πππππππVANESSAI heard my father clear his throat as I approached him.He turned and tried to muster a sweet smile, which I was sure was not humanly possible when it came to my dad."Everything okay, Dad?" I asked and he gave me a nod, took off his suit jacket and placed it by his briefcase before taking off his tie and loosening the top two buttons of his shirt.I kept staring at the tattoo on the top of his hand, the symbol that represented our family-the wolf. The symbol consisted of chains weaved together to form a wolf's face, almost like a tribal sign. Both my brothers and all my uncles and cousins who have decided to devote their lives to the family business have the same symbol tattooed on their hands. My mom, like all the other women in our family, has it on the inside of her wrist. Everyone who had gone through the initiation ceremony received that symbol and wore it as a sign of their loyalty and commitment to the Bologna legacy.I was the only Bologna who hadn't be
πππππππVANESSAWithin half an hour, we were at the club and Daniel parked the car outside, but as I was about to get out, Antonio turned in his seat to face me. "Tonight is special, Vanessa. Could you at least try to behave yourself tonight?"My mouth dropped open. "Oh, my God, Antonio, are you serious right now?" This is un-fucking-believable."I'm dead serious, Vanessa. Make sure you stay close to me all night. I don't want you out of my sight at all. That's how serious this is."I crossed my arms and pouted. Yes...I pout. Sue me. "Fine, bodyguard. Anything else? Would you like me to duct tape my hip to yours? Or maybe I could put a big flashing neon sign on my forehead that reads 'I have no life!'"Antonio rolled his eyes. "Grow up, Nessa. And stop being so dramatic.""Grow up, Nessa, and stop being so dramatic," I mouthed in a mocking tone, making sure to use Antonio's 'I'm the boss' voice.Antonio got out of the car, and Daniel turned in his seat to face me."What?" I gro
πππππ JAMES It was nine forty-five, and I was sitting at the bar in Bolivia and staring at the whiskey in my glass. There was no doubt in my mind they would show up tonight. It was Daniel Bologna's birthday today, and everyone knew Daniel was notorious for his party, being the wild one of the Bologna brothers. I also happened to know this was one of his favorite spots. Bolivia was known for its upper-class clientele. It was a three-story club with a bar on the lower level where luxurious leather couches surrounded the black and white checkered dance floor. The second floor was more like a gallery that overlooked the rest of the club and the top floor was something of a mystery to everyone who wasn't someone. The second floor was where all the big VIP fuckers sat, pretending they were watching over their little kingdom of drunken souls. There they were served by waitresses dressed in nothing but shiny red miniskirts and matching crop tops. I was also pretty sure on
πππππJAMESA waitress with a tray full of shots walked past them and leaned down while Antonio and Daniel each took a glass. When Vanessa tried to reach for one, Antonio waved the waitress away, leaving Vanessa empty-handed. By the way, she pouted and crossed her arms, I knew she was pissed off. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. She was cute when she was pissed off. She was cute when she smiled too. She was always cute, no matter what she did. I'm such a fucking weirdo. For the next hour and a half, I sat there and watched a lot of them. Daniel had three girls draped over him like Sunday morning's laundry. Antonio was watching a woman dance on the table in front of him, giving him his show. Lucky son of a bitch. What I did notice was Vanessa had been going to the ladies' room quite a lot during the last hour. Something else I noticed tooβwhich her brothers didn'tβwas she had been sneaking in shots en route to and from the ladies' room. Clever girl. The barten
πππππJAMESEvery male instinct inside me raged, rumbling with the need to hear her scream my name, to feel her walls tighten around me while I gave her the most powerful orgasm she had ever had in her entire life. Giving this woman pleasure had now become my only goal. I wanted to pound multiple goddamn releases into her while the sound of my name on her lips rang through my ears like a fucking cheerleading song. I wrapped my other arm around her waist and jerked her harder against me, letting her feel how hard I was for her. "If I'm correct, there's a rule somewhere in the Criminal Mafia Handbook for Dummies that says you're not allowed to fraternize with cops." The seductive smile that spread across her face made my cock twitch. "I already told you, I have no idea about this mafia thing you're talking about, Detective." I moved closer and put my lips against the side of her cheek, and I was pretty sure I felt her shiver. "Oh, that's right," I started. "You'
πππππππVANESSA Detective James looked surprised, like really, really surprised in a "what the fuck" kind of way. I couldn't say I blamed him. If he was really as clued in about us and them, the infamous Boston crime families, he knew exactly how screwed up and wrong it was for me to have any kind of history with one of the Morello brothers. I scowled at him. "Don't you dare judge?" "Not judging at all. You gotta do what you gotta doβ¦or who you gotta do." He snorted, and I frowned at his attempt to crack a lame-ass joke. "I need to get out of here." I was about to turn and head up the stairs when that voice stopped me dead in my tracks. "Vanessa Bologna." I winced at the painfully familiar tone, and I couldn't shake the chills it sent down my spine. I had no choice but to face him, and the moment I looked into his eyes was like a punch in the gut, leaving me without a damn breath. Every memory I'd tried to suppress for the last four years came flood
πππππππ VANESSA Enzo narrowed his eyes as he glanced from me to James, and then down to where James' hand rested on my hip. I didn't know if it was just the tension and angst that currently swirled all around us, but I was pretty sure I saw Enzo's nostrils flare, his lips moving like he was biting the inside of his cheek. Was he jealous? Of course not. The thought was completely absurd since Enzo Morello was incapable of feeling anything for anyone. And for him to be jealous would mean he had to feel something. Again, absurd. Enzo looked back up at me and smiled maliciously. "I guess once you've experienced the thrill of breaking the rules, you'll always crave that exhilaration, won't youβ¦little lamb?" The moment those words came out of his mouth, it felt like every drop of blood drained from my body. Shudders wracked through me as my legs grew weak. If it weren't for James gripping me so tightly against him, I would have been flat on my ass on the floor. Little lamb
πππππππVANESSA "Oh, my God!" I groaned in frustration. "You are the most stubborn, hot-headed guy I have ever met." "Compared to who?" "What?" I couldn't believe this guy. James rubbed his jaw. "You said I'm the most stubborn, hot-headedβ" "I know what I said, goddammit." I just couldn't fathom why this man got to me so badly. "So, who are you comparing me to when you say that?" "Jesus. What does it matter?" "Vanessa?" James kept his gaze locked on mine, his smothering orbs boring into mine. "What?" I groaned and he arched a brow. "Why are you acting so crazy right now?" "I'm acting crazy? You are the one asking me crazy questions!" I pulled my palm down my face. And then the corners of James' mouth began to slowly creep up into a smug grin. The darkness in his eyes disappeared, replaced with an impish glint as he stared at me. It was like he just realized he knew something I didn't. "Can I get you a drink?" He was