Page 16 of Dane

CHAPTER 8

DANE

I held Rory in my arms through the night as she slept. Her cheek rested on my chest, and her warm breath brushed across my chest, making my dick halfway hard all over again. After all those times I thought of Rory, I was lying with her again. It felt so good and so right. She had such soft skin, and I enjoyed caressing her, brushing my fingertips up and down her back. She mewed like a kitten then her eyes fluttered open. She smiled lazily, looking thoroughly fucked and satisfied. She kissed me softly.

“How long was I sleeping?” she asked.

I ran my fingers through her long, dark, messy hair. “Not long. I like watching you sleep. You look so beautiful.”

She giggled, drawing circles on my stomach with her red-painted fingernails.

I closed my eyes, enjoying the feeling. “Mmm. Your touch. It calms me and helps clear out all the crazy traffic in my head.” Her fingertips moved lower, brushing across my thighs. “But if you keep doing that, you’re going to get me all worked up and hard for you again.”

She propped herself up on an elbow and had this wicked smile across her pretty lips. “That’s good since I’m ready for you again, Dane.”

***

While in the den the day before, I talked with Nolan and Carlo about what happened - how Bernie Lombardi crashed my poker game at Push and Nadia’s and that Rocky was shot dead in Rory’s Georgetown townhome. We knew Bernie and the men close to him were on the lam, hiding out somewhere close or maybe even back in Chicago by then. All three of us agreed that it would be safer for everyone to stay close together. I drove Rory, Michael, and Anna in the Bentley to Rory’s mansion in Maryland later that day.

We arrived four hours later with only two stops for the women and Michael. While Rory went chasing and playing tag with Michael upstairs where the bedrooms were, I took a tour of the spacious house on my own and found Rory’s private office. It had an enormous mahogany desk, some leather chairs, and some tall bookshelves. But Rory’s taste in décor was a bit too elaborate for me, so I decided that moment it would be remedied more to my liking within the next week.

I went into the kitchen, where I found Anna alone looking in the refrigerator. She pulled out stuff to make sandwiches before shutting the door then spotted me. She yelped in surprise, dropping the bottle of mustard on the floor.

I threw my hands up. “Sorry, Anna. I didn’t mean to scare you.” I knelt to pick up the bottle of mustard then placed it on the kitchen counter.

“That’s okay.” She said, averting my eyes and setting the other things on the table. I leaned up against the sink and shoved my hands into my jean pockets.

I didn’t want Anna to fear me anymore since we would be under the same roof, and we both only wanted what was best for Michael. I figured I’d talk to her and hope that she would see me in a better light.

“Aurora told me you’d been Michael’s nanny since he was an infant,” I said to start the conversation.

“Yes, that is true,” Anna replied, her back turned to me, pulling out some vegetables from the fridge. She turned around then. “I love Michael with all my heart. He’s like a son to me.”

“I can see that Michael loves you just as much. You and Rory are his world.” I moved to the table and looked directly into her eyes. “Anna, I know Rory has told you some things about me. That I’m dangerous, that I’m mobbed-up. Well, both of those are true. But I want you to know that I will never hurt Rory or Michael. She gave birth to my beautiful son. I have grown to love Michael in this short time. He is my everything, and I would burn the whole world to the ground for him. My number one priority now is to keep you all safe, and I promise I will do that as long as I breathe. Please don’t be afraid of me anymore, Anna. You’re part of my family now.”

Anna smiled. “I trust Rory with my life, and I do believe what you have just said, Mr. Neri.”

“Call me Dane. I insist.”

“Okay, Dane. I’m going to make us all some lunch. What kind of sandwiches do you like?”

“What kinds of sandwiches does Michael like?”

She smiled. “He’s four years old, so of course loves PB and J’s.”

I arched a brow. “PB and what?”

“Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

I chuckled. “Well, then those are my favorite too.”

***

I enjoyed the first couple of nights at the mansion and shared the master bedroom with Rory, but we didn’t sleep much. She was either writhing and moaning beneath me or riding me, and then I would hold her in my arms as we talked and drifted off to sleep.

I sent an invitation to Donnie DeLuca the following night to go over the details of signing over Rory’s townhome in Georgetown to him. Donnie ended up with most of the winning hands that night in Push and Nadia’s parlor before Bernie crashed the poker game. He was also very interested in meeting Rory’s escorts and proposed a deal to have the women work for him directly. In return, Donnie would provide each of them 24/7 protection with their very own bodyguard and take only thirty percent of their earnings. I planned a small party with Donnie and my closest business partners and friends, Nolan and Push. I asked Rory to invite her girls over to meet Donnie before the paperwork was finalized.

I wanted a new wardrobe since I’d be conducting all my business in Maryland. Nolan’s style was a bit too bold for me, with his blues and purples and even salmon color, which was just pink. My look was more basic and straightforward – black. However, Nolan did connect me with his favorite tailor, an older man from Portugal named Afonso Cortes. I stood in front of a mirror in the office while Afonso took my measurements.

---