For Cam (Chicago Syndicate Book 4) (6 page)

The commotion of this night has subsided, and I realize that it all comes down to my never-ending love for her. 

She makes a half-circle and stops before me. Her husky voice is laced with sympathy and devotion. “I understand your fear because I feel it too. But you need to trust me to defend myself.”

Tentatively, her fingers trace a relaxing path over my jaw, and I lean into her touch. “I do trust you. It’s the rest of the world I distrust.”

“Together, we’ll get through it. You need to let me do my work as a
Capo
though.”

“I know. It’s just that your love makes me strong and happy, but it also makes me weak. And I can’t afford to be weak as boss, Cam.”

“It doesn’t make you weak. It makes you vulnerable because you have more to lose. And you’re right. You can’t be weak. Not in front of others. But you can be in front of me. Give me your weakness, and I’ll replace it with strength.” She rubs a hand over my beard, and I press a kiss to her palm.

“How?”

“Talk to me. Let me relieve your anxiety so that you can thrive as boss. Let me help you.”

I cock my head in question.

“You need to learn to delegate more. Luca’s used to delegating to
you
, but
you
need to delegate more to Luca now. And find a good first
Capo
to handle the day-to-day business, along with more
Capi
. You need many more
Capi
with this expanding business. You mostly need a strong chief captain like James and Luca had with you. I get James’s rule now. You and I working and living together isn’t easy. However, we must find a solution. And as much as I hate to admit it, this is a man’s world. While I’d like to offer myself as a candidate for first
Capo
, you need a man as a first
Capo,
someone with lots of experience. My assets should be used in other ways.” The corner of her lips tilt up, and I palm her neck.

“You should be
Consigliere
,” I tease softly.

“No. I hate all that financial stuff Carmine has to do,” she retorts.

“You’re right,
Capo
.” With a few comforting words, she manages to bring me back down to earth. 

In this moment, I recognize that she’s not only mine, but she’s swiftly becoming the one person who knows me best. That knows my inner fear that’s intricately tied to her life. 

“I know I’m right.” She grabs a bottle of water from the fridge. After closing the door, she points the bottle to the dent in the stainless steel. “I’ve been meaning to ask you: what happened here?”

“A couple of days before we raided Club 7, when James came to take you, I threw my gun at it in anger.”

“You lost control? You rarely lose your composure,” she says disbelievingly.

“I do when it comes to you,” I disclose.

Cam rounds the bar, sets the bottle on the counter, and meets me halfway.

“I want you to know how much I need you,” I say. “I never thought that I would have what my parents have until I met you. It’s growing into something so much bigger. ”

A slow, tender smile is directed at me. “That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said. I feel it deep in my soul too. I never thought I’d be here, and I’m so happy. It’s worth every dangerous bump in the road to be with you. And honestly, we’d never be content in a normal relationship.”

“Urgh...” I mock, attempting to embrace her, but she escapes my grasp.

Moving backward toward the sofa, she plays with the hem of her tank top. “Normal, mundane...It wouldn’t fit us. A normal couple would make an appointment with their shrink to talk about your control issues right about now.”

“But,” I fill in, matching her steps, “we have a much better solution than talking to a shrink.”

“What did you have in mind?”

“Take off your clothes, and I’ll tell you.” 

While observing me, Cam pulls her tank top over her head, exposing her red bra. Then she hooks her thumbs into her jeans, shimmying them down along with her panties, and she steps backward again, sitting on the edge of the tall back of the couch as she unhooks her bra, flinging it to me.

I catch it in the air and press the fabric to my nose. My blood rushes south furiously.

“So”—Cam rests her hands on the sofa, right beside her hips, and lets her long, lean legs fall open, spreading them wide like a stripper, giving me a perfect view of her pussy—“now that I’m naked, tell me.”

I unbutton my slacks and take out my dick. Just seeing her naked gets me rock-hard. “I’ve waited an entire day to feel you with my cock.”

Her mouth turns up into a crooked grin.

“I want my cock in your mouth again.”

She bites her plump lip seductively while I gawk at her body that’s meant to be ridden hard and deep.

“Show me how wet you are, Cam,” I groan, fisting my erection.

