Dangerous Beauty: Part Three: This is War (40 page)

A sly smile spread across Dante’s face. “Trust me, Gabriel. You’ll be safe with me. Let me worry about Shadow, and you be ready at around seven.”

Gabriel stared at Dante for a moment before nodded. “Uh, yeah. Sounds like a plan.”

Carter and Mickey silently watched as Gabriel and Dante pinned each other with intense, heated stares that spoke volumes. Mickey looked over at her the same time she looked over at him, and they both turned back to the food on the counter while trying to hide their smiles.

Dante was such a hoe.

Chapter 17: Family Time Part Two

“Silas and Aziz have completely disappeared. He hasn’t been in contact with his business partners, associates, or his family since Carter, Gabriel, and Robert escaped the castle.”

Nathan nodded and lightly tapped his pen on the desk in his home office. Relaxing back in his seat, he ran his hand over the shadow of hair that covered his jaw. It’d been two weeks since the incident, and Silas was still nowhere to be found. Nathan had exhausted every resource he had, and he’d come up with nothing but Steeles; no Silas, just his family. No attacks were brought upon the family. Nathan had just had his men politely let them know that the Russian wanted to meet their leader. Yet it was still a dead end. Silas hadn’t told any of his family of his whereabouts—most likely to avoid any chance of his family betraying him—so the search was a difficult one. This didn’t sit well with Nathan at all.

“I don’t know where else to look, boss,” Ryan Mason, head of the Salerno security, said.

Nathan stared at the men sitting in his office, waiting for him to tell them what they should do next. “I think this is what he wants. Us looking for him. I want to go for a more watchful approach. My brother-in-law informed me that Silas enjoys playing games. He seems to enjoy surprising us, so let’s make that difficult for him, shall we?”

Nathan stood up and mapped out his next move with his men. The plan was simple: do nothing, pay close attention, and wait for Silas to come to them. Because he would, Nathan just hoped that it was sooner rather than later.

As he continued to plan with his men, his thoughts drifted to Carter. Just as they did, Ryan asked him, “Boss, should we increase security for Mrs. Salerno when she returns to work?”

Nathan actually had to stop and think about that one. He frowned for a moment and paused his actions. His men waited for him to say something. After three full minutes, Nathan spoke. “Let’s put a pin in that one.” He knew it was presumptuous of him to say that, but a man could hope, couldn’t he? This pregnancy had just all of a sudden become so real. More and more with each passing day, the idea of Carter going back to work while she was pregnant was becoming less and less appealing to him. “For now, just increase security here. I want her escorted everywhere she goes. Nobody gets through my gates unless they’re on the clearance list.” He’d decided that tonight he was going to convince his daredevil wife to become a housewife for the duration of her pregnancy … and maybe a year after the delivery. Okay, the year after was most likely pushing it, but Nathan was willing to take the risk. Carter needed to be back in fighting shape before resuming her job at S.O. After pregnancy, she would need some time to train. That was his argument and he was sticking with it.

Ryan chuckled. “It’s going to be a fucking mad house when we let them know about the increase out here.”

“Everyone’s going to want to protect the underboss’s house. That’s just a step closer to being on your team,” another man said.

Nathan sighed, uninterested. He didn’t understand why anyone would want to work with him first hand. He was sure they’d heard how strict he was. “Do they know that they’d actually have to work if they worked with me? It’s not a fucking vacation.”

“Yea, but it’s where all of the action is.”

“Agreed,” Ryan said with a nod. “Everybody knows what the underboss does …”

“Everything,” Nathan muttered.

They laughed as they resumed making the new plans for the future security changes. They were just nearing the end and wrapping up when a light tap sounded on his office door. Nathan and the four others in the room looked at the door together. A second after the knock sounded, Carter walked in.

“Hello,” she sang. “Stop your secret meeting. I’m coming in.”

