Honor (Made Book 1) Read online

  Without thought, I took Twitchy out within seconds of the first shot, his gun having been aimed at my uncle.

  A bullet whizzed by my ear, the sounds of gunfire echoing through the steel building, as I turned my gun on the other two men. More shots fired the same time as mine. With Manny’s assistance, the guy went down with two bullets in the head, immediately after Luca took a shot to his arm. Lorenzo shot the last man standing twice, one in each shoulder. The man’s gun clattered to the ground as Lorenzo aimed for his head.

  “It looks like it’s your lucky day.” Lorenzo took a step toward him, digging the barrel into the man’s forehead, while kicking the gun across the slab. “I’m a big believer in not killing the messenger.” He paused, glancing down at Mr. Talkative’s dead body, and shrugged. “Most of the time. Tell your new boss, his latest decision is not a simple breach of contract, but a declaration of war. Think you can handle that?”

  “Fuck you,” the guy rasped.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Lorenzo turned his back on the man, leaving the rest of us to follow. Manny and Luca fell in line while I lagged, my focus locked on the bloodshed that had happened in a matter of minutes. Meeting the man’s eyes, I felt the hatred in them burning into my flesh. I took a few steps backward before I spun on my heels and strode away.

  Two more cars had arrived while we’d been inside. The men looked toward Lorenzo as he ordered them to clean up the mess inside before climbing into the driver’s seat of his car and tearing out of the lot.

  I watched his taillights disappear into the darkness.

  “Let’s go,” Manny commanded.

  With one more backward glance, I did as I was told.

  10

  Mario

  Honor. We all wanted to die with it—bodyguards, cops, military, every soul who volunteers their life for others. We didn’t choose to stare death in the face every day, hoping to die of natural causes. Death wasn’t something we feared. Our greatest fear was dying a useless death.

  Most might not agree dying a mobster was an honorable death. But to men like my uncle, dying on the job to protect the family, would be the greatest honor for any man. The oath a made man took wasn’t a temporary one. You didn’t serve for a few decades then retire. They’re in it for life. Until death.

  I didn’t think twice when I shot those men. My instinct, my training, was to protect. I wasn’t sure if what I’d done was the honorable thing—killing one criminal to save another. But in the eyes of Moretti, my quick action had earned me a spot in the family. I’d made my bones.

  After Manny had dropped me off, I’d ended up wandering the streets and onto the subway, finding myself back in Manhattan at The Vivian. I needed Lena in my arms. Knowing that wasn’t a possibility, I figured the next best thing would be sleeping in the bed where I’d last held her and could still smell her sweet perfume on the sheets while I fell asleep.

  Slipping my hand into my pocket to pull out the phone vibrating inside, I walked down the hallway toward the room I’d arranged for us to have for the night.

  It was a call I was expecting, one I wasn’t looking forward to. I scrubbed a hand over my mouth before pressing accept with the other. Holding it to my ear, I waited for him to speak.

  “The deal was one, not three.”

  “Are you really that torn up about it?” I challenged.

  “Just make sure you keep up your end of the deal,” he threatened before ending the call.

  I pulled the room key from my wallet and slid it into the slot, the red light turning green, the lock clicking open. I froze when I spotted the sleeping figure in the bed, her dark hair splayed across the white pillow. I watched the soft rise and fall of her chest. For the first time tonight, I was glad something hadn’t gone as expected.

  Taking the gun from my waistband, I opened the dresser drawer and placed it inside before softly closing it. I stripped out of my clothes, discarding them on the floor near hers, showered, then crawled into the bed, pulling her body flush to mine.

  “You came back,” she mumbled sleepily, pulling the arm I had draped at her waist tighter, nuzzling her body deeper into mine.

  I didn’t think about why she was still here. I didn’t worry about the fact that it meant we could easily be caught. I ignored the ache in my chest knowing very soon she’d learn everything, and that once she did, she could very well hate me.

