Deception (Mafia Ties #1) (4 page)

Secretly fantasized about for days? Maybe.

But expected? Not in the least.

I hadn’t spent any time with Sophia except to say hello and get a quick hug before she disappeared upstairs to her Nonna’s apartment for the day. And night. Nic had prowled around all day like a large, wild animal, practically growling at the men he’d hired to help me move. He exuded a raw, primal masculinity which was impossible to ignore. Every time I looked  at him, his eyes were on me. His attention was intense—fierce. I knew I shouldn’t let anything happen between us, but then he’d stalked into my room and all my good intentions flew out the window.

I’d never had such a strong physical reaction to a guy. It’s why I wasn’t just a virgin, I was completely untouched. There had been cute boys in high school, and a couple attractive guys in college who had asked me out. But none of them had the same energy as Nic. He was beautiful. Savage. Completely unashamed of his attraction to me. And he totally threw me off balance every time I was near him. But today was a new day, and I was going to do my best to forget what it was like to have his lips on my nipples and clit, the feel of his soft whiskers on my thighs. His finger inside me.

Darn it!
Shaking my head to clear the sensual fog Nic was able to wrap around me by mere thoughts of him, I hurriedly dressed, getting ready to start my day. Pulling out a dress, I longingly looked at a pair of jeans. After Nic’s destruction of my yoga pants yesterday, a dress probably wasn’t the wisest choice of clothes because it would give him easier access to my body. We were starting the morning off with church, though, and I couldn’t bring myself to wear something so inappropriate.

Glancing at the clock, I noted how early it was, brushed my hair, pulled it back into a low ponytail, and swiped some gloss on my lips. I wanted to beat Nic and Sophia into the kitchen, to start this morning off on the right foot by making them breakfast. Checking my reflection in the mirror above my dresser, I nodded in satisfaction before heading out the door. I closed it quietly behind me and crept past Nic’s room on tiptoes. I didn’t hear any sounds from behind his door, but I didn’t trust him not to have an internal radar which told him I was awake and out of my room. Or to be a light enough sleeper to hear me moving around in my room, since we shared a wall. Yeah, he’d put me in the room next to his. I found it only slightly less shocking than the way he’d made me come. Nic DeLuca was going to be a handful.

I arrived in the kitchen without incident and puttered around until I found all of the ingredients and tools to make French toast. I hummed quietly, lost in the comfort of something I enjoyed and was good at. I didn’t even notice Nic enter the room until his arms slipped around my waist, causing me to yelp with surprise.

“Morning, bellissima,” he rasped, his breath warming my ear. His voice sent shivers down my spine. It was lethal, and completely unfair that a guy who had his looks also sounded so sexy. The sound of him speaking in Italian was enough to make my panties wet.

“Good morning,” I croaked, my voice hesitant and unsure.

He nuzzled against my neck. “You look and smell good enough to eat.” He nibbled at my skin, making me squeak aloud, before lifting his head to peer over my shoulder at the pan on the stove. “But I guess I’ll have to satisfy my hunger with the breakfast you’re making me since Sophia and my mother will be down here any minute.”

“Your mom?” I gasped, turning in his arms to look up at him in surprise while running my hand down the front of my dress to smooth out any wrinkles I’d gotten since I’d been up.

“No need to be afraid of my momma, Gianna. She’s excited to meet you.”

He probably meant to reassure me, but his statement only sent my heart racing more. If she was excited to meet me, then they must have talked about me. My face heated at the thought of meeting her so shortly after what had happened in my room last night. The humor in Nic’s eyes and the smile tilting the sides of his lips made me want to stomp my foot in frustration. He didn’t seem to be worried in the least.

“I’ve never met a boyfriend’s mom before,” I blurted out, my hand flying to cover my mouth as soon as the words left it. I’d just called him my boyfriend. How much more of a dork could I be?

Apparently, Nic had a thing for dorky girls because his eyes heated with a possessive gleam. “Good,” he purred. “I’m a greedy man and want all your firsts to be with me.”

“Give the poor girl some space, Niccolo.”

My spine straightened at the sound of the feminine voice scolding Nic. I tried to step away from him, to turn and greet his mom, but he didn’t let me get very far. Instead, he wrapped an arm around my waist and led me over to where she stood.

