Worth the Chance (24 page)

“You know him from watching fights?” My eyebrows draw together in confusion.

“Sort of.”

What the hell kind of an answer is that? It’s a yes or no kind of question. “Sort of?” I repeat back to him, waiting for a further explanation.

“Broke up a fight last year in a bar, almost arrested him for busting some loudmouth’s nose.”

Vinny’s jaw clenches and his eyes close in reflection. He hadn’t recognized Matthew. Opening his eyes, he nods to Matthew, “A lot’s changed in a year.”

“I hope so.” Matthew looks between Vinny and me. “She’s like a sister to me.”

Raking his hands through his hair, Vinny turns to me, his jaw tight as he stares into my eyes. “Ready?”

Knowing I needed to tread lightly, I nod quietly and smile at Matthew, careful not to offer him an opening for our usual kiss goodbye. Something in Vinny’s posture just tells me Matthew’s lips on me wouldn’t be a good idea. Vinny’s hand grips my hip possessively and I thank Matthew for the drinks before moving to the restaurant for dinner.

***

“Are you upset with me?” Vinny’s been quiet since we sat down, but that’s not what stirs a knot in my belly, making it difficult for me to relax. It’s the unspoken that speaks volumes to me, things that an outsider wouldn’t even pick up on. He didn’t order for me, or sit on my side of the table, not even a borderline inappropriate kiss to mark his normally visible territory.

“Should I be?” His eyes lock-on to mine.

“Of course not. Matthew’s like my brother.”

“I’m not worried about him.”

“Then what is it?”

“What’s the answer to his question, Liv?” There’s no need to ask him to clarify the question he’s referring to. He wants to know if my head is aligned with my heart. Would I have picked him for myself if my heart hadn’t made up its mind? I wish I could hide my response, but he’s good at reading me, sees my answer written on my face.

Closing his eyes, almost as if accepting a punishment he deserves, a small nod causes my heart to sink in my chest. Reaching for his hand, I finally respond with words, “I don’t think it matters what we plan for ourselves. Some things in life are just too powerful to change.”

***

Vinny’s mood lifted slightly, we laugh as we walk back to his place. I’m tipsy from a third glass of wine with dinner, although Vinny’s strong arm wrapped around me keeps me feeling steady. “Do you remember the afternoon we worked on Romeo and Juliet in the park and we took turns reading the parts?”

“Remember? How could I forget? I was sitting up against the tree, and your head was resting on my lap about three inches from my crotch. I had no idea what any of the words you were saying meant, but I liked looking down and watching you…the way your mouth moved. I kept having to shift to keep my dick from poking you in the eye,” Vinny teases.

Stopping as we reach his building, I turn and face him, reaching up and wrapping my hands around his neck. The alcohol leaving me feeling bold, I press up on my tippy toes and bring my mouth to his ear. “I went home and touched myself that night. Masturbated for the first time, with a picture of you in my head as I closed my eyes,” I whisper seductively into his ear.

With a growl, Vinny lifts me, tossing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and races up the stairs taking them two at a time.

Unlocking the door in a frenzy, he kicks the door shut with his foot, and carries me to his bedroom, gently setting me down at the foot of the bed.

He steps back, drinking me in in a way that makes my insides shudder with anticipation. The way he looks at me, hungry…ravenous with need, makes my blood course through my veins with fury and every sensor on my body goes on high alert, even though he hasn’t even touched me.

“Show me,” he commands, his sexy as sin voice low, guttural in a way that affects me way more than any sound ever should impact a person.

Looking up at him, I know what he wants, yet I look for confirmation anyway. “Show you?” I ask, my voice a whisper.

“Show me how you touched yourself that night.” His voice is still raspy, but more demanding this time. He knows the command in his voice does something to me. Something I can’t even explain. It creates a need to obey when he talks to me like that.

“Take off your clothes.” I do, my hands shaky as I unzip my skirt, allowing it to pool at my feet. Removing my top, I stand in just my black lacy bra and panties, and look up at him under long, hooded lashes.

“The rest of it too.” I slip out of the rest of my clothes, standing before him wearing only my earrings and a long white gold chain with a big heart locket that hangs between my breasts, coming down to dangle near my navel.

