For Logan (Chicago Syndicate Book 5) (22 page)

“Ah, yes!” Rosa shoves herself against me, shivering and returning to earth.

Smoothly, I press her onto her stomach again while she catches her breath, watching me with an adoring gaze as I grab the oil and uncap it. Sitting up with a knee of either side of her thighs, I drizzle oil onto her ass so that it seeps down and toss the bottle aside to begin to work the tip of my finger into the tight clench of her ass.

“Relax.” I skim my palm down her spine, easing in and out until she starts whimpering from pain and pleasure.

In heady awareness, I fist my raging hard-on against her behind, replacing my finger with it.

Rosa tenses instantly, so I cover her body with mine, leaning forward on both forearms and tucking her hair behind her ear. Gently, I press my lips against her neck and push in with a hard shove.

“Oh, my God, I’m dying!” she protests.

I suck her earlobe and suppress a grin. “It’ll be better after the initial thrusts. I
will
fuck your ass tonight.” I spread more oil around before I shift forward again.

“Ah, shit!” she grouses.

“Shhh.” My hands are everywhere, stroking down her sides to soothe her, and I rest my cheek against hers, feeling her flesh give. Being inside her is the most incredible thing I’ve ever felt.

“I’m going to Hell for this,” she grumbles.

I chuckle and drop a kiss on her shoulder. When she turns her face toward me, I’m met with pure carnal hunger, so I entwine our fingers and rest them beside her head.

“I’ll be there to protect you,” I promise in a tender tone I’ve never used with a woman in the past.

With slow plunges, I enter her gradually, and it takes a while before she begins to move with me.

“I’m inside you all the way,” I utter against her ear, bottoming out. “You’re mine.”

“Yes.
Ti amo
.” She kisses me, filling me with a renewed sense of gratification.

“I love you.”

I relish in Rosa’s submission as our bodies grind together as one – finally. I rock on top of her, driving in deep, feeling her muscles milking me. Nosing her hair, I delve into her over and over.

“God, you’re so tight.”

“I feel so full,” she pants huskily, and I almost shoot my load.

There’s nothing of finesse in my touch. Only claiming, primal need. The overwhelming nature of my desire is a revelation, and I move faster, smacking her ass and rubbing the red skin. With every entrance and withdrawal, I possess her, tangling our hands to rest them beside her head as I take her ass.

“Look at me.”

She complies, her caramel gaze bursting with pleasure, and I indulge in her body while shoving my dick into her without reserve. Releasing one hand, I rub her slit and listen to the sweet sound of her moaning as she climaxes softly again, pulling a magnificent one from me as I pound into her, growling and shuddering with the force of completion, savoring in the sensations. I remain inside her as my labored breathing caresses her neck.

After I don’t know how long, I pull out but stay on top of her.

“Are you okay?” I smooth her hair away from her flushed face.

“Yes,” she replies lazily. “I feel different. And sore. But I loved feeling you inside me.”

A contented smile tugs at my lips, yet a knock on the glass door has Rosa firing up into a sitting position in panic. I simply roll onto my back, observing her olive skin that’s covered with a lovely sheen.

“Rosalia, are you in there?” Alessa asks.

“Just say you’re changing or something,” I whisper, raking my knuckles up her spine.

“Yeah, I’m just changing out of this top and loosening my hair because it was too tight. I’ll be back in five.”

“Okay.”

Rosa stays motionless until the sound of her mother’s heels clicking on the pavement fades. Then she looks at me. “We should go back.”

I yank her into the crook of my arm. “Just a few more minutes, cricket.” Being with her takes me to a place where my demons of regret vanish.

When a woman used to want affection by hugging or holding hands, I would bolt. But with Rosa, I crave it. She’s the first person I’ve opened up to and had a normal, peaceful relationship with. Nana and I had differences when I was a boy. Jenny died so young. Logan’s mother was an addict. As a soldier, I was always surrounded by death. As a CIA agent, I didn’t have personal relationships. Yet currently, I lay in silence, perfectly happy with my existence for the first time in my life.

While looking forward to becoming even closer to Rosa in the New Year, I forget how unfair life can be and how happiness always comes with a price.

