To my surprise, Enzo climbs into Da’s lap and snuggles against him.“I heard you met with Emilio today,” he says.

  Mother must have told him.

  “Yes.” My gaze shifts to Enzo and then up. “We’ll talk about it tomorrow. You should know, though, that we may have a problem.”

  Da stiffens. “What kind of problem?”

  I weigh my words carefully. Mostly because I don’t want to say too much until we’re alone. “A big one. Jack or Paddy can fill you in.”

  “Does this have anything to do with…” his eyes dart in the direction toward the door and he gestures slightly with his chin.

  “It does.”

  Da studies me silently. He shifts Enzo in his lap, holding him a little closer. “If tonight is any indication, it appears things have changed between you two since the last we spoke.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Do you love her?” he asks bluntly.

  Do I love Lucia? I’m certainly heading in that direction. “Maybe. Probably.”

  “Does she love you?”

  I collapse back into the chair.“I don’t know. I think she wants to, but she’s scared. She’s been hurt badly before. I understand her not wanting to get hurt again. I’m willing to wait as long as it takes.”

  Da nods. “Some women are worth waiting for.”

  A soft knock comes to the door before it opens and Mother pokes her head in. “I think it’s time to take that little one home to bed.”

  I glance at Enzo. His eyes are closed, and he appears fast asleep. It shouldn’t surprise me. No doubt Caitlín ran him ragged today. I rise from my seat and circle the desk to lift my son out of Da’s lap. His arms drape around my neck and he rests his head on my shoulder. He doesn’t even wake. Love swells in my heart.

  Following my mother out of the office, Da on my heels, we head into the living room where Lucia waits.

  “Thank you again for everything, Moira.” The two women hug.

  “You’re welcome, dear. I appreciate your help. Feel free to come by anytime you’d like as well. I’d love to see more of Enzo before you leave.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  We walk down the hallway toward the front door. Lucia picks up the carseat sitting by it and we make our way to the rental parked at the curb. She gets it situated in the back and I carefully place our son inside. Once he’s secure, we head to the brownstone. I reach over and clasp her hand. She glances at me and smiles.

  “Your family is really nice,” she says. “So different from how I grew up.”

  “I’m glad you think so. Don’t get me wrong, we fight. Irish tempers can get the better of us at times, but any one of us knows that if we need something, the rest are there for us. That also goes for other people we count as family.” I glance at her meaningfully.

  “Those are some lucky people, then.”

  “I think maybe I’m the lucky one.”

  Lucia’s cheeks flush and she glances out the window, but I can tell she’s happy. We finally reach the brownstone. I pull up to the curb and kill the engine. Paddy, Jack, and I bought this place because of how close it is to both our parents’, but also Donnelly’s. The evening air is cool, with maybe even the slightest hint of fall with it. It’s a quiet neighborhood with a mostly older population.

  Lucia opens the back door and lifts a still-sleeping Enzo out before I can. I glance at the carseat. It’s a bit surreal having it back here, but I don’t mind it, either. “I’ll just leave this in here if that’s okay. No sense in taking it in and out unless we absolutely have to.”

  Lucia shifts Enzo higher up on her chest. “That’s fine. I know how much of a pain it is to get it hooked in right.”

  We head up the sidewalk and into the house.

  “I’ll take you to your room,” I tell her.

  Lucia shakes her head. “You don’t have to. I’ll get Enzo settled and then I’ll be back down.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want help?”

  She rises up on tiptoe and brushes her lips across mine. “I’ll be fine, I promise. Thank you, though.”

  I nod. She heads up the stairs to Paddy’s old room on the second floor. This is the one time I wish we had two bedrooms on the same level. I want Lucia close to me. I turn and make my way into the den and to the bar. This day calls for a drink. Grabbing a glass from the cabinet, I pour a healthy shot of whiskey. I’m not a whiskey snob like Jack, who only drinks one type. A ridiculously expensive brand he gets shipped in from our Uncle Carrick.

  Drink in hand, I collapse into the recliner with a heavy sigh. The more and more I think about this Valentino, the more my gut tells me something is off with him. I’ve learned to trust that sensation. Grabbing my phone, I call Paddy.