Nathan smiled as the others chuckled. Carter opened the door and entered the room fully with a cherry wood picnic basket that had a pink rose coming out of the side. She looked so fucking adorable. She wore a gorgeous little white and pink flared dress that showed off her rounded belly perfectly, matching bright pink flats, a beautiful diamond necklace around her neck, and her long hair was tied up into a ponytail with a white ribbon falling on each side.

Nathan stood to his feet when she entered and his men followed suit.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Salerno,” they greeted.

Carter’s smile was bright, warm, and welcoming. “Hi. I’m glad all of you arrived back safely.”

The men nodded and said thank you.

Carter then looked over to Nathan. “I’ve come to force the underboss to stop working on a Saturday,” she said with a playful glare. “It’s family day, Underboss. You promised. There are consequences for going against your wife’s wishes.” She strolled over to him and he leaned forward, placing a kiss on her lips.

“I haven’t been in here that long,” he said through a chuckle. “There is still plenty of day left.”

She gripped the front of his shirt gently. “This meeting ends now, underboss. Kyle and our special guest will be arriving any minute.” She turned to the men with an exaggerated sad sigh. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to give you all the rest the day off.” She shrugged.

A fake sadness fell over their faces as they voiced sad
oh no’s
and
damns.

“All right, shut up,” Nathan joked. “I’m not that bad.”

Carter poked her lips out in a pout. “Of course you’re not, bubby.” She gave him a kiss, then turned to his men with a smile. “Luckily your underboss is married to an amazing woman that cares for and appreciates his dedicated men.” She walked over to her basket and handed it to Ryan. “Some goodies for the drive back. Don’t forget to sing my praises to everyone at S.O.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Salerno” Ryan said, giving her a quick hug and a light peck on the cheek. “We’re glad you’re home safe. Laci wanted me to tell you hello, and congratulations.”

Carter had met Ryan’s wife when she’d attended Angelo’s fundraiser for the senator with him a while back. Ryan was seated a table behind them, and Carter and his wife had hit it off the moment the men had introduced them.

Carter smiled excitedly. “Congratulations to you two as well! Tell Laci I said thanks for the invite to the baby shower. I rsvp’d this morning.”

Ryan smiled. “Excellent. I’ll arrange your security that day personally. It will be pleasure having you, thank you.”

“Thank you for inviting me. Your wife is the sweetest woman. I adore her, and your daughter.”

Ryan and Carter continued chatting as Nathan finished giving a few more instructions to the other men. Nathan was thankful for Ryan providing Carter with the distraction while he finished a bit more work before Carter stopped talking and cleared out the office.

When it was just her and Nathan, she sat on the edge of the desk with a soft smile on her face.

Nathan finished putting away a few papers then sat in his chair. “You have become quite the underboss’s wife, Carterina Salerno. I assure you that you are the only Mafia wife that gives a shit about anything other than spending the money their husbands’ make. I’ve never met one wife of a don, or an underboss, that would be kind enough to pack a picnic basket for her husband’s men. You are truly one of a kind.”

She walked over to him, straddled his lap, and kissed his cheek. “Those men protect you, Nathan Salerno, they protect our family. They fight for you, and gave you and your father their loyalty. Money only ensures so much, honey. Men don’t put their lives at risk for a man they don’t love and truly respect, and they won’t protect a family to the best of their abilities if they don’t care about the family they’re protecting. We show them we care by showing our appreciation. They show us by giving their all to their jobs.”

Nathan had to smile. “That is what my mother taught me.”

She leaned in closer to his lips and kissed him. “Like I’ve said numerous times. Your mother was a very intelligent woman, Mr. Salerno.”

He brought one hand up and cupped her face. “You make me fall in love with you all over again, every single day, Mrs. Salerno.”

“I know. I’m just so damn perfect, aren’t I?” she giggled.

Nathan chuckled. “Who’s the arrogant one now?”

“Will you just kiss me, please? You know where this is going. Give me my kiss, bubby.”

Never one to disappoint, Nathan captured her lips with his. When his tongue sought entrance into her mouth, she opened to him immediately. He moaned when he tasted a delectable sweetness on her tongue and deepened the kiss.