Logan

––––––––

A
fter being an official head
Capo
for three months, I’ve been fully accepted by all members by the end of February. The power of this organization is unequaled. Mentioning the Syndicate results in work getting done fast. It makes a person unconquerable.

Club 7 is flourishing. And with my help, the Syndicate has started to forge state-level alliances with a Chicago senator whose campaign Adriano has sponsored. In return, the senator assists us when issues arise where I need someone more powerful than the DA to smother a case.

Fortunately, I work much fewer hours for much more pay, which was my initial goal. Despite the fact that the monetary compensation is certainly helpful, it doesn’t fulfill me in the slightest – like I thought it would. Only Rosa fulfills me. We’ve taken the time to build a relationship without outside interference, and I’ve stopped running from assignment to assignment and started living again, with Rosa.

One cold, windy morning, I decide to take her with me to visit my grandmother, wanting Nana to meet the woman I’m in love with. Entering the private room of her new nursing home, I immediately sense she’s having a bad day due to the Alzheimer’s, because she’s on the edge of her bed, ranting to a nurse who’s trying to calm her.

“No, I need to go to work. I’m already late. Get out of my house!” Nana bellows to the brunette.

She calmly says to her, “No, Mrs. Wade. You’re at the nursing home. You don’t have to go to work anymore.” She glances up to me. “Look, your grandson’s here.”

Nana turns her head and snarls, “I don’t know who that is. I just need to go to work.”

My heart fractures every time she doesn’t recognize me.

Rosa entwines her fingers in mine and whispers, “Let’s go, Logan. We’ll come back another time.”

Before sadness swamps me, she pulls me with her to my convertible outside and manages to dissolve my despondency with her chitter-chatter.

“We’ll go to your new penthouse,” she tells me, fishing my keys from my pocket so she can drive, expertly elevating my mood with her relaxed behavior.

***

W
ithin twenty minutes, I’m strolling behind Rosa in the residential tower penthouse I purchased as she gabs about her decorating ideas. I’m not listening. Instead, I’m staring at her ass in a pair of tight dark-washed jeans.

Rosa, Rosa. Always so sexy without knowing it.

“So, I think taupe curtains would fit. Logan?”

“Yeah.” My gaze shoots up when she cranes her neck to see if I’m paying attention.

“Are you even listening?” she chides.

“No.” I place my hands around her waist and kiss her behind the ear.

She sighs, appeased, as we watch the Chicago River in the distance. Eagerly, I take out an envelope from my back pocket and hold it in front of her face.

Her hand flies up to snatch it. “What’s this?”

“A surprise,” I explain.

She slides out the tickets and exclaims, “Oh, this is the best. Tickets to the MGM Grand David Copperfield Theatre in Las Vegas!” She peppers kisses on my cheek. “I can’t wait to go this weekend.”

“I’ll have you all to myself for two days,” I say with a pleased voice.

My phone chimes in and I fish it out of my pocket while keeping one arm around Rosa. Henry’s name flashes across the screen. I’ve been involving him in a lot of Syndicate business because he’s trustworthy. However, hackers are usually associates who get paid for their discretion but aren’t true members. Therefore, I’ve endeavored to show Adriano and Luca how valuable he is.

I slide my thumb across the phone to answer, “Hey.”

“Logan, I have some good news, my friend. I’m your newest member,” Henry states smugly.

“How?”

“I just came from the hospital. James and Adriano fought about how long they need to keep Cam intubated while her chances of recovery lessen now that she’s been in a coma for four months. Her doctor told Adriano that James, as the next of kin, decides. So Adriano was furious and asked me to marry them. He signed the certificates, post-dating them to before Halloween, and we forged her signature. I’m going into City Hall’s system now to change their records. Adriano’s promised me membership if I do this before James finds out.”

“What? Adriano and Cam are married now?” I question, and Rosa swivels around, brows furrowing. I put Henry on speaker and place my finger on my lips, so she nods.

“Yes,” Henry answers. “Adriano and Cam supposedly married before she slipped into a coma, so Adriano is now her husband and decides about her treatment, not James.”

Rosa’s mouth drops open in shock.

“And James doesn’t know?”

“Not yet,” he replies.