  “What’s up, little brother?”

  “Can you reach out to Maddox again? Have him find out everything he can about Valentino Marrone,” I tell him.

  “You think he’s got something to do with those fucked up letters Lucia’s been getting? Or that he might have been our driver?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “If Emilio finds out you went behind his back, he’s going to be pissed,” Paddy warns.

  “Then I guess he better not find out.”

  My brother chuckles a little too deviously for me. “I like this new Nathan. Ballsy, man. You’re starting to remind me of me.”

  “God forbid,” I deadpan.

  “No offense taken. In case you were worried.”

  “I wasn’t.”

  Paddy sniffles dramatically. “This is a day I’ve been waiting for. My baby brother is all grown up.”

  I shake my head and bite back my chuckle. No need to encourage him. “Just have Maddox run a full check. Please.”

  “You got it. Might take him a couple days.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Let me know when you hear something.” I disconnect the call and set the phone on the end table.

  I lean back in my chair and sip my drink. Seconds later, Lucia walks into the room. Like always, I can’t help but drink her in. I’ll never get tired of looking at her. She’s beautiful.

  “He’s still asleep. Didn’t even wake up when I put him to bed,” she says crossing the room toward me.

  As soon as she’s within arm’s reach, I tug her down onto my lap. She doesn’t protest. Instead, she snuggles closer. The friction of her ass rubbing against me makes me hard. I groan and she stops moving. I move to take a drink, but Lucia plucks the glass out of my hand before bringing it to those plump lips of hers. She takes a sip, shudders slightly, and hands it back. I raise it and place my mouth directly over the same spot where hers had been, my gaze never leaving hers.

  Her caramel-colored eyes darken, the pupils going wide with arousal. Lucia squirms again, her lush ass grinding against my rock hard cock. The minx knows what she’s doing to me.

  “You’re playing a game you’re going to lose. You know that, right?” I ask her.

  “Or maybe I’m playing so we both win,” she replies.

  I set the glass next to my phone and thread my fingers through her hair, pulling her down so our mouths meet. Her floral scent surrounds me. I’ll never smell a flower again without thinking of Lucia. I trace my tongue along the seam of her lips, teasing her with gentle flicks. She parts them, and I sweep inside, tasting the flavor that is all her. Sweet mixed with spice. I nip her bottom lip and then sooth the sting with a caress.

  My free hand goes to her hip, tugging her closer. She closes her fist against my chest, gripping my shirt between her fingers as though needing something to hold on to. Then, she’s shifting, straddling me, and rocking her hot core against the ridge of my cock begging for release behind my zipper. There’s an urgency to Lucia’s movements as though she is desperate to come.

  The kiss becomes wilder. Deeper. I thrust my tongue inside, mimicking what my cock wants. The only sound is our harsh breaths. Her nails score my chest.

  “What do you need, baby?” I murmur against her lips. “Whatever it is, take it.”

  Lucia mewls against me, grinding her pelvis harder. “I need you to fuck me.”

  My hands go to my jeans and unbutton them. Lucia stands and grabs the waistband. I lift my hips, and she tugs them down. My cock springs forward, bouncing against my stomach. Lucia rips at her zipper and yanks her pants off. She climbs back into my lap and palms my cock with her soft hands. I nearly come, but grit my teeth and hold back with every ounce of control I have. She rises up and positions it at the entrance of her pussy. Our eyes lock and slowly, Lucia lowers herself onto me until our pelvises meet. My fists grip her hips hard.

  “Ride my cock, babe,” I grind out.

  She moves, taking her time, as though she’s enjoying torturing me. She sweeps her hair over her shoulder and leans down to press her lips to mine. Her pace increases and she rocks faster, taking me deeper each time. My hips rise to meet hers. Flesh clashes together. I loosen my hold on Lucia with one hand and reach between us to rub her clit.

  She sucks in a breath, pulling mine with her. My fingers are soaked making them glide easier around the small kernel of nerves. I vary the pressure and direction, noting which ones make her tremble and moan.

