1. Destiny - Michelle Hardin

Dangerous Beauty Part One: Destiny DEWYMOSS

Dangerous Beauty Part One: Destiny Copyright © 2014

Contents

Credits Copyright About This Book Dedication Prologue: The Garden

1. The Boss's Son 2. Hope Beach 3. Battle in Brooklyn 4. Beautiful Stranger 5. The Kiss 6. What the Fuck Just Happened? 7. Getting to Know the Real You

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8. Oh My… 9. One Long Ass Day 10. One Long Ass Day, Part 2: Girl Fight 11. One Long Ass Day, Part 3: Catch Me 12. One Long Ass Day, Part 4: Pasta & Anastacia 13. Leaving Hope Beach 14. Afraid in Manhattan 15. Guns, Lies, & Anastacia 16. Carterina Anastacia Stone 17. Gasp! 18. She Called You The Maid! 19. Home 20. Temper, Temper 21. I Love You

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A Note From Michelle Acknowledgements Sneak Peek- Dangerous Beauty Part 2: Mafia Princess

Credits

Cover art: • BigStockPhoto.com Cover design: • Danette Davis Manuscript Edit & Review: • Jessica Barrett

Copyright

Dangerous Beauty, Part One: Destiny. Copyright 2014 by Michele Hardin. All rights reserved. This book is a work of fiction. Though I wish that some of the places were real, they are not. All characters are derived from the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to real people is incidental.

About This Book

One day in a beautiful garden a young half Italian, half Russian boy met the daughter of his father’s African American business associate for the first time. Nineteen years later destiny brought them together for a second time. After the tragic death of his mother, Nathan Salerno decided to live a life devoid of love. His only goal in life was to live up to the expectations of his highly feared Mafia Boss father and make him proud to have him as an heir. As the anniversary of his mother’s passing drew near Nathan prepared to do

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what he did every year— disappear. When his childhood friends convinced him to join them on a vacation instead, Nathan’s life was changed forever. Carter Steele couldn’t remember her mother and thought she would never heal from witnessing her father’s murder. After that tragic night she moved to Hope Beach under a new identity. Her new life was far different from her previous one and hiding her true identity was harder and lonelier than she’d ever expected. That was until she spotted the handsome blond in the BMW. Will Nathan and Carter’s love survive the obstacles they face?

Dedication

For Ty-nesha, thank you for listening to me ramble on about my ideas for this book. Thank you for the late night chapter readings. Thank you for encouraging me to send my book to a publisher. Thank you for dreaming with me, praying with me, and joining me on the wild ride my imagination took us on. I couldn’t ask for a better sister. I love you very much.

Prologue: The Garden

Anya sat at the kitchen table watching at her beautiful little boy eat his favorite cereal in his spaceship pajamas. He was five years old now, and Anya couldn’t believe how fast he was growing. The sun was bursting through the windows, gleaming off of his shoulder length golden blond hair. It had gotten so much longer over the past few weeks. She made a mental note to remember to cut his hair later. He looked up at her from his food with his father’s gray eyes, milk dripping from his little chin. “What are you lookin’ at, Mama?”

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he asked his little voice playful and light. He smiled showing that he had lost yet another tooth, she would have to remember that too. Anya smiled at her beautiful baby boy. “You lose another tooth Мое сердце, you must remind me tonight we get ready for Tooth Mouse to come.” Nathan’s eyes lit up and he bounced in his seat, giggling joyfully. Anya loved making her baby boy happy. He was everything to her, the one thing that gave her life purpose. She looked at her precious little boy wishing that he could stay this innocent forever. She knew it was impossible, but she still made a wish every night. She wished that her son would always be this happy, kind, sweet, and compassionate. She hoped he’d grow up to always live by the many lessons she’d taught. The lessons that she’d taught to try and

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counter the lessons his father taught. She knew that one day Nathan would have to encompass everything that his father stood for. After all, Nathan was the only son and heir to his father’s empire. But she still didn’t want him to be like Angelo. She wanted him to be better. Looking at her little boy, sitting across from her at the table, with milk all over his little face, she couldn’t help but smile. Maybe he would be a better man, a stronger man than his father. Anya could rest easy believing that. While Anya was dreaming, watching her baby boy eat, and listening to him talk about his missing tooth, Angelo walked into the kitchen. She looked over at him, surprised he was even there and not in another country doing God knows what, or who. She didn’t

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look at him long before she turned her attention back to the little angel in front of her. When she heard Angelo clear his throat to get her attention, she turned her gaze toward him and rolled her eyes. Nathan hadn’t seen his father enter the kitchen, but when he followed her eyes he jumped out of his chair. “Daddy!” he screamed. Nathan ran to his father and jumped in his arms, showering him with milk coated kisses. Angelo picked up a towel, wiped his face and laughed. “Ciao mio bel figlio, did you miss your Papa?” Angelo cooed. Nathan giggled and hugged his father tight. “Yes,” he said nodding his head. Nathan smiled wide and pointed to his missing tooth, “Look! I lost another tooth. Mama says the Tooth Mouse will come and get it

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tonight” he chirped still bouncing in his father’s arms. Angelo chuckled and kissed Nathan’s chubby cheek, “That’s good son, but right now Papa needs you to go upstairs and get dressed. He has some company coming to the house in a little while.” He lowered Nathan to the floor. Nathan nodded his little head up and down. “Okay, Daddy.” He ran from the kitchen up the stairs, his little feet making slapping noises against the floor. Anya looked over at Angelo and frowned. “Who is this that is coming? You promised me you wouldn’t do business in house.” she said. Angelo looked up from the coffee he was pouring to where Anya was standing. He smirked, “Uhh… could you repeat that? I

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didn’t quite understand it, your accent got in the way,” he said referring to Anya’s thick Russian accent. Anya knew he was just being an idiot, he understood what she was saying. “Stop messing around Angelo. I have right to know who is coming to my house,” she said placing her hands on her hips. She hated when he made fun of her Russian accent, she never made fun of his Italian one. Angelo chuckled and sauntered over to Anya. “My goodness Anya, you sure do look beautiful today, love.” He ran his fingers through her long golden blond hair. “I forget sometimes, when I’m away, how damn sexy you are.” Anya smacked his hand away from her face, and pushed him back until he was no longer in her space. Angelo’s eyes went wide

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in shock at her aggression and she glared at him. “Of course you forget Angelo! That’s what happens when you spend your time screwing every whore on God’s green earth! You forget you have wife at home!” she spat. Angelo’s eyes filled with rage and his jaw clenched, “What the hell is wrong with you? Every time I come home I have to hear the same shit.” he snapped. Anya rolled her eyes and waved her hand nonchalantly, “Whatever, Angelo I have no time for discussion. Now tell me who you have coming to my house around my son.” “I have a friend and business partner coming to my house, and Nathan is not just your son Anya, he’s ours— so cut the shit,” Angelo replied through clenched teeth. Anya let out a derisive laugh, “Fuck you, Angelo. You are not here enough to call this

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your house, and I’m surprised “our son” even remembers what you look like. So you cut the shit!” Anya crossed her arms over her chest, ready for a fight. Angelo raised his hands in surrender shaking his head side to side. “I can’t fight with you about this right now. Look the man coming over is an old friend I haven’t seen in three and a half years. He has a little girl, but I don’t know how old she is. I just figured you could keep an eye on her, while her father and I do business.” Anya frowned and raised an eyebrow. “I’m not babysitter for every thug, drug dealer, and killer you do business with Angelo.” “Enough, Anya! You’ll do it. What I have to do today is more important than your fucking attitude problem!” Angelo stormed

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out of the kitchen leaving Anya there seething. She couldn’t stand him. To think, she actually loved the bastard once and she’d thought he loved her too. But that was a huge load of crap and now she knew it. The only thing that made her time with the selfish prick meaningful was her sweet baby boy. Nathan was the only reason why Anya put up with Angelo Salerno. She was jolted out of her bad mood when she heard little feet walking down the stairs. Her handsome little boy was wearing dark blue jeans and a baby blue shirt, perfectly tucked in his pants. The only thing off was his messy hair, but she purposely told the nanny to save that job for her. She was the only one that knew how to handle her baby boy’s hair.

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She smiled and grabbed his hand, “Come Мое сердце, we cut your hair before the company arrives.” “Okay, Mama,” he said following after her. Anya was happy to be done with his haircut by the time they heard the doorbell ring. She hoped this child was well behaved. She hardly had the patience to deal with a rowdy little monster. She wasn’t used to it. Nathan had always been well behaved, and she never had to punish him. “Come on Mama, I wanna go to the garden,” Nathan said jumping up and down by her bedroom door. Anya smiled and walked to him grabbing his hand. “Alright, Мое сердце. We will go to the garden, but first we have to go and meet

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your Papa’s friend. He has a daughter too, so be nice. Are you ready?” Nathan nodded. “Is she going with us to the garden?” he asked looking up at her with his innocent gray eyes. Anya leaned down and kissed his chubby little cheek. “Yes, she is. So you have to be extra sweet today, a gentleman. Can you do that?” She pinched his cheeks. Nathan giggled and nodded, “Yes, Mama.” “Okay, let’s go.” And they started for the stairs. Once they made it downstairs they walked into the living room where Angelo stood talking in hushed tones to a tall, incredibly handsome African American man. Anya had to blink to make sure he was real. It seemed ridiculous for a man that

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handsome to be in the type of business Angelo was in. The man should be a model posing in underwear on a billboard in New York City. Anya was sure he could pull it off. But then again maybe not, there was something about him, something that kind of scared her. The man was very beautiful but he also seemed very dangerous. Anya shook her head and focused. This was no time to be ogling some handsome stranger in her living room. Once she fully focused her attention on her surroundings she found that both men were staring at her. She blushed. She had been staring at the handsome stranger much too long. She cleared her throat and straightened herself up. “Hello,” she greeted in a soft voice. The stranger smiled at her.

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“Hello,” he replied. His voice was smooth, deep, and a bit hypnotizing. Angelo cleared his throat and glared at her. “Anya, this is a friend of mine, Spook. Spook, this is my wife, Anya, and my son, Nathan.” Spook? What the hell kind of name is Spook. The stranger chuckled deeply, probably from the look on her face. “It’s just a nickname given to me about four years ago, right before my daughter was born. An old friend of mine constantly spoke about how frightening I could be at times,” he explained sweetly. “I guess he had a point. I have been known to be a little scary when I feel the need to be.” He looked at Angelo with a devious smile. “Isn’t that right, Angelo?”

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Angelo chuckled nervously, which made Anya release a small laugh. The strange man was funny, especially when he made Angelo nervous. That was Anya’s favorite part. When the stranger looked over at her his smile went from devious to amused, and sort of sweet. Anya blushed again. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Angelo cleared his throat. “I still haven’t met a man who hasn’t quivered at the mention of your name old friend,” Angelo said capturing their attention. Anya rolled her eyes. He was such a kissass sometimes. She hoped the handsome stranger was ready to hear a load of bull, because Angelo obviously wanted something from him.

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When Anya looked over to the handsome stranger again he was watching her with amusement in his gorgeous brown eyes. Anya smiled shyly and looked away. She heard him chuckle again. Was he flirting with her? He had to be flirting with her. It made Anya want to giggle like a smitten little girl. She really needed to pull it together. She looked at the handsome stranger, ignoring the glare Angelo was sending her way once again. “I’d love to meet your daughter,” she said softly. “Where is she?” she asked because she thought the guy was supposed to have a daughter, but she didn’t see a little girl anywhere. “Anya and Nathan are going to keep Carter with them, while you and I go to my

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office and handle our business,” Angelo said waiting for Spook’s approval. Spook nodded his head but his facial expression remained impassive. He turned his body and kneeled down to the floor. “Carter, I want you to go with the nice woman and her son. I’ll be back soon.” Anya heard a small whimper, and then heard a tiny voice say “No” as firm as her little voice could. “Enough, Carter. We don’t cry remember? Now, do as I say.” Spook reprimanded softly. From what Anya could hear the little girl had to be quite young, so she understood her fear of being with strangers, but she still couldn’t see her. Anya heard a small sniff and another whimper, “But I want to stay with you,” she

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whispered. Her voice was so soft and so sweet, Anya almost didn’t hear it. She wanted to go over and pick up the sad little girl and hold her tight in her arms. Anya noticed some movement next to her and she looked down to see Nathan trying to get out of her grasp. Once he twisted free, he walked confidently over to Spook and the hidden little girl. Nathan walked in front of Spook, where Anya assumed the girl was standing, and the three adults looked on curious to see what Nathan was going to do. Spook stood up and moved to the side, and Anya got her first glimpse of his little girl. A stunning little hazel eyed girl, who couldn’t be more than three, stared up at Nathan with sad eyes and a tear stained face. Her skin was a gorgeous chocolate shade of brown, and she had the most beautiful thick

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black hair. It cascaded down her back and ended at her waist. She was so small, and so sad, that Anya wanted to do anything she could to put a smile on her beautiful little face. Nathan approached Carter slowly with a smile on his handsome face. “Hi, Carter. I’m Nathan,” he said waving at her. The little girl smiled, it was a small sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. Nathan walked a little closer to Carter. Without another word, he held out his hand for her to take, and Anya was a little shocked when her tiny hand took his without any hesitation. Nathan held tight to her hand as he led her through the living room over to where Anya was standing. He looked up at her. “Are you ready Mama? Carter’s gonna love the garden.” Nathan turned and looked

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at Carter. “I’ll give you a pretty flower and then you won’t be sad anymore, okay?” Nathan said looking into Carter’s sad eyes. He moved her long hair from her face. Carter nodded her head and put her thumb in her mouth as Nathan led her to the garden, still holding tight to her hand. Anya had to smile. Her little boy was a gentleman, just like he said he would be. Anya looked up and noticed a small smile on Spooks handsome face as he watched the kids leave the room, and Angelo’s smile was all “Proud Papa.” “Have a good meeting. We will be out back in garden,” Anya said as she turned to leave the room. “Thank you, Anya. She’s a good girl and she shouldn’t cause you any trouble. Still, I

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appreciate you keeping an eye on her for me,” Spook said genuinely. Anya was touched by his gratitude. “You’re very welcome,” she replied and she turned and left the room. Anya needed to catch up with the kids, but she knew they were safe in the garden so she took her time. She quickly ran upstairs to retrieve her camera. She didn’t want to miss anything adorable. She wanted to have future evidence of how sweet her Nathan could be for teenage years reinforcement. She would make sure he remembered how to be a gentleman even if it killed her. It was either that or risks him being an asshole like his father. After making some lemonade and snacks for them to have in the picnic area, Anya made her way to the garden.

