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  One second I’m yelling at him, and the next I’m going to have to send him a fucking fruit basket or some shit.

  I stand there with my jaw on the floor as I watch the most beautiful creature make her way toward me. Hell, I haven’t even fully seen her face yet, but I can feel it deep in my gut. And I always trust my gut.

  She’s it.

  She’s the woman Sal used to give me shit about before he met his own wife and was knocked off his ass. I’d been saying for years I was waiting for the woman I was going to marry. The second I knew, I’d snatch her up and make her mine. I’d put half a dozen babies in her before she even knew what hit her.

  Her head is down, with bright red curls covering up part of her face. She’s staring at the book in her hand. She hasn’t noticed me yet. How does she not know I just fell in love?

  My eyes travel down her body. She’s wearing a simple white summer dress with flowers on it and a jacket over it. The top of her dress dips into her full cleavage, giving me just a glimpse. Only an inch or so is showing, but there’s no missing a big set of tits like that. She’d overflow my hands. They would spill out of them and I’d suck those parts into my mouth. Yes, a perfect handful. And mouthful. My attention moves down to her waist, where it narrows and then to her flaring hips. It’s no small dip either, but full-on wide ass and hips. My fingers would melt into her there. I could really dig in and grab on. Grip her as hard as I wanted, keeping her how I wanted.

  My grandmother, rest her soul, used to call them “child-bearing hips.” And this woman before me was born to have babies. She’d have no problem carrying as many as a man could bury in her lush body.

  Anger flashes through me hot and hard, making me grit my teeth. The thought of another man climbing on top of her has me wanting to reach for my gun and track him down. I calm myself with thoughts of being that man. If there’s someone standing in my way, I’ll fix that. Quick.

  When she makes it to the counter, she turns her head to the left, blocking even more of her face from me. She tucks her book into the bag she has over her shoulder as she looks back at the display. She pushes her thick black-framed glasses up her small button nose, and something in my chest aches to do that for her. She bites her lip as she studies the rows of pastries, as if it’s the most important decision she’s ever made.

  I can’t pull my eyes away from her. I want her to turn to look at me so I can see her face fully.

  Alberto moves away from where we’d been talking after he’d given me a cup of coffee. He goes over to her, and the heat of jealousy flares up at the thought that he’s going to get to talk to her first. If he wasn’t seventy years old, and happily married for forty of them, I might start a problem. That’s something I want and I’m going to get it. I know she’s what I’ve been looking for.

  “Can I get you something?” Alberto asks her.

  “I don’t think I can choose.” Her voice is so soft I almost don’t hear it.

  I can’t stop myself from taking a step forward. She turns to look at me, and her perfect pink lips form an O shape. They’re shiny and full, and Jesus Christ, do I want them wrapped around my dick.

  I feel like someone hits me in the solar plexus with a crowbar as her bright blue eyes meet mine. I don’t think I’ve ever in my life seen something so striking. They’re stunning against her porcelain skin with little freckles peppering her nose and cheeks.

  She gives me a smile, which I know is polite, but still two deep dimples appear in her full cheeks. I should stop staring. I know I’m making her uncomfortable. But I can’t seem to speak, move, or pull my eyes from her. Every cell is my body is screaming to melt against hers, and I don’t have the ability to form a coherent sentence.

  “Why don’t you try this one?” Alberto says, breaking the moment.

  Her eyes move from mine, making those red waves fall around her face again. I don’t know if I’m thankful or if I want to punch Alberto. Either way, I keep on staring at her.

  “Really?” she asks, smiling at him.

  That’s my smile.

  He cuts her a piece of a cannoli and hands it over to her. She takes it from him and brings it to those full lips. I watch her mouth wrap around her finger, and my cock jerks in my pants. Then she fucking moans. Her eyes fall closed, clearly loving the taste, and I want to cry out in frustration. For some reason, I don’t like it. All of those sounds are for me. Only me.