  I pushed it all out of my mind, because the only thing I fucking cared about in that moment was the beautiful woman in my arms. I pressed a kiss to the back of her head. “And you’re still here.”

  “Luca never came back for me,” she said through a yawn. “And I decided I didn’t want to find another way home.”

  I tensed at the mention of Luca. Before my mind went to dark places, I forced myself to relax as I brushed another kiss to her bare shoulder and shut my eyes.

  I felt her roll in my arms to face me, felt the soft touch of her fingers as she traced them along my jawline “Why’d you come back?” she whispered.

  I slowly opened my eyes again, a smile working its way on my lips. “For you… I’ll always come back for you.”

  Her emerald ovals glistened in the faint moonlight. My heart beat faster as her beautiful face came toward me. I knew what her lips tasted like, knew what it felt like to kiss her. But every time, my heart raced like it was the fucking very first time. Her lips, my lips, had always made perfect sense.

  I ran my fingers over the goosebumps that skirted up her spine, slipping them under the clasp of her bra to unhook it, fumbling slightly as her tongue plunged into my mouth. She whimpered, her body yielding and blossoming, her kiss becoming more urgent. I yanked at the lace panties she wore, only managing to get them down to her thighs before abandoning the effort and sliding my finger inside her. Her hips bucked against my hand, another moan escaping from her, making my already painfully hard dick lose patience.

  She pushed at my chest, urging me to my back, then quickly discarded her panties. With a playful smile on her mouth, she crawled onto my lap, shrugging out of her bra, and tossing it aside. I admired the view briefly, every curve of her body just as gorgeous in the shadows, before she leaned forward, her lips melding with mine once again.

  Gripping the hair at the back of her head, I gently tugged, forcing us apart. She dragged her bottom lip between her teeth, her brow furrowing as she waited for me to pull my shit together.

  “I love you, Lena. More than any sane man should. You should probably stay away from me.”

  “Never.” She shook her head softly, running her fingers across my forehead and down the side of my face. “I don’t care if you’re crazy, Mario. I could never stop loving you.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat, the guilt stabbing, twisting. “I killed someone, tonight.”

  She closed her eyes, then slowly pulled away, sitting back on my lap. The small amount of distance she put between us sent a huge pang in my chest. Her breast heaved with a deep breath before she opened her eyes again, studying me. As much as it terrified me to do so, I searched her face for the disgust, the hate, finding none.

  With her eyes never leaving mine, she lifted onto her knees, lining herself up to take me.

  Darting my hands out, I gripped her hips, stopping her as she started to inch down. “Lena,” I rasped.

  “You’re not them,” she said calmly.

  “Bella—”

  “No. You’re not one of them,” she repeated, firmer this time.

  I ground my teeth as she firmly latched onto my wrists, fighting against my restraint as she eased farther down. “Baby, please,” I groaned.

  She ignored my pleas, taking me completely. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting against the pleasure I felt at being deep inside her.

  “Mario,” she growled, my name a command.

  Flicking them open, I stared at the angel offering me her forgiveness as she leaned down, cupping my face.

  “You’re. Not. Them. You hear me? They’d have no remorse. But
you, it’s eating you up inside already.”

  “I didn’t hesitate.”

  “I don’t care. And I don’t need to know the details. All I need to know is that you’re still the man I love. It’s you and me at the end. Isn’t that what you told me?”

  I nodded to myself. “You and me.”

  She kissed me, then sat back up. I released my grip on her hips as she began to move, circling them on my stiff dick. I ran my palms up her silky thighs, drowning in the sensation of feeling her inside and out.

  Her eyes were wild with lust, her breasts hanging heavy. I reached for one, squeezing and rubbing a thumb across the tight nub, while the other worked her clit, guaranteeing I’d set her off. Her head fell back, her breaths becoming shallow pants. I raised my back from the bed, taking her breast in my mouth, moving my hands to cup her ass and guide her movements.

