Natalia
I don’t know if it’s the pregnancy hormones or if this is what it’s like to fall in love, but my worry about Daniel knows no limits. I pace the house, keeping the phone close to me. I also keep my phone on.
Evgenii keeps phoning me, and I keep declining. He doesn’t do it one after another, there are pauses between, but it’s irritating. I want to call Daniel, but I don’t want to distract him from what he’s doing. I don’t want to be the reason he gets shot or killed.
That kiss. That kiss was everything I wanted to tell him without the words I didn’t have. Since he’s left, I can still taste him on my lips, and I don’t want to let go of that taste.
My phone dings with a message. I glance at it. It’s Evgenii. What he says, though, before I look away, catches my attention. I look back at my phone and open the message.
He has returned Ana.
Answer your fucking phone. E.
I wait, and he calls. I take a deep breath and answer, “Don’t start…”
“No. No, you listen to me, Natalia. You have taken this bullshit too far. You are acting like some fool child that has no experience in life, let alone the underworld. What do you think you are doing?”
My free hand clenches in anger. “I am entitled to love who I love.”
“And who do you love, Nat? Because you’re putting your position with the family in jeopardy over someone you’re fucking for fun.” I can hear his frustration, but he’s also trying to keep his voice down. Shirley must be home with the baby.
That gives me a good idea. “Shirley,” I say. “You love Shirley more than anything the family can give you. Why can’t I have love? Why can’t I fall for Daniel? You should be more understanding and less judgmental.”
I can hear the fury in Evgenii’s voice, but he doesn’t answer straight away. I think he’s walking to a more private location so he can lose his shit. “Evgenii…”
“Don’t you fucking talk to me about love, Natalia. You are a trained mafia killer who has murdered so many people that your book is dripping in red. You couldn’t put it back in the black if you were reincarnated as a saint. You don’t fucking know what love is. Now get your fucking ass home.” He’s talking in a low dangerous voice.
My breathing gets a bit shaky, and I argue, “Just because I take lives doesn’t mean I can’t have one or know what love is. I’m carrying his baby, Evgenii. He is the father of my child, and I won’t leave him. You cannot take this happiness away from me. We can reevaluate my position once the baby is born. Why is everyone else in our family, in our world, allowed a family except Daniel and me?”
Evgenii sighs. “Natalia. Why didn’t you say so? You don’t have to stay with him because you’re pregnant. We won’t shun you or the baby. You can come home, have the baby with us, and we’ll help you raise it. You don’t need to be with that Irish dickhead.”
“Why do you hate him so much?” I shriek.
“Because he’s a fucking Quinn,” my brother roars. “Sworn enemies.”
“So was Alessandro Sorvino, yet Ivan had no problem fucking his cousin as a power play.” I feel the tears coming, and I need to cut the conversation. “I’m not coming home if I can’t be with Daniel. That’s my final word on the matter. Don’t bother calling me until you accept that. I’m staying because I love him, and I am allowed to make my own decision.” I hear the door open and Daniel calling, “Nat?”
Evgenii starts saying something, but I hang up and turn the phone off. I drop it on my bed and rush out of the room toward Daniel.
I launch myself into his arms, and he lifts me as we kiss hungrily. He breaks the kiss. “Nat, wait…”
“No,” I breathe, “I hate waiting.”
I pull my top off and toss it aside, standing there in just my bra.
He pulls me toward him, kneels, and scoops me up. We kiss as he carries me toward his room.
He lowers me gently to the bed and climbs on top of me. We kiss hungrily, devouring each other. He has one leg on the ground, one knee between my legs, and his hands on my breasts, massaging them. They’re already sensitive, and I whimper into his mouth as he undoes the clasp in the front and frees them. The chilly hair makes my nipples instantly erect, and he breaks our kiss to nibble on them.
I feel like I’m going to orgasm already and practically hump against him.
He sits up and pulls his jacket, jumper, and shirt off, tossing them one at a time to the side before lowering himself again and pressing our naked chests together. He reaches between my legs and rubs through my leggings.
I whimper again, “Daniel.”
“Natalia,” he growls back. He grabs my hand and guides it to the hard cock trying to escape his pants.
I squeeze it through his pants, and then, fabric and all, I stroke him. Pumping his erection through his pants as he fingers me through mine. He stops, and I groan, but he picks me up easily and rests me further up the bed.
He hooks his fingers in my leggings and pulls them down and off. Then he pulls my panties off.
“Spread for me,” he murmurs, stroking my thigh.
He undoes his pants and slips them off before he settles between my legs.
“I love you.” I look into his eyes.
He licks his lips. “I love you.”
He pushes his cock into my already wet pussy, and I arch my back. I’ve had amazing sex, but pregnant sex is definitely more erotic.
