For Logan (Chicago Syndicate Book 5) (38 page)

“No,” Logan confirms and tension leaves Adam’s tiny frame. “But we do have to toughen you up a little.” He takes Adam into his arms and throws him into the air until he’s giggling so hard he can hardly breathe.

I sink down onto the couch and munch on some antipasti. In this moment, while staring at Adam and Logan playing together, I’m simply happy.

Even though Logan and I both live with regrets, within these regrets, we’ve found common happiness. A place for us where no one can hurt us ever again.

I glimpse outside to the azure sky and say a final goodbye to the past.
I promise to take good care of Adam, Mykhail.

Eventually, Mary and Henry are last to leave my party around dinnertime. After they’re gone, I go into the kitchen to open the drawer for take-out menus since it’s already past six o’clock and Adam needs to eat.

Logan comes up behind me, winding his arms around my waist. This is us. It’s easygoing, it’s comfortable. We were in a relationship before we realized it in the past, and we’ve become a family before even realizing it now.

“By the way, Fallon has an apartment for me to go see.” I turn in his arms, and tension coils his body.

“Why?”

“Because we hadn’t talked about the future, and she happened to see the listing.”

“I want you to stay here,” Logan replies, releasing me as Adam traipses into the kitchen.

“Forever?”

“Yes,” he answers and stoops low to say to Adam while holding my eyes, “Don’t you want to live here and stay in your room?”

“Yes.” Adam vigorously nods his head at me.

Logan whispers something into his ear before the corner of his own mouth quirks up.

“And my cars are here,” Adam adds, making me laugh.

I point the take-out menu in my hand at Logan. “You bribed him with cars.”

He pulls up his shoulders and rises smoothly in all his commanding presence. “If that’s what it takes to get you to stay.”

I cup his jaw. “It’s not.
You
get me to stay. You’re
my Logan
, remember? We would love to.
Ti amo
.” I press my lips to his.

Adam makes a disgruntled sound, so we part and Logan hoists him up, and we decide to order sushi for supper. With confidence, I embark on a new phase and welcome a future full of love with my men.

I’ve gotten what I desired in life. God gave it to me in the form of Logan and Adam. A child I thought I’d never have and a man who looks at me as if he sees so much more than the rest of us.

In my time with Logan, I’ve learned that love truly doesn’t follow the rules of logic. Love is magic. It’s trusting blindly – even if it means taking the risk to get hurt. I’d rather take the risk than lose out on the emotions altogether. Logan has been my first and greatest love. I gave up my virginity to the right man. The man I’ll marry someday – I hope and pray.

For Logan, I’d risk the world because he’s the one that reigns supreme in my heart.

Logan

––––––––

M
y eyes open as dawn breaks. I’m nuzzling rose-scented hair, spooning the delectable curves of Rosa in my bed, surrounded by turquoise pillows and sheets. She brings so much color and joy to my previously dull and lonely existence, along with Adam. The boy I’m starting to become attached to, maybe even faster than Rosa did. He
is
our boy, even though we didn’t create him.

After two months of living together, I understand her devotion to him. He has the gentlest soul and fills our home with laughter, conversation, and light. Even now, as I glance around, I note colorful toys strewn about the bedroom. The evidence that a cheerful family resides here. And my brown belt is tied to the lamp hanging on the tall grey headboard – a remnant of my night of passion with cricket.

Nowadays, I work much less since I revel in coming home. I update the CIA about the progress of my mission to infiltrate the Syndicate by feeding them lies, at the same time ensuring the Syndicate’s crimes aren’t discovered. In the meantime, the CIA still keeps me on, so I have access to their technology room where I frequently steal equipment. This organization has given me back my identity, which the CIA had taken away when I became an isolated agent.

In a way, the Syndicate took from me as well, but it also brought me Rosa, who’s shown me how to enjoy life and neglect useless feelings of remorse, which isn’t easy. In this mafia world, all emotions are heightened. Distrust is at an all-time high twenty-four seven. Violence becomes a common aspect in my line of duty. However, as a former soldier and agent, I’ve learned how to deal with them. And negative feelings regarding affection increase as well. The fear of losing love while living in a ruthless world can be crippling. I’ve experienced that for thirteen years – from when Jenny died until I met Rosa.