“What is that?” he asked in a breathy whisper. He cupped her face and kissed her harder. Whatever the hell it was, it was turning him on, and made him want her even more.

“Ice cream,” she moaned. “I had a craving, so I made some.”

That, combined with the natural taste of his wife, sent Nathan into overdrive. Suddenly he was ready to finish what she’d started this morning when she’d woken him up the way she had.

Slowly, his hands glided up her smooth thighs and disappeared beneath her dress.

“Nathan,” she whispered. “We have so many guest coming to our house today for lunch and those greedy hands of yours are under my dress?”

Nathan smiled slyly against her lips just as his thumbs slid under the rim of her panties. She inhaled a slow, shaky breath and gripped his shoulders.

“Nathan,” she sighed. “My mother, Cesare, Kyle, and Sofia will be here soon.”

He gave her a slow, gentle kiss on her soft lips and smiled. “Must it always be,
‘No, Nathan, we can’t,’
before it turns into,
‘Yes, yes … please don’t stop’
.” Parting the lips of her slick flesh, Nathan pressed his thumb to her clit.

She gasped and gripped on to his shirt. “Oh God,” she moaned.

Nathan chuckled. “It is Nathan, baby, not God. Say make me come, Nathan.”

“Make me come, Nathan …”

Nathan let out a low grunt. There was nothing sexier to him than Carter’s obedience during sex. It never ceased to turn him on. “Make me come, Nathan …
what
?” he asked her as he slowed the motion of his thumb. It may make him a sick bastard, but he loved to hear her beg for it.

Whimpering, she pressed closer to him. “Please,” she begged.

Nathan could barely contain the rush of excitement that rushed through his body. The desperate plea in her voice pleased the sadistic bastard inside of him that yearned to see her wanton for him, but he didn’t stop. He continued to torture her until she was nearly to the point of tears and on the brink of release, begging him to fuck her.

Standing from the chair with her in his arms, Nathan sat her on the surface of his desk and pushed the shit behind her to the side. Carter balanced on her hands as she lifted her hips, allowing him to slip her panties off. He tossed them aside before he went to work on releasing the belt of his pants.

Carter bit down on her bottom lip as he locked her heated gaze to his and lowered the straps of her dress, revealing her perfectly round breasts. Nathan’s eyes locked to them as he watched her lie back on his desk and arch her back high. She brought her hands to her breasts, caressing them, then she lightly pinched her hard, dark-chocolate nipples.

Yeah, they were going to be in here for a while …

~*~

Gabriel, Dante, and Mickey sat at the island in the kitchen, eating the appetizers Carter had prepared as they waited for the rest of the family to arrive for Sofia’s welcome lunch when Robert and Angelo walked into the kitchen.

Gabriel turned when he heard them enter. They were talking to each other in hushed tones. Gabriel was sure they were discussing Silas, as everyone had been for the past two weeks. He sighed and shook his head. He sort of wished they’d all just let it go and move on. Silas wasn’t going to do anything anytime soon. Gabriel knew his father. This was the way Silas worked. He liked to play games, make people go crazy anticipating his next attack. The best thing to do when dealing with Silas’s shit was to just keep an eye out and move on with your life. Gabriel had tried to tell everyone these exact words, but no one had listened except Nathan.

“Welcome, Angelo, Robert,” Gabriel said, getting their attention. They both looked up from their conversation and over to him. “Ready to meet Kyle’s daughter? I hope you brought gifts. Carter sent out the mass text.”

Angelo nodded. “I brought a few. How are you, Gabriel?” He walked forward and gave Gabriel a pat on the back, before reaching over to grab one of the remaining appetizers. “Mmm,” he moaned. “Very good. Your daughter is a wonderful cook, Robert.”

Robert walked over and took the seat next to Gabriel. “She always has been.” He reach for an appetizer as he continued speaking. “She’s always wanted a big family to cook for, and now she has it. She’s gotten better over the years. I don’t remember her food being as good as it is now.”