Chapter 61

The base of my cock began to tingle, and I increased my pace, moaning as the muscles in her pussy squeezed me tight. "Touch yourself," I told her. "I want you to come with me." For a moment I didn't think she was going to do it, but then she slid her right hand under her body and widened her legs. "That's it, amore. Come with me."

At her moaned response, I let go of what little restraint I’d managed to hang onto and started pounding into her, my fingers digging into her hips, keeping her in place. "I'm coming, Veda. Ah, god! I'm coming!" I felt her buck against me right as my orgasm hit me so hard I fell forward, catching myself on one arm so I didn't crush her as my hips spasmed against her ass. And when it was over, I didn't pull out, but stayed inside of her as we fell to the bed and rolled to our sides.

And as I lay there, catching my breath with my face in her fragrant hair, I felt something flutter inside my chest. Something I hadn't felt in a long, long time. A flicker of affection for the woman in my arms.

This had to stop. What the fuck was wrong with me? I'd been with plenty of women since Maria, whores and innocents both, and not one had ever affected me any farther than the length of time it took me to get off. So what was it about this one? Was it because she challenged me? Played hard to get? Or was it because I was actually starting to think of her as mine?

Self-loathing rolled through me, followed by a grim determination. Like a puzzle clicking into place, I hardened my heart, piece by broken piece, forming a wall she'd never be able to breach, locking her out.

Working my arm out from underneath her head, I pulled out of her, still semi-hard, and got to my feet, leaving her lying naked on the bed. Carefully pulling off the condom, I dropped it into the trashcan and found my clothes. I got dressed, ignoring Veda when she sat up and stared at me in confusion.

When I was about to walk out, I stopped, turned, and met her gaze with a cold glare of my own. "Feel free to enjoy the house today. I'll have Lisa move your things back into my room." I paused. Damn it. I should leave her here, and I should leave her alone. But that wasn't going to happen. "I expect to see you at dinner at six sharp. If you're not there, I'll come find you and drag your ass to the table and tie you to the fucking chair." And then I walked out of the room, closing the door just in time to hear something smash against it. The lamp, if I were to guess.

Back in my room, I got in the shower. I washed myself briskly, using the foggy mirror to shave. I would have Lisa arrange for the shopper to come here and get Veda some more clothes. Also, a hairstylist. I hated to do it, but her hair was too natural. It needed to be lightened to match her sister's. The length could be explained by hair extensions, for I absolutely refused to cut it. And contacts. She needed blue contacts. I made a mental note to pass all of that on to Lisa. I had a phone call in an hour and then I had to leave to go check in at the clubs before they opened. My contact with the cartel was meeting me at two to discuss our next shipment.

It had taken a lot of effort on my part to get my father to allow me to keep my position in our business after what I’d “allowed” Mario to do. If some of my cousins had had their way about it, I would've been shipped back to Italy to be "toughened up." The result of which I knew well. I wouldn't have come back. So, after much discussion, I was allowed to stay here in Austin, but only on the condition that my father sent his two best guys down from New York to help me get things back in order.

They were with me for three fucking years. And in all that time, I didn't make one fucking mistake. Not one misstep. However, the feds had made Mario disappear, and they'd done it so well I couldn't find one whisper of where he could be, no matter who I tortured or how many people I paid off. I had nothing on him. No way to hurt him.

At least not until recently, when his new girlfriend said his name to the press. Satisfied that I hadn't lost my edge after the murder of the woman I loved, or maybe because of it, my father finally called off his watch dogs. However, he still insisted I check in with him often.

Taking my cell from my pocket, I tapped my father's name and began to fill him in on where I was with my plan, leaving out the things he didn’t need to know. He offered up nothing about what he planned to do with me once my game was done, but that didn’t surprise me. Whatever he decided, I would just have to live with it, and be glad he was at least giving me this chance to avenge the woman I’d loved. For me, and for our relationship with the cartel.

An hour later, Tristan and Enzo came into my office when I called them. I was on the phone with one of the managers of my clubs and held up my hand for them to wait where they were while I finished up. "I'll be there in one hour. Have everything ready." Ending the call, I motioned for them to come forward.

Enzo took off his sunglasses. "Do you need me to come with you?"

I shook my head. "No. I want you to stay here with Veda. Tristan, you too. I want eyes on her at all times, either on camera or in person. If one of you has to take a piss, I want the other one watching her every move. Make sure she stays inside the house. I don't want her wandering the grounds." She was angry at me, and I wouldn't put it past her to choose today to try to escape.

"What about security for you?"

"I'll take a couple of the other guys with me." I looked up to find the two of them exchanging an uneasy look. "What?"

It was Tristan who spoke up. "I would feel better...we would feel better," he corrected with a glance at Enzo, "if at least one of us was with you."

"So would I," I told them both honestly. "However, you two are the only ones who know about Veda being here. Because you're the only ones I trust. And I'll be fine," I reassured them. "I'm only going to check on the clubs. Just the normal routine."

"I don't like it," Enzo said. "We've been hearing that Mario's men have been on the move. Stuff not in their normal routine. I don't know what they're doing, but it can't be good."

"They're probably just figuring out that his beloved fiancée has come back from the dead.” I stood and pulled on my suit jacket, sticking my cell into the inside pocket. Today I was the businessman, dressed all in black ala Johnny Cash. "Speaking of which, have either of you heard from Rene? Has everything been taken care of?"

"Like she'd never fucking been there," Tristan said. "All records of Nicole's visit to Mexico have been wiped clean."

I nodded. "Good."

They followed me as I walked out of the office and across the main room to the front door. "Remember," I told them as I opened the door, "eyes at all times."

"She'll be here safe and sound when you get back," Tristan assured me.

With a nod, I closed the door behind me and called for one of my men to get the car. I hung up, waiting, and then I pulled my phone out again. "Tony, bring two more guys with you...Yeah...Thank you." Something felt off to me today. I didn’t know why. Call it a hunch. And maybe it was nothing, but it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

While I waited for the car to come around, I told Lisa what I needed her to do. She assured me she would take care of everything while I was gone.

The car pulled up, and I got in. As we left the house, my eyes swept the area and I double-checked my weapons. I may have been overreacting, but something was going to go down today. I could feel it in my bones