Page 9 of Sexpot
“You’ll have my body, that’s all you can have Xander.” If I keep telling myself that, I might start to believe it. In response he merely smirks as he props himself up on his elbow to look at me, looking completely unaffected by what just transpired. Dick.
“I need to know everything, that’s the only way I can find Andi.” Nodding I try to put some space between us. He’s not having it, he sits up pulling me into his lap, bringing my face close to his and his cock against my core as I straddle him.
“Not much to tell some guys came in, locked the babysitter up in the closet, and took Andi while I was busy shaking my ass for you.” Okay so I wasn’t technically shaking my ass for him, but I was at work while my baby was being abducted in a home, she was supposed to feel safe.
“I have a feeling there is much more to this story. You said your sister dropped her off when she was just a baby, and your mother didn’t want anything to do with her. Why did your sister drop her off with you?” I hate this part; this is the part that hurts. This is the part people judge, people take one look at us and pity fills their eyes.
“Athena was an addict. Is an addict is what I should say because I’d assume if she wasn’t she’d at least try to get in contact with her daughter. She showed up at my apartment one night, handed Andromeda over to me and left, she didn’t even come in the house. When I went to my mother to help me take care of her, she refused. So, it’s just been me and Andi trying to survive together.” There is no pity in his eyes, just understanding.
“Athena? Andromeda? Seriously? Now I know why you call her Andi.” If he thought their names were funny, he’d flip once he found out my full name.
“Yes, our mom had a thing for Greek mythology, hence my name Cassiopeia. Get all your laughs in now.” Instead of laughing, he kisses me softly with a small smile on his lips.
“Could your sister have been running from someone or something? Maybe trying to hide Andi from her father?” I shake my head, because I have no idea.
“Athena never told me who Andi’s dad was; I just assumed it was some junkie she hooked up with for a fix or something. Ohmigod what if he’s a criminal and now he has Andi.” Panic starts to unfurl inside me, so many what ifs going through my head.
“We don’t know anything yet for certain, I’ll get my guy Cale to start looking into your sister. In the meantime, I want you to think about any men in the club that might have a reason to get back at you.” Oh shit, there were dozens of men I’ve pickpocketed from over the years. What if I’m responsible for her being taken? What if this is payback for picking the wrong pocket? Xander must sense my fear because he pulls me against his chest, petting my hair, while making shushing sounds.
“Chances are it has something to do with your sister. If it was you, they wanted to hurt they would have contacted you by now for some kind of ransom or revenge. Since you haven’t been contacted by anyone this is most likely linked to your sister, or Andi’s father. We’ll find her sweetheart, and whoever has her will be made to regret ever taking her from you.” The conviction in his voice gives me hope that Andi will be brought home safe and sound. I swear confidence oozes from his pores, it’s almost like I can feel it. Like it’s something tangible. This man does not lose, and to him this is a game. Whoever has Andi is about to be in a world of hurt and I can’t find a fuck to give.
Xander is going to get my baby girl back from whoever took her and make them pay for ever taking her in the first place. I shouldn’t feel giddy about that. Knowing he will exact vengeance on Andi’s behalf and mine, I can’t help but feel all mushy for him. Selling my soul to him isn’t looking so bad right now, which tells me how dangerous he truly is to my heart.
Chapter Ten
Xander
Andi has been missing now for three days; I’ve spent the last day with Cale trying to create a list of possible suspects. I’m almost positive her junkie sister has some connection to what happened. We’ve gone back years, hoping to find someone who might still hold a grudge against Cassie, but we’ve come up empty. Everyone we’ve talked to has nothing but good things to say about her, including her fucking exes.
“Boss, I think I found something on the sister.” I lean over his shoulder as he pulls up a phone call log under Athena’s name. It surprises me only a little that we’ve been able to find a cell phone registered to her. There are several calls between Athena’s number and the same number starting on the day before Andi was taken. Some of them only last a few seconds.
“Who is that other number registered to?” It could be the burner phone for her dealer, but I’m hoping this is the clue we need. The sooner I get Andi back for Cassie the sooner they’ll both be living with me away from scum alley.
“Boss, you aren’t going to like this.” Cale says as he looks down at his computer monitor like it’s a snake that might bite him. I understand why the moment I see the name of the phone's owner.
“Sonofabitch! How does some low life junkie get involved with the Mallozzi family? Let alone Mario Mallozzi, the fucking head of the damn family. Like she couldn’t have gotten involved with maybe some lower-level mafia guy, no she went all the way to the top of the fucking food chain.” The Mallozzi family came to Vegas directly from Italy, they bought a hotel on the strip and have been running a money laundering business out of it ever since. What could a junkie have to do with money laundering?
“You going to call him, or you want me to?” I’ve had dealings with Mallozzi before. We socialize in some of the same circles because he wants to keep up the appearance of being on the up and up. I wouldn’t call us friends, but we’re definitely not enemies either, and I definitely do not want to make an enemy out of him.
“Shit. I’ll give him a call.” I run my hand along the back of my neck, not looking forward to this conversation at all. Pulling out my phone, I scroll through my contacts until I reach his name.
“CiaoXander, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” Mario’s smooth Italian accent comes over the line.
“Mario, I wish this was a social call. I need to know what your connection to Athena Martin is.” Silence greets me from his end at first and then a long sigh echoes over the line.
“I’m afraid,amico mio,that is not information I’m at liberty to discuss with you at this time.” He doesn’t deny he knows her, but he’s not willing to give me anything else. That is not going to work for me.
“Look Mario, a few nights ago my...Athena’s sister’s, Cassie, apartment was broken into and the perpetrators took something that belongs to Cassie. Athena is not my concern; I’m only concerned with returning what was taken from Cassie.” I want to be very clear that whatever the fuck Athena has gotten herself into is on her. All I care about is getting Andi back to Cassie.
“You cannot have what was not Cassie’s to have to begin with.Piccolo miabelongs with her father.” Shit, shit, shit. Mario is Andi’s father, there’s no way he will give her back.
“Cassie has raised her since she was born; she’s the only mother Andi has ever known. Even you must understand that keeping them separated isn’t good for Andi.” There’s no way I can get Andi back from this man, but maybe he could be convinced to see reason.
“Yes, Cassie has done a fantastic job raisingpiccolo mia, but have no doubt she is mine and I won’t give her up again. Athena gave something away that wasn’t hers to give. If she was not Andromeda’s mother, she would be dead already.” Running my hand through my hair, I try to come up with a way to get him to let Cassie see Andi.
“I understand Mario. Cassie had no clue; Athena told her nothing when she dropped the baby off with her. Please don’t punish her for her sister's mistakes. Cassie loves Andi like she was her own.” There’s a heavy sigh from Mario’s end of the phone, and I can hear a child crying in the background.
“Even I am not a complete monster Xander, bring Cassie to my penthouse. We will come to an agreement together that’s in the best interest of Andromeda.” Suddenly he sounds like an exhausted father, one who just wants to make his daughter happy. I’m hoping that works in my favor.