Everyone has been taken from me in the past, but I’ll annihilate anyone who tries it again. I’ve proven I’ll murder anyone who comes between Rosa and me, the one woman who tamed me. I’m the first and last man she’ll ever be with; I guarantee it. If I had a second chance, I’d do it all over to secure this life with her.

As time passes, the bad memories fade from our remembrance, and thankfully, this has resulted in Rosa becoming more herself – her carefree self. Of course, sometimes I see the sadness in her behavior regarding the death of her father and her estranged relationship with Alessa, but she’s succeeded in not turning bitter, which has helped me mourn Nana without turning bitter myself.

On top of that, her devotion as a parent is admirable and ties my heart to hers permanently. Perhaps I always felt there was something special about this woman with her reckless ways and fascinating candor whose beauty still amazes me. Her caramel, cat-tipped eyes mesmerize me every morning when I first look into them, and while I’ve always had a great appetite for sex, with her, I’m hard all the time. No one has ever satisfied me in the ways she does. She challenges me, and I’ve become addicted to our banter and her pussy. She quenches my lust, and I constantly want more.

As I spoon Rosa, I skid my palm down her side, causing her to stir. Feeling my way over the curve of her hip and down her behind, I take the turquoise sheet with me, digging my fingers into her ass and unable to resist sinking my teeth into the rounded globes. Scooting down the mattress, I bite her there and she whimpers in her sleep. Both my hands cover her ass cheeks as I arrange one leg up so that I have a perfect view of her pussy. Then I flatten my tongue against her.

“Ah, Logan,” I hear her voice, thick with sleep, and she spreads her legs wider in invitation.

I bury my face in her pussy, sucking her while she squirms, and knead her ass and tongue-fuck her roughly as she lies sideways. Knowing how to play with every inch of her body, I insistently take her clit in my mouth and spear her with my tongue, ferociously lapping until Rosa shivers and groans with an intense orgasm.

Meanwhile, my cock throbs in response – I need to ride her.

Hurrying back up behind her, I speak, “Good morning.”

“Hmmm,” she mumbles as I slip my cock between her legs and my arm beneath her neck, reaching down and squeezing the soft flesh of her breast.

My other hand clasps her waist while the tip of my dick prods her center, fitting inside. “Kiss me,” I order, molding her breast, which was made to fit my hand perfectly.

Rosa turns her head, and as our lips crash together, electrifying pulses rake through me. It’s a kiss that bleeds with sensations. Sensations only she can awaken in me. As our tongues lash unreservedly, I drive my cock into her, easing my grip on her hip to press my palm between her legs and rubbing her center.

Rosa crooks her arm and knits her fingers up into my hair, clutching the strands. I kiss behind her ear and then at the side of her mouth, peppering more kisses along her jawline as I piston into her.

“Logan! I’m going to come again,” she pants.

“Yes, Rosa, come all over my cock.” I can’t seem to shut up when I’m fucking her, needing to fill her sweet pussy. I had to wait a long time before I could make her mine, and these days, I own every piece of her.

I rub her fiercely while my peak builds, her pussy walls milking me as she whisper-shouts my name, and I follow with a magnificent culmination, pulsing inside her with punishing speed.

“Fuck!” My pelvis slaps against her behind, and I drop halfway on top of her, spurting inside her core while fondling her breast.

As we come back down to earth, I struggle for breath with my mouth close to her ear, satisfied in every way possible, and her eyes stay closed while she strokes my hair, the touch pleasing me.

“Mommy?” Adam calls from the top of the winding staircase where I’ve installed a safety gate. “Logan?”

“Good morning, Adam,” Rosa says.

“I need to poop,” Adam yells.

I laugh into her neck. “He’s just as blunt as you are.”

The corners of her lips kick up. “I’m thinking I could be a little less straightforward.” Before she tells Adam, “I’ll be right up, sweetie. Go to the bathroom.”

I spank her luscious ass before she gets out of bed to throw on her satin robe. As she dashes up the steps, I catch her hint of a grin. Then I slip on my boxers, which were lying on the floor, and lounge against the pillows with my arm resting behind my head, content with hearing the chattering upstairs.

To my surprise, Adam and Rosa run down the stairs within minutes, Rosa with her phone in hand as Adam hurls himself onto me.