  Her eyes fly open and come to mine. I must have growled out loud instead of just in my head. I’m sure my face is hard. I try to force a smile, but I can’t seem to do it. I probably look pissed, but what I’m feeling right now is nothing like I’ve ever felt in my whole life.

  Her cheeks turn pink, lighting up her freckles. Her blush is beautiful and it makes me wonder how far down it goes. Does her pussy turn pink when she’s shy?

  Alberto cuts in once again. “Would you like some?”

  I’m going to murder him.

  “I um…” Her eyes linger for a moment longer on me before looking back to him. “I’m sorry, I just remembered I have to be somewhere.” She turns and half runs from the bakery before I can stop her.

  “Fuck.” I pull out my wallet to drop a five for the coffee, but Alberto shakes his head as I take off after her.

  She can run, but soon enough she’ll be mine.

  Chapter 1

  Emma

  I stare up at a house that looks like a giant fortress. I thought the gates and security we came through were intimidating, but I was wrong. No one is getting in or out of this place without at least ten people knowing. Crap on a stick, what have I gotten myself into? Maybe I’ll just blow my interview to make sure I don’t get the job. I’ll say all the wrong things and have them push me out the door as fast as possible. I’ll go back through that giant iron gate I came through and pretend this never happened.

  I didn’t really have much of a choice to come to begin with. When the agency calls with a request, you’re obligated to go and do the interview. It’s part of my contract with them, and I still have more than a year left on it. I thought I would stay on, but after this I’m not so sure anymore.

  I can do what other live-in baby nurses do and go freelance. Then I wouldn’t be in a bind like I am now. I’m standing outside of Salvatore Castello’s fortress with my knees knocking together in fear. He’s a known mobster in this city. Actually, he’s the mobster in Los Angeles. People say no one does anything if he doesn’t like it, and they jump when he tells them to. It doesn’t help that two of his guards are flanking me. Both wear dark suits to match their dark hair and eyes. Everything about them is a blank slate of intimidation. Even the expressions on their faces are unreadable, but I’m terrified.

  The problem is, when you freelance you don’t always know if you’ll have a job. With the agency, I went from one house to another, but I’d only done this twice already. I’d signed up to be a live-in caretaker after I graduated from nursing school. I was leaving my dorm and had nowhere to go, so signing with the agency made sense. The idea felt safe. I knew I’d have a roof over my head right away, and so far, it’s worked.

  Suddenly the door that we’ve been standing at for over ten minutes flies open. A woman about my height stands there, her long rich brown hair looking a little disheveled. She’s clearly very pregnant and a little out of breath. When my eyes meet hers, they take me by surprise. They’re nothing like any color I’ve ever seen. They’re gray with light purple around the pupil. Her face lights up with a smile when she sees me. She really does look like she’s glowing. A small twinge of jealousy hits me at wanting that. I’ve always loved babies. I want a herd of my own, but I don’t think that is in my future. I can’t even put a roof over my head. Well, at least one that doesn’t land me in a bad part of town.

  “Emma?” she asks.

  “Yes, you must be Thea Castello,” I answer. My eyes go to her belly, and I can’t but help smile. I think it’s the first time I’ve smiled since the agency sent the Castellos’ file ove
r to me this morning. There wasn’t much in it, which isn’t normal. I didn’t have the doctor’s records. Just their names and address and that this was their first child.

  “Come in, come in,” she says. She goes to take a step back, but a big man comes up behind her. His hands go to her hips, stopping her from running into him.

  “My angel. You think you’re clever?” His words are low and deep, but a smile tips his lips as he looks down at her. This is Salvatore.

  She gives him a slap on the chest. “I really am hungry. You wore me out.” She pouts softly, then Salvatore’s face turns serious. He nods. His hands leave her hips, coming to her face to cup her there. He’s so gentle it’s a little shocking. This isn’t what I was expecting. I guess I wasn’t sure how he’d be with his wife, but I didn’t think he’d be like this.

