Page 22 of Straight, No Chaser
Her arms coil around my neck, tight and resolute with her grip. She wants me just as bad. Needs me to make her feel whole. Perfect. Beautiful. Which is exactly what I'm going to do.
"Molly?"
Just as my fingers touch my phone to shove it out of the way, a small but urgent voice yells from the hallway. God fucking damn.
"Molly? Where are you? I can't find my yellow velociraptor."
Laughter shakes her body before she starts to jump out of my hold. Motherfucking busted. I kiss her hard before I set her on her feet. She sways a bit from the intensity, making me even more crazed if that's possible. And fucking horrible with Eli busting in.
He stops a few feet from the door, and his suspicious gaze jumps from her to me, sitting on the bed pretending to work on my phone to hide my need for her from him.
"I heard you laughing." His little fists of fury curl against his hips. "What are you guys playing?"
Poor guy. Thinks he's been left out of a game. Which I guess this kind of is. She just doesn't know it, and I fucking hate it. But too late to go back now. It will be fine. It has to be.
Before I can answer she jogs past him and looks over her shoulder. "Tag and you're it!"
A huge smile eliminates the hurt threatening his feelings, and he chases after her. Both of their giggles bouncing off the hardwood until they fade away down the stairs. Mrs. Benson's pancakes their reward. Just like both of them are for me. That I may not deserve but I'm damn sure going to try and earn it back.
10
Chapter Ten
Inever renege on a promise. In my business, when I give my word, it's a fucking guarantee. My honor. My integrity. My code.
But with Molly, hell the fuck yes I can change my mind. I've got to put a stop to this bullshit. To the two tipsy girls wanting to drag her away. Oblivious to the torture they are causing me. Laughing it up in my living room. Flirting with Ty and fawning over Eli. Both of my brothers lapping up the attention like caged dogs finally let free.
Pushing deeper between her spread thighs, I nuzzle the sweet spot on the side of her dainty throat while I slide her present out of my pocket. "Happy birthday, angel."
I drape the sparkling bracelet around her slender wrist, clasping the platinum lock before kissing the delicate skin over her pulse point. Not the ring I want to give her, but that will come. Very soon. Just like the two of us.
But, tonight this jewelry will have to suffice. Serving to ensure her tracker is in place. Reminding her of who she belongs to. And warning any bastard who tries to get too close that's she's taken. Draped in eight hundred grand worth of black and white diamonds, baby girl's off limits to any motherfucking asshole dumb enough to try and get through Boz and Duncan. As well as the other guards she doesn't know I've inundated my club with to watch over her.
"Oh, Luciano. Thank you! I love it!"
I love you too. And, I'm going to fucking do so much better job of showing you. "Good."
She lifts her trembling hand to examine the stones closer before meeting my gaze. "But, they - they're not real, are they?"
A smirk twists my smile. I love watching her squirm. "Fuck yeah, all almost one million dollars of them."
Scarlet burns her cheeks, and her head twists furiously. Huge blue eyes flick back and forth between me and the cause of her angst before she starts to slide my gift off her arm. "It's too much. I mean it's so beautiful, but you shouldn't have spent so much."
For some reason that pisses me off. She deserves this, and so much more, and I'm going to fucking love giving her the whole fucking world. "I do whatever the fuck I want, and if that means I give you something almost as beautiful as you are, then I will."
A shaky breath blows out of her pink lips, and the smile returns full force. Ignoring my bastard tone. Tolerating the possessiveness only she stirs in me. "Okay. Thank you."
She leans into my knuckles stroking her soft cheek. Reminding myself for the need to be gentle with her. Wives belong on pedestals, not their knees. Except in the bedroom when my cock's involved, of course. "You're welcome."
Loathe to lose her touch, but I have one more surprise. This one both of us will enjoy.
After grabbing two small tumblers, I pour a few ounces of my favorite whiskey into each glass. My mind still fucking blown that she's never had a drop of alcohol until now. Her twenty-first birthday. But I'm for damn sure going to be the first and only man to give her a taste. "Cheers."
I tap my cup against the rim of hers, wrapped in her small hands. Uncertainty furrows her brow, and she tips her head toward the bottles lined up on the wet bar. "Should I get some water or something too?"
My head shakes as I set down my glass. "No, this is the good stuff. You can take it straight, no chaser."
The doubt clears from her expression, almost bringing me tomyknees that she trusts me so fucking completely. She takes a hesitant drink, holding the liquid in her mouth before swallowing. A small grin lifts her cheeks.