“When did all of this happen?” I ask.

“Just now. I’m driving away from the hospital with the certificates.”

“To do what?”

“I’m going to change their marital status, and then I’m quitting my job at City Hall. This is the chance I’ve been waiting for. I’ll be the first hacker who’s pledged in as an official member.”

“That’s good news. Congratulations, man. I’ll discuss it with Adriano to make sure you can initiate soon.”

“Perfect. I’m going to finish this up.” He cuts the call.

“Oh, shit. I wonder how my father will react,” Rosa mutters.

“Me too.”

“I’m going home,” she comments, completely astonished.

“I’ll drop you off.”

Rosa entangles our hands and leads the way out.

I’m curious to see how this unfolds; how angry James will be. Although, what are his options? He’s a
Consigliere
. Adriano is his boss. But how Adriano handles this will come in handy for me when the time comes to inform James about Rosa and me. I’m also his superior, and he can’t defy me.

This is how the mind alters once one becomes a mafia man. The power seeps into the psyche and there’s a sense of indestructability. It’s impossible not to get seduced by it.

Ultimately, we all lie, cheat, and steal to hold on to moments of happiness. Even people whom we least expect.

Rosalia

––––––––

I
hurry out of Logan’s car at the end of the street so that no one sees him and walk toward the main entrance of my parents’ house. Unlocking the front door, I close it quietly and tread through the foyer toward the kitchen where my parents are arguing.

“I told you this would happen. This is your fault!” my mother yells at my father.

“What do you want me to do, Alessa? Don’t blame me for all of this,” he counters.

“Mom, Dad?”

They whirl around, and my father rubs his hand over his chin furiously.

“I heard Adriano married Cam. Are you fighting about that?”

“Yes,” my father answers and adds, “But I can’t do anything about it. We all just need to accept it. He’s the boss. I’m not anymore.” His eyes cut to my mother.

I have no problem with it. Besides, the tension in here is unbearable, so I leave them to their quarrel to pack my bag for my weekend getaway with Logan.

***

“T
hat show was amazing,” I say to Logan as we clear out of the theatre.

“It
was
actually fun, cricket.”

I smile. His actions and words in the last three months have solidified his place in my heart. He’s the first man I’ve ever loved. The playboy he was before has not once resurfaced, and while I was scared that I’d be just a fling to him, the last few weeks have proven that we belong together. We’ve been in a committed relationship for a while, and I want it to last forever. My heart was attracted to him even back when he just saw me as a girl. Yet he’s the only man who’s ever made me feel like a woman. He’s just himself when he’s with me and I’m just myself with him. For all of these reasons and also because he hasn’t pressed about my virginity, I want to give him that part of me that already belongs to him.

It’s time I let everyone know I’m in contact with Mykhail, so Logan and I can be together out in the open without any secrets. Mykhail’s gone back to classes and hasn’t seen anyone following him, and we’ve found a babysitter for Adam for when one of us can’t be with him. Yet I’m still reluctant to forge a new lie; that I happened to talk to Mykhail again when he returned to college.

Logan checks his phone, frowning. “Did you get a call?”

“From whom?”

“From your parents.” He shows me the message on his device.

Adriano: Cam woke up.

“What?” I yank open my purse to get my phone and see that I’ve been contacted as well. I told my parents I’d be in Las Vegas with friends.

“Let’s go home,” Logan offers around a smile, tossing his arm over my shoulder.

“I can’t believe it,” I mutter before he tows me with him.

***

W
ithin five hours, we’re back in the Loop where I arrive at the hospital alone. Logan will come by later, or else it’ll look too suspicious.

My father and Adriano are talking to Cam, who’s sitting up in the bed with her hands on her four-month baby bump, her auburn bob neatly combed back.

“Cam?” I run over to her to hug her, but she feels so fragile.

“Hey, Sis,” she croaks out in a soft voice.

“I’m so happy you’re awake. How long have you been up?”

“I started waking gradually two days ago.” She coughs and Adriano gives her a cup of water to gulp down.

“How are you feeling?”

“Strange.” She waves to her stomach. “Obviously.”

“I know. You’re going to be a mommy.”

“And you an auntie.”