Growling, I pull away from her hungry lips. “Read the fucking card.”
She looks to the crumpled paper in her fist that’s clinging desperately around my neck and lets out a breathy laugh. Her legs unlatch from around my waist, and she slips down my body, straightening her skirt and tank as soon as she settles her bare feet on the cool marble tile.
Her face stays impassive as she works to neaten the small envelope and open it, pulling out a square card. Her brows furrow slightly, and then she shifts her eyes from the card to me, a smirk curving her lips.
“Piper,” I warn, my voice low and dangerous.
She bats her lashes innocently and brings the card up to cover her smile. “I’m not sure who I expected,” she says, lifting the card to read over the words again, “but this is fucking perfect. I couldn’t have planned it better myself.”
I grip her wrists and pull her close, leaning down to eye level. “Who. Are. They. From?”
“See for yourself.” She uses two fingers to flick the card up near my chin.
Slowly, I release her and take it, making sure to keep my keen gaze on her until I can’t take it anymore. I flick my eyes down to the typed words.
Simone,
Tell Piper she's wicked pissa and I've greatly enjoyed her lessons.
Killa
This motherfucker. Relief sweeps through me because I know it isn’t romantic—Bee would kill the fucking idiot. But my mind still races in a thousand different directions as I work through every possible scenario in an attempt to decipher the message.
Piper stands before me, swaying her hips from side to side as her palms trace over her thighs and come up to cup her tits. Her shoulders rotate in opposing motions, and her hands smooth down to span across her gyrating hips.
Shit!
Of fucking course.
She’s fucking hypnotizing, and I get lost in the haze. I run my tongue across my bottom lip as I consider my options. The clock on the wall reads 1:43, and I’m supposed to be at Grizzly by two, but this is more important, right? Cementing my ownership while also being owned is the ultimate rush, and I need that reassurance after such a tense bout of unwarranted jealousy.
I follow her every move as my fingers work the buttons of my shirt. Her eyes flash to my hands, and her tank soars through the air. Gesù Cristo. Her tits are firm and free and so goddamn suckable I almost lose my fucking mind as I rip away my button-up and desperately reach for her.
She meets me full force, her legs wrapping around my waist and the warmth of her pussy settling against my stomach. “Show me,” she murmurs, her teeth latching on to my earlobe. “I’m yours.”
Turning, I push the flowers farther onto the table and wrap my fist in her hair, eliciting a hiss as I bury her face in my neck. Her teeth dig in, expressing her displeasure, but I can’t fucking help it. The monster in me feels vindictive and possessive and out of fucking control as I slam her onto the table and free my aching cock.
“Mine,” I growl, gripping her thong and ripping the flimsy material from her body. Tossing it over my shoulder, I grab her and guide her onto my cock, entering her like it’s the first time all over again. “All fucking mine.”
Surrounded by roses from another man, I lose myself in that same rightness I feel every time I’m with Piper. Sometimes it’s easy. Sometimes it’s rough. Sometimes it’s desperate, and sometimes it’s so fucking beautiful I could cry, but every single time, it’s a reminder that I love and am loved in return.
It’s 2:14 by the time I enter Grizzly, and Ivan jumps on my late arrival first thing. “Nice of you to join us, Boss,” he says sarcastically, though not in a joking manner.
As I said, things have changed in the weeks since Miami. My brother is no longer the gentle, timid, super-intelligent, easy-going man I’ve known my whole life. He returned to Chicago as a new and improved version of that man. His intelligence is laser focused now, one hundred percent aimed at securing the Outfit’s interests across the U.S. Any notion he’d be a reluctant Underboss has faded into oblivion with the loss of his chance at a family. Sure, there are other options, but something inside them died with their child, making way for something darker to take its place.
I don’t bother to engage. I’m zen, freshly fucked and wishing I were still back at the penthouse. “Have you gone through the list of contractors?”
“I have,” he replies, handing me a slip of paper with three companies listed. “Any of these works for me. Do you have a preference?”
I shrug, not knowing much about construction but also realizing the importance of this decision. “I don’t know, Van. This is a big deal.”
“I know.” He sighs, moving to a small table where Lorenzo is looking over the plans for the remodel of the Grizzly Armor building. “This project is too important to let just anyone have access.” He adjusts his glasses before tracing along a line on the plans. “Aside from allowing them to view our blueprints, these workers will have knowledge about our fail-safes and last-ditch escape routes. These are secrets that could cost our lives if they got into the wrong hands.”
A spark of anger ignites inside me because he feels it’s necessary to go through with such a thorough remodel of his home base, but I get it. I live in a fucking ivory tower, and he doesn’t. He needs to know