He moves slowly, one hand on my bare hip and the other holding his weight up, his hand just to the side of my hair. He pumps his hips as he lowers his lips, and his tongue makes love to my mouth.
I shift to bend my legs and spread them as much as I can. He grunts and moves a little harder. “Fuck. Natalia.”
“That’s the goal,” I murmur. I lean up and kiss the scars I see on his chest. He’s been through the wars, which makes him more attractive.
When I feel his hand leave my hip, I don’t think about it until I feel two fingers massaging my clit in circles. My hips buck, causing his dick to slam deep inside of me. I cry out and put my hands on his shoulders. ‘Yes,” I cry out.
Fuck I sound desperate.
Egged on, Danial moves his hips a little harder, his fingers a little faster. I bite my lip and buck my hips, trying to make him fuck me hard.
He shifts his weight so he’s upright and holds my hips as he moves hard. “Yes. Fuck. I want to come inside you so badly, Nat.”
“Yes… Daniel… Yes… Just like that…” Is that me begging? I’ve never begged for a thing in my life, not even when I was starving.
Daniel fingers my clit again, watching me hungrily with those passionate blue eyes before he buries himself deep inside of me.
He moves his fingers quickly, really quickly, and the wet, noisy sounds that result edge me over into my orgasm. I shriek in pleasure, arching my back and clenching the pillow under my head in my fists.
Daniel moves again, quick, short thrusts. “You like that? Do you like me making you come?”
“Come for me, handsome,” I groan, riding out another orgasm as I feel him bury his cock inside me and release.
He collapses beside me, and I turn over to my side, resting on his chest. I shiver, still shaken from my orgasms.
I sigh.
I feel his arm around me and his hand stroking my back gently.
I must have dozed off because I woke up when his weight leaves left the bed and caused a draft. The lights are off, but the moonlight is streaming through the window.
Daniel is pulling on his pants and reaching for a gun.
I sit up, the blanket he used to cover us falling off me. “Dan…”
“Hush,” he says quietly. “Someone’s approaching the cabin. Stay in bed. I won’t be long.”
He walks out, and I have to admit I like how in charge he is. It’s nice not having to think for myself.
That is until I hear the shots outside and the yelp. I feel sick as I imagine him hurt. I sit on the edge of the bed, listening.
I wait for what feels like hours before the door opens, and I realize if Daniels is injured, I don’t have a weapon.
I’m filled with dread until I hear Daniel’s voice and feel relieved.
“Nat, get dressed and get the first aid kit from the bathroom.”
Stressed that he’s hurt, I quickly dress, not bothering to put underwear under his jumper and my ski pants. I go into his bathroom, hunt in the cabinet, and find the first aid kit at the back.
I hurry into the living room, the light is now on, and Daniel is standing over a bleeding Dominic Sorvhino with an annoyed Carmine standing nearby.
Daniel
I take the first aid kit from Natalia and start scolding Dominic, “Really, what idiot goes traipsing through the forest at night looking for a hitman?”
“You shouldn’t shoot first and then ask questions, Daniel.” Carmine scolds me back, watching as I start cleaning the wound.
“Bullet’s in there good. Natalia, please get the wooden spoon out of the cutlery drawer for Dominic to bite on. Carmine, in the cabinet behind you, there’s some decent whiskey and then some cheap shit behind it. Give me the cheap shit. I’m not wasting my good whiskey on Dominic Sorvino.” I dab at the blood spilling out of the wound before I press against it.
Dominic hisses, and I look at him. “You know I have to apply pressure, and do you really want to drive all the way back with the bullet in you?”
Carmine comes over with the whiskey, and I take it, looking into his eyes. “And shooting first, asking questions later is exactly how it’s done.”
Natalia returns with the spoon and looks at Carmine, then me. “How do you know them?”
“I’ve done jobs for the Sorvino family before. I’ve worked with these two.” I hand Dominic the spoon. “Bite down.”
I take the whiskey and splash some on the wound as I speak, “Why were you guys sent here anyway? For Natalia?”
“To negotiate a trade for her,” Carmine explains as Dominic groans as the whiskey burns his wound. “We were asked to, but we didn’t know it was you. If I knew, I would have just phoned you.”
I snort, picking up the forceps I’ve unpackaged, “Honestly, I don’t know what you’ve been told, but no one is being held against their will here.”
Natalia nods. “I’m here of my own choosing, so there’s nothing to negotiate.”
Carmine pulls a face. “Everyone is talking about an Irishman who kidnapped a Volkov Bratva family member. The family that Alessandro supports since they are tied to them by marriage.”
Dominic screams around the spoon as I insert the forceps and screams again when I pull the bullet out. I press the gauze against the wound.
“Thread this needle, Carmine.”
He picks it up and threads it with the gut I bought for this kit.
