Page 5 of Carnal

Tristano Marino

A Few Months Earlier

Tension fills the air,mixing with the sound of the waves crashing against the docks. A large container ship blares its horn in the distance. Seagulls caw in the air above us.

Dante scowls at Rubio. "We can't be late on our delivery."

Rubio grinds his molars. His eyes turn into brown slits. He replies, "I can't make the ship arrive any faster. We're lucky the Coast Guard let us through the checkpoint."

A few days ago, our shipment of new gems was supposed to arrive from Africa. Our captain called Rubio and disclosed the Coast Guard had stopped him as soon as he exited international waters and entered US territory.

It wasn't our first rodeo with them, but the men my papà pay are always in charge of the searches. It's now been two days, and we still have no shipment. And even though our captain called an hour ago to inform Rubio the Coast Guard cleared him, the time delay puts us at risk with our buyers.

I interject, "Papà needs to talk to our contact. Why weren't we given any warning there was a new crew?"

Dante's nostrils flare. He inhales deeply, staring at the empty space where the ship will dock.

Rubio states, "I've talked to Julio and assured him we can still deliver."

Dante grinds his molars and spins toward us. He opens his mouth, but his phone rings. He glances at it and answers, "Pina, where are you?"

My ears perk up and my pulse increases. Pina's worked with Dante for years. She's always been hot, but I never really gave her much thought until a few months ago. We were in a meeting at Dante's office. Pina came in wearing hot-pink stilettos and a black pencil skirt suit. When she sat down next to me and crossed her legs, the top of her thigh highs and a garter belt clasp peeked out.

I suddenly wondered why I had never noticed her perfectly shaped calves and thighs before. My dick got so hard, I thought it might break my zipper. The scent of her floral perfume tormented me. It was another thing I had never paid attention to in the past. And then she took off her jacket, displaying her defined arms. When she leaned forward, her tank top gave me a perfect view of enough cleavage to make me obsess all day about what it would be like to see and feel the rest of her breasts.

My blood heated so fast that I got dizzy. How had I always seen Pina as only Dante's assistant? Yet that same question is what's stopped me from making a move even though she's haunting my dreams. Each minute I spend with her only builds the torturous thoughts I can't escape.

Something shifted that day with her, too, or maybe it's my wishful thinking. When she looks at me, a light I've never seen ignites behind her eyes. Every time we're alone, I swear we're flirting.

"We're at dock C," Dante informs her and hangs up.

"Pina's coming here?" I ask, unable to help myself and trying not to appear interested in her.

"Yeah. She has gem documents Papà needs," he replies as one of our drivers pulls up in a black SUV.

As soon as he parks, Dante opens the back door. Pina's sexy calves are the first thing I see. My pulse beats hard against my neck as I silently will Dante to move.

The few seconds feel like minutes until they step away from the vehicle. I reprimand my body for reacting to her, but it's useless. All the confidence God could give a woman he gave to Pina, and it's the sexiest thing I've ever seen.

She's always commanded a room with her air of authority. Dante's her boss, yet she's as fierce as he is, which is probably why she's never left his employment. She doesn't take any crap from him. She negotiates better than New York's top-paid attorneys.

I always respected her. Hell, I even tried to steal her like my other brothers to get her to work as my assistant. No matter what they or I offer her, she's loyal to Dante. It's another reason we all respect her. Yet, since the day she caught the attention of my dick, I've become mesmerized by every smirk, cut-throat conversation, and hard-assed remark she tosses at my brothers and me.

She hands Dante an envelope then pins her golden-brown eyes on mine. She purses her pouty lips then ignores me, tearing her gaze off me and turning to Rubio. "Hey there. Long time no see."

Rubio steps forward and embraces her, kissing her on the cheek. To taunt Dante, he boasts, "Pina, my job offer still stands when you've had enough of this guy."

"Shut up," Dante orders.

"Nah, she'd rather work with me," I proclaim.

Dante points at me. "Trying to steal Pina from me has gotten old. Find your own assistant!"

Pina pats Dante's cheek. "Aw, do we have to review how to keep me happy?"

His scowl deepens. "Don't push me today, Pina."

"Oh! You're in a bad mood already?" she ridicules.

---