo on the inside of his wrist said “no mercy” in
a fancy script.

Hesitantly, I placed my
hand in his. “What does that entail exactly?” I asked.

“It means until your
boys take care of business with Marco, you’re going to be seeing a lot of me.”

           
“Seriously?”

           
“Afraid so, Princess.” He smiled at me, flashing large
white teeth.

           
“This isn’t necessary. Is it?” I asked Grant.

           
“Yes it is. Until Marco is dead the contract for your hit
is active.”

           
“But, I told Dom not to kill Marco – he can’t kill a
family member!”

           
“Is this true?” Victor turned to face Grant. When he did,
I noticed tattoos crawled up his neck too. “Is the deal off? Gio won’t be
happy.”

           
“No, it’s not true. Our arrangement stands.” A sheen of
perspiration formed on Grant’s upper lip. One of his few tells letting me know
he was nervous.

           
“Good.”

Grant looked at his
phone. “Shit, I gotta get going. Thanks for keeping an eye on my sister.” He
shook Victor’s hand before turning to me and giving me a hug. “Please do as
Victor says – he’ll keep you safe. I’ll be in touch.”

“Please
be careful, I only have one brother. Love ya, bro.” I held onto him tighter
than usual, knowing this could be the last time I’d see him.

“I
love you too.”

He gave me one final
squeeze before letting go. After giving Chelsea a quick hug, he grabbed his bag
and opened the front door.

We followed him out and
stood in the driveway. There were grooves in the gravel from where Dominic had
peeled out. Grant put his bag in the backseat before sliding in behind the
steering wheel. He waved once before backing up to do a k-turn, then he was
gone. A black Harley, its chrome sparkling in the sun, was the only vehicle in
the driveway and that’s when I realized Chelsea and I were stuck, dependent on
Jason to get back to our apartment.

           
“So who’s your friend?” Victor asked.

           
“I’m Chelsea Reed, Natalie’s roommate. Are you a
professional bodyguard or something?”

Victor laughed. “Not
professionally, no, but people around here know not to mess with me.”

           
“Are you an enforcer like Grant and Dom?”

           
“Chelsea, enough with the twenty questions, we need to
figure out how we’re going to get home.”

           
“Jason will come get us.”

I knew he would, but
really didn’t want to take advantage of our fragile friendship.

           
“I need to make arrangements with Natalie. I’ll take her
home. This way I can check and make sure your apartment is secure.”

           
“You want me to ride on the back of that?” I pointed at
the motorcycle, which looked just as intimidating as its owner.

“Don’t worry, Princess,
it’s my job to protect you, not turn you into road rash.”