There is silence as I stitch Dominic up, who breathes heavily. When I’m done, I get up and wipe my hands on the dish towel Natalia holds out for me. I look at Carmine. “Take your boss home. And the next time Alessandro Sorvino wants a word with me, he can call me himself. I doubt he’s scared of me, right?”
Carmine’s eyes flash, and I incline my head. “Man’s not scared of anything. I’ll see you out so you don’t trigger any of my other traps and get yourselves killed. I’m sure that will be my fault too.”
I pat Dominic on the shoulder, and he winces. “Come on, Dom, at least I aimed in a non-fatal spot.”
Dominic glares at me, but they follow me out. They know tonight is not the night to fight, and I am not the person.
I walk them in a roundabout way so they don’t know where all the traps are but a way they will struggle to find again. I get them to their car, which is parked not far from the line of traps.
I watch them get into their car and drive off. I make sure they’re gone, standing there for fifteen minutes before returning to the cabin.
We cannot stay here. They know where we are, I don’t know how they found us, but if they can find us, anyone can.
And if today proved anything, the Dons are willing to attack the Volkovs and Sorvinos to reach Natalia, so she isn’t safe with them.
I walk into the cabin, and Natalia has cleaned up the first aid kit. I hear the kettle going and assume she’s making herself tea. I’m chilled from being outside half-naked, but there’s no time to worry about that.
As I go, I switch on the lights, walk into my bedroom, and get dressed fully. I start to pack what we will need for a short journey.
Natalia comes to stand in the door curiously, and I don’t look up.
“Get dressed warmly and pack. We’re no longer safe here.”
I look up when, out of the corner of my eye, I see her pausing across the hallway. I walk to the door to see her looking sadly into the nursery.
I walk to her and kiss her head. “It’s okay.”
“You put in so much effort. I don’t want to leave it.”
“I’ll make a nursery at a more secure location. I promise.” I pat her bum. “Go on and get dressed and packed. We leave as soon as possible.” I watched her go to the room where up until tonight, she had been sleeping.
Go figure-the night we decide we love each other, the fucking mafia families decide to barge in. I finish packing and grab weapons before I wait at the front door.
She comes in dragging her suitcase, and I take it from her to carry it to the car. Once everything is stowed away, I help her into the passenger seat.
She looks back at the house, and I can see her eyes shining in the moonlight.
Before I can say anything, she swallows. “Daniel, I don’t want to spend my life running away from people. That’s all I’ve done for the last three years. I haven’t lived; I’ve run. I have found love, something nobody thought I would find, and I want to celebrate my marriage and my child with my family. I have done everything to keep my family safe. I don’t want everyone to keep attacking us, trying to get to me.”
I hold her face in my hand. She’s so much younger than me, but I can see the same amount of death I’ve seen in her eyes. It takes a piece of you until there’s nothing left, and you’re a robot. “I didn’t think I was capable of any emotion, Nat. You’ve shown me differently. You’ve shown me it’s not a weakness to love. I will find a way to get the bounty off your head so we can live openly. I swear it.”
She nods, turning to kiss my palm. I lean forward and kiss her deeply. “Together.”
“Together,” she says softly, and we both know that is one constant now present in our lives.
I drive us out of the forest, but I can tell she’s still upset. She’s looking out her window, so I can’t see her face, but once we’re out of the thick of the wilderness and I start passing under street lights, I see her face in my side mirror: a haunting sadness and uncertainty.
I also don’t like not knowing what the future will bring. I take her hand and put it on my leg, keeping my hand over it as much as I can while I drive. She squeezes my leg now and then as though to make sure I’m still there.
We go back into the city, and I navigate us to the Bronx, where I
have another apartment I use. It’s small but will only be temporary, maybe a few days. Hopefully.
I lead her to the bathroom so she can shower while I bring the bags up. I leave hers in the bedroom, so she can get dressed when she gets 0ut of the shower. I set up my computer and searched for where the Dons were situated.
This might actually need me to go to Sicily to make sure they understand who they are fucking with and what happens when you fuck with my pregnant wife. We’ll see if I even let them regret their actions.
Ivan and Alessandro, though, are tougher to get around. Ivan has never liked the Quinn family. We play rough.
Alessandro may have to make a move against the Quinn family, too, if Ivan is against them, and I have a feeling they’re going to approach Ronan or declare war because of what I’m doing. I don’t work for my family anymore, not for years now, but they obviously still consider me a part of them.
I hear Natalia get out of the shower. There’s a pause. “Daniel?”
“I’m coming now,” I say, just loud enough for her to hear. I shut down my computer. To me, she’s more important. I change into tracksuit bottoms, then change the central heating to a slightly warmer setting.
I climb into bed with her and stroke her side.
“I like it when you hold me,” she murmurs.
I spoon her, sliding my arm over her waist and holding her. “I will never let you go, Nat.”
I feel her shiver and kiss her shoulder.
“Everything is going to be fine.” I hope.