  “Then I will feed you.” He leans down and kisses her. She kisses him back, then pushes at his chest.

  “None of that,” she tells him, hitting his chest again. He smiles as his hands drops from her face. He doesn’t care to hide the gentle affection he has for her in front of people. I guess I thought a mob boss would be cold at all times. That they might not even like each other. But now, looking at her, she isn’t what I thought she’d be either. I thought she’d be some model type. A trophy wife. Don’t get me wrong, she’s beautiful, but not what I thought she’d be.

  “You’ll pay for that later,” he tells her.

  He finally looks at me, and his face changes completely. Gone is the softness, and a serious expression takes its place. Now this is the face I thought I’d be seeing.

  “Hi, I’m — ”

  Thea cuts me off. “This is Emma, as you already know.” She shakes her head like she’s annoyed. “There probably isn’t one thing you don’t know about her. You probably know what she has for breakfast.”

  “She ordered room service like she has for the last week she’s been staying at the hotel. Comes every morning at eight. The eggs medium, extra-crispy bacon, with hash browns and a side of pancakes with extra butter,” he says easily.

  I stare at him, a little shocked. His expression doesn’t change. He clearly doesn’t care that he admitted to his wife’s words. He’s right. I’ve been at a hotel for a week waiting for my next assignment and I did order that every morning. Then I feel my cheeks burn at the fact that everyone knows what I eat. I’m not a skinny girl. I love food. It’s one of my biggest weaknesses, besides babies.

  “Oh god, that sounds good. I’ll have that,” Thea moans, clearly wanting breakfast for dinner.

  “Don’t moan in front of other people,” Salvatore says to his wife. She rolls her eyes.

  “You two can go.” He nods to the men silently flanking me. They barely said two words since they picked me up from the hotel. It was as if they weren’t allowed to talk to me or something. Then Salvatore fixes his gaze on me. “You can come in.”

  I’m not really sure I want to. I push my glasses up my nose before tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, something I do when I’m nervous. I look back at the black SUV that brought me here. I really want to turn around and get back in it.

  “Now,” he says, clearly not a very patient man.

  I have no choice. I look back at the couple who have taken a step to the side to let me in. I cross over the threshold, and the door shuts and locks behind me. At the sound of the lock turning, I feel like my world is never going to be the same.

  Chapter 2

  Emma

  “He can be bossy,” Thea tells me with a little huff. I want to mutter a “you don’t say,” but I keep those words tightly sealed behind my lips. “Come on. My grumpy man will make us some food while we talk.”

  Salvatore wraps an arm around her. She mutters that he shouldn’t be grumpy after what they did moments ago.

  “I wasn’t done with you, angel.” He leans down and nuzzles at her ear.

  “You’re never done,” she laughs. I follow them, feeling out of place. My eyes travel around the entryway as I pretend not to listen to their exchange. This place is crazy beautiful. I follow them under an archway that leads down a hallway right into a freaking giant kitchen.

  “I’ll never be done,” he says.

  Salvatore takes her over to an island in the middle of the kitchen that has high-top chairs all around it. He helps her up into one, then kisses her. He goes over to the refrigerator and starts pulling things out.

  “Come sit.” Thea motions to the chair next to her. I walk over, taking my bag off my shoulder and pulling out the folder inside before I take my seat. I glance around the kitchen. It looks like it’s out of a movie or something.

  “I know it’s big, but you get used to it.” She waves her hand like it’s no big deal.

  I don’t think I’ll get used to any of this. I’m actually a little scared to touch anything in fear I might break it, so I change the subject.

  “Your file didn’t have much in it,” I tell her as I flip it open.

  “Yeah, Salvatore didn’t like the idea of things about me floating around out there.” She slides another folder over to me that was sitting on the counter next to her. I flip it open and read through it.