“Good morning, Mamma,” he murmured, bending low to kiss her on the cheek. “I hope you’re hungry because it looks like my Gianna made enough French toast to feed an army.”

My cheeks heated further, but Nic’s mom didn’t give me the chance to think about how her son had introduced me to her. She tugged me away from Nic, her gaze sweeping me from head to toe, before a wide grin spread across her face. “Such a beautiful girl.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. DeLuca.”

“Please, call me Mamma Allegra,” she urged, wrapping me up in a warm hug before stepping away and patting me on the cheek. “There’s no need to be so formal.”

“Thank you,” I replied faintly, wondering even more about what Nic could possibly have said to his mother about me.

I widened my eyes at him in amazement at how welcoming his mom was being, as she moved to the stove. “And she cooks!” she exclaimed, helping me to get the food I’d made served up and plates on the table. “More than breakfast foods?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She lifted a brow at me and I hurried to correct myself. “Yes, Mamma Allegra. I love to cook.”

“I’m so happy to know I won’t have to worry about my son’s penchant to order take out if I’m not cooking for him and my grandbaby.”

“French toast!” Sophia squealed from the door, still dressed in her pajamas. She raced into the room and climbed onto a chair at the table. “Thank you, Nonna.”

“Don’t thank me,” Allegra said, waving in my direction. “Gianna made breakfast for all of us this morning.”

“Anna,” Nic corrected, practically growling at her.

“I thought her name was Gianna?” Allegra asked, her gaze darting between the two of us.

“It is,” I confirmed. “But everybody calls me Anna.”

“Except for my son,” she murmured, sending him a sly grin before beaming at me. “I understand completely. I’ll make sure to call you Anna from now on.”

I murmured something faintly, completely bewildered and uncertain as to what it was she understood. Wanting a way out of the conversation, I helped Sophia cut her food while Allegra and Nic sat down. Once everybody had their plates full, I served myself and was about to leave the room when Nic’s hand whipped out to grasp my elbow.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I thought I’d eat in my room to give the family some privacy.”

“There will be no hiding away from us like a servant,” he grumbled. “You eat with us.”

“This is what happens when you don’t wait for a lady to be seated like I taught you to do,” Allegra chimed in, making Sophia giggle around a mouthful of French toast and easing some of the tension.

Nic stood from his seat and helped me into mine, his hand slipping from my lower back to my butt and giving it a quick squeeze along the way.

“Do you know how to make pancakes with chocolate chips in them?” Sophia asked as Nic sat back down.

I was thankful for the distraction her question gave me and turned all of my attention towards her. “I know how to make all sort of pancakes. Chocolate chip, blueberry, banana. Even caramel apple ones.”

“Chocolate chip is my favorite kind, but I’d like to try the apple ones too.”

“I’ll make them for you soon,” I promised, reaching out with my napkin to wipe some of the syrup from her chin.

“Very well done, Niccolo,” Allegra whispered, but not softly enough that I didn’t hear her. My head jerked up and I caught both of them staring at Sophia and me. Allegra had a look of approval on her face, while Nic looked like he wanted to drag me off to the nearest cave. I refused to consider what it could all mean. Now wasn’t the time, so I filed it all away for later consideration, as best I could, while I ate my breakfast.

Nic insisted on cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, so I left him to it while I helped Sophia get ready for church. I lost the battle to sit in the back of the car with Sophia when Allegra insisted it was more comfortable for her in the back seat. I was ultra-aware of both of them riding behind us when Nic tugged my hand off my lap and twined his fingers with mine on the middle console. He only let go after he’d parked the car.

I climbed out while he was helping Sophia and Allegra, earning myself a glare and a growl. “You wait for me to open the door for you from now on, Gianna.”

He didn’t wait for a response, leading us all into the church. Nic gestured for me to enter his family pew first. I couldn’t argue, aware of all the gazes directed our way. He followed behind me, settling Sophia on his other side and his mother next to her. Mass went by in a blur, with me more aware of the warmth of Nic’s body brushing against my side than the words spoken by the priest. If I’d been going to confession today, I’d have quite a number of sins to confess. Both in deeds and thoughts.