Her palm slides down her stomach to rub her glistening pussy, and she bows her back passionately and whimpers.

I almost come in my pants. “God, I need you.” I jump forward to catch her ankle, but she’s too quick and bolts over the back of the couch to the floating staircase that leads to the open master suite.

I race after her up the steps and loop my arm around her waist when she reaches the top, lifting her off her feet. But we don’t even make it to our king-size bed in the center of the bedroom. Instead, we crash against the glass door that leads to the terrace. Cam plants her palms against it and pushes her ass against my cock while I kick off my boots and strip my slacks. I press my chest against her back and take both her wrists in one hand, holding them locked above her head while I lick the soft skin behind her ear and slide my cock between her ass cheeks. As she moans, I skim my nails down her side, making her arch magnificently, driving me mad with hunger.

Right before I reach the curve of her ass, I say, “This is for hanging up on me, Cam.” And I spank her. Twice. Hard, leaving a beautiful red mark on her smooth skin.

“Ouch!” Her bothered gaze snaps to me, but I soften her by stealing a kiss and rotating the head of my cock against her wet pussy while still holding her wrists above her head.

“Don’t do that again,” I order against her cheek, barely able to hold back from driving into her tight channel.

“I won’t.” The words are tangled around a moan.

Releasing her wrists, I rip off my dress shirt, desperate for every inch of our naked bodies to connect. Then I circle Cam to face me and shift my hand into her hair. Her nails dig into my chest, and our desire for one another explodes.

Seductively, Cam drops to her knees, raking her nails over my skin and outlining the intricate black lines of my compass rose tattoo – which has the initials of my family members – on my left side, until she reaches my cock. While capturing my gaze, she pumps the base and licks the pre-cum from the head. Then she takes me into her mouth, and my palms rest against the glass as I lean forward, rolling my hips and watching my cock disappear into her warm mouth as she sucks roughly.

“Fuck!” I grunt from the pleasure raking through my body.

I pull from her mouth after a few deep thrusts, and she looks up expectantly.

“My cock needs to be inside you. It’s going to be hard and fast,” I growl and rotate my finger as I get on my knees as well, and Cam turns, dropping forward on all fours and facing the terrace.

I can see our reflection in the glass as I nudge my cock at her pussy and drive inside with one shove, clutching her hips and pushing in and out, feeling her flesh give.

“You’re so wet for me, Cam.”

“Hmmm.”

She pushes back against me, so I dig my fingers into her hips and hammer inside her. My pelvis slaps against her ass while I watch her half-closed eyes in the window, but when I observe my cock sliding into her, her hot center stretched open to take all of me, I’m lost. I push Cam forward so that she rests one hand against the glass. My fingers drift up her spine and wrap into her hair, and I tug her head back, making her bow her back sexily while I take her. Putting all the exertion of my concerns into fucking Cam. Then I secure my arm around her waist and haul her up against my chest, inching forward slightly. On our knees on the cold hardwood floor, I piston inside until my balls tighten. It’s pure, animalistic fucking.

“Ah, yes! Adriano...”

I thrust in deep while she moans and begs, fucking me back with both of her palms pressed against the glass as I nip and bite her shoulder. I entwine one of my hands with hers and guide them down to touch the place where I enter her and rub her clit until she screams and shudders against me, my nose buried in her hair. Tracing my palm up her breast, throat, and chin, I dip my finger inside her mouth and she sucks voraciously.

I can’t hold back, not for a second. I growl and come, emptying myself completely, as I feel her whole pussy clamping down on my cock like a vice. I keep grinding my cock against her, riding out a satisfying climax only she can trigger from my body.

Dropping my forehead on her shoulder, I wrap my arms around her and she rests her hand on my arm. In a tight embrace, we float back down. 

“My knees hurt now,” she comments and I chuckle.

I pull out of her as we stand and swing her up into my arms, causing her to shriek. And I lay her on our bed, looking exhausted and contented.

Then I join her. “It’s been a long day. All I want is to sleep with you now.”

She rests her head on my chest and tangles our legs. “Me too.”

Staring at the ceiling while I run my fingers through her hair, I still have this nagging feeling pestering me. Scenarios of how to strengthen my new team and delegate some work form in my mind.

