Page 4 of Dangerous Obsession

We’re going to be here a while and Willow doesn’t seem to understand that fact. Killing a high-ranking member of the Italian mafia would be bad enough if I weren’t their sworn enemy. And my father being the Pakhan—head of the Bratva—means this won’t be seen as just any attack. It will be seen as an act of war between the already feuding families. I have to tell my brothers what I’ve done immediately before they hear it from the other side in the form of threats and bullets.

I dial Sven’s number first, realizing I should probably call Dominic not Sven. But Dom being our newly appointed leader is green in the saddle, proving himself by being overly hard on everyone. Dad’s approval is all that matters to him right now, not the fine details. I wait for the phone to ring, but it goes straight to voicemail, another frustration. If Sven can’t help me, I’m not sure where to turn, because I know the instant my father hears about it he will order Willow’s death and her father’s as well.

Pacing the creaking floorboards and leaving blood tracked on the carpet, I dial Rome’s number. He’s the youngest, and probably won’t side with me any more than the others, but he isn’t a snitch. If I call Matty, he’ll just hang up and call Dominic or my father immediately. His loyalty is skewed at times; or maybe mine is. Either way, I need this on the downlow until I decide what to do with Willow.

“Yo, Leo, what’s up?” Rome’s words are slightly slurred, a good indication that he’s spent this evening drinking.

“Baby, what’s going on?” A woman’s voice comes across the line and I know Rome isn’t alone.

“Look, do you have a minute?” I’m not intending to wait for him if he doesn’t. I’ll just have to call Sven until he answers.

“Yeah, what?” Rome is irritated; I can hear it in his tone. The line is muffled but I hear him say, “I’ll be back.” After a few seconds, the line clears up again. “What do you need, Leo? I was about to—”

“I don’t want to hear about your sexcapades. Just listen, man. I’m in trouble.” As I say the words I feel my shoulders tighten. I’m not afraid in the least, but I understand the delicacy of this conversation and the situation. Things could be explosive, or they could blow over—my bet is the former. And if they get explosive, it’s not just going to be me in the cross hairs.

“What did you do now?”

The words wash over me attempting to drown me in shame, but I’ve been buried in the shit-pile long enough that it doesn’t really affect me that much. After my best friend turned out to be the mole attempting to murder my brother and seize control of the family, nothing could make me feel worse. Except maybe if Willow got hurt in the middle of this mess. All I wanted to do was protect her and keep her from danger. Now I’ve really fucked things up.

“I shot an Italian. I didn’t know who he was ’til after it happened and he got a very good look at me and probably my license plate. He’s going to come full bore.” I run a hand through my hair and sit down. With the confession made, I can take a load off. I know my family will have my back when it comes to the shooting and its consequences. It’s Willow I’m concerned about.

“What the fuck? How are you so fucking stupid? You know you should be talking to Domini—”

“Fuck Dominic. Don’t you think there is a reason I called you?” I hear the water in the bathroom shut off. Willow is done with her shower and will be coming out here soon. I don’t want her to hear what I have to say to my brother. I need to make this quick.

“So spit it out. What has you so freaked out.” Rome’s grumbles don’t encourage me. If he so much as breathes a word of this to Dominic, I’m going to hurt him.

“I’m not going to kow to anyone on this, Rome. You all know how I feel. Things are going to go my way or I’m just going to disappear.” I don’t even have to bring her name into this conversation. Even talking in code, Rome knows the only thing that has ever mattered to me my whole life. Every one of my brothers knows I have followed Willow every day for twelve years. If not me, one of our men. I may never have been able to touch her, but she’s mine. She’s always been mine.

“Fuck’s sake, Leo. You stepped in again? Only this time she saw you….” Rome’s tone changes from anger to exasperation. “Do you even know what Dad will say? He’s fucking dying and you do this?”

“The man was about to assault her,” I protest angrily.

“And you could just walk the fuck away. One in three women get assaulted in their life and—”

“I knew I should never have called you, you heartless bastard. I can’t believe you’d say those things. You know what she means to me.” I’m ready to hang up but Rome calms me.

“Fine, I get it. I’m sorry. Look, I can’t deal with it tonight. Where are you?”

I take a deep breath. “The safe house on Thirty-Third.”

“Stay put. Someone will call you. Dammit, Leo, you know you’ve probably started a war, over a woman who is off limits? This is bad…”

Rome hangs up and I lock my phone and jam it into my pocket. I’m pissed, both at him for being such an asshole, and myself for not handling this more tactfully. I could have tied the man up and never let him see my face. Instead I had to pull my gun and shoot him.

The bathroom door squeaks open and I turn to see Willow emerge wrapped in a towel. Her makeup is gone, but she is every bit as stunning without it. I stand and face her, ready to calmly explain what’s going on, but she scowls at me.

“My clothes are filthy. I didn’t realize I was going to be taken at gunpoint and forced off the street when I chose white this morning.” Her angry glare is sexy, the way we used to bicker until I kissed her. Being in the same room with her again is challenging my sense of loyalty to my father. It always did. It’s why he said she made me weak, because I often sided with her instead of listening to him. I walk toward her and shrug.

“I can get you new clothes.” As I advance I see her shoulders square. She’s still upset, even after I saved her fucking life.

“And what will I sleep in?” Her arms cross over her chest, forcing her tits to bulge up out of the towel. Their round, smooth curves attract my eye, which she huffs at. “My face is up here.”

Her hair drips on her shoulders, rivulets of water running across her chest and into her cleavage. The sight of her makes my cock tighten; I can feel myself swelling. I grab her by her arms and pull her towel away from her body. I take her nipple into my mouth, sucking it hard, my tongue swirling around the areola. She's writhing on my tongue and I'm getting so excited. I can't wait to get my hands on her. I know she wants me, I can see it in the way she looks at me.

I grip Willow's hips and her hands push at my chest. "Leo... don't." I know she’s protesting, but if she didn’t want me ogling her body, she should have put on her dirty clothes. She bats at my shoulders and I straighten.

“You can’t tell me you haven’t fantasized about us reuniting.” Pulling her against my body, I grind my hips against her pelvis.

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