Slowly, Vinny’s eyes rake over me, making me feel warm. Beautiful. Appreciated. His beautiful baby blues reach mine and hold my gaze as he speaks. “Sit at the top of the bed, back against the headboard.”

I comply, feeling a bit hesitant with him still standing at the foot of the bed, fully dressed, but I force myself to do it anyway. The desire to please him becomes stronger with each spoken command.

“Spread your legs,” he continues. I hesitate at the thought of sitting so completely bared to him. Looking up at him, he senses my need, “Do it.”

Slowly, almost sheepishly, I open my legs, spread only a foot or so wide, yet enough to allow him to see me.

“Wider.”

Taking a deep breath in, I glide my legs across the bed, as wide as I can manage without causing physical discomfort. The smile on his face tells me I’ve pleased him. It helps shed the feeling of being utterly exposed.

He takes a step closer, but still remains at the foot of the bed, “Show me, Beautiful. How did you touch yourself thinking of me that night?”

My eyes dart to his, his strong, unwavering desire fueling me, pushing me to give him what he wants. Slowly, I bring my hand up to my nipple. My fingernail trailing tentatively across the sensitive pink flesh makes my already swollen nipple harden more. I close my eyes, allowing myself to relax into the heady feeling that touching myself brings.

Raising my hand to my mouth, I wet my fingers before returning them to my nipple to rub small circles. The cool air meets with my wet arousal and a low, throaty moan escapes as my need ratchets up, fingers pinching my sensitive nipple hard until I feel a jolt straight down to my already swollen clit.

Opening my eyes, I find Vinny unmoved, his eyes hooded, glazed over with need as he watches my hands work myself intently. Making their way up to find me, his eyes dark and hot, they lock with mine. I take a deep breath, my courage fueled by the desire I find reflected back at me, slowly I let my hand glide smoothly over my body. I watch as Vinny’s eyes follow, locked to my drifting hand. Watching him, unable to tear his eyes from my hand as I touch myself, is as much, if not more, of a turn on than the actual act of my touching.

My two fingers gently find my clit, applying pressure as they make slow rhythmic circles. Each turn transmits a small burst of electricity that shoots through my nerves, my body becoming electrified at my own touch.

My desire intensifying, I feel the unmistakable tightening at my core. I need more. Shutting my eyes again and pushing back hard on any feeling of inhibition and shyness still lurking in the corner of my brain, I drop my fingers lower, circling my wet entrance slowly. I gasp as I push two fingers into myself, my body slick, coated with my own juices.

Vinny growls, the sound making my body begin to contract and my orgasm begins to build. No longer hesitant, my fingers begin pumping into myself, wet and needy. Slow pumps turn quickly into deep plunging thrusts and I moan as my fingers slip in and out, in and out, desperate to feel filled, the way my body does only when Vinny’s inside of me.

I’m vaguely aware of the sound of a zipper and movement, although I’m too intent on finding my own release for anything to really register.

“Open your eyes,” Vinny says with a low, thick voice, but one that’s still clear it’s an order and not a request. I comply.

“I want to be inside you when you come. As much as I fucking love watching you touch yourself, I’m even jealous of
you
bringing yourself to orgasm instead of me.” Possessively, he grabs my waist, dragging me down the bed, and positions himself over me. “Eyes open. You come with
me
inside of you,” he coaxes as he spears into me, his cock thick and hard.

“Does it feel better when I’m inside you?” He groans as he sets a frenzied pace, pushing deeply into me and pulling out almost to the tip each time.

“Yes.”

“Tell me, who makes you come?”

“You,” I whimper, my body trembling as the power of my orgasm takes hold.

“So fucking beautiful.” Vinny crushes his mouth to mine, as I moan his name over and over, my orgasm hitting me like a blow. Wave after wave of pulse pounding, uncontrollable spasms grip him inside of me. Still riding the last of the aftershocks, I feel the heat of Vinny’s release spill into me as he pushes into me so deeply it leaves me feeling like he wants a piece of him to stay deep inside of me forever.

Chapter 45

Vince

I’ve never been a morning person, but waking up to Liv’s naked ass might help change that. I’m just about to show her how much I enjoy the view, when my phone rings on the end table.