  “Please,” Lucia murmurs against my lips.

  “Please, what, baby? Tell me what you need.”

  Her hand falls between us and she covers my fingers with hers, directing them to where she wants them. Her cry of ecstasy echoes around us. Fuck, that’s hot. There is nothing sexier than my woman telling me what gives her the most pleasure. Together we create magic. My balls tighten and pressure builds at the base of my spine.

  Lucia grinds herself against me, stiffens, and then throws her head back, her mouth open on a silent scream. It triggers the response I’d been holding back and my release comes right on the heel of hers. My cock jerks and bathes her insides. I groan and she collapses over me, her arms dangling over my shoulders and draping down my back.

  I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly to me, her hardened nipples spearing into my chest. We hold each other until our breathing returns to normal. Tiny tremors still rumble through her pussy. I pull in her scent, holding it trapped inside my lungs, before blowing it out.

  Lucia is right where she belongs. In my arms. A place I plan on keeping her. She stirs and raises up to gaze into my eyes. A flicker of emotion passes through them, and she opens her mouth, but closes it. What was she going to say?

  In the end, she doesn’t say anything. Merely leans into me and presses a soft kiss to my lips.

  Chapter 25

  Lucia

  * * *

  I study the circular designs etched into the plaster ceiling of Nathan’s room, following each line round and round. My body aches in a good way. He left for a run ten minutes ago, and I already miss him. Miss his warmth as he held me close. Miss the hard ridges of his muscled chest beneath my fingertips. If my feelings for him hadn’t already changed—grown—they would have after last night. I’d nearly told him I loved him. Why did I hold back? Why am I so scared to let go? God, I’m such a coward.

  The mother in me says I shouldn’t be found in Nathan’s bed, but the satisfied woman in me doesn’t ever want to leave. The door creaks. Too late. I sit up, thankful he’d loaned me a tee shirt and pair of boxers before he left. Enzo stands in the doorway, his hair sticking up everywhere.

  “Good morning, love.”

  “Mama, I hungwy,” he announces.

  Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I climb out and walk over to him. “Come on, little man, let’s make a pit stop first and then we’ll go get some breakfast.”

  We both use the bathroom and then head down to the kitchen. I rummage through the pantry until I find a box of cereal. Setting it on the counter, I grab a couple bowls, spoons, and the milk, and then we sit at the table to eat.

  The desperate need to return to England has calmed a bit. Am I willing to give up everything I’ve worked all these years for? Because at some point, I’m going to have to choose. My job or Nathan, along with the organization my son will grow up to be a part of. The very thing I’ve fought so hard against. Because it’s not safe. Is anything, though?

  A chime echoes through the room. Is that the doorbell? Do I answer it? What if it’s one of Nathan’s brothers? They’d have a key though, right? The chime rings again. I head down the hall, pause with a deep breath at the door, and then open it.

  “Can I hel—”

  A hard body slams into me and a hand slaps across my mouth, cutting off my words and muffling my scream. Val kicks the door closed and pushes me against the wall. There’s a maniacal light burning in his eyes.

  “Keep your mouth shut, Lucia. Don’t scream. Do you hear me? Not unless you want something to happen to that precious little boy of yours,” he sneers.

  My chest heaves, and I whimper beneath his grip.

  “Do you hear me?” He barks again, shoving his palm harder against my face.

  I nod frantically, my eyes widening in panic. Val jerks his hand from me and I suck in desperate breaths. “What are you doing?”

  His lip curls up on one side in a grotesque mockery of a smile. “You, me, and your little brat are going to go for a ride.”

  “No, leave him be. If you want me, then just take me. I’ll go wherever you want me to. Just leave Enzo alone. Please, Val.” I clutch at his arm, but he shakes off my grasp.

  A gun appears in front of my face. I stumble back, away from it, hitting the wall behind me. My hand goes up in a useless gesture of self-defense. “I told you to shut the fuck up.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” I plead.

  “Where is he?” Val snaps.

  “In the kitchen.” Every part of me rebels at the admission, but I have to protect Enzo.

  He pushes me in that direction. “Let’s go. We don’t have a lot of time.”