  She clenched and pulsated around me as she reached her climax. Her movements slowed, unable to keep up the rhythm. Hauling her against my chest, I brought her back down to the bed with me. I took over, thrusting my hips faster, the intense pressure building as I chased my own and she edged hers longer.

  “Fuck,” I grunted. My muscles tensed, my body seizing with my release as I pumped every drop inside her with a couple final thrusts.

  She kissed up my throat, sucked on my ear, before her lips finally landed on mine. After pulling back and giving me one of her sexy smiles, she scooted down, resting her cheek to my chest. Her body fell limp as I roamed the tips of my fingers along her damp, hot skin, her harsh breathing slowly dying into a steady rhythm.

  “Lena?”

  “Hmm…” she mumbled, half-asleep.

  I smiled to myself, kissing the top of her head before closing my eyes and letting sleep effortlessly take me.

  My cell vibrated in the distance. Rolling, I reached blindly across the bed for Lena, coming up empty. I opened my eyes, knowing she’d be gone, but hoping she wasn’t.

  The phone buzzed again as I sat up, combing my fingers through my hair. There was no sign of her clothes. She must have slipped out before the sun came up, likely to get home before questions were asked.

  I stood from the bed, pulled on my pants, and checked the messages on my phone. I ignored all but one, returning my uncle’s call.

  He gave me his silent greeting.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Boss wants to see you.”

  “Okay. Where?”

  “I’ll pick you up. Where are you?”

  I grabbed my shirt from the floor, quickly dressing with the phone tucked between my ear and shoulder. “Out. Give me an hour.” I opened the drawer, retrieving my gun and tucking it in the waistband at my back.

  “Make it thirty minutes. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

  The line went dead.

  I shoved the phone into my pocket, grabbing the last of my things before running out the door. I got as far as I could from the hotel in twenty minutes, which wasn’t nearly far enough for my liking, before texting my uncle a location.

  He was parked at the curb when I finally made it there. I got in, feeling his eyes on me. He didn’t say a word, but there was no doubt he’d noticed I was still wearing the same clothes from the night before and wasn’t anywhere near my place in Brooklyn. I just hoped he didn’t recognize Lena’s perfume that still lingered on my skin.

  “I have a change of clothes in the trunk,” he offered.

  I nodded as he merged the car into the slow-moving traffic, neither of us saying another word.

  It wasn’t long until we were pulling into the private underground garage for Moretti’s penthouse. After parking, Manny popped his trunk, handing me a clean shirt to change into. I quickly made the switch, tossing my dirty one inside.

  “Leave the gun,” Manny ordered.

  Giving him a quick look, I removed my gun, placing it under my discarded shirt, then closed the trunk lid.

  Two men waited near an elevator. As we approached, one entered a code to open the doors before moving aside as we stepped in. He escorted us to the top floor while the other man remained behind.

  Moretti had come a long way from his home in Brooklyn. He was one of the few bosses to escape the big busts in the nineties and had somehow convinced the world he was nothing more than an entrepreneur with a passion to develop and invest in small companies. The first one was a construction company they’d used to launder money for many years, before moving on to bigger and better things.

  I had no idea what strings he’d pulled, threats he’d made, to keep himself from landing in prison with the rest of them. Today, he still seemed to evade arrests, but it would all catch up to him soon. I’d make sure of it.

  The doors to the elevator opened to a lobby of shiny, granite tiles, stark white walls, and two huge mahogany doors. Uncle Manny moved first, stepping off the elevator and heading for the entrance. I followed his lead while the other guy stayed behind, riding the elevator back to the ground floor.

  Manny pounded his fist, standing a little taller. With my hands clasped in front, I waited a few steps behind him. The door finally opened, and a maid stood on the other side. She quickly moved out of the way, keeping her head down as Manny strode through like he owned the place. He continued down the hall, stopping outside an open door to the right and knocking on the frame.

  “Come in,” Moretti responded immediately, barely lifting his eyes from the documents he’d been reading on his desk.

