Book6-21
“That’s right, baby. Next time, honeysuckle. I promise. I’ll give you the honors.”
Her honey brown eyes sparkle as I run my lips over her forehead and I say the words I should have said over and over until she knew they were true. “I love you,” I whisper as Leonardo steps forward, dropping his head to nuzzle at Mort’s face, then turning around, raising his tail and-
“I love you too, Papa.” She giggles as she watches Leonardo’s shit land in a steaming pile on Mort’s chest. “So, so much.”
“Come on, baby. I have a lot of fixing to do.”
* * *
The Frost Titanrumbles and lurches as we make our way back through the blizzard. The wind is howling and the snow is coming down hard and sideways, but inside the cockpit it’s warm and comfortable, and I know Carina is safe.
Leonardo is tucked into the cargo hold, snug with plenty of straw to keep him comfortable and a bucket of alfalfa cubes to keep him calm.
As for Mort…
When he came to, he found himself tied to a beam in his barn, wrists numb from being hauled up above his head. The wound I gave him was only superficial, but the terror in his eyes was very real.
Between us, Carina and I made sure he knew what would happen if he ever stepped out of line again.
She gave as good as I’ve ever seen, and I’ve got to say I couldn’t be prouder of my girl. She reminded him that we’re a mafia family, that we have connections, and no fear, and that we have a deep lake right on our property.
“I’m sorry,” she says, staring at her hands as she warms them between her legs, the tape on her bandage curling at the ends reminding me, I need to make sure I tend to it when we get home. “I shouldn’t have run off like that. It was a shock, I…” She draws a deep breath. “I’m understanding the life our family has lead more. It feels different now.”
I nod. It’s a truth I learned a long time ago, but not one that can ever be forced. “You know how the mafia started in this country? In my own grandfather’s day, there were neighborhoods the police wouldn’t go near. There was lawlessness. Murder. Innocent people being harmed daily. So they started to protect themselves. My grandfather and his brother organized their own kind of militia, and that grew into something else, but they never forgot where they came from, that they were there to protect those who had nowhere else to go. They took care of the neighborhood.”
“I can’t forget that my mom died because of that life. It sent you away.” She meets my eyes.
“No. You shouldn’t. There’s more to what happened to my son and your mom than you know. I’ll never say they asked for it, but they stepped on toes that they knew were dangerous. They pushed beyond the limits and rules and code. It came back at them. But when things happen, when people need protecting-”
“Or reindeer,” she says, and I laugh.
“Or reindeer,” I agree. “When those we love need protecting, that’s what we’re there for. A mafia is a family. That’s the truth. And we protect our own.”
She sits silent for a moment, then nods. “Papa?”
“Yes, baby girl?”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
“Stop the engine.” She meets my eyes, unblinking, and I know when I’m beaten.
The Titan gives a high-pitched sigh as I ease off, and let it slide over under a tree as I secure the brake.
Carina’s hand is on my crotch before I know what’s happening, lowering my zipper eagerly. She grins, then laughs as my cock pops out through the fly. “There he is,” she says, swirling a finger over the swelling head.
“Fuck,” I mutter as she leans forward, opening her mouth wide and sucking it between her lips. “My little honeysuckle.”
She smiles around my dick, and it makes my balls clench as her tongue glides up the underside, flicking through the hole that’s already dripping precum down her throat.
Carina sucks and kisses, and I think I’m going to heaven…
* * *
When we pullup at the house, Lucy and Mama are waiting. And I know what I have to do.
Before I put the Frost Titan back in its shed, I flip on the cab lights and take Carina’s handing one of mine, then pinch her chin with my other. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
“What do you mean?” She fusses, her eyes darting to our family standing on the porch watching. “No, no please, not now, I’m not ready–”
I cut her off with my mouth on hers and we both sink into the kiss. I know Lucy sees it, I know Mama sees it. I don’t care. This is how it has to be. They all need to understand that we’re together now and nothing is going to change that.
As the kiss ends, I pull Carina after me, out of the cockpit and down the ladder to the ground.
And Lucy stares, open-mouthed as Mama shakes her head.
“Sis, I can explain-” Carina begins, but Lucy turns.
Storming through the front door slamming it behind her.
“You two.” Mama sets her lips in a forced frown. “I’m no warden, you both do what you do, but remember,” She points a finger at Gennero then me, “we are a family and everyone deserves respect. Lying and sneaking around divides us. You both will make this right. Or you’ll have me to answer to.”
With that, she spins, throwing her hands up, shouting in Italian, then doing the sign of the cross over her chest as head toward the Frost Titan in her big rubber boots and no jacket.
“I don’t want to answer to Mama,” Gennero whispers with a crooked grin.
“Me either.”
“That’s my girl. Come on, time to make this right.”
Gennero
“She hates me.” Carina is hugging herself tight. “She hatesus.”
I kiss the top of her head. “She doesn’t. She’s your sister, it’s just a lot.”
“What if she never speaks to me again?”
She stares at the falling snow, at Mama as she unloads Leonardo from the Frost Titan, at the ground, anywhere but at me or where her sister just disappeared inside the house. I know she’s hurting, but this had to happen. It had to be out in the open. I can’t ask her to keep this secret for the rest of her life.
“Come on,” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “I can’t go in there. She’ll scream and I deserve it. She’ll call me a whore.”
I grab her arm, and like I’m coaxing reindeer out into the pasture, I gently guide her forward. “Come on. It’s going to be all right.”
And as soon as we get inside, Lucy is there.
Carina pulls back, pressing herself against me, and damn it if my cock doesn’t respond like a selfish bastard. “Lucy, I’m-”
“You think I’m annoyed with you?” Lucy glares, and right now I’d say she’s annoyed withsomeone. “I’m fucking pissed at him.”
“That’s fair.” I’m here to take whatever she needs to give. I’m no stranger to fury but I also know, most of the time, it fades.
Lucy’s eyes target me and I’m ready. “You’re the victim. You were so lonely you picked on the only woman in the house you knew wouldn’t bust you in the mouth for making a move on her.” She turns to Carina, and she clicks her tongue against her teeth. “Tell me you didn’t coerce her into this or anything. Because if he did, we got a big fucking problem.”
“Ask your sister. Tell her anything,” I say wanting this whole can of bullshit spilled all over so we can clean it the fuck up and move on.
And honestly, right now I couldn’t be prouder of her for sticking up for Carina.
“He didn’t.” Carina starts, her hands on her hips. “I’ve been teasing and taunting him for months. You never noticed. I knew you’d hate me but I fell in love in a different way. I pushed and pushed until we both sort of broke.”
“I thought you were just finding your inner wild child. Didn’t know you had a target in mind.” The furrows in Lucy’s brow start to lessen.
“I was being a tease. I knew it was wrong but eventually, love finds a way.” Carina leans my way.
“I love you both. But, how I love Carina, it’s something I never expected. I’ll never hurt her. I’ll throw myself into the lake first.”
“I’m good at reading people, I don’t know how I missed this.” Lucy crosses her arms, shifting her weight back and forth. “I’m not done being pissed at you.” He points my way and I nod in acknowledgment. “We’ve all got secrets it looks like.”