“Morning,” he comments as I ruffle his light blond hair.

“Morning, little man.” And I glance at Rosa in question.

“Cam’s in labor.” She explains to Adam, “Your cousin’s being born.”

“Yay.” Adam hops up and down on the bed elatedly.

I cloak my arms around his legs, playfully toppling him backward as he giggles. “Let Mommy give you a bath. Then we’ll go to the hospital.”

“Okay.” He shimmies down the side of the mattress, taking Rosa’s hand and towing her back upstairs.

I move out of bed into the adjacent bathroom to take a quick shower before we head to Northwestern Hospital.

***

A
dam races ahead of us down the hall, turning left and entering the first private room.

“Watch where you’re going, Adam,” Rosa warns, shaking her head at his haste.

I merely smirk, recognizing several soldiers walking around to stand guard. Impatient Rosa hurries ahead too.

When I step inside, Cam’s propped against the pillow in bed while Adriano combs back her auburn bob from her blushing face. The bassinette is placed next to her by the window, and Adam is staring at the baby in wonder with Rosa next to him.

I slap Adriano’s shoulder and give Cam a kiss on her cheek. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Cam smiles. “Meet Amalia.”

“Isn’t she cute, Adam?” Rosa remarks.

Adam’s nose wrinkles before he places his hand on the edge of the bassinette. “She’s really red.”

A bark of laughter escapes me as I peek at Amalia, who, of course, is still puffy.

“Don’t call my girl
red
,” Adriano jokes, sinking down into the chair next to the baby bed and pulling Adam onto his lap. “Are you going to help me spoil her?”

“Yes, and then, when she wakes up, she can watch
Cars
with me,” he mumbles in all seriousness.

Adriano attempts to hide a grin and replies, “She’ll love that.” And he regards Rosa. “Do you ever let him watch anything other than
Cars
?”

Rosa defends, “I don’t let him watch much TV, but when he does, he always chooses that. Is it weird?”

Cam laughs. “No, it’s probably just a phase. Don’t worry.”

“Maybe we should get
Parenting for Dummies
?” Rosa mutters around a smile to me.

“No, you don’t need it. You two are doing fine, Rosalia,” Cam pacifies her before I can do it.

Rosa and I are learning along the way. We’ll probably make mistakes with Adam, but his welfare is most important to us.

Rosa stoops low to the ground to caress Amalia’s little head, and Adam shifts off Adriano’s lap to squirm between her legs as her arm loops around his middle. “You were that small too.”

Adam looks sideways at her in astonishment. “When I was in your tummy?”

“No. I’m your second mommy, remember? When you were in your first mommy’s tummy,” she informs him honestly in a gentle voice.

I observe Rosa with Adam, so natural and gorgeous. She’s stolen my heart, given my life a purpose, given me a family. Sooner or later, that’s what we all want. Whether you’re a civilian, a mafia man, good, or bad, we all want the same thing; to create, share, and live through moments of happiness with another person. That basic human emotion is inside all of us.

I repressed that emotion religiously, but it was inevitable I’d meet a person who would tilt my world on its axis. And I’m damn glad she did. Some people need food and water to survive. I only need her.

Rosa brings me back to the present when she states, “Adam, we need to go. Say goodbye.” She stands up and speaks to Cam, “He’s going to preschool for a couple of hours so he can get used to the new environment.”

I pick him up so that he can kiss Cam.

“Have fun, Adam,” she cheers.

However, Adam doesn’t relay the same eagerness, gripping my hand when we go down to the parking garage.

We return to the West Loop to a private preschool I enrolled him in that’s within walking distance of our penthouse. Adam’s quiet until I park in front of the high-rise where the school is located on the first floor. His arms brace my neck when I unstrap him out of his car seat and carry him to the front door with Rosa behind us.

Adam winds his legs around my waist, murmuring into my neck, “Logan, I don’t want to go.”

I rub his back. “Don’t be scared, little man. You’ll meet new friends.”

“No!” he sobs, clinging to me.

I catch Rosa, who senses I’m caving, smirking at me.

Still, I suggest, “Maybe we should do this another time.”

She plants a hand on her hip. “We have to toughen him up, right?” Amused, she throws my previous statement back in my face.