  As we walked in, Moretti stood with a stern expression, signaling to the furniture in the middle of the room. I took a seat in one of the armchairs, leaning forward with my forearms on my knees. Manny chose to remain standing near the fireplace, while Moretti sat on the leather couch, stretching his right arm across the backrest and crossing his legs.

  He thrummed his fingers against the smooth leather, staring at me for a few beats before finally speaking. “I’ve known you for a long time now, Mario. Your whole life to be exact. In fact,”—he tapped a finger against his mouth before shaking it in my direction—"I was the first person your father told when your Ma found out she was pregnant with you. We smoked the finest Cuban cigars together the night of the announcement. It was a proud moment for both of us, the birth of a son…” He smiled to himself. “There’s one thing I could always count on from the Leoni men: their loyalty.” He lowered his arm and shifted forward, studying me with an intense, narrowed gaze. “Tell me, Mario, how do you feel about my daughter?”

  Keeping my breathing steady, despite my racing heart, I leaned back into the chair. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  His lips stretched into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Let me simplify this. I know you two have always been close, and after your quick action last night, and based on your training, I have no doubt you’d take a bullet for her. What I want to know is, if it came down to giving your loyalty to her or myself, who would you choose?”

  “You,” I lied without skipping a beat.

  The silence hung as Moretti regarded me briefly, then nodded to himself and stood.

  “I’d like to propose a new offer.” He walked to his bar, flipping over three brandy glasses. “I know you were only looking for a one-time payout, but I’d like to extend my offer on a more permanent basis,” he continued with his back facing me. “We could use a man like you, Mario. Someone who doesn’t cower or show fear. A man who doesn’t hesitate, acts quickly. A man who understands la famiglia è sacra,” he said, with a stern passion and a clenched fist in the air.

  The absence of his voice was filled with the sound of golden-brown liquid pouring from the brandy decanter into the glasses. He turned around, extending one to my uncle, who took the few steps to retrieve it. Picking up the other two glasses, Moretti returned to his seat on the couch and passed me a drink.

  Nodding my appreciation, I took the glass, but didn’t take a sip. “You’re asking me to join the family.”

  “You’ve shown promise. And with Luca injured, I could
use a new man. One more skilled, so to speak.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “There’s always a choice.” He smirked. “You just may not like the alternative.”

  I glanced at Manny, who seemed bored, as always.

  “If you agree,” Moretti continued, “I’ll welcome you with open arms. Pay your debt off by tonight. And you’ll be assigned to look after Lena. If you don’t… Well,” —he shrugged—“I guess we’ll have to see.”

  “You want me to watch Lena?” My heart hammered, wondering what his motive was.

  “Is that a problem? I figured with your experience, it would make the most sense. Plus, she hasn’t exactly been fond of having a bodyguard, lately. Maybe with a friendly face, she’ll be more compliant.”

  “And Lorenzo? He doesn’t have an issue with this?” I raised an eyebrow. Lorenzo had been far from subtle about his distaste for me.

  “Should he?”

  “No.”

  He waved a hand in the air, as if shooing a gnat. “I’ll handle Lorenzo. Besides, this is just temporary until we’re able to get you up to speed and Luca recovers.”

  I glanced down at the brandy in my hand, pretending to think it over before bringing my gaze back to Moretti. A slow smile slid onto my face as I raised my glass toward him.

  Moretti mimicked me, a gleam in his eye as he clinked his glass with mine. Manny lifted his glass from afar before we all solidified our agreement with a drink.

  A throat cleared from the doorway, drawing our eyes in that direction. Lena stood with her hip cocked and arms crossed. Her anger was barely constrained in her beautiful pursed lips. I had no idea what she’d overheard, but from the fury in her eyes, it was more than enough.

  “Am I interrupting?” she asked.

  Moretti stood, holding his arms open wide as she sauntered into them. “Not at all, mi cara.” He kissed her on the cheek then released her. “We were just celebrating.”

  “Celebrating what?”