Reaching over, I’m ready to hit REJECT. Who gives a shit who it is, they can wait. Until I see the name and picture come up on my phone. It’s worse than throwing a bucket of cold water over me. My mother. She never calls, especially at 8AM on a Saturday. I get the pang of unease in the core of my gut.

“What’s up?”

“Can you stop over today so we can talk?”

“Yeah, everything okay?” She sounds sober, that alone sends up a red flag, oddly enough.

“I’m fine. I just need some help in figuring things out.” Her voice cracks. “I’m sorry to bother you. I know I don’t have any right to ask you for anything, but…” Her voice trembles as it trails off.

“I’ll be there in an hour. We’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Tossing the phone back on the table, I scrub my hands over my face and lie on my back, taking a deep cleansing breath to try to relax.

“You okay?” Liv’s sweet voice whispers, I didn’t realize she was awake. Planting a soft kiss on my pec, she rests her head on my chest and wraps her arm around my stomach, snuggling in tightly. I fucking love the way it feels. Used to hate women touching me, outside of sex. Didn’t see the point of lying in bed with someone else unless we were working toward one of us, or both, getting off. Yet now I lie here wanting to do nothing else but run my fingers through her hair and feel the warmth of her cheek against my chest. Fuck, I’m becoming whipped. Turning into the same sap I watched Nico turn into, and made fun of every step of the way.

“My mother. She wants me to come by.”

“She didn’t say why?”

“Nope. But something’s up. She doesn’t call unless there’s trouble.”

“Can I come?”

“You want to come?”

“Sure, I’d love to meet your mom.”

Why? I wish I could forget I ever met her. “If you want.”

“I do.”

“Then okay. Told her I’d be there in an hour…so we have about half an hour to kill.” I flip her over on her back. She laughs and giggles as I toss her around. The sound makes me smile. So fucking whipped.

***

“Mom?” I’m surprised when I let myself into her apartment that she’s not in her usual place…on the couch, in front of the TV

She comes out from the bedroom, not looking too bad. “Hi, Baby.” She’s too skinny, needs some color on her face, but at least she seems lucid this morning. And her clothes might even be clean. Is today a holiday and I forgot?

Taking Liv’s hand, I bring her into the living room. It smells of stale cigarettes and a lifetime of spilled shit that rotted under the carpet because she was too wasted to clean it up.

My mother looks at Liv and then me, a look of confusion on her face. I’m not sure why…I’ve brought women to her house lots of time. A different one each month for the years seventeen through nineteen, before I finally moved out.

“This is Olivia.”

Liv smiles and walks to greet my mother with her hand extended. Such a class act, I feel like an idiot for bringing her here. “Hi Mrs. Stonetti, it’s really nice to meet you.” Her smile is genuine, I can tell. Although I’m not sure why, seeing as I would much rather be anywhere but here at this moment.

“Nice to meet you too, Olivia.” My mom smiles at Olivia and then back to me. I hadn’t given it any thought until now, but it’s been a very long time since I saw that smile. Too long.

The three of us sit, my mother taking her usual spot on the couch, Liv and I sitting together on the love seat across from her. “What’s going on Mom?”

Pensively, she looks between me and Liv, not saying anything, clearly unsure if she should air her dirty laundry.

“It’s fine, Liv knows what’s going on,” I reassure her.

“The two guys were back. Said they haven’t been able to find Jason and I only have a few days left. I’m sorry for burdening you with this, all I ever do is cause you grief.” Tears well in her eyes. “I just don’t know what to do. I can’t find him anywhere.”

Exhaling loudly, I fill her in. “He’s up north. Has a sister up there.”

“How do you know?”

“Liv and I went on a road trip, had a lead on where to find him. He was gone by the time we got there. But the losers he was staying with said he went to hide out at his sister’s. That’s if you take the word of a bunch of lowlife drug addicts.”

My mother winces. It’s not nice, but it’s the truth…that’s what they are. Untrustworthy, crackhead, fucking losers. Liv’s hand goes to my thigh and squeezes to get my attention. Turning to look at her, she gives me a look of admonishment.

“I’ll go talk to them. See if we can get more time. Loser’s bound to resurface when he burns his bridge with the sister. Shouldn’t take too long for him to burn through all his support and snake his way back here.”

***

A little while later, back in my truck, Liv’s quiet. Until she’s not. “Can’t you be a little nicer? She’s your mother?”