Enforce(94)

Trace sighed, tilting her head to the side as she twisted a piece of hair around her fingers. ”Do I want to know what shady business is?”

No. She didn’t. And I wasn’t about to tell her all the gory details, so I skimmed over the truth. “Probably the sex trade, cocaine, money laundering — typical things you’d see on TV, but definitely not what this family is about, that’s for sure.”

Her eyebrows pinched together. “What do you do?”

“A little of this and a little of that.” I fought laughter as I watched her eyes narrow. “Nothing too illegal. We aren’t desperate for money, unlike some people.” I shuddered to think of the De Langes, the deals they’d made with other families in order to continue living the lifestyle they’ve been used to.

“I’m sorry...” Her chest heaved, and tears glimmered in her eyes. “…for leaving you. I’m so damn sorry, Nixon. I remember. I saw a picture of us when we were little and… I left you! I promised I would keep you safe, and I left you!”

She fell into full on sobs and hugged herself. Heart. Broken. She may as well have reached into my chest, pulled out my still beating black heart, and told me it was beautiful, clean, pure. The love I had for her… the love she had for me? I couldn’t fathom it, never in my life had I experienced such a pure emotion. I didn’t deserve it or her.

“Trace, sweetheart.” I reached for her and lifted her onto my lap so her legs were straddling me “Those were pretty big promises coming from a six-year-old. There was no way you could have protected me or Monroe from him.”

Her lower lip trembled. “But I promised—”

“And I promised I’d find the people who killed your parents. So I guess we both failed, Trace.”

“You’ll find them,” she said through her tears. “You won’t give up?”

“No.” I kissed her cheek and then her lips, my tongue smoothly moving over her mouth, licking up the salt, tasting, and craving so much that I wanted nothing more than to lock the door and throw her against it. She had no idea how much self-control I was practicing by being able to even nibble on her. It was an appetizer, and I freaking wanted the main course.

“I just… Trace, I have to keep order between all the families here. The three families have been just fine for the past ninety years. If something happens… if the balance is thrown off, or, God forbid, if any of the originals hear about the happenings with Phoenix…” Shit, if Nicolasis? Or Campisis knew? We were screwed.

“Believe me, you do not want any of the Sicilians traveling to the states.”

“They won’t.” Her mouth found mine.

I groaned when her tongue tentatively flicked my lip ring.

“Phoenix hasn’t done anything yet, and when — if — he does… you’ll be there.”

I closed my eyes for patience, to cool my lust. The thought of Phoenix anywhere near her undid me. “Yes, but so will you.”

“By your side,” she confirmed. My heart damn-near broke all over again. Because no, no, sweetheart, you won’t be by my side. But you’ll be safe. I vow, you’ll be safe.

I refused to lie to her face in that moment. There would be enough lies to last a lifetime in the next few weeks. Instead, I found her lips and claimed them both. When she gasped, I tasted her tongue. I sucked. Every movement my lips made across hers, I imagined myself marking her, making sure she knew she was mine. No one else’s.

Desperate, I was desperate to show her that she was my life, that even if I did something horrible to her, it would be at the cost of my own heart and soul. Her arms snaked around my neck. My fingers danced along her collarbone then slipped down her sides and slowly pulled up her shirt. One look. One touch. I told myself it was okay, because in the end? I would probably end up dead. And I wanted her. Nobody else, for the rest of my existence. My fingers came into contact with her bra. One pull. And I could rip it off her. Another pull, and her clothes would be gone. Five minutes. We’d both be naked, and I’d make her mine. I’d brand her.

And she’d remember.

Even when she was eighty, and I was dead or gone.

She’d remember that she never belonged to anyone but me.

“Damn.” I growled, a war raging inside me.

“What?” She kissed my neck. Girls did not kiss my neck. They wanted to be screwed, but they didn’t want anything more. But Trace? She made kissing my neck damn-near more erotic than sex itself.

“Your grandpa’s going to shoot me if he finds out I’m doing this right now… I promised…” I sucked down on my lip ring and pulled back, cursing myself for losing such complete control.