Page 110 of King of Omen

‘Soon after losing both my parents and her husband. She’d been in Sydney because she and Costa lived here most of the year. She flew up immediately, wrapped all of us lost and grieving boys in her arms, making us safe, giving us all a sense of comfort and familiarity that we much needed.’

‘Tell me more about her,’ I invited.

Lorenzo shook her head. ‘She was something else. When she hugged you, it was like a snug blanket. But her grip was firm and controlled, a subtle hint of her strength and might. From the start, it was clear she was not someone to be underestimated or messed with in her soft cashmere sweaters and tailored pants. Her warm, gentle personality and dark bob gave the impression of a loving aunt, but the way her piercing gaze swept the room. Taking in every detail revealed her true power and steeliness, each movement calculated and precise. At home, I loved and laughed with her; at work, I was freakin’ terrified of her.’

We exchanged a smile.

‘I always sensed there was more to her than she let on,’ I murmured.

‘Oh yes, Mia cara. A formidable woman, in appearance a cuddly aunt, but in reality, a ruthless mafia boss. The only giveaway was the calculating sparkle in her eyes that hinted at her real nature. A master of deception, she hid a steely will and cunning mind that ruled over a pitiless operation, guiding us and our entire clan from darkness to light.’

His voice trailed off, sipping his coffee and dunking a biscotti into its heat, his face a study of wistfulness.

I thought about his words. I remembered the stories Bianca had told me of her idyllic life growing up in Italian, touching only on the fact that her family was connected to the Mafia.

Turning to my man, I asked, ‘Why do you think she kept most of that part of herself hidden from me?’

He hesitated for a moment as if weighing his words. ‘Because, bella, unless you’re blood or family, one does not share our realm with anyone. It’s a dangerous life, one filled with darkness and brutality. She might have cherished you too much to put you in harm’s way, to free you from the violence and chaos of our messed-up reality. That’s why she hid almost all of it and went to lengths to protect you. I’m glad she did, for we’d no such luck. We were Calibrese blood, exposed to the nightfall of Mafia life. When she became our guardian, she insisted that we learn the family enterprise alongside studying for an education that would equip us for modern society. She was the one who encouraged and nurtured in us a hunger for a more justifiable purpose. We turned our attention toward building a legitimate business and using our connections for the greater good rather than the dark world our parents inhabited because of her. When the time was right, she revealed all our fuckin’ secrets, and we had the learning and insight to separate them from our desired future.’

‘Which one is that?’ I asked.

His eyes smouldered. ‘This one, here with you. Now,’ he growled, pushing his empty coffee cup away. ‘Come here.’

I rose to my feet and crossed to him, my heart beating faster as I drew close, the heat from his body flooding me.

He took my hand and pulled me towards him, causing me to lose my balance and fall onto his lap. I let out a small gasp, the turgid bulge in his pants throbbing against my bare skin below my shorts.

He leaned forward, then raised a brow as I touched his lips.

Straddling him and grinding my pelvis over his hard length, I made my demand. ‘I hope you never keep any freaking secrets from me, my love. I want to know it all. Everything.’

His eyes darkened, then gleamed. ‘Every fucking thing?’

‘Every one.’

‘Why?’

‘Because if we’re going to be together, we will be partners who share it all—every burden, triumph, secret, moment—Every. Single. Thing. Can you handle that, Lorenzo?’

‘Just like you kept your father undercover?’ he teased.

‘Fuck off, I was waiting for the right time to tell you. I didn’t deny him when we met him.’

He gazed into my eyes and nodded. ‘True. You also risked yourself to protect yet again. It seems you are the badass queen I need in my life, and I can deal with anything with you, cara. Anything.’

I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his, loving the raw intensity of his passion.

I moaned, gripping his shoulders as I lost myself in the moment.

His arms encircled me as our kiss deepened.

‘I want this rocket off the ground, Mia. You’re so beautiful, it’s hard to behave.’Lifting off my lips, Lorenzo whispered, ‘I want to make you cream for me.’

My breathing became ragged as he explored my body.

Lorenzo lifted me onto his desk, and I wrapped my legs around him as they continued to grope and fondle with urgency.

His hands roamed all over me, caressing my curves and sending shivers down my spine. I moaned into his mouth, and he took that opportunity to slip his hand into my panties.

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