And with Cam tucked in my arms, I sleep peacefully.

Camilla

––––––––

M
y life has been one of chaos, murder, danger, family, and passion during the first three months since Adriano became boss. Perhaps a frightening mix for some, but for me, it embodies happiness. When Adriano and I haven’t seen each other all day, I itch to be with him. We fuck and make love at night, in our home, locked safely away from the danger outside.

But it’s not all sunshine and roses. When morning comes, the outside world assaults our love bubble, and we’re reminded that we are lovers
and
high ranking members of the most powerful drug syndicate in Chicago. And that both scares me and empowers me. 

I’ve killed men and women. I’ve learned to shut off my emotions when needed. My way of thinking has changed, just as Luca and Adriano predicted. Once in the Mafia, a person is trained to never hesitate to pull the trigger. Hesitation gets you killed.
It always comes down to me or him
, Luca says. And I will always choose myself. Remorse is a feeling a
Made
woman can’t afford to have. 

While Adriano continues to build his Syndicate, I’m busy with my new family when not training or working. And fortunately, Rosalia’s little escapade isn’t discovered by James. 

Also, I’m truly happy. Yes, there’s this possessive man who’s difficult to manage. But he also loves me without any limitations. Every moment we experience is a memory painting my life the way I always wanted it to be.

However, sometimes there’s a difference in Adriano that alerts me. He’s becoming more overbearing, and handling him is getting more difficult as his power grows and the dance club flourishes. And he’s taking on so many responsibilities.

“Cam! Ready?!” Adriano yells from downstairs as I pull the hem of my skintight, long-sleeved emerald dress down to just above my knees and grab my gold purse, crossing the strap over my shoulder so I don’t have to hold it in my hand like a clutch, because my gun’s in it and it’s heavy.

Traipsing down the stairs, I see Adriano shoving the last bite of a sandwich into his mouth and then rolling up the sleeves of his navy dress shirt.

“We’re going to eat at James’s, and you just ate a whole sandwich?”

“What? I was hungry.” He scans the length of me. “Looking hot, ma’am. Let’s go. Where’s your gun?”

“In my purse.” I slip into my gold-colored ballet flats at the door and throw on my grey coat because the temperature has dropped since winter is just around the corner.

Adriano gets his keys, and we set off to Lincoln Park for our weekly Sunday family dinner with James.

***

T
his is family dinner
Mafia style
at James’s mansion with all the high ranking men and their spouses. Starting with James and his wife, Alessa, at the head of the table, then Rosalia, Carmine, Fallon, Luca, Adriano, and me. It’s a tradition that was started after Adriano became
Capo crimine
almost three months ago. Adriano has kept his promise and tries his best to make time for me in his swamped schedule. And he’s giving me what I wanted most: a family. People I can rely on.

In this elaborate dining room, we’re feasting on antipasti, seafood platters, spaghetti, cannelloni, and red wine. The mood is light, and my wine glass is constantly being topped off.

While talk around us is loud, I rest back against my chair to find Adriano staring at me.

“Are you happy?” he utters unexpectedly.

“I am. Why do you ask?”

His palm sneaks up into my hair. “Because I am.” 

Carefree, I smile and tease, “Aren’t you feeling a bit too normal right about now?”

A playful grin is aimed at me. “Perhaps I could fuck your ass upstairs?”

“You’re crazy! Not in my father’s house.”

“You’re no fun,” he replies dryly.

I lean in close to him and peck a kiss on his lips.

“No kissing in front of your father, Cam,” James interrupts.

“I apologize.” Then I whisper to Adriano, “See, he can’t even handle an innocent kiss. Let alone having us perform your dirty fantasies in his house.”

Adriano laughs, a truly relaxed laugh that fills me with joy. 

Conversation carries on, and later, I speak to James alone in the kitchen. James and I have become close as father and daughter, but I also see him as my mentor. He’s Adriano’s
Consigliere
, along with Carmine, whom he’s showing the ropes, and he’s always available to counsel me on different matters. I’ve mentioned my worries regarding Adriano’s occasional bossy demeanor, and he’s told me to give it time. To be patient because Adriano has a lot going on at the moment.