We made it to the steps of the church before we were waylaid by the priest, who stopped to speak with Allegra.

“And who is this lovely young woman you had sitting with you today?” he asked, his gaze turning towards me.

The priest’s question was directed towards Allegra, but Nic stepped between us and answered for her. “This is my Gianna. You can call her Anna.”

“You do know he took a vow of celibacy,” Allegra chuckled softly.

“Welcome to my church.” The priest’s attention turned from me to Nic. “I’ll keep my schedule as open as I can since I expect you’ll have need for me soon.”

G
ianna was a bit skittish for the rest of Sunday, avoiding me and spending most of her time playing with Sophia. I let her get away with it because I enjoyed watching them bond, knowing Gianna was falling in love with my baby girl. Sophia adored her and every time my preziosa smiled, it strengthened my resolve to keep Gianna. She was going to make an excellent mother to our children.

I did my best not to constantly replay our time together in her bedroom. The feel of her soft skin, her cries of fulfillment, the sight of whisker burn on her creamy skin. Sunday night, after everyone retired, I went for a nighttime run, pushing myself until I was sure I would drop with exhaustion. I came home and attempted to cool my body and my thoughts with a freezing shower. But, I was as restless as I’d been the night before, knowing her delectable body was only a wall away from me.

On Monday, Gianna and I both saw Sophia off to school. She raced to the bus with such energy, I could almost forget she’d ever been sick. She’d been diagnosed with renal artery disease when she was just over three years old. It had been hard to pinpoint the source of her pain at that age, and being a nineteen-year-old, single dad, it had been exceptionally rough. Sophia’s mother hadn’t possessed a single maternal bone in her body, and as soon as Sophia was born, she took off. We hadn’t heard from or seen her since.

But, Sophia and I were exceptionally blessed to have my parents. They were my rock as I was forced to watch my baby girl suffer. Right before my father passed, they performed surgery to restore blood flow to her kidneys and she seemed to be greatly improved. However, the doctors continued to monitor her kidney function, wary of further developments and long-term damage to her kidneys.

Despite her exuberance of energy that day, she’d been more tired than usual lately, and it was concerning me. I took Gianna back to my office and walked her through Sophia’s medical history, routines, and other pertinent information. I threw in facts about myself as well as encouraging her to unknowingly answering several of my own.

After a couple of hours, my stomach grumbled and I glanced at my watch to see it was just after noon. “Sophia’s bus will drop her off at around two o’clock.” I smiled and stood, rounding my desk to help her up from her chair on the other side. “Come, mia dolce. I’m going to take you to lunch.”

Gianna shook her head and stepped back, earning herself a dark frown.

“You don’t have to do that. I love cooking and you have such a great kitchen.”

I caressed her cheek and gave her a soft smile. “I’m happy to have you cooking for our family, Gianna. But, sometimes, I want to spoil my girl.”

She blinked at me, seemingly confused. I wasn’t sure she really knew what to make of her situation, yet. Perhaps I hadn’t been clear enough. I grasped her waist and tugged her forward so I could wrap her up in my arms.

“You’re mine, Gianna. I’m keeping you. From the moment I saw you standing on my porch, fresh-faced and innocent”—I nuzzled my nose against hers and grinned—“in a provocative little dress you hid under a sweater.” I bent my head to whisper in her ear, my lips brushing the shell. “Just like you’re hiding the tigress inside I know is there. The one only I will ever get to see, the one that I’ll set free when I fuck you.”

She gasped and her head reared back, her face a mask of shock. But, even after only a few days of knowing her, I was aware of how much I could push her, and my crude words had caused a fire to burn in the depths of her green eyes.

I kissed her, urging her to let the fire grow, to be the temptress I couldn’t wait to explore. When I finally forced myself to stop, it was because I was a hair’s breadth away from saying fuck it, and taking her to bed. She was panting and her eyes were glued to my lips. “Unless you want that to happen right the fuck now, you better scoot your sexy ass out of this room and get ready to go eat.”

She nodded, still in a bit of a daze, and floated from the room. I watched her gorgeous hips and bottom sway, my mouth watering at the sight. I was losing the battle with my patience, I couldn’t wait to be inside her and it was going to happen, soon.