Fall(Romanian Mob Chronicles Book 2)(15)

“Watching my…whatever you are beat the shit out of some dudes? Can’t say it does,” she said.

Just as I’d suspected. She’d seen what I’d done as beating the shit out of two guys and not as what it truly was: protecting her. I’d need to make sure she understood, but first, I wanted to settle the matter of security. I narrowed my eyes at her and then shook my head. “People try to rob you?” I looked around, taking in the neighborhood with new eyes. She shrugged.

“It’s the city. Depends.”

“But guys like that, are they around much?”

“Guys like that?” she asked with a little arch of her eyebrow, the unspoken like you ringing loud and clear.

I nodded, but the reaction didn’t even hint at the feeling that roiled inside me. I didn’t like it, the judgment, the distance that I now felt.

“Maybe a little more than usual. People have talked about different faces in the neighborhood. A few robberies, some car break-ins,” she said.

I tucked that piece of information away for later. I’d have to talk to Vasile about it, see which clans were letting their young ones get out of control. I looked at Esther again and she crossed her arms over her chest, her body language telling me to stay away. A warning that I should have heeded, one that I should have welcomed. But I didn’t, not at all.

She stiffened when I pulled her body to mine, but when I slanted my lips over hers, she opened. I slipped my tongue between her lips, kissed her until her breath came out in short little pants, and then I broke away. Her eyes were warm, but her brows were pulled down, her face tight.

“What, Esther?” I said.

“You broke that guy’s arm,” she said, brows dropping even further.

“So?” I shrugged.

“So?” she echoed. “That’s not normal.”

“I’m not normal, Esther,” I said.

She exhaled hard, thinned her lips into a grim line. “Thanks for breakfast, Sorin.”

I had been dismissed.

She hadn’t yet learned I wasn’t one to be dismissed. I grabbed her face between my hands and then kissed her slow, deep, hard, stroked my tongue against hers, fucked her mouth like I would have her pussy.

When I broke away again, she panted hard, had her hands wrapped around my forearms.

“We’ll talk later,” I said.





Eight





Sorin



“We need to have a chat with Clan Constantin,” I said to my brother the next day.

“Anything I should be concerned about?” he asked.

“I was at Esther’s.” I stopped at his raised brow and then continued. “Some guys tried to rob her.”

“Clan?”

“Yes, and Constantin is the closest.”

“That’s out of their territory,” he said.

I nodded. “It is, and that’s why we need to talk to them. They may try to find us first,” I said.

“Why would they do that, Sorin?” he said.

“I fucked them up, broke one of their arms,” I said.

“And he was trying to rob Esther?”

“Would have, probably worse if I hadn’t been there.”

“Why didn’t you kill them?” he asked.

“She was there.”

He nodded his understanding, something that didn’t surprise me at all. Vasile would have done the same, worse, in my place. “At least they got a little of what they deserved. I’ll set something up. They need to understand that kind of shit won’t be tolerated.”

“I’d like to be there, deliver the message personally.”

He nodded and then said, “Why were you at Esther’s?”

“You’re managing my social calendar now?” I said, feeling strangely protective of my time with Esther, not wanting to share it with anyone, including Vasile, the one person I shared everything with.

“Esther is on your social calendar?” he tossed back.

“You have a problem if she is?” I asked. I would have understood if he had, but I didn’t like it.

“That’s Maria’s godmother, Fawn’s best friend. You will treat her with respect, Sorin.”

“You lecturing me?” I said. It wouldn’t be the first time, probably not the last either, but the idea grated nonetheless.

“Do I need to?”

“Vasile, we’re both adults. We both know the score.”

“Respectful, Sorin,” he said.

“I heard you the first time,” I snapped, letting my anger get the better of me.

But Vasile just assessed me with his cool, unrattled gaze. “Good,” he finally said.

“Besides,” I said, lightening the moment, “you’d sic Fawn on me. I don’t want that.”