Page 57 of On Ice

I feel his surprise when I take his mouth in a hungry kiss, but he responds, slipping his greedy tongue between my lips. He cups my face, deepening the kiss, rocking his hips against mine. I moan into his mouth, confused and horny for a man who might be part devil.

Goosebumps rise on my skin as one of his hands roams my body, sliding up under my shirt. I moan as his fingers pinch my flat nipples, and press even closer to his hard body. I feel feverish and mindless with lust. Our kisses are almost punishing, but we both seem to enjoy that. Of course we do. We’re both obviously unhinged. A few minutes ago I thought Luca would kill me, now I’m praying he fucks me.

He kicks my feet wider, and his hand drops to his zipper. I suck on his tongue, needing it deeper in my throat. My brain short circuited minutes ago, and I don’t fight him when he also lowers my zipper. I just crave his taste on my tongue, and his musky, masculine scent in my lungs. I want him on me. In me. Luca fever is back with a vengeance.

He pulls his mouth off of mine and whispers, “Want to know how I found you? I could fuckingsmellyou, Evan. You’re mine. You’re not going anywhere. Not until I’ve had my fill.”

My response is a guttural moan. It’s the best I can do because his warm hand is inside my underwear, squeezing mycock. He bites my lower lip, tugging it hard and I rock against his hand. Is this really happening? Am I going to let him take me right here?

Someone opens the door and I pull my mouth from Luca’s. I feel hot, flushed, and dazed with need. I’m also embarrassed that I just had my tongue down my worst nightmare’s throat. Luca turns his head toward the intruder, looking like a rabid wolf.

“I told you to stay the fuck out,” he growls.

“I’m sorry, boss.” It’s the same guy from earlier, Matteo. He hovers near the door, his head down. “We… we got a situation. Luigi just got hit, he’s still breathing, but it was a serious attempt.”

“What?” Luca is suddenly alert and all business. He swears under his breath in Italian and pulls his hand from my pants. “When did this happen?”

“Five minutes ago at Mama Sicily’s Pizzeria.”

Luca lets go of me and I almost slide down the wall because my legs are like Jello. He tucks his shirt in and zips up his pants, recovering way quicker than me. I take the hint and fumble with my zipper, still breathing hard.

Luca leaves me, brushing past Matteo at the doorway. “Take Evan back to his room and cuff him to the bed.”

I scowl and mumble, “What?”

But Luca is already gone and Matteo is moving toward me. The guy’s face is a cold mask as he grabs my arm and heaves me toward the door. I pray he can’t tell my dick is hard. It’s embarrassing enough thatIknow. I don’t bother fighting Matteo. The guy has no neck. He’s nothing but muscle and a head. There’s no point in pretending I can take him.

He drags me to my room and shoves me down on the bed. Then he does exactly as Luca requested and cuffs one of my wrists to where the headboard meets the bed frame. I glare at him as he straightens and give a rebellious kick, which he easily dodges. He leaves the room without a word.

I lie on the bed breathing hard. I’m angry and confused with my behavior, and mystified by Luca’s. I should be happy I’m still alive, but I feel no sense of relief because the nightmare continues. I’m no closer to going home than I was yesterday. How much longer is Luca going to keep me here? I have a job and friends and family who will be worried about me.

I can’t just disappear.

Or can I?

Chapter Sixteen

Luca

The alley behind Mama Sicily’s Pizzeria stretches into darkness, hemmed in by brick walls that seem to lean inward the further you go. Steam hisses from rusted pipes, mixing with the metallic scent of blood that even the recent rain hasn’t washed away. My head throbs where Evan hit me with the lamp, each pulse a reminder of how everything went sideways tonight.

Anger simmers in my belly as I take in the scene. Shell casings glinting near the dumpster, and bullet holes are stitched across brick. A single police car remains, its lights painting the wet pavement in alternating red and blue. That officer will leave soon. The cops don’t dig that deep when we go after our own. They make a showing and pretend to investigate, but they’ll leave it to us to handle this situation.

“There were three shooters,” Sammy reports, his voice too loud in the confined space. “Luigi got two of them before they took him down. Luigi said it was Kovalev’s men.”

I swear under my breath. “Seriously? How many times do I have to stomp on those roaches?” The struggle for territory is a never ending battle. It’s exhausting because there will always be those who think they can just come in and take what’s mine. They can’t. I’ll keep fighting until my last breath. This is Barone territory and anyone who challenges me will pay dearly.

“Go after the one that got away,” I grate. “He can’t survive the night. Find the rat wherever he’s hiding.”

“Some of the men are already looking, but I know more want to join them.” Sammy goes to talk to the group of my soldiers hovering near the scene. My men don’t look scared. They look pissed. They’ll be only too happy to hunt down the last shooter.

Sammy has quick conversation, slaps a few guys on the shoulder, and returns to me. “They’re eager to get some payback.” He smirks. “That poor slob is going to suffer too. They won’t make it quick.”

“Good.” I push my hands into the pockets of my jeans. I was in such a hurry to get here, I forgot to bring an actual coat. The damp night seeps in around the collar of my dress shirt, sending chills through me. “What’s Luigi’s condition?”

“Critical but stable.” Sammy shifts his weight, his massive frame blocking what little light filters down from the street. “Took bullets to his shoulder and one leg. He wasn’t wearing a vest because he was on a date. But he’s tough, he’ll make it. He seemed more pissed about not getting laid tonight than getting shot.”

I give a wry smile and glance over at the blond woman sniffling near the front of Mama Sicily’s Pizzeria. Mascara is smeared beneath her eyes, and there’s blood on her white fur coat, and runs in her stockings. She’s doing her best to keep it together, but she’s starting to crumble. “Take her home. See if she can give you any more details about what happened.”

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