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Once Anya made it outside to the garden, she sat the snacks on the picnic table and set out to find the kids. The garden was large, but she knew where Nathan would be. It was his favorite spot in the entire garden, a big white gazebo decorated with flowers and a big cushy swing with white plush pillows. Her sweet baby boy had taken many naps on that swing. As she approached the gazebo, she saw Carter sitting there alone on the swing. She was so small. Her sad eyes were locked on her tiny hands in her lap. Anya was about to move closer to ask where Nathan was when she saw her little man climb up the Gazebo steps. He had one yellow rose in each little hand. With her camera in hand, Anya stood back to see what was going to happen next.

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Nathan sat up on the swing next to Carter, and she looked up at him. He smiled brightly at her, and handed her one of the roses in his hand. Carter took the rose out of his hand, and stared at it, not uttering a word. Nathan’s little hand pushed Carter’s hair away from her tear slicked face. He leaned over and kissed her cheek sweetly. Anya smiled and captured the kiss with her camera. “Don’t cry,” Anya heard him whisper. “Here, my Mama says roses give us wishes. Do you like wishes?” Nathan asked enthusiastically and Carter nodded her head. “To get a wish you have to kiss the rose, like this.” Nathan gave the roses a quick kiss and Carter smiled at him. “Such a beautiful little girl,” Anya said to herself and she walked forward toward the

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kids. “What are you two silly bugs doing?” She asked with a bright smile on her face. Both Nathan and Carter giggled. She snapped another picture. “We’re getting wishes!” Nathan looked up at her excitedly. “Let me see that rose please,” Anya said reaching for Nathan’s rose and he handed it to her. Anya kneeled on her knees in front of Carter. “Did you kiss your rose yet?” “Nope she hasn’t,” Nathan answered for her. “Well Carter, if you give a rose your sweetest kiss, the stars will grant you all you wish. Don’t you want that?” Anya asked, and Carter nodded. Anya smiled. “Then come, we will do it together.” Together they kissed their roses and Anya made a wish, a silly one, but a

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wish. She looked at the beautiful little girl in front of her, and then looked at her handsome little boy. She dreamed of them sitting in the garden with little brown babies running around them. She envisioned a beautiful wedding in the garden with only select guests, of her choosing of course. Yes, a silly wish indeed, but after seeing the way her sweet boy behaved with the little beauty, it was one that couldn’t be avoided. Anya wanted Nathan to have everything she didn’t, and that included love. Whether it be someone she doesn’t know yet, or this beautiful little girl here in front of her —which she preferred— Anya prayed that her little Nathan would have the life and love that she could only dream of having.

1

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The Boss's Son

Nineteen Years Later Nathan could feel his heart beating through his chest. He was so ready for this. He both hated and enjoyed going to his father’s spontaneous meetings, but this one in particular was going to be a good one for Nathan. He was the one that produced the evidence that led to this little gathering. He was satisfied with himself. He had made his father proud of him. That was something he did often, but it never got old.

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Of course, there is still a part of Nathan that would rather be home in bed at this hour, but being second in command of the Salerno Crime Family meant that whenever duty called Nathan would drag his ass away from what he was doing, and do whatever the boss said to do. His father had been preparing him for leadership his whole life, so he knew the ins and outs of meetings such as this one. He was prepared to play the role of the silent obedient killer. Isn’t that what a son does when he’s being groomed to be the boss of a large crime family? Nathan will be the first to admit that he has a long way to go before he was ready to be the boss. He knows he has maturity issues, and he still doesn’t necessarily take everything seriously. But he must be doing something right because his father finally

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gave him the title Underboss. He busted his ass for four years, since he was eighteen years old, seeking his father’s approval. When he turned twenty-two, two years ago, his father finally gave him the title. But that wasn’t before the criminal underworld had already given him one of its own. As Nathan continued the drive to warehouse B, the location of the meeting tonight, he couldn’t help but think about the events of the past week. Nathan had felt in his gut that something was about to go wrong. So when he got the news that one of the teams transferring product to a buyer had been ambushed on two separate occasions, the accuracy of his gut feelings were once again confirmed. Both ambushes resulted in weapons and money being stolen, which resulted in his

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father having to explain the situation to the buyer, which then resulted in his father going into a fit of rage. Angelo Salerno had always been known for the promptness of his deliveries, as well as the quality of his products. So explaining to a buyer that someone had stolen their order from him was both frustrating and embarrassing, not to mention something he absolutely hated to do. When Nathan heard about the first ambush he couldn’t figure out what dumbass would have the balls to steal anything from The Salerno Organization. His father’s close friend and assistant, Mitchell (whom Nathan considered a dumbass), started dropping names of some associates he suspected were responsible for the attacks. His most frequent culprit was Andrew Reeves, an

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associate from Brooklyn that did business with The Salerno Organization. He, like many others, indulged in the many services that The Salerno Organization had to offer. Nathan knew that Reeves and his father were not the best of associates, and they had problems in the past, but not anymore. He and Reeves had an understanding of how things went, and Reeves wasn’t stupid enough to screw up a good thing. The Salerno Crime Family is one of the biggest and most powerful Mafia families in New York, Las Vegas, and Italy. Very few people in the criminal underground would have the courage to step to them, much less steal from them. That was what Nathan explained to his father.

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Mitchell’s insistence for his father to start a war was suspicious to Nathan, but he held his tongue. He knew how close Mitchell and his father were, and his dad would not take Nathan slandering the man without proper cause lightly. But regardless of the bullshit Mitchell was talking about Reeves, Nathan knew that no one in their right mind would steal from Angelo Salerno if they didn’t think they could get away with it. This meant that it wouldn’t be anyone on the outside of the Organization, it would be someone on the inside, someone who had earned his father’s trust. After his father gave him the permission Nathan began to look into the problem himself. He started by looking at the team of men in charge of protecting the shipment, and he found that both teams had the same

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supervisor, Michael Ricci. Michael Ricci was one of the many appointed leaders stationed near New York. They had already questioned him about the incidents, and he had given them what sounded like a logical story for both. But Nathan still had his doubt so he decided to question Michael’s men. Since Nathan’s methods for getting information were less conservative then his fathers, it didn’t take long for him to get the answers that he needed to confirm his suspicions about Michael Ricci. Turns out the ungrateful bastard staged both ambushes, took the products that were supposed to be delivered, sold them to an anonymous buyer, and pocketed the money. This betrayal didn’t surprise Nathan as much as it surprised his father. Nathan had always thought that Michael was a sketchy son of a

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bitch. The idiot had nothing when Angelo found him and gave him both money and power. Yet still the greedy bastard wanted more! Greed, Nathan thought, it can really make a man do some stupid shit. As they pulled up to what Nathan called ‘the warehouse in the middle of nowhere’, he couldn’t stop the wicked smile that appeared on his face. He glanced over at his best friend Kyle seated on the passenger’s side, and noticed his smile was just as devious. Nathan was more than ready to kill the traitorous motherfuckers that dare steal from The Salerno Organization. He even decided to drive his black Escalade and wear his favorite black Armani suit, deeming this meeting a special occasion.

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He navigated through the parking lot with his best friend at his side, and the rest of his personal team of men (Dante, Lucca, and Mickey) following behind him in two large black cargo vans filled with some… ‘party favors’, for tonight’s meeting. He parked the car, noticing his father had already arrived with his men, and quickly exited. “It’s about time Son. I didn’t think you would ever get here,” his father said to him as they all began walking toward the warehouse. “Well I’m sure you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. I just thought you needed time to prepare yourself for the speech I know you’re going to give tonight,” Nathan said with a smirk. He knew his father had something planned for tonight because he

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called for this meeting. This was a matter that could have been handled quietly and without an audience, but Nathan knew his father was always one for theatrics and making a point. So he had a feeling this was going to be very entertaining. Angelo laughed, a devious grin appearing on his face. “Bullshit, Nathan. You of all people know that I prepare my speeches the night before.” He gave Nathan’s back a loud slap and walked ahead of him. One of his men had the door open for him and Mitchell to enter the warehouse. Nathan and Kyle followed behind them. The warehouse that usually consisted of the inventory for their many clothing and jewelry stores was empty of the usual merchandise. The room now consisted of a long table with four chairs on each side, and one

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chair at the head. Angelo took the chair at the head of the table and Mitchell sat to the right of him. The other men at the table were captains appointed by Angelo. They were stationed in the many different areas The Salerno Organization did business in, and Michael was one of them. They had only required the New York captains to be present at this particular meeting, the more powerful men in the Organization were far too busy. The men came to the table once Angelo was seated with looks of confusion, not one of them understanding why Angelo had called a meeting on a weekend. It made no sense to them since the majority of business was done during the week, and meetings were held in that time as well. None of them would dare question the Boss, if he’d called a meeting they would come. Besides, it must

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be important if he called them to meet at this late hour, and in this location. The light tapping of Angelo’s index finger on the wooden table was the only sound that filled the empty warehouse. All eyes were on Angelo as he opened his mouth and began to speak. “I apologize for the short notice of this meeting, but this matter is a bit urgent, and there are some things that we all,” he pointed his finger at each of them, “need to make clear.” Immediately, each man began to feel unease. They could already tell that this wasn’t going to be a, you’ve all done a wonderful job type meeting. “I understand why you all would be confused about my tone, but I assure you that your confusion will soon end. Before I am

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finished with this little discussion, one of you,” he smirked, “will be dead. And by the end of this meeting all of you will understand what I mean when I tell you, I will not tolerate, under any circumstance, betrayal of any kind.” The calm voice in which he spoke caused even more discomfort for the men at the table. They were all trying to figure out which one of them would be stupid enough to piss off Angelo to this magnitude. “I have been good to each of you. Have I not?” The men nodded in agreement. “Business is going very well, we’re making money, and I have trusted each of you in positions of power.” His eyes went directly to Michael, who was visibly beginning to sweat. “Is this true?” They all agreed once again. Angelo stood from his chair and leaned forward, placing both of his palms flat on the

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table. “Then why is it that after all that we have been through together, built a massive empire that has made us richer than we could have ever thought possible, I find out that someone I loved, guided, and supported like he was my own brother has taken from me?” He met the eyes of every person at the table. “No answers?” He shook his head in disgust. “I thought so. I guess I am just going to have to show you what happens when men that I once trusted decide that it’s okay to steal from me.” Standing up straight showing his full 6’6” height, he turned to his son. “Nathan, if you will.” Nathan motioned for Kyle to follow him and they went over to the large sliding doors in the back of the warehouse. Nathan had Kyle open one large door while he opened the other. Once the doors opened the black

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cargo van driven by Dante came in first with Mickey in the passenger seat. Following closely behind them was the second Cargo van driven by Lucca. The men exited the vans and walked to the back of them where Kyle and Nathan stood. All eyes watched in shock as Nathan, Kyle, Dante, Mickey and Lucca opened the trunk doors, and revealed what they had stored in the back. Angelo cleared his throat and the men’s attention quickly went back to him. As he spoke he kept his voice low and calm. “I do not appreciate being made a fool of, and I do not like explaining myself to others when I know I have not made a mistake.” His voice rose as his anger began to take over. “I have worked very hard to create a lucrative and organized empire. I will not have my

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business destroyed by the greed of some simpleminded idiots! I have always, always been able to get my products from one place to the next, and then all of a sudden, out of fucking nowhere, not one, but two times,” he shouted and held up two fingers, “I am told that my product and my money, has been taken from me.” “We have all been doing our parts to ensure that whoever has done this doesn’t do it again, Angelo,” one of the men stated frantically. He was still trying to figure out who would be stupid enough to betray Angelo. Angelo nodded his head, and lowered his voice. “Yes, some of you have, and for that I am very grateful, but one of you,” he said looking at Michael, “has not had the family’s best interest at heart.”

