n.o.body paid attention to me, but Mo saw the movement, so did Sergio.

I couldn't make a scene, but I was about to. I was three seconds away from ruining everything because the b.a.s.t.a.r.d couldn't keep his hands to himself.

The hour went by like slow torture, every laugh from their side of the table had me dreaming about murder, every touch drove me to the edge of insanity, and every time she looked at me with those hurt eyes, was like getting shot in the heart with acid soaked bullets.

"Gentleman."

Nixon stood.

"Whiskey and Cigars are waiting in the billiards room."

Everyone stood; myself included, and began filtering out the door towards the billiards room. When Sergio made his way around the table, I grabbed him by the hand, squeezing and whispered, "Make a sound and I'll break your fingers, starting with your pinky."

He rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. You know something's wrong when threatening a guy inflicts irritation rather than fear.

The girls all walked by in oblivion -all except Mo.

"Sergio?" d.a.m.n the girl was observant.

"Is none of your concern," I said smoothly. "We just need to have a little... chat. Man to man."

Mo looked down at our hands and the awkward twisting I was inflicting on Sergio's. She reached out as if to stop me and whispered, "Tex don't hurt-"

I gently pushed her away and dragged Sergio down the hall where no one could hear the sounds of bones snapping.

"Tex!" Mo charged after me, her scent wrapped around my head making me fuzzy. Kill, I wanted to kill him for touching her, this was no warning, I would end his life if any part of his body grazed hers again.

"You do not touch her." I spat in his face and landed a blow to his liver, not hard enough to kill him, just enough to make him hurt worse than if I'd just released a bullet into his skin. "You do not look at her." I slammed him against the hallway wall and punched him in the jaw. With a curse he toppled over, spitting out blood. I picked him up by the shirt and lifted him against the wall again, this time, my knee met his stomach with a sharp jab. "You do not breathe her same air. She isn't yours to take care of."

Sergio grinned, his smile b.l.o.o.d.y.

"What?" Blood spewed from his mouth.

"And she's yours?"

I dropped him to the ground and stabbed my finger in his chest, "d.a.m.n right she is!"

"No!" Mo shoved me from behind.

"Leave him alone! At least he's trying to comfort me when all you've done is make me cry!" She pounded at my back with her fists. "I hate you! Do you hear me? I hate you!"

Sergio held up his hands, his lips twisting with contempt, before storming off. Mo continued her a.s.sault on my back. Once the hitting stopped, she started kicking me with her heels.

With a curse I turned around and picked her off the floor. I was going to lock her in her room until she calmed down, the last thing either of us needed was for any of the Family to see her or me in our current state of rage.

"I hate you!" She wailed, still trying to kick anything she could with those spiky heels.

When I kicked the bedroom door behind me and set her on her feet she charged towards me again, fists flying.

"Mo!" I ducked and grabbed her wrists. "Stop it!"

"No!" She jerked against me, tears streamed down her face ruining her makeup. "You don't get a say anymore!

Not when you walk away! Not when you give up without a fight! You're weak!

And I hate you for it! I hate you!"

My heart surged with anger at her words. Didn't she see I was saving her?

Protecting her? With a roar I released her hands and picked her up again, tossing her against the bed, she bounced up once and wrapped her arms around me, maybe trying to choke me out, I wasn't sure. We fell to the ground in a heap. I tried to get up, but she climbed onto my back and kept hitting.

"d.a.m.n it, Mo!" I finally pried her free.

Huffing with exertion she bent over.

And I freaking lost my mind.

It was the only way to explain why, instead of running, I charged towards her and slammed her tight body against the wall hard enough for pictures to crash onto the floor. Her mouth was already open for my kiss when I began devouring her. My hands pinned her wrists hard above her head-it wasn't enough. With a growl I lifted her off the ground, she gripped my hair with both hands for balance and moaned as my teeth ripped at the front of her dress.

Everything inside of me snapped as my mouth watered at the taste of her- like an animal, I ripped the front of her dress down and set her on her feet only long enough to tug the infuriating piece of clothing away from her body.

She stumbled out of the dress and slapped me across the face.

I rubbed my jaw and smirked. "Do that again, I dare you."

Her eyes heated as I gripped her wrist and jerked her against me, our mouths molded together, hot and needy. I reached for her bra and unsnapped it, Mo reared back, bearing her teeth.

"Bite me, and I'll just enjoy it more." I kicked her bra away from us and waited, my chest heaving with unchecked desire.

Mo's eyes flashed and then her nails were digging into my neck, she scratched down to the collar of my shirt and with a rip tore it open, b.u.t.tons went flying. I couldn't have cared less. The woman freaking drew blood with those nails as my shirt was flung to the floor.

Her hands dipped into the waist band of my pants, tugging me closer to her. With at tilt of her head, our mouths collided again, this time slower, more tortuous. She licked my lips with slow languid movements; swear the woman was mimicking s.e.x with her mouth. With her hands she was doing things at my waist, the feathery touch of her fingers trailing along my skin left scorching heat in their wake.