  “Everything looks great. It wouldn’t hurt to gain a few more pounds, but everything’s on track according to these charts from your doctor. With you just now heading into your third trimester, do you think it’s a little early to have a live-in nurse when you’re not having any complications?” I ask. I normally don’t come until a few weeks before.

  When she doesn’t say anything, I look up from the folder and see her eyes watering.

  “Angel.” Salvatore rushes over toward her, but she waves him off.

  “I’m fine. I’m fine. I promise.” He places a kiss where a tear ran down her cheek.

  “Everything will be fine,” he tells her, kissing her on top of her head before reluctantly going back to cooking.

  “Stupid hormones,” she says.

  I reach out and touch her knee. “Thea, something is bothering you. If you don’t tell me, I can’t help.” I know I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have pushed the it’s too early for me to be here card in hopes I’d get placed in another house before it was time for them to need me. But seeing anyone hurt breaks my heart.

  “It’s just I’m scared. I don’t know anything about babies, and I want to be a perfect mom to my little boy. I read and reread so many books, but still I’m worried.” Her shoulders slump a little at the admission.

  “When your baby is placed in your arms, you’ll know what to do,” I tell her, because it’s the truth. It’s human nature.

  “See, angel, I told you. I’ll be there every step of the way with you.”

  Even knowing he’s a mobster and only having just met him, I know he’s not lying. This man would clearly do anything for her.

  “I thought maybe we could do other stuff, though. I know you know all about what I should be eating. We could meal plan, maybe do baby workouts. Help me figure out if I have what I need for the baby’s room.” Her face lights up.

  “I can do these things,” Salvatore says, cutting in.

  “I want her here when the baby comes for sure, though, and it would be better if we all got used to each other.”

  I study her, and for some reason I feel like she doesn’t have any female friends in her life. Not that I do, either, but still. I have a feeling that’s why she’s worried. She has no one to go to if she needs to ask questions.

  “Does her being here make you feel at ease? I know stress is not good for the baby,” Salvatore asks his wife.

  She nods. “Then she stays,” he says simply, going back to cooking. I sit there, not sure what to say.

  “Maybe we should do a more formal interview. Ask me about myself and make sure you think we will be a good fit.”

  “Your grandfather raised you in a small town outside the city after your parents took off when you were five. They were never to be seen or heard from again, and they won’t be
. Your grandfather passed soon after you entered college, leaving you with no family. Nor have you shown any romantic links to anyone. Ever. You graduated early from high school by taking summer school and getting all your credits done. You received a full scholarship into the accelerated nursing program that let you, once again, graduate in three years, which you did at the top of your class. You fit,” Salvatore says with his back to me. He’s at the stove, his back to me, and I just sit there, shocked. I guess he doesn’t need to get to know me. He already knows everything about me.

  “Salvatore Castello!” Thea yells, making him turn from the stove to look at her. “Did you just inform this woman her parents are dead like it was nothing?” Her face is turning red. The man actually looks a little scared at his wife’s anger.

  “Don’t upset yourself. The baby, angel.”

  She glares at him. “Don’t use the baby to try to get out of this.” She narrows her eyes more.

  “It’s fine. It’s fine,” I say, cutting in. I was glad when my parents left me at my grandfather’s. They were a mess. My grandfather’s house wasn’t great, but I lived in peace without weird people coming and going. “I figured as much. It doesn’t really feel like news. I’m more offended by him knowing so much about me,” I admit.

  The anger fades from Thea’s face. “I know it’s…” She waves her hands in the air like she can’t think of the words. “Weird or whatever. I’m not going to lie to you, Emma. I’d be upset if Salvatore didn’t know all this stuff about you. We live in this house for a reason. It’s safe. We have to make sure anyone who enters these walls isn’t a threat. I mean, you’re going to be helping me care for the most precious thing in the whole world to us. Tell me, even if you didn’t live our life, if you had the means to do so, you wouldn’t do the same?”