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All eyes followed Angelo’s to Michael, who sat looking down at the table unable to meet Angelo’s eyes. Angelo directed their attention to the back of the room. Nathan and his team had ten men lined up on their knees with bruised and bloodied faces. “These are the men that were instructed, and well paid, to steal products that didn’t belong to them. These men were being both supervised, and instructed by our dear friend, and brother, Michael Ricci.” Angelo stopped talking when the sound of Michael’s chair scooting against the floor filled the room. He hit the table hard with his fist. “Don’t you move another muscle you lying, filthy, ungrateful piece of shit.” His voice was menacingly low, and Michael didn’t move. The captains present at the table were shocked by the discovery that Michael would

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betray Angelo. Angelo had always been a good friend and boss to all of them. “I was saddened and confused by this information when my son first brought it to me. It is truly amazing that greed and lust for power can make a man go against the only family he has ever known.” Angelo sighed and shook his head as he backed away from the table. Everyone knew what was about to happen. There was only one reason why Angelo would have Nathan’s whole team present at a meeting such as this. The room went quiet when Nathan began to walk over to the table. His cold gray stare told Michael that everything that was about to take place would be very painful for him. Michael began to tremble.

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Nathan removed his suit jacket, revealing two chrome Glocks resting in his shoulder holster, and the vicious hunting knife he always had on hand. They’d all heard many stories of what Nathan had done with that knife, and none of them had ever wanted to know what it would feel like to be on the receiving end of its wrath. Once Nathan made it across the room, he placed his suit jacket gently on the table. He didn’t take his eyes off of Michael for one second, and his face remained expressionless. Michael knew what they wanted him to do, and he wasn’t about to put up a fight. He wanted his end to be as painless as possible. From behind Nathan everyone could see Dante, Lucca, Mickey, and Kyle remove their Glocks from their holsters, preparing for the massacre about to take place. Nathan put a

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tight hold around Michael’s arm and pulled him out of his seat, dragging both Michael and his chair to the middle of the room. “If you resist, I’ll break both of your arms.” His deep voice was cold and empty of all emotion. “If you try to run, I’ll chase you down and cut off your legs.” Michael had no intention of doing either as he sat down in the chair, awaiting his certain death. Nathan stood on the right side of him waiting for further instructions from his father. Angelo walked toward Nathan and Michael, while yelling out instructions to Nathan’s team. “Dante, Mikilo, Lucca, Kyle, kill them all, please.” At that command, the sound of men screaming and bullets making contact with ten skulls filled the air. The shots were quick and accurate in their aim, silencing the

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screams and leaving ten bodies lying in pools of blood on the warehouse floor. Nathan looked at Michael, who was staring in horror at the men he had coerced into his failed plan. Angelo turned back to Michael. “Do you see? This is why we follow rules. This is why we don’t steal from one another. Are you beginning to understand? Is the shit clicking yet?” Angelo’s anger took hold and his voice began to rise. “How is this empire supposed to be successful if I have to worry about the men I trusted, in my own fucking family stealing from me?” he shouted at all in the room. “How am I supposed to be confident in the decisions that I make if dumb fucks like him,” he pointed his finger accusingly at Michael, “make me second guess the way I run my shit?”

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Michael was ready to run for his life, but he remembered Nathan’s threat, and everyone knew that Nathan Salerno never made idle threats. Just when he was about to say fuck it and run, Nathan gripped him by the hair, and jerked his neck back forcefully. Michael felt his eyes begin to water from the pain that shot down his spine. His heart rate sped up, and his breathing became labored when Nathan’s knife made contact with his neck. Angelo walked toward him like a lion stalking its prey. “What did you do with my weapons?” Angelo asked. Michael could barely catch his breath, but he knew if he didn’t answer the question, the interrogation would get more painful for him. He just wanted it to be over so he took

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the deepest breath he could manage. “I sold them,” he replied. Angelo’s eyebrows shot up. He was surprised the question was answered so quickly. “To whom, may I ask?” He slipped his hands into his pants pockets. Michael couldn’t breathe, and Nathan’s hold was tightening in his hair. He was so afraid he began to ramble. “I don’t know. The buyer was anonymous. The money’s at my house in my safe. The combination to my safe is in my wallet.” Deciding to try and plea with his dear friend Angelo for his life, Michael began to beg. “Angelo please if you just let me expl—” Michael was cut short when Nathan dragged the knife across his throat ending both his plea for mercy, and his life.

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The room was silent as Angelo turned to the other men at the table. “Let the events of this evening be a lesson to all of you. I do not take betrayal lightly. I have never been anything but honest with each of you about my expectations, and what is required of those in leadership. You do your job. I do my job. We all get paid, and you motherfuckers can go ahead and live your lives in luxury. If this shit ever, and I mean ever happens again, I’ll be cleaning house and replacing all of you ungrateful sons of bitches.” With those parting words he turned on his heel, and began to walk toward the exit. “And clean this shit up!” were the last words he tossed over his shoulder before he left the warehouse, with his driver and Mitchell following closely behind him.

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Nathan wiped the blood off of his knife on the handkerchief he carried in his pocket, and threw it in the trash with the rest of the items that would be burned later. He looked over at the table where the men were still sitting in shock and he narrowed his eyes on them. “Hey!” He yelled getting their attention. They all looked at him still shocked and terrified by the events that had just taken place before their eyes. Nathan sighed and shook his head, disappointed in their idiocy. Clenching his jaw, and fighting the urge to roll his eyes, he lowered his voice. “Go home, the meetings over.” They all gathered their coats and left the warehouse. Nathan watched them leave, shaking his head in disgust at their weakness. They had probably remained seated to avoid running

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into his father outside, but he didn’t know why they would do that. It was safer for them outside with the Boss, than it was for them inside with Nathan.

2

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Hope Beach

Carter Steele wanted to kill whoever invented alarm clocks and rent because both of them were getting on her last nerves right now, and she really wished she didn’t have to deal with either of them. Slamming her fist down on the blaring alarm clock hard, Carter turned to it shooting a deadly glare. She cursed the ungodly contraption with all her heart, and wished on it a million crushing blows from a bat for interrupting her sleep. Life wouldn’t be like this if I were rich, she thought bitterly.

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She closed her eyes and wished on whatever star was still in the sky at 6 a.m., that she would look under her pillow, and there would be a million dollars. She opened her eyes, peeked under her pillow, and found absolutely nothing. She groaned. “Well maybe tomorrow, huh Whiskers?” she said to her roommate’s cat. The cat looked at her with a look she could have sworn was a scowl, and turned away from her. Carter gasped and shook her head side to side. She knew that cat was racist. “Well screw you too, you little bastard.” She muttered. Jenna picked that moment to enter her room. “Hey, don’t you talk to Whiskers like that, he’s just a baby.” She bent down to pick

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up the little jerk. “Aren’t you my pretty little Whiskers?” Ugh! Carter hated when her roommate Jenna would use baby talk while communicating with that stupid cat. “Hey, Jen.” She waved her hand to get her roommates attention. “How about you and your Nazi cat get the hell out of my room so I can get ready for work?” Carter needed time to pull herself together. She was not a morning person. Jenna glared at her. “Ha, ha, very funny, Carter.” Carter hated when she put emphasis on her name like that, and Jenna knew it. “I told you to stop calling him a Nazi. He doesn’t look like Hitler,” she said with a pout. Carter bit her lip to try and hide the smile threatening to form. Jenna was blinded by the disturbing love she had for her cat, which

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did in fact look like Hitler. The cat was white and black. Black hair covered his back, the top of his back legs and his tail. His front legs and stomach were all white, but that wasn’t the disturbing part. The hair on the cat’s head and ears was all black, and everything else white until the tip of his nose, which was black. And there you have it, the cat that looks like Hitler. But Carter wasn’t going to explain that to Jenna, there was no point, plus she didn’t really have time to tease her. Jenna would just get whiny and bitchy, and a bitchy Jenna, makes for a very bad day. “Whatever you say Jen. I just have to get ready for work,” Carter said as she stood up and begin stretching. “Ahh yes, another day of changing the world at Benny’s Bar, one beer at a time,” Jenna said sarcastically.

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Carter just laughed off her bitchy comment. “You are exactly right. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a shower.” Carter skipped off into the bathroom knowing her nonchalant attitude would piss of Jenna. That made her smile wider. Her shower was so relaxing, and she hated that it was interrupted at the end by the absence of hot water. Not awesome, she thought, as she began to dress for work. She went through her normal routine. She put on her black shorts, her green Benny’s tank top, and she tied her long hair up in a perfect ponytail, wrapping a matching green ribbon around it in a bow. “And off to work we go,” she said as she walked down the large hallway to the living room. Once Carter made it to the living room she spotted Jenna sitting on their couch,

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with Whiskers flipping through the channels on the television. Carter stood in front of the television, knowing it would make her mad, but not caring when she threw a pillow at her. “Carter, what the hell?” she yelled. Carter turned in a full circle moving her hips from side to side, all the while dodging pillows. “How do I look? We’re wearing green this week. And since its summer and getting hot we get to wear our short shorts.” Carter couldn’t help but be excited about summer. She loved when vacationers came to Hope Beach, New York. It meant more customers, and more tips at Benny’s. Jenna shook her head in disgust. “You look like a hoe,” she said pointing at Carter’s

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chest, “and I believe your shirt is too tight. Your boobs are trying to escape as we speak.” Carter laughed out loud, man she loved this chick. “It’s called cleavage, and it’s gonna get me some big ass tips,” she said while giving Jenna a little shimmy of her shoulders. Jenna tried to hide her smile, but Carter caught it. “And what are you doing today, Princess Jenna?” Carter asked while putting on her gray New York Giants jacket. Jenna shrugged her shoulders. “Probably go shopping for clothes and food. My dad already sent me my monthly guilt money, so this month’s groceries are on me.” “Every month’s groceries are on you Jen,” Carter replied. “You should really let me help, even though I’m ‘poor with no money’.

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Which is something you never hesitate to remind me about.” Jenna rolled her eyes and smiled, “You are poor. My father still doesn’t understand why I decided to get a roommate in the first place.” Carter skipped over to Jenna and plopped on the couch next to her, hugging her tight. “It’s because you love me!” She placed a big smooch on Jenna’s cheek while Jenna struggled to break her hold. “It’s because you need me. Admit it Jenna, I’m the light of your life,” Carter said with a big smile on her face. Jenna frantically wiped the spot on her face where Carter kissed her and finally broke free. “You are insane, you know that?” she said with a chuckle. “Get your crazy ass to work before you’re late.”

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Carter couldn’t help but laugh. She and Jen had their ups and downs but truthfully she loved the girl, they were like sisters. Carter definitely needed that since she didn’t have any sisters, or brothers for that matter. She had met Jenna when she first came to Hope Beach, two years ago. She moved here by herself, a little while after the death of her father. She had wanted to live in Manhattan, but there was no way she could afford that. So when she decided to look at smaller areas in New York, she came across Hope Beach. When she first saw the pictures of Hope Beach online she knew it was the place for her. She loved the beautiful neighborhoods, the sunny summer skies, and the gorgeous blue ocean. She had always wanted to live near the ocean.

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After her father died she went through a very dark period that took some time to escape. When she finally did she decided she needed to reinvent herself, and become someone that could live and be happy in a different environment then she was used too. She used what little money she had to get to Hope Beach, and get an apartment. She could only afford a small studio, but it was a warm place to sleep at night. Her father had left her behind some precious items he had, and she wasn’t willing to sell them for money, even if they would have gotten her a lot. So she got a job. She began working at a trendy little restaurant called Madison’s as a waitress, and one afternoon while she was working, she saw a girl with beautiful long red hair. She was sitting at the corner table alone with a

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somber look on her pretty face, and tears in her eyes. Of course being who she is, Carter couldn’t help but go over to the girl to see if she was alright. When Carter asked her she was greeted with a scowl and a food order. Carter just shrugged it off and did as she was told. She figured the girl was having a bad day, but that still didn’t stop her from trying to put a smile on her lightly freckled face. So Carter just decided to do what she did best, be herself, and it worked. She even threw in a free dessert for the sad girl. She could tell that Jenna was shy the moment they started talking, and she didn’t have many friends because of her unease with interaction. But she could also tell that Jenna wanted friends, and she wanted to interact, she just didn’t know how. So Carter asked her if she wanted to hang. Why not? Carter was new there and

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she didn’t know anything about anything in Hope Beach. With Jenna, she would have a new friend anda tour guide. Now two years later, the friendship was still strong and Carter got to move into a much nicer condo with two master bedrooms, three bathrooms, and the only person she loved in this world. Carter planted another kiss on Jenna’s pale freckled cheek. “Alrighty, I’m off to break my back for the man. Please don’t forget Doritos. I can’t live without them Jenna,” Carter pleaded. Jenna waved her hand in the air dismissively, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll remember. Have a good day, hoe.” Carter laughed as she walked out the front door. ***

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Hope Beach really was a beautiful place in the summertime. People would come from all over the country to vacation and get away from the struggles of life. They would find peace and warmth on the countless beaches that went on forever. They could lay back and relax in the sun, or brave the big waves of the summer with their surf boards. Carter loved everything about this place from the activities like horseback riding, polo fields, countless golf, and tennis courts, to the beautiful Hope Garden which was located in the middle of the city. Hope Garden was the first place Carter visited when she moved to Hope Beach. She sat there for hours admiring the manicured grass and colorful flowers. The beauty of the garden was breathtaking, and brought back hazy but wonderful memories. She and Jenna enjoyed going to

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the garden to have picnics and walk the trail whenever they could, but ever since Carter and Jen had both turned twenty-one last year, their fun usually took place in the downtown area. Downtown Hope Beach was where all the fun was located, from restaurants and designer shopping, to the cities hottest clubs and bars. Carter loved the downtown area, it was her favorite place to be, besides the beautiful beaches. She was actually downtown shopping with Jenna when she landed her job at Benny’s. She and Jenna were walking out of a Gucci department store when she was approached by a handsome man. She thought she was about to get a date, but instead she got a job, which was better in her book.

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Yes, maybe she only got the job because she was considered “hot” by men, but she got a lot of tips, and she loved the crazy people that came into that bar. On the plus side, Ben’s a good boss to her and the other waitresses that work there. He doesn’t let any of the men or women that come to eat, drink, and watch sports mistreat them at all. Not that Carter would let anyone mistreat her anyway, but it felt nice to have someone care about her, even a little bit after a long time of having no one. Once she made it downtown she parked her car in the nearest parking lot, and walked the rest of the way to Benny’s. It was a perfect sunny day so she took off her jacket hoping to attract some costumers to Benny’s. The act may be a little conceited, but she knew she looked hot in her shorts and tank.

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Her hair was pressed to perfection. She kept it from getting wet in the shower to keep it bouncy. Carter knew that if even a little bit of water hit her hair she’d be sporting a very large afro. She noticed a group of men on the other side of the street watching her walk to work. They were definitely here on vacation and they looked fun. She turned and waved at them, pointed to the Benny’s Bar logo on her shirt, then turned to continue walking toward the bar. When she reached the entrance she turned once more and saw the group walking toward the bar and she smiled to herself. Now Benny would get more business and she would get more tips. Right when she walked in the bar she was greeted by the other waitresses and Benny.

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“Hey hun, oooo, I love that ribbon. I didn’t even think of that for my hair,” one of the waitresses said running her fingers through Carter’s long ponytail. “Your hair is so pretty Carter, so soft.” Carter smiled. She got that a lot. People have always told her how much they love the texture of her thick hair. If only they knew how long it took her to make it look like that every day. “Thanks, I’ll bring some extra ribbon for you tomorrow.” Soon Carter heard the door open and she looked over just in time to see her group walk inside. She smiled smugly. Damn, I’m good, she thought. She walked over to hand them menus and show them to one of her tables.

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As she walked back to the kitchen Angie, her manager, walked up to her. “That sure is a big group,” she said looking over Carter’s shoulder. “They’re all so cute too. I love the summer time when sexy guys come here for vacation. It makes me glad that I moved here.” Carter nodded her head and smirked. “You and me both, honey.” They both giggled and got to work. The bar was busier than usual, vacationers filled the downtown area and businesses were reaping the benefits of the season. By the middle of her shift Carter was exhausted, but she perked up when she saw a gorgeous familiar face that she hadn’t seen in months. “Kyle!” she screamed as she ran over to him, jumping in his arms for a big hug.

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Kyle picked her up, spinning her around in his arms. She loved when he did that, he was so tall it felt like she was flying. He laughed when he put her down. “So I’m guessing this means you missed me, huh?” he said sarcastically. Carter giggled and hit one of his big muscled arms. “Yes, I missed you, you jerk. Where the hell did you disappear to?” “I had to work, my boss is an asshole and he called me out of nowhere.” He hunched his shoulders and rocked back and forth on his heels, “So, you know, I had to go.” Carter’s brows furrowed. “But you didn’t even come to say goodbye before you left, Kyle. I thought you didn’t like me anymore,” Carter said, pouting a little more than she liked, but she really wanted to know why Kyle left and never called.

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She started working at Benny’s at the end of the summer last year and Kyle was her first customer. The first thing she noticed when she walked up to his table was his handsome face. With chiseled features, sky blue eyes, and gorgeous black hair that went a little passed his shoulders Kyle was the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen in her life. But he was a player and that didn’t surprise Carter one bit. Of course a guy that handsome, who could have absolutely any girl he wanted wasn’t a one woman guy. Of course she still flirted with him like crazy, but she would never sleep with him. He had come to the bar often when he was in Hope Beach and he would even call her when he was out of town. They really had become great friends, and then out of nowhere he

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just up and disappeared two months ago. No goodbye. No see you soon. Nothing. Carter crossed her arms over her chest, starting to get upset at the sexy bastard standing in front of her. He thinks he can just disappear without a goodbye and then come back and the friendship is good? Uh, uh hell no! she thought scowling at him while staring into his blue eyes. Her scowl became a glare when she saw mirth in his eyes. He thinks this is funny? He chuckled. “You’re mad at me.” It wasn’t a question, he was stating a fact. “Carter, baby, I would have come to say goodbye to you, but the matter I had to attend to was of some urgency and I left in the middle of the night.” He tucked a loose strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear. He tugged at her earlobe

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gently. “I didn’t have time to call you either, I had to travel a lot this time, but I thought about you, and I got you post cards from every country I visited.” He reached in his back pocket and pulled out five post cards. Dammit, for a jerk he was really charming. She could feel her resentment for him leaving at that moment. She snatched the cards from his big hands. She shouldn’t have told him the story about her father bringing her post cards from all the places he went for business, but since he remembered, and that was so sweet, she let go of her anger toward him. He smiled, he could see in her eyes he had been forgiven. He bent down and kissed her cheek. “I’m sorry, forgive me.”

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Carter raised an eyebrow. “Are you asking me to forgive you, or are you telling me to forgive you?” Kyle smirked. “Telling, of course.” Carter laughed. “Fine, you’re forgiven, but don’t do it again or I’ll kick your ass Kyle,” she said pointing her finger at him. A mischievous smile appeared on his handsome face and he started to move closer to her, “Mmm, still as sassy as ever. Have you rethought the limits of our friendship yet?” Carter stopped him from moving forward by placing her had on his chest. She felt his hard muscles through his shirt, but that didn’t change her mind. She chuckled, she couldn’t believe after all this time he was still trying to get in her pants. “No, I haven’t.”

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He groaned in frustration, and in one swift move grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her away from him. He bent over and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her feet from the ground. Standing up straight, he buried his face in her neck, and growled. Carter giggled and squealed in his arms. She was ticklish on her neck and he knew that. “Fine,” he said walking toward the bar, “since you won’t give me what I really have a taste for, I guess I’ll settle for a burger, fries, and a beer.” He let her feet hit the floor and she turned to him with a big smile on her face. “Sounds good,” she said through a laugh. “Go to our table. I’ll take my break and eat with you.” Kyle smiled and nodded at her as

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he made his way to the table where he and Carter always ate lunch together. Once her attention was back on her surroundings, she noticed the other waitresses that watched her and Kyle’s exchange were staring at her, some with smiles, and some with jealousy. The women giving the looks of jealousy were some of Kyle’s past victims. Carter sighed and walked toward the kitchen to get her the food. She had almost made it to the kitchen when Tessa, a multiple time victim of Kyle’s charms, caught her by the arm before she walked through the door. Carter had seen her coming, and she knew that the bitch would grab her arm, but she decided to hold back her natural reflex, which was to punch the offender in the throat —very hard. Tessa’s grip on Carter’s arm began to tighten, and it was really

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starting to piss Carter off. Tessa was taller and bigger than Carter, nearly all the girls were. Carter was only 5’4.5”, and giant hoes like Tessa always thought they could intimidate her or kick her ass. Tessa was very close to finding out why that assumption was a huge mistake. Reigning in her temper, Carter pasted on her fakest smile. “Can I do something for you, Tessa?” she asked while she looked at Tessa’s grip on her arm. Tessa removed her hand and crossed her arms over her very, fake breasts. “When did Kyle get back in town?” she asked glaring at Carter. Carter rolled her eyes. She had neither time nor energy for this shit. “Today, apparently.”

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Tessa’s hands moved to her hips and she gave Carter a look of disdain. “You guys are pretty touchy for just friends. I wasn’t aware that you two started dating,” a smug smile appeared on her face. “Was it before, during or after all the times he’s been with me?” Carter sighed. “I don’t know what you’re bitching about Tessa, but I’m busy. If you have questions for Kyle go ask him. I’m done talking to you.” “Oh, come on Carter, maybe we can swap stories, have some girl talk about how good Kyle is in the sack.” She leaned closer, her voice a whisper. “I especially love that thing he does with his tongue when he…” Ewww! Carter though. “Enough, Tessa, you and I aren’t exchanging any stories because there’s nothing to exchange,” Carter said cutting her off mid-sentence.

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Tessa’s eyes went wide, “Are you telling me that you have been hanging out with Kyle like that for all this time and you haven’t fucked him?” “I’m not telling you anything, Tessa,” Carter said through clenched teeth. “It makes sense really.” Tessa continued as if Carter hadn’t even spoken. “I always thought, but I never was sure until now. You’re a lesbian. I mean I never see you around with men, and you never have a boyfriend come around here like the rest of the girls. As a matter of fact, the only person I ever see you close with around town is that smug little bitch Jenna, so that’s probably who you’re fucking.” That did it. Carter grabbed her by her neck and slammed her back against the wall next to the kitchen door, knocking the wind

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from her lungs. Tessa’s eyes went wide and her brows shot up in shock as she fought to gasp for air, while Carter’s hand tightened around her throat. “Who I’m fucking is none of your business, Tessa. I told you I didn’t want to talk to you, but I guess you didn’t hear me so let me repeat myself.” Carter kept her voice calm so she could get her point across, but her hand continued to tighten around Tessa’s throat. “I. Am. Done. Talking. To. You,” she said as if talking to an errant child, and then she smirked. “But if you have any questions for Kyle, feel free to go back in there and ask him yourself.” She let go of Tessa’s throat, and she fell to her knees gasping for air. Carter just chuckled and walked through the kitchen door.

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After fifteen minutes of food preparation, Carter finally got to have lunch with Kyle. She didn’t realize how much she missed him until they were sitting down and laughing about the most ridiculous things like they always did when they were around each other. She was glad he was back in town and she hoped he would stay a while. He was the funniest womanizer she had ever met, and friendly womanizers, are not easy to find. Once they were finished eating, Kyle said he had to leave, and Carter decided she would walk him out. She noticed the evil looks she was getting from Tessa, but she really didn’t give a shit. She grabbed Kyle’s big hand and held it as she walked him out, just because she knew she could. Once they got outside she looked up at his handsome face and he smiled at her still holding her hand.

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“So how long are you going to be around this time, should I expect another disappearing act?” Kyle chuckled. “No, love, you won’t have to worry. I’m actually planning on being here for a little while, I’ve been working really hard and I could use a break or risk going insane.” He started concentrating on playing with the loose strands of her hair again. She knew he loved the texture of her hair, he always said so. “I’ll actually be having some friends joining me this time. I told them about this place, they could use some peace too.” He tucked the strands behind her ears and gave it a gentle tug. “I’ll probably bring them by here for dinner tomorrow. Will you be working?” he asked looking into her eyes.

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“Yep I’ll be here, you want me to wait on you and your friends hand and foot don’t you?” she asked with a playful smile. He smirked. “You know it, love. So make sure you wear that sexy smile of yours while you serve us. I’m going to need you to be in good spirits,” he said playfully. His eyes dropped down to her outfit and he smiled and licked his lips. “I’ll need you to wear those shorts too. They make me remember why I love summer so much.” Carter looked away and shyly hit his arm. “You’re such a pig. Go, I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said while turning around to go back in the bar. Kyle grabbed her shoulders leaned forward, kissed her cheek, and gave her behind a quick smack. “See you soon, baby,” he whispered in her ear. He kissed her on the

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cheek. “Come by my place tonight. I’m going to need some of your encouraging cuddles before my bastard friends come here tomorrow.” As if he already knew she’d agree to come to his place, he turned and began walking down the side walk toward the parking lot. Carter chuckled. She really missed him, and she hoped he really would be around for a while. She was kind of nervous about meeting his friends tomorrow, but she was a pro at interacting with people. She just hoped they were as great as Kyle.

3

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Battle in Brooklyn

Nathan was awakened by the sound of his cell phone. He turned to look at the clock on the night stand, it was 4 AM, and he frowned trying to figure out who the hell would call him so early. He looked at the name on the screen and groaned. He really couldn’t handle anymore surprise meetings or trips. Letting out a grunt of frustration he put the phone to his ear. “Papa, why must you call me so early? You are aware that my flight just got in yesterday, right?”

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He could hear his father’s chuckle over the phone. “Ahh, yes, young people and their sleep. Do you not want to see the sun rise over the Hudson from that beautiful view of yours son?” His father said, referring to the Hudson River view in Nathan’s penthouse apartment in Manhattan. Nathan looked around remembering that he was not in his apartment. “No, I’m fine. I’d rather sleep, something I haven’t really done in months,” Nathan replied while sitting up in the bed, running his fingers through his hair. He heard his father chuckle again. What the hell was so funny? “Well no time for sleep, my boy. I’m actually on my way to board my plane. I’m heading off to Russia and then Italy for some business.”

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Russia? What does he have to do in Russia? Nathan thought. “So, why are you calling me?” Nathan asked, hoping his father didn’t want him to join him on the trip. He knew that Nathan took off for a while every year around this time. “I know you don’t like to be bothered around this time of year since…” “Just get to the point of why you called, Papa,” Nathan said cutting off his father’s statement. His father let out a deep chuckle. “Nathan, my boy, be happy you’re my son. You’re the only man I let cut me off when I’m speaking and live. I need you to do something for me before you pull that little disappearing act you do.”

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Asshole, Nathan thought. “I just got back to the states yesterday, and you’re trying to send me away again?” “Not out of the country son,” his father sighed. “Are you alone?” Nathan looked behind him at the woman lying next to him in bed. He didn’t want to get fully out of bed so he decided he would put up a language barrier. “Go ahead, she won’t understand what I’m saying,” he said in Italian. “I need you to go to Brooklyn. Andrew Reeves seems to have forgotten some of the terms of our agreement, and I need you to go remind him in the most painful way possible.” Nathan ran his hand down his face, feeling more frustrated at the moment. Of course his father wanted him to handle this

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shit. He had become his muscle, and his fucking hit man all while still fulfilling his duties as the Underboss. Ever since the death of his father’s dear friend, and former hit man, Spook, Nathan and his men have been going all around the world doing some very bloody work for his father. His father justified the work overload by saying this was his way of preparing him to take over the family when it’s time, so really, what choice does Nathan have? On the plus side of things Nathan was beginning to make a name for himself in the criminal underworld. He was now known as more than just Angelo Salerno’s son. He had become someone to be both feared and respected. He really didn’t want to use his father’s name to gain respect in this world anyway, he wanted to earn it. He never felt

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entitled to it just because his last name is Salerno. Nathan sighed. “And I’m guessing you would like this done as soon as possible?” “Yes, today if you would, please.” There was silence for a moment until his father broke it. “So, are you leaving again this year?” Nathan’s jaw ticked. He really didn’t want to talk about this, not with him. “Yes, I am. I’ll call you when I return, I’m sure you’ll be fine here without me.” “I see, well where are you going to go? To Moscow, to visit her family?” “They’re my family too,” Nathan snapped, “and no, I already visited earlier this year. I don’t know, I just know I won’t be staying here and I won’t be working.”

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His father sighed. “I know, Nathan, and I always respect your privacy when you take this time, do I not?” “Yes you do,” Nathan replied, letting out a frustrated sigh. “Why don’t you cut the trip down to one week instead of a month, Nathan?” “I just… not yet. I will soon, but not yet, Papa. Just please let it go this year, and we will talk about cutting the time down next year.” Angelo sighed. “Fine son, as you wish. I know you still blame me. I know you always will. Hell, I blame myself, I should have been there. I never should have—” “Look Pop,” Nathan said, successfully cutting off his father again, “I’ll head out to Brooklyn later on today and I’ll do this last thing for you before I take off. Once I return

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I’ll call you and get back to work. Remember that the rest of my guys will be away too. It’s important that they get some time away from this shit for a while. I’ll call you later today after I leave Brooklyn.” Not waiting for his father to reply, Nathan ended the call. He knew his dad would be pissed but he hated when his father tried to justify what happened to his mother, and he didn’t want to sit through another one of his half assed apologies of how he should have been there. The apologies were the worst for Nathan. He had to hear them for years after his mother died, and he would be damned if he sat and listened to one again when he knew it was complete bullshit. The truth was, his father was absolutely correct. Nathan did blame him for his mother’s death, because it was his fault, and the last person he wanted to

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talk to about her death so close to the anniversary of it, was the man responsible for it. He had only been able to forgive his father enough to not disappear because he loved him, but Nathan refused to ease the guilt that he deserved to feel for his mother. Because of his father’s sins, Nathan’s mother suffered a tragic death she didn’t deserve. Nathan wouldn’t even wish his mother’s death on the worst women in the world. He didn’t like to think about it, but the memories were unavoidable. Sometimes they played in his head like movies, making the pain the memories produced unbearable. That’s why every year around the anniversary of his mother’s death Nathan leaves, he just leaves, nowhere specific as long as he’s alone; no phones, no work, and no father.

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His thoughts were interrupted by movement on the other side of the bed. When he’d first woken up to his father’s call he had forgotten that he’d come to Julia’s last night. She moved again and moaned, he felt her hands on his back as she sat up. Wrapping her arms around his bare stomach and resting her head on his shoulder she whispered in his ear, “Business?” He gave her a curious look. “Why do you say that?” he asked staring into the brown eyes of the woman on his shoulder. “Because you always speak Italian when you’re talking about something you don’t want me to hear,” she shrugged her shoulders. “I always just assume that its business.”

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“Hmm,” was Nathan’s only response. He was about to get up when she stopped his progress. “No, don’t get out of bed yet, let’s stay in for a little while longer,” she said as her hand slid down his muscled abs and into his sweat pants. “I want to feel you inside me again,” she whispered in his ear. Her platinum blond hair fell over his shoulder and she began to kiss his neck and nip at his ear. Nathan had to give her credit for getting straight to the point. He had been sleeping with his beautiful neighbor for about a year now and he was glad she truly understood their no strings relationship. At least he hoped she understood. He occasionally came across women who have gotten attached to him, which was why he usually didn’t sleep with the same woman more than a few times,

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but Julia was different. She understood that the relationship was just sex, no commitment, not even a chance of commitment. Nathan decided he would never settle down, and he would never make a woman suffer for his sins like his mother suffered for his father’s. So having a girl like Julia, who understood the meaning of no relationship, was convenient. Whenever they decided to hook up he would come to her place, and leave to go home and sleep alone, which he preferred. Last night he had been so tired he fell asleep instead of dressing and leaving. But right now all he could think about was sleep, and for the first time since he hit puberty he wasn’t in the mood to fuck. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her hand from stroking him. “Forgive me, beautiful,” he said. His voice was deep and sensual,

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while slowly removing her hand from his pants. “The call was about business, and I must attend to it now,” he lied. There was nothing he wanted more at this moment then to be in his own bed. Sleeping. Alone. And that’s exactly what he was going to do. He stood up and walked over to retrieve his shirt. “Well, will I see you again tonight?” she pouted. “Maybe we could get some dinner and come back to my place.” Nathan frowned. Getting together outside of the bedroom was not a part of this arrangement, and she knew it. He put on the shirt and shoes he had worn on the plane ride home the night before, he still hadn’t been home yet and he was more than ready to get some sleep in his own bed. He looked over at the beautiful naked woman on the large bed in front of him. Her

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hair was still a bit tousled, and her long tanned legs where peeking out from under the sheets. “No, Julia,” he said walking to the night stand for his phone. “I’ll be gone a while,” he said, choosing not to explain anymore. She gave him a confused look. “Well, you can call me when you get back then. We can make plans.” He looked at her, his brows furrowed, jaw clenched. He saw exactly where she was going with this and he wished she wouldn’t. “We’ll see, Julia, I don’t know,” he said trying to be as gentlemanly as he could. He started walking out of the bedroom. He heard her getting off of the bed and walking behind him and he groaned. “What Julia?” “I just…Nathan can you slow down please?” she begged, grabbing at his arm. He

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stopped and turned around to face her. She was still naked, and panting from running to catch up with him. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her body against his. He could feel her hard nipples through his shirt. “I’m sorry. I know how busy you are. I just think we have something good going between us, you know, me and you, we’re good together, right?” she said softly as she leaned forward and kissed his chest. He looked at her for a moment, his face expressionless. He took her chin between his thumb and index finger and tilted her head up until she met his eyes. She was rooted by his cold gray stare. His face remained expressionless, but his eyes revealed an intense darkness within him. Julia was unnerved by the intensity of his

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stare, unable to meet it, her eyes dropped to his chest. Nathan leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “Goodbye, Julia,” was the last thing he said before he turned and walked out her front door. Julia didn’t move after he left, knowing that he probably would never be back. She tried her hardest not to show that she had gotten attached to him, but it was just too hard, she loved him. She knew that if she could just convince him to see their relationship the way she did, he would see how good of a couple they could be together. But that would take a lot of convincing. She didn’t understand why he was so opposed to a relationship or why he was so damn mysterious all the time. All she knew was that hadn’t

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stopped her from falling in love with him. How could she not fall in love with him? When she first saw him, she had just moved into the building. She was stunned by how beautiful he was. Never had she seen a man so gorgeous in all of her life. The first thing she noticed about him was his height, 6’5”. So tall and yet, so graceful, his long, fit body was enough to make any woman drool. When she first saw him in the lobby of the apartment building he was laughing with a handsome man with long dark hair, she adored his smile because she doesn’t get to see it often. His smile revealed long sexy dimples on his cheeks and perfect white teeth. His golden blond hair, perfect naturally tanned skin and big, hard muscular body made it impossible for her to avert her eyes.

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It took her months to work up the courage to approach him and introduce herself. She saw him at a small bar one night that was close to their building. He was there drinking with four other guys, and they looked to be having a really good time, laughing loud throughout their conversation. Julia had waited until their conversation was over, and when Nathan approached the bar she made her move. She could tell that he was slightly inebriated, but she didn’t care, he was being flirty, and she enjoyed the jealous stares coming from the other women in the bar. They walked together the short distance back to their building. Nathan was charming, funny, and a gentleman the entire walk. He held open doors, made her laugh, and he even told her how beautiful she was. Once

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they made it to her door Julia had decided that she was going to make a bold move and she kissed him. Before she knew what was happening they were ripping off each other’s clothes. They had only made it to the couch before they were completely naked. Julia had never experienced multiple orgasms before, but Nathan Salerno really did know his way around a woman’s body. Thinking of their first night together, and the many nights after that, brought tears to Julia’s eyes. Had she really been the only one falling in love? *** Nathan felt a thousand times better after he got some sleep and went for his daily swim. He stood in front of his large floor to ceiling windows staring out at the Hudson River, thinking about the latest issue his

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father wanted him to handle. It was a minor issue really. It seemed Reeves had forgotten the payment agreement that him and Mitchell, his father’s right hand, had arranged. Nathan felt this issue should be handled by Mitchell since he caused it but since his father asked him to handle it, he would. Nathan usually handled issues of a more serious nature within his father’s empire. Closing deals, and killing men who got in the way, but he would do this just because his father told him to. It was his job to do as the boss asked him. Nathan enjoyed his position and he took it seriously. He reveled in being feared by the same kind of men that brought so much pain into his life, the same type of men that took everything from him when he couldn’t do anything about it.

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Well, that’s not the case anymore, Nathan thought. He dared any motherfucker to try and take anything from him now. Nathan walked into his kitchen and picked up his cup of coffee. He knew he shouldn’t go to Brooklyn alone, but he didn’t know if any of his boys were still in the City. They had all taken off after Nathan gave them the go ahead. Nathan didn’t blame them for wanting to take a break, to get the hell out. He was ready to get away from Manhattan himself. He didn’t want to pull any of them away from their little breaks, but he would rather have one of them with him than the team of security that his father kept trying to convince him to use. Nathan didn’t feel he needed them yet, he could take care of himself. He picked up his cell phone and

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dialed the number of the only person he knew might still be in the city. After two rings he answered the phone. “What did he ask you to do? And it better not be out of the fucking country, Nathan,” Mickey said in a warning tone Nathan chuckled. “Damn, somebody’s cranky, have I worked you that hard?” “Yes asshole, you have. I’m not kidding, Nathan. The only plane I’m getting on is the private one taking me to Kyle’s beach house. Dante, Lucca, and Kyle are already there and I thought you were on your way there too.” Nathan snorted. “There’s no plane involved, Mickey. It’s in Brooklyn. I still don’t know if I’m going. Kyle did make it sound okay, but I still don’t know about being in some tourist attraction during my off time.

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You guys can have a good time without you’re cranky ass boss ruining your fun.” “Bullshit, Nathan, you are coming! You’re not going to keep taking these lonely ass trips every year. I know how you get around this time of year, you don’t need to keep disappearing like that,” Mickey said in a serious tone. Nathan knew he was right but he never wanted to be around anyone when the anniversary of his mother’s death came around. He knew he would have way too much fun around his rowdy brothers too. They all had a tendency to act like crazy ass frat boys when they weren’t in business mode. “I don’t know Mick, we’ll see.” “Fuck that Nathan, you pick me up, we head down to Brooklyn to handle whatever the hell Angelo wants us to, and you and me

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can head to Hope Beach together. Once you get away from all this shit for a while, you’ll feel better man. Trust me,” Mickey said confidently. When Nathan didn’t respond, Mickey sighed. “Nathan, it will be good for you and the rest of us to go off somewhere and chill for a while. When was the last time we all got to just chill the fuck out? No guns, no money, and no blowing the brains out of some asshole that your father wants dead?” Nathan thought about it for a moment then nodded his head, deciding Mickey was right. Nathan did miss the times when it wasn’t all business with his boys, it was just lately they’ve been too busy. Once his father had realized Nathan’s talents he capitalized on them big time. Nathan and his small team, consisting of the only men he completely trusts, have become some

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of the most feared men in the criminal world, and Nathan didn’t want to lose the one thing he knew made them strong, their bond. They were brothers. They had each other’s back and protected each other because they genuinely cared for one another, not because of the money. Coming to the conclusion that he should face this month head on with his brothers, he nodded his head and sighed. “Yeah Mick, alright. I’ll be there soon. Me and you will go and handle this Reeves shit and get the hell out of here.” He heard Mickey chuckle. “I’m glad bro, you can tell me what’s going on with Reeves when you get here.” Nathan hung up the phone feeling a bit better after deciding where to spend his time off. He grabbed his keys and his luggage and

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left his apartment, hoping that this trip would do him some good. Hoping that this time, he’d come back home in a month prepared to finally let go. *** Nathan and Mickey finally made it to Brooklyn after dealing with hellish traffic. By the time they got there they were both ready to get this meeting over with quickly and get on to their next destination. Nathan didn’t want to be there, and the fact that he had to be there filled him with vicious rage, all directed at that bastard Reeves for not understanding the meaning of an agreement. People make agreements to avoid confusion, and Nathan didn’t understand why Reeves had to be continuously reminded of that. As they exited the car Nathan knew that Mickey had picked up on his mood, which

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was good because Nathan didn’t want this to take but a second. They quickly walked into Reeves’ Family Restaurant and found him sitting at one of the tables eating with two men. The restaurant was empty, which Nathan preferred He’d rather not have an audience of customers see what was about to happen. The only people that were present were Reeves, the two men, and the employees, which were members of Reeves’ family. The men were brutish so Nathan was sure that they were there for Reeves’ protection, but he didn’t give a damn if they were there or not. He came to make sure Reeves paid his father, and that’s exactly what he was going to do. Without hesitation Nathan walked up to the table where Reeves and his body guards were eating, Mickey following behind him.

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Reeves looked up from his food, wiped his mouth with a napkin, smiled, and ran his finger down the long scar on his face, something he always did to intimidate men he believed were a threat. The story of how he got that scar and what happened to the guy who gave it to him was different every time he told it. “Well, I was wondering who Angelo would send, but I definitely didn’t expect him to send you,” Reeves said with a smirk. Nathan stared at Reeves, his expression impassive. He spoke in a low tone, not wanting to give way to the irritation he was feeling just yet. “We need to speak with you privately, it’s a matter of some urgency,” he said. Reeves chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t feel like talking. As you

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can see I am trying to enjoy the meal my beautiful mama has made me.” Nathan was able to maintain his impassive expression even though he was getting more irritated by the second. “Reeves, it would be best for us to have this discussion now, and since it would be inappropriate for us to talk business out here, with your family present, I insist we do it in private.” Nathan spoke as if speaking to a child. Reeves scowled at Nathan, rage filled his dark eyes. “I don’t really like your tone, Salerno. Now, I understand that you are a man with an abundance of power, but not here,” he said raising his voice a bit louder. “If you haven’t noticed you are not in Manhattan. This is Brooklyn little boy, my house, so if I were you I wouldn’t come in here insisting anything.” He sat back with a smug

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smile and crossed his arms over his chest. “So unless you want to find yourself in a very bad situation, I insist you leave, baby Salerno.” Nathan smirked, these people will never learn, he thought to himself. He shook his head and let out an exaggerated sighed. “You should have listened, dumb ass.” Only two clicks from Mickey’s gun were heard as the bodies of the two bodyguards at the table flew forward. Blood spewed from their disfigured heads into Reeves’s face and he sat frozen in shock. In three long strides Nathan was beside him. Grabbing a handful of his curly black hair, Nathan slammed Reeves’ face into the table three times. Reeves let out a loud howl in pain as the blood began to run down his face.

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From behind him Nathan could hear women screaming, but they became silent when Mickey pointed his gun toward them and brought his index finger to his lips. Nathan could hear Reeves’ labored breaths. “Now, that I have your attention,” Nathan said a bit out of breath, “we can have this discussion. You seem to have forgotten to make a payment on product you have already sold. The agreement that you made with Mitchell was that we supply you with a steady flow of his product and services and you pay him accordingly, am I right?” When Nathan got no answer he slammed Reeves’ face into the table again. “Am I Right?” Nathan yelled. “Yes! Yes! I’ll get the money! Just stop!” Reeves pleaded.

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Nathan shook his head. “Now that was going to be the solution when I first came in here, but since you went all ‘this is my house’ on me, I have an idea more pleasing to me.” Nathan heard a whimper escape Reeves’ mouth, and he slammed his face into the table again. “Be a man you little bitch!” he scolded. When he whimpered again Nathan gripped his hair tighter. “Here is the new deal, there are two parts so listen closely. One, you’re finished in New York. Consider the business relationship between you and Salerno over, until I say otherwise. You will find someone else to buy your fucking guns from as well, and once you see how much better our services are you can come and beg ‘baby Salerno’ for forgiveness, and I’ll think about selling to you again. Two, you will pay

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the money you already owe plus an extra twenty percent of what you owe, just to show how much you appreciate me not killing you today. I’ll give you a week, my little gift to you.” Nathan leaned in closer to his ear, his voice was a low growl, “And if you decide not to comply with this deal, I’ll slice you up and send the pieces to your family to serve up to the parasites that eat in this piece of shit.” Nathan stood up straight with his grip still tight in Reeves’ hair, pulled Reeves from his chair, and pushed his body back with so much force that Reeves’ feet left the ground, sending him flying over one table and crashing into another. While Reeves laid there unconscious, Nathan looked around at Reeves’ family. The women stood crying and the men that came from the kitchen stood holding them

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protectively as they looked at Nathan and Mickey with pleading looks. And here it comes, the guilt, Nathan thought. Yes, Nathan may be considered a ruthless killer, but he didn’t enjoy exposing innocent eyes to such brutality, he wasn’t an animal after all. At that moment he really wished Reeves would have just had the private meeting instead of being such an idiot. Nathan wiped the sweat from his brow and straightened a chair. “I apologize for the interruption. You don’t have to cry, I have no desire to hurt any of you. If you will excuse me, my associate and I will be leaving now,” Nathan said trying to soften his features and straighten a few chairs on his way out. “When he wakes up remind him that he has seven days, please and thank you.”

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Once they made it back to the car Nathan heard Mickey chuckle beside him. He looked at him, confused. “What’s funny?” Mickey chuckled again. “You are.” Nathan gave him an inquisitive look. “And why’s that?” He asked while starting the car and navigating into traffic. Mickey looked at him with a knowing grin. “Because you felt guilty, you always do that when we do jobs and some chick is around scared and crying or something. You looked up and saw his family and you felt guilty for beating his ass.” Nathan frowned. “Yeah well, they didn’t deserve to see that shit,” he said mostly to himself. Mickey looked at his friend with one brow raised and chuckled. “And straightening up a few chairs is going to make up for

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what we did in front of their innocent eyes, as you call them?” he joked. Nathan chuckled, he knew it wouldn’t, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying not to look like a complete brute. “I know, I know, I can’t help myself when I do that shit. I just wish that Reeves would have listened the first time. We could have had that meeting away from the eyes of his family. It’s not easy to get that shit out of your head you know, watching someone you love hurt.” Mickey looked at his friend with concern, he knew why Nathan thought this way and he understood his gesture and reassuring words to Reeves’s family. Nathan was very complex to Mickey sometimes. He could be cold and ruthless when appropriate, and he could show kindness and compassion to those that deserved it. This was always

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interesting to Mickey about his friend. How could someone capable of such brutal acts like Nathan, care so much about being viewed as a monster by innocent individuals? Mickey slapped his friend on the back. “Yeah buddy, you’re right. I’m sure they appreciate you putting those chairs back in place on the way out,” he joked. Nathan laughed. “Fuck you.” “Let’s get to the plane and get the hell out of here,” Mickey said leaning back in his seat. Nathan nodded his head in agreement.

4

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Beautiful Stranger

The plane ride to Hope Beach was the most fun Nathan had experienced in a long time. He’d forgotten how much fun it was to hang out with Mickey, and even though he didn’t say it out loud, he was kind of looking forward to the trip with his brothers. When they got off the plane Nathan was greeted by the warm winds and sunny sky. He was glad they made it to Hope Beach before dark so he could look around the “little piece of heaven,” as Kyle called it. And he was right. Hope Beach was beautiful. The

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sunny sky, warm breeze, beautiful luxury homes, manicured lawns, and the gorgeous Hope Garden, all took Nathan’s breath away. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the beautiful assorted flowers that gave the garden a rainbow effect. It made him remember his mother. She loved gardens and she’d spent most of her time tending to her own. Gardening was a skill she had taught Nathan when he was very young. His father would always tell her that it wasn’t a skill that a man needed to possess, but his mother continued to teach him anyway. Nathan didn’t mind it at all, as a matter of fact, it brought him peace. Together, with the help of professionals, he and his mother built a beautiful garden that Nathan hadn’t visited since her death. Nathan was still admiring the beauty as he waited for the stop light to change. When

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he looked up he saw the light was still red, so he turned his attention back to the garden. He noticed a large rose garden full of beautiful roses of various colors and his eyes settled on the yellow patch, those were his mother’s favorite. He remembered how she used them as decoration in their home and on his favorite big white gazebo, and the memory brought a smile to his face. It was memories like these that made him miss her even more. He was enjoying the good memories of his mother when he noticed a pair of gorgeous brown legs appear in front of the yellow roses directly in his line of sight. His eyes began to journey upward to see the owner of those beautiful legs only to find a woman with her back toward him. She bent forward and picked up a rose that wasn’t rooted in

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the ground, giving Nathan a mouthwatering view of her incredible ass in the pair of khaki shorts she wore. Damn, he thought biting down on his bottom lip. She had the perfect ass, round, plump, and it looked soft as hell. Nathan was sure it would fit so perfectly in his hands. When she stood up, she flipped her beautiful long hair over her shoulder. Nathan didn’t know if he had ever seen hair that beautiful before. It was like a thick black cloud that made its way down, ending in the middle of her back. It looked so soft. Nathan yearned to feel it against his skin. His eyes traveled to her beautiful legs again and he admired her gorgeous skin tone. God, her skin looked as smooth as silk, and so sweet like a rich Hershey’s chocolate bar. He really

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wished she would turn around so he could see her face. And he got his wish. When she turned around, for the second time in minutes, something in Hope Beach had taken Nathan’s breath away. He was stuck, gazing at the stunning woman standing in the rose garden. She looked to be far away in thought as a small smile appeared on her beautiful face. She brought the rose up to the most beautiful full lips Nathan had ever seen, and placed a soft kiss on it. Nathan’s breath caught as a rush of memories flashed through his mind of him and his mother in their garden. His mother would pick up one of her roses and kiss it then recite something she made up that Nathan just couldn’t remember at the moment.

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Shaking his head of the memory, his attention went back to the beauty in the garden. Her hair blew in the wind, and the sun kissed her smooth milk chocolate skin perfectly. She looked like an angel. Nathan was fighting to stay in the car, but it was like an invisible force was pushing him to jump out, take her in his arms, and kiss her senseless. He wanted to know her name. No, he needed to know her name. He needed to know the memory that put that beautiful smile on her face. He needed to know— “Nathan! Hello, Earth to Nathan!” Nathan blinked rapidly and shook his head. What the fuck was wrong with him? Was he actually considering jumping from his car to run across the street and confess his love to a complete stranger? Holy shit.

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He looked at Mickey, who was giving him a striking what the fuck look. Nathan frowned. “What?” Mickey pointed to the traffic light. “It’s green. It’s been green. Where the hell were you man?” He could hear the horns blare from the drivers behind him but he wanted to steal one more peek at the beautiful stranger. When he looked her way once more, his breath caught in his chest. She was looking at him! She had a confused expression on her face, most likely wondering why the idiot in the black BMW was holding up traffic. Their eyes met, and damn it, Nathan was stuck again. Her eyes were the most beautiful hazel with a hint of green and they held him captive, he was powerless against them. A slow

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smile appeared on her beautiful face and Nathan couldn’t help but mirror her smile. She raised her hand and waved at him which made him smile wider. She let out a shy giggle and shook her head, and Nathan could have sworn he swooned like a little bitch. Nathan was completely captivated by her. Her smile was warm and her eyes were expressive, it was like they were having a conversation without even speaking to one another. He was going to run to her, he needed to run to her. God, why the hell did he want to run to her? What the fuck was wrong with him? “Nathan! What the fuck?” Nathan snapped out of yet another daze and his attention went to Mickey.

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“What?” Nathan snapped, angry at Mickey for interrupting his silent conversation with his beautiful stranger. Mickey glared at him. “What the hell do you mean what? you just missed the light man. What the hell?” Nathan looked up at the light. Whoops, he thought and chuckled. “Shit, I’m sorry man.” But he wasn’t sorry one bit. Now he could steal another look at his beautiful stranger. Just one more look, he was sure he’d be able to leave after one more look. “What the hell is so funny Nathan? And what the hell are you looking…” Nathan was gone, lost in another silent conversation with the beauty in Hope Garden. When their eyes met again she laughed, a fucking beautiful laugh that he

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could listen to over and over again for the rest of his life. Wait, rest of his life? Ok, now Nathan knew something was wrong with him. But right now, he didn’t care. His eyes remained locked to hers, neither one of them wanting to leave their silent conversation. They remained that way until a pretty redhead walked up to his beauty. Nathan watched as the redhead said something to the beautiful stranger and she tossed her head back and laughed that musical laugh of hers. The redhead just glared at her and grabbed her arm pulling her down the trail, and away from Nathan. No! Nathan fought the urge to run from the car and snatch her away from the redhead. He gripped the steering wheel tight and

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prayed for strength as he silently pleaded with his beautiful stranger to acknowledge him one more time. Anything, a wave, a nod, the finger, anything to show that she remembered he existed. Once again his beauty did not disappoint. While being pulled by the insistent red head, she looked over her beautiful exposed shoulder at him with a playful smile and winked. Satisfied with the acknowledgment, Nathan smiled and leaned back in his seat with a girly sigh. “…and you better not miss this one too. Get your head out of your ass and watch the road man,” Mickey said. Nathan looked at Mickey, bemused. “Huh?” Mickey gasped and gave Nathan a look combined with shock and outrage. Nathan

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didn’t know he had been talking the entire time. He had been too caught up by his beautiful stranger. “Are you kidding me?” Nathan didn’t want to laugh at Mickey’s outrage, but his facial expression made it impossible to hold back. He couldn’t help himself. Mickey glared at his friend. “Fuck you, Nathan.” “I’m sorry, man. I’m so sorry,” Nathan said through his laughter. “Okay Mikilo. What were you saying?” Mickey just gave Nathan the finger, which for some reason caused Nathan to burst into laughter again. Soon after that, Nathan and Mickey finally made it to Kyle’s extremely large beach house. Nathan thought it would be more

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fitting to call the place a castle. They walked up the concrete pathway to the stunning modern style house and opened the front door. Once inside, Nathan felt as if he was walking into a tropical retreat. The plush white furniture sat on the polished hard wood floors, the contemporary style was the perfect choice in Nathan’s opinion. He had always been a fan and it seemed that Kyle shared the same fascination. Every room in the six bedroom, five bathroom mansion was decorated with contemporary style furniture and modern style paintings. The large wall of windows located in the living room of the mansion had a breathtaking ocean view. Nathan was glad that the house was so close to the ocean, he couldn’t wait to get out in the open water and let the waves carry his stress away.

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“Well, well, well, looks like I owe you some money, Lucca,” Dante said from the kitchen. He was leaning against the island looking at Nathan in surprise. “I told you Mickey would talk him into coming,” Lucca said sitting at the table in the dining room, grinning, while stuffing potato chips in his mouth. Mickey walked over to the living room and dropped his bag. “How much you lose, Tae?” he asked through a chuckle. Dante sighed and held up one figure. Nathan looked at him bewildered, “You lost one dollar?” Dante rolled his eyes, walked over to the couch and plopped down. “I wish,” he said with an exasperated sigh. Lucca chuckled. “Not one dollar, cousin, one thousand dollars,” Lucca grinned widely.

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“I think I’m going to get a new leather jacket with the cash.” He put emphasis on the word cash to let Dante know he wouldn’t accept it any other way. Nathan chuckled and shook his head at their antics. “Where’s Kyle?” he asked. “He’s upstairs in his room, we were waiting for you guys to get here so we could hit up downtown and get some food. What the hell took you guys so long?” Dante asked looking up from the couch over at Nathan and Mickey. Mickey frowned and pursed his lips while jerking his head toward Nathan. Nathan rolled his eyes. “We had to handle something last minute in Brooklyn, and uh…then we got held up in traffic.” Mickey snorted. “No, Nathan held up traffic for reasons only God knows. It was

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like he was a damn zombie staring at nothing.” Nathan frowned. “That’s not true. I was looking at some of the sites. I missed the light and Mickey got all bitchy about it.” Nathan lied. He wasn’t going to tell them he held up traffic because a beautiful woman held his attention captive. He wasn’t going to tell them that he couldn’t take his eyes off of her for more than a minute even if he tried, and he definitely wasn’t going to tell them that if she hadn’t gotten dragged away, he’d probably still be in traffic grinning at her like a fucking idiot. Nope, telling all that would just be too much. “Bullshit. I was trying to get his attention, and once I got it he was looking at me like he had just come out of a fucking trance,” Mickey said scowling at Nathan.

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“See what I was saying? Bitchy.” Dante fell back on the couch laughing. Mickey glared at Nathan. “Kiss my ass, Nathan.” Nathan laughed, messing with Mickey amused him. Mickey was the youngest of them all, not by much, but it was still fun to tease the kid. Lucca walked over and slapped Mickey on the back good-naturedly. “Don’t let Nathan piss you off, kid. He’s just being a smartass.” Mickey waved Nathan off. “Screw you, Nathan. I know what I saw you bastard. Anyway, I’ll be in my room. Call when Kyle comes down and we leave for food.” He walked up the stair case holding a suitcase in one hand, and holding up his middle finger at Nathan with the other.

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Nathan chuckled and turned to Lucca. “I suppose you guys have already chosen a room, so I’ll just take what’s left, it doesn’t matter to me.” “I got you cousin. I’ll show you where your room is.” Lucca grabbed Nathan’s bag and led him up the steps. Nathan grabbed his second bag and followed up after Lucca. Once they made it up the white marble staircase they walked down a long hallway with a skylight. Good idea, Nathan thought, as he admired the architecture of the house. “We know how much you like your privacy Nate, so we saved you one of the master bedrooms. It’s some distance from the rest of the rooms but you’ll love it, trust me,” Lucca said.

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They finally made it to Nathan’s room, and Lucca was right, Nathan loved it. The décor maintained the contemporary theme like the rest of the house, and the walls were painted with warm colors, but that was not the part that Nathan loved the most. The room had large sliding glass doors that opened to a private patio. Nathan walked to the large windows and admired the view of the ocean. “I know how much you love the water so I told them to save you this room. You have your own space and it’s a master so you have your own bathroom, with that big ass Jacuzzi tub so you should be good,” Lucca said from behind Nathan. Nathan continued to stare out of the windows at the sun setting above the ocean.

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Lucca went on talking. “And there are stairs that lead down to the beach on the balcony. I know how much you love those swims so that should make it easier.” Nathan knew that Lucca was babbling, looking for a way to ask the question he really wanted to ask. Nathan decided to put him out of his misery. “Just ask Lucca, I know you want to,” Nathan said. He didn’t turn to look at Lucca. He just kept his eyes on the ocean. Lucca sighed. “Are you okay? I know it’s a difficult time of year for you with the anniversary of what happened to Aunt Anya coming up.” Nathan turned to look at him and nodded. “I’m fine, Lucca. I promise. I’ve come a long way. I think I’ll be able to make it

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through this month without having a breakdown.” He chuckled. Lucca frowned. “Nathan I’m serious, because Mickey…” “What happened in the car was not what you think. I’m fine,” Nathan assured him. Lucca looked at him with concern. “Nathan if you weren’t you would tell me, right? I know you’re still struggling with this.” Nathan’s jaw ticked. He was not that broken, he could still function. He hated when his family looked at him like he was a pitiful fragile child. “Yes, Lucca, but I’m fine, I’m not as fragile as I used to be. If I was I wouldn’t be who I am. Men wouldn’t fear me the way they do, I wouldn’t have the power that I have, and I wouldn’t be an underboss!” he argued.

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“Then what the hell, Nathan? Mickey’s description of how you were acting on the way over sounded oddly familiar to the way you used to space out all those years after Aunt Anya passed. If you’re shutting down again we need to know.” Nathan groaned. Lucca and his damn interrogations, he thought. “One, she didn’t pass, she was murdered. Two, I didn’t ‘space’ and I’m not ‘shutting down’. What happened to me a few years after the murder is never going to happen again. I’m different now. Now I have my work” Nathan said becoming frustrated with the conversation. Lucca looked at Nathan and raised his brow. “Nathan, it wasn’t that long ago,” he said dryly, “and since then you have been disappearing every year around this time so I

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don’t really know how you’ve been handling anything. You don’t talk to me. I don’t know if you’ve truly healed. Don’t get upset with me for being concerned about you, cugino. You disappear, Nathan, you just leave!” Nathan turned to look at his cousin. His concern was real and Nathan felt guilty. He didn’t know his running away every year had affected anyone, he didn’t think anyone would care. But it looked like he was wrong. Nathan stood staring into eyes identical to his own, and tried to figure out a way to ease his cousin’s worry. He ran his fingers through his hair and walked over to the king sized bed in the middle of the room. Plopping down on it he let out an exasperated sigh. “It was a girl,” he muttered hoping Lucca would let it go now.

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Lucca gave him an inquisitive look. “What?” he asked walking over to the side where Nathan laid. Nathan put his arm over his eyes. Shit. “A girl, she was at the garden, and I…I don’t know I was, you know, I just didn’t see the light change, or hear Mickey bitch and moan.” Nathan shrugged his shoulders, hoping this would change the direction their conversation was going. Lucca smiled and looked at him curiously. “You’re saying, you held up traffic, zoned out to the point where you couldn’t hear Mickey… staring at a girl?” Nathan smirked at his cousin. “Yep.” Lucca frowned, he wasn’t buying it. “Really?” he asked dryly. Nathan nodded and chuckled. “Yes, really.”

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Lucca nodded his head up and down. “Mmm hmm, must have been some girl.” Nathan sat up in the bed slowly and frowned in thought. “Actually, yes. She was one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen in my life. It was so weird man. It was like, I couldn’t stop looking at her, and now…I sort of can’t stop thinking about her” Nathan said honestly. He couldn’t get that girl off his mind even if he tried. There were no words to describe how badly he wanted to see her again. Was it crazy that he was thinking this way about a woman he didn’t even know? “I bet,” Lucca said, still not buying Nathan’s excuse. “You’re trying to change the direction of the conversation, and I’ll let you, this time, but we will talk about this again,” Lucca said using his big brother tone. He was

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only one year older than Nathan, but he always felt more like Nathan’s big brother growing up. Nathan chuckled. He understood why Lucca didn’t believe him about the woman. Nathan didn’t even believe it himself. “Yeah, I know.” He was just glad they didn’t have to talk about it now. Lucca let out a long sigh. “Well, get your ass up we’re about to go out. Kyle knows this bar. He says the food’s good and the waitresses are hot. Of course, knowing Kyle he’s probably already slept with half of them.” Nathan nodded in agreement. “True, he has a serious problem. I’m surprised he still goes to the place then. Isn’t he afraid of what they’ll do to his food?” Nathan questioned, disgusted by the possibility.

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Lucca laughed loud and made a disgusted face. “Good question, we should ask Kyle before we go.” “Ask me what?” Kyle asked walking into Nathan’s room with Mickey and Dante. Mickey walked over to the window. “I knew you guys would give him this room, what is your obsession with water views, Nate?” he asked staring out the window inquisitively. Nathan ignored him. Dante plopped down on the opposite side of Nathan’s bed, and Kyle walked over and stood in front of Nathan. “Ask me what?” he asked again, eyeing Nathan curiously. Lucca chuckled. “This bar you want to go to tonight.”

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Dante sat up quickly and pointed at Lucca knowingly. “Yeah, I was wondering the same thing as you when he was talking about “Benny’s Bar with the sexy waitresses.” Kyle looked at them bemused. “What’s wrong with going to a bar with sexy waitresses?” Nathan shrugged. “Nothing, as long as it’s not a bar full of women scorned because you’re the cold-hearted asshole that fucked them, and didn’t call.” Kyle arched an eyebrow. “Yeah, look who’s talking. Will one of you tell the giant Russian that he has no room to talk?” Nathan smirked. “Correction, I’m Russian and Italian, jackass. Plus, I’m not as reckless as you are,” he said. Kyle gave him a deadpan look. “One word Nathan, Julia.”