For the first time in days I felt-I felt everything.

All it once it was like an explosion ringing in my ears, I wanted to close my eyes to the feeling of it all-I'd been numb after meeting with Phoenix, and now I was alive-bleeding and alive.

Mo pulled back, and I realized she'd unfastened my pants. With a feral glaze in her eyes, she jerked them downward, flinging them to the floor. I stepped out of them nearly stumbling as I pulled her into my arms again, my hands digging into her hair and pulling so tight she winced.

Her head fell back, exposing her neck, and I took full advantage, sucking her skin all the way down to her collarbone-one of my favorite places.

Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s teased my chest and her nipples hardened to rigid pebbles.

My hands hooked around her hips and lifted her into the air tossing her onto the bed.

As I slid off my boxers, I crawled slowly up her body, licking, tasting, and biting my way up her leg until my head was next to her thigh. Shivering she arched her back and let out a little moan.

And I lost it, for the second, third, maybe fifth time that night.

Making her scream was my only goal.

d.a.m.n I was going to go to h.e.l.l for walking away after this-but I.

couldn't... she was my drug-my sweet addiction-and I needed a fix more than I needed another breath of air.

"Tex!" It was the first time she'd spoken to me since I'd scolded her. Eyes wide open she pushed against my chest.

"I still hate you for what you're doing."

"Good." I kissed inside her thigh and reached up to tug her body closer to mine. "Hate me in a few minutes-love me now."

Her eyes took on a dark hue before flashing again as I gently slapped her leg and smirked.

The woman reared up and bit my lip.

d.a.m.n if I didn't love that.

"Scream for me," I whispered against her mouth tasting blood. "Only me, not him... not anyone else. You're mine. Make me believe it."

With a cry I thrust into her while simultaneously jerking her body down by her shoulders, staking my claim once and for all. She took me in and then tightened her muscles, squeezing herself around me, gripping me in the most intimate way I'd ever experienced. The abrupt sensation had me arching backwards, my body unsure if I wanted more or less.

She moved underneath me, rocked her hips a little.

More, definitely more.

Sharp nails dug into my back, beckoning me to pump harder and harder until I was out of breath, until all I saw was Mo-until she was my whole world -my existence.

Her muscles constricted around me, so tight it was all I could feel, her entire body taut. With a cry she pulled me down to her, our mouths meeting somewhere in the middle as her tongue tangled with mine.

And then she moaned, gently, in my ear.

And I was done-so done.

Finished.

The end.

We looked at each other-both of us naked and panting and I said the one thing I knew no guy who actually loved someone should ever say. "We can't do that again."

CHAPTER FIFTY.

A woman scorned is a woman no man- Mafia or not-wants to deal with.

Phoenix I SIPPED THE WHISKEY and winced. You know something's very wrong when you're unable to drink the pain away-when you feel so numb that the alcohol may as well be water dripping down your throat. I set the gla.s.s on the table and got up to stretch.

The men were in deep conversation about The Commission-something I really wanted to stop hearing about, all things considering.

"I'm going to go check on Bee," I whispered to Luca and slapped him on the back.

He nodded once and returned to his conversation. Funny, Luca was the last guy on this planet I thought I'd align with. He'd tried to kill me when he'd first met me, weird how my murderer turned out to be my savior-more of a father figure than my own.

I scratched the back of my head and walked into the living room where the girls were having wine.

Bee was sitting in the corner, listening politely. Every few seconds she'd tilt her head and sigh, I knew that look. Insecurity at its finest, she wasn't sure how to act or what to do. She crossed and then uncrossed her legs, took a sip of water, and looked down at her hands.

"Bee," I called. "Come here."

She jolted from her seat and walked towards me. I ignored the sway of her hips just like I ignored the vanilla swirling around my nose. "Are you okay?"

"Why?" She crossed her arms.

"Are you going to take me away now?"

"No."

"I'm bored."

I pressed my lips together in annoyance. "I'm not your entertainment."

Bee gave me a one sided shoulder shrug and looked up through half-lidded eyes. "Do you want to be."

"Stop." I swallowed convulsively.

Her eyebrows pinched together in mock innocence as she reached out and touched my arm. I jerked away. "Stop what?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." We'd had this discussion numerous times. I didn't do girls, I didn't fall prey to her pouty lips or her swaying hips, no matter how many times she tried. I wasn't a toy for her to toss around just because she wasn't getting her way.

With a pout she crossed her arms.

"Come on, you have to be curious. All those long nights watching me sleep..."

Her hand reached out, fingers tickled my forearm as she caressed. "Did you ever wonder what face I saw in my dreams?"

My teeth clenched together as I looked away. "No. Now stop. I'm not taking you home yet, not when Tex still wants to talk with you."

"You're a b.a.s.t.a.r.d," She hissed.

"Thank you." I stepped back.

With balled fists she let out a low growl and stomped on my foot with her giant-a.s.s heel then marched past me.