  I hurry down the hall, through the front room, until I reach my destination. Enzo still sits at the table. He glances up at me and then his gaze widens as it goes over my shoulder at the man behind me. I nearly run across the room and stand protectively in front of my son. Val enters, stopping just inside the entryway, and his gaze scans the area. At least the gun isn’t visible.

  “Grab your kid and let’s go,” Val demands.

  “Where are you taking us?”

  In a few short steps, he’s closed the distance between us. There’s a flash of movement, and my head snaps to the side from the impact from the back of his hand. A sharp cry spills from my lips, and a wicked pain sears itself across my cheek. I bite my tongue. The taste of blood swamps my mouth. I swallow the copper liquid.

  “Don’t make me tell you again, Lucia,” Val growls.

  Behind me, Enzo cries. I unfold and stand tall, straightening my shoulders and spine. My eyes spew hatred at this man I used to call friend. I swipe my hand over my mouth. A faint smear of blood lines my skin. Only a coward hits a woman. Not willing to risk Val taking his anger out on Enzo, I turn to him and crouch down. I wipe away the tears that flow down his face, dripping off his jaw, and I smile reassuringly at him.

  “It’s okay, baby. We’re just going to go for a little ride, all right. Mama’s right here with you.”

  “Hurry up,” Val bites out.

  I clench my jaw and grit my teeth to hold back a curse. “Come on, little man.”

  He reaches out for me, and I lift him from the chair, holding him tight to my chest. Then I turn toward Val, who grabs my arm and drags us out of the kitchen and down the hall. We pause in front of the front door.

  “Don’t try anything stupid,” he hisses in my ear.

  He opens it and ushers us outside. Down the steps and pathway we walk until we reach the black SUV. He pulls the handle of the back door and gestures. “Get in.”

  Still holding onto a crying Enzo, I climb into the back seat. Before my foot barely makes it in, Val slams the thing shut. He circles around the front of the vehicle, his head swiveling back and forth like he’s checking to make sure no one is watching. I pray Nathan has nosy neighbors, although it’s unlikely. People tend to mind their own business.

  “Don’t be scared, baby,” I whisper into Enzo’s ear. “Your Da is going to come and find us. I promise.”

  He hiccups, his tears staining his small face. I wipe them off and give him a kiss, bouncing him a little on my lap. Val climbs behind the steering wheel and adjusts the rearview mirror so our eyes meet in it. Then his gaze turns forward and he starts the car. We pull away from Nathan’s brownstone. I keep my eyes on it until it disappears from view. Hurry, Nathan. Please.

  We drive through Irish territory, a few familiar landmarks swooshing past the window. We cross the invisible, dividing line and enter Emilio’s territory. I glance around at our surroundings. It might have been three years since I’ve been back here, and another three years the time before that, but I grew up on these streets. I haven’t forgotten anything about the city I was born and raised in. I can tell exactly where we’re going.

  We come to a stop in front of several old warehouses, the tires crunching over the gravel parking lot. All of them shut down years ago during the market crash. They’ve stood abandoned since. I swallow. I’m sure everyone has forgotten about them. Val gets out and opens the back door.

  “Let’s go.”

  I slowly climb out, careful of Enzo in my arms. Val nudges me hard. I stumble and my hold tightens on my son as I catch my balance. I glare at him over my shoulder, but he ignores me. He moves to push me again, but I start walking forward. Val keeps pace beside me. My gaze wanders around, hoping for a sign of someone. Something. Except there’s nothing. It’s completely deserted.

  We reach the small storage building beside the first warehouse. Val grabs the door and slides it. The metal grinds against metal. A screeching pierces my eardrums. I flinch at the noise. Enzo reaches up and covers his ears. Heat pours out from the pitch-black interior as though a gate to hell just opened. I shiver.

  “Inside.”

  With careful steps I walk ahead, squinting, trying to make out anything in front of me, but it’s useless. A light flares and I blink against the brightness. Dust motes float through the air. The mustiness of age and abandonment mixed with the acrid scent of animal excrement singes my nose. I wrinkle it in disgust.