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Nathan laughed. Of course Kyle would bring up Julia. Asshole. “Yeah, you got me there, but Julia isn’t a waitress at a restaurant where I dine you blue eyed son of a bitch. You are taking us to an eating establishment full of women who are most likely pissed at you.” The other guys in the room nodded their heads and mumbled their agreement with Nathan. Kyle feigned outrage. “I am shocked that you motherfuckers would think so low of me. You think I would take you to a restaurant where I would potentially get food that has been poisoned?” he said putting his hand on his chest. They all laughed. “We don’t know what your crazy ass would do Kyle. We just know you have

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probably slept with half the girls in Hope Beach by now, as often as you come here,” Dante said through a laugh. Kyle rolled his eyes. It was probably true, but the bastards had no right to judge. “One, Dante you are promiscuous as hell, so shut the fuck up…” Dante laughed. “Two, I don’t sleep with them I fuck them. Three, all of the more ‘spirited’ ladies at the bar have already been fired,” Kyle said crossing his arms over his chest. “And four, there’s no need to fear gentlemen, I have Carter.” Mickey turned from the window and looked at Kyle curiously. “Who’s he? The bouncer?”

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Kyle chuckled. “No little brother of mine, Carter is my sexy little waitress.” he said smugly. Nathan eyed him inquisitively. “So what, she’s a waitress you fucked that doesn’t hate you?” Kyle shook his head. “No I haven’t, but she adores me and she is the one that gets my food. Sometimes we have lunch together,” Kyle said shrugging his shoulders. Mickey frowned in confusion. “So she’s a waitress you have lunch with, that adores you, and you haven’t fucked her?” Kyle nodded his head yes. “Oh, I get it,” Mickey said raising his eyebrows and nodding his head. “She’s ugly,” he said with a shrug and the other guys broke out laughing.

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Kyle frowned and shook his head vehemently. “Hell no, there is not an ugly bone in Carter’s perfect little body. Actually she’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen” Kyle said in a matter-of-fact tone. “She’s breathtaking, and funny as hell, you guys are going to love her as much as I do.” Lucca frowned remembering that Nathan had described the girl in the garden with some of the same words. Mickey chuckled. “So you have a platonic relationship with a breathtakingly beautiful woman that adores you?” Kyle nodded and smiled. “Yes, she adores me and our relationship is not about sex. Carter’s different, it’s not like that with us. She’s…perfect and way too good for me.” Shrugging his shoulder he started to walk out of Nathan’s room.

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Dante sat back up again looking at him with a knowing smile. “In other words gentlemen, Kyle tried to work his charm on her and she turned him down flat.” The guys looked at Kyle and chuckled, waiting for him to say Dante was wrong, but all he did was turn around and say, “Yep, and she still does ‘til this day.” He continued to walk out of the room down the hall, hearing the guys’ loud laughter as he left.

5

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The Kiss

Carter was tired. The bar was packed, she hadn’t gotten five seconds of rest since she clocked in, and she was happy that her shift was over in an hour. The night was great when it came to tips though. She really made a lot of money. Got to love those vacationers, she thought to herself as she sat in the kitchen finally getting a moment to rest. She had been waiting her whole shift for Kyle to come in to eat today, but he hadn’t. Carter hoped that he wasn’t gone again, at least not without saying goodbye.

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If she were completely honest with herself Kyle wasn’t really the man that she’d hoped would walk through the door. The man Carter was hoping to see was a complete stranger to her, but God help her, she couldn’t get him out of her head. He was the most beautifully handsome man she had ever seen in her life. His golden blond hair was perfectly groomed and brushed his face in the sexiest way, his strong squared jaw and full lips were enough to make her salivate, wishing he would have run to her and pressed his lips firmly against hers, and then there was his eyes. Don’t even get Carter started on those incredibly beautiful stormy gray eyes. His eyes were striking, intense, and revealed a familiar darkness that made Carter want to immerse herself in him.

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She had looked up from the yellow roses when she heard the rowdy traffic in front of Hope Garden. She’d spotted the car holding up traffic and before she knew it she locked eyes with the driver. Carter didn’t understand what it was that kept her rooted to the spot, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. All she could do was blush and smile, which wasn’t like her. She felt as if they were the only two people in the world, like they were speaking to each other without uttering a damn word! Seriously, she was losing her mind sitting around thinking about a guy she may never see again. And even if she did see him again, what the hell would she do? She played at least a million scenarios in her mind since Jenna dragged her out of the garden. She dreamed that she would see him on the beach, shirtless, and he would pick

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her up in his strong arms and kiss her. Then she dreamed that she would see him while she walked to work, and he would pick her up in his big strong arms and kiss her with those sexy full lips of his. Pretty much every fantasy Carter had about seeing him again resulted in her and him kissing passionately in his arms. She really had a problem. The truth was that seeing that guy and feeling the connection she felt with him reminded her of how lonely she’d been lately. She’d never felt that type of connection to another person before, and the only person that ever truly knew her or loved her was no longer alive. She was reminded today that she was alone, completely alone, and she may be that way forever. There was no one in her life now that knows her true identity. There weren’t any old friends of her family

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that she could go to for comfort, and Carter knew that there was no one trying to find her anyway. Her father was very good at keeping her away from his lifestyle and the world in general to protect her. Carter had always hated being so isolated, it was lonely, but her father told her that if anyone from his past ever saw her they would know exactly who she was and whose daughter she was, and it wasn’t safe. Carter never understood what he meant by that and she never asked, she didn’t discover that little mystery until she was older. Living in Hope Beach had been refreshing but it hadn’t eased how lost and alone Carter felt sometimes. Jenna had been wonderful, and sometimes she helped ease Carter’s loneliness. But Carter knew that if Jenna knew who she really was she probably

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would make her leave, and never want to see her again. Jenna loved a version of Carter that was mostly a façade hiding the beaten, broken, and slightly terrifying person inside. Carter was broken, and the mask she’d been wearing to hide her true self was beginning to slip, and she didn’t know if she could hold on to the person she was pretending to be much longer without losing her sanity. *** Nathan was tired, hungry and a little pissed. Turned out that the little slice of heaven, Hope Beach, quickly became hell when it came to finding a place to park his damn car. Kyle, Mickey, and Lucca all rode together in a different car, and they’d already found a space and went in the bar. Dante rode with Nathan and he was sick of finding a parking space too, so Nathan let him walk

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to Benny’s with the guys to get a table while he went and parked the car. What he didn’t know was it would take him an hour to find a damn parking space. Once he found a place to park he was relieved, but still pissed. He had to walk a mile to get to the damn bar! I’m too goddamn rich for this shit. He was the fucking Underboss to the Salerno crime family for God’s sake! They should be bringing that damn bar to him! Nathan’s jaw clenched. It was safe to say that they better not expect him to be the life of the party tonight. Nathan just wanted to eat, try his best to stay awake, get back to the house and get some sleep for the next three or four days. Nathan finally made it to Benny’s and he walked into the bar. He liked it. It was a large

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sports bar and restaurant with various, nonteam-specific, sports memorabilia. He looked around until he found the table where the guys were seated. When he spotted them he began to journey to the table, seeing them talking to a waitress who had her back toward him. She must be Kyle’s Carter. Nathan kept walking toward the table wanting to see this girl that had Kyle in his first platonic relationship with a woman. From what he could see she had beautiful hair, gorgeous legs, perfect voluptuous ass…wait a minute…Nathan knew that hair, those legs, that fantastic ass, he could never forget them or her even if he tried. He didn’t know what he was going to say, but that didn’t stop him from quickening his steps. He had to meet her, hear her voice. As

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Nathan neared the table Lucca looked at him curiously, but he couldn’t talk to anyone right now, he couldn’t focus on anything but her. Nathan finally came close enough to touch her, to get her attention. He lifted his hand and placed it on the shoulder of his beautiful stranger. *** Five minutes earlier. Carter was still in the kitchen when McKenzie came and told her Kyle and his dangerously sexy friends were there, and he asked for her to be their waitress tonight. Carter was glad he made it, she really did want to meet his friends, and with the path her thoughts had taken, she was sure if she didn’t get up and do something, she would have a breakdown in the middle of Benny’s kitchen.

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She walked out of the kitchen and made her way to Kyle’s table where he and three guys were laughing out loud about God knows what. In the process of her journey she stopped to check out Kyle’s friends. This is just ridiculous, she thought to herself shaking her head. Do all incredibly handsome men flock together? It made no sense for people to be that sexy. How was she supposed to do this without acting like a smitten little school girl? Sighing, she approached the table with what she hoped was her best smile. “Hi, Kyle, I was starting to think you weren’t coming,” she said smiling brightly. Kyle’s eyes lit up when he saw her. “Hey, baby!” He pulled her into his lap and kissed her on the cheek. “Of course I came, I told you I wouldn’t leave again without saying

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goodbye,” he smiled and winked at her. Carter giggled and kissed his cheek before standing up from his lap. “I want you to meet the guys. Lucca, Dante, and Mickey this is my sexy little waitress, Carter,” Kyle said. Carter didn’t know what to say. She was a little nervous they were all so freaking handsome and looking at her, but she wanted to keep her cool. She would not let her nerves show. “Hey there,” she said with a bright smile, surprised she had found her voice. “Nice to meet you, sweetheart. I’m Dante,” Dante offered his hand and Carter shook it. He looked like a really nice guy. He had shaggy brown hair that fell in his dark brown eyes a little and the thickest eyebrows Carter had ever seen. They were both attractive, and hilarious.

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“Nice to meet you, Dante,” she replied sweetly. Another one of the guys, she knew exactly who he was, knocked Dante’s hand from hers and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Carter chuckled. “You look like him. You act like you him. So you have to be his little brother Mickey.” He grinned at her, still holding her hand. “The one and only, honey” Carter laughed. He was like Kyle’s clone. They had the same black hair and sky blue eyes. The difference was that Mickey’s hair was much shorter than Kyle’s. Once again Carter’s hand was captured by another man. A beautiful man. He was the biggest one of them at the table and he had an aura that roared power. He had perfectly

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groomed black hair, and striking stormy gray eyes. “Let go of her hand you little tyrant, forgive him, love, he doesn’t know how to act in the presence of a beautiful woman. I’m Lucca. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said in a deep tone, while leaning forward to press his lips against her hand. Carter fought back a shudder of delight. Damn, he looked…oddly familiar. Shaking off her sudden confusion, Carter smiled at him. She had to, he was very sweet and he had those intensely beautiful gray eyes, so familiar, yet not the same. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” she replied. And it was. They were all so nice. She loved the sweet endearments; love, sweetheart, honey, and the regular baby from Kyle. A girl could get

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spoiled off of so much attention from gorgeous guys. But she wouldn’t let it go to her head. Nope, that’s a lie Carter was sure she was going to let it go to her head. “So how do you guys like Hope Beach so far? It’s a little piece of heaven isn’t it?” she asked them while handing out their menus. “I absolutely love it,” Dante said while looking over the menu. “I agree,” Mickey said giving her the same smirk Kyle did when he flirted with her. “This place is definitely heaven ‘cause I’m staring at an angel.” Carter couldn’t hold back, she had to laugh, and she laughed loud. The other three guys joined in her laughter. Mickey frowned. “That bad huh?” “Yes, honey, that bad,” she said through a laugh. “But don’t worry about it, guys as

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handsome as you all don’t have to have pickup lines, the girls will be throwing themselves all over you. All you have to do is go to the beach, or look around here at all the women that haven’t taken their eyes off you since you walk through the door,” she said matter-of-factly. It was true. These guys walked through the door and practically every girl in the room started drooling. The other waitresses were jealous that Carter was requested to serve “the table full of hotties” as they called it, but Carter was used to the jealousy from them, since she got it whenever Kyle was around. Mickey chuckled. “But what about you? What do I have to do to get your attention?” Mickey asked flirtatiously.

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Carter giggled and looked at Kyle who was chuckling and shaking his head, while watching his little brother flirt. Kyle’s gaze came back to her. “I’m sorry,” he said smiling apologetically. Carter laughed. “Why are you sorry? He acts just like you.” She looked back at Mickey with a sensual smile. “Why don’t I get you guys something to drink and then you and me can discuss how you can get, and keep, my attention.” Mickey’s eyes went wide and he raised his brows. “Really?” Carter shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “Nope, probably not, but I had you going there didn’t I? You got so excited,” she said with a smile on her face. Kyle, Dante, and Lucca burst out in laughter.

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“Okay, I really like you,” Dante said through a chuckle. Carter did a small curtsey. “Thank you, sir.” Mickey on the other hand didn’t think it was so funny from the glare he was sending her. Carter knew she had upset him, but she wasn’t worried. She knew how to get back on his good side, he was just like Kyle after all. She sauntered over to him and leaned over his shoulder, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him tight, her long hair falling over his shoulder and cascading down his chest. He looked surprised by her closeness, but Carter always surprised people like that, it never really took her long to become comfortable with people she liked. “I was just kidding. Please don’t be mad,” she said with

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a fake pout. She saw a smile pull at his lips. “Come on, Mickey” she purred his name. She knew it may be bad of her, but she couldn’t resist teasing him. Something about Kyle’s brother made her want to release her inner bad girl. This surprised Carter, she was usually really good at keeping her locked up. She gazed into Mickey’s eyes, stunned by what she saw. It was that same familiar darkness that she saw in Kyle’s eyes and in the eyes of the gorgeous blond man earlier today. It was the same darkness she used to see in her father’s eyes. Subconsciously, she wrