Darkest Sins - Page 98

White stars burst before my eyes as I scream and shutter in his embrace. My vision blurs, obscuring everything except the silver eyes peering into mine, keeping me enslaved in their superheated fire as the most amazing orgasm rocks my body.

Kai bottoms out inside me as he takes my chin into a fingerhold, tilting my head up.

“So brave and beautiful. And only mine,” he growls and explodes into me.

Chapter 36

“Kai.” A light caress at the back of my head as Nera strokes the length of my braid. “We need to go.”

“Okay,” I say, not looking away from Lucia’s sleeping form.

After receiving a message from her stepbrother, Nera went into her room to get ready. Apparently, he needs her to meet with someone today. Lucia stayed with me, playing on the carpet by my feet. Ten minutes ago, she suddenly got up, climbed onto my lap, and fell asleep in my arms. I don’t like the idea of leaving her here, without me around to watch over her, but my cub said this meeting is important.

I stand up and carry my baby girl to her bedroom while Nera hurries ahead of me to open the door. The tight black dress she’s wearing hugs her curves and makes her look even more serious than usual. She looks ready to slay armies.

Lucia’s bed is under the window, covered with a colorful blanket that has pictures of cookies shaped like houses on it. I ordered it last week, along with a bunch of other stuff—a teddy bear that’s several times Lucia’s size, a dollhouse, a large set of farm animals, and an idiotic plastic ostrich that sits on a small toilet and shits tiny pink balls into the john.

I pull the blanket away and carefully lay Lucia on the bed, then cover her, tucking the edge under my daughter’s chin.

“She will be fine,” Nera says when I don’t move from the spot. “Zara will be with her the entire time. And your army of hitmen has the house surrounded.”

“It’s been three weeks. I had someone check the GPS logs on all your capos as well as monitor their bank accounts, but we didn’t find anything suspicious. The men I hired to tail your lot didn’t report anything compromising, either.” I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her against my chest. “I still think you should just let me kill them all.”

“No. We have a deal.”

“You drive a hard bargain, cub.” I lift her and carry her out of the room. “Do you think Lucia likes the shitting ostrich?”

Nera laughs and kisses me. “She loves it. But you didn’t have to buy her all that stuff. There are already too many toys lying around.”

“I don’t care.”

“You’ll spoil her.”

“Children are meant to be spoiled.” I stop in the middle of the living room and let Nera slide down my front to the floor. “I’ve missed three years of her life. I understand that presents can never compensate for that, but I need you to let me do this. I . . . I want her to love me. Please.”

Nera raises her hand and cups my cheek. “Lucia already loves you, baby. But not because you buy her toys.”

“Then why?”

A small smile pulls at her lips. “You should ask her that yourself, and she’ll explain.”

“But, she’s a child.”

“Exactly. Children have a way of looking into a person’s soul. Ask her, and you’ll see.”

I swallow and quickly look away, hoping to God that my daughter will never get even the teeniest glimpse inside my soul. “I need to get my guns. Who are you meeting and where?”

“New York.” She shudders. “Massimo arranged for me to meet with Salvatore Ajello. The don of the New York Family. A private plane is waiting for us.”

“Your stepbrother is rather resourceful, considering he’s locked up in a maximum-security prison,” I say. “Why does he need you to meet with that sociopathic Italian?”

“You know Ajello?”

“You’d be amazed how much gossiping happens among the underground. A hit was arranged on him several years ago. I heard that the guy who took the contract was returned in two body bags.”

“Yeah, Ajello loves mailing body parts as replies. I got a severed head the last time.”

I halt at the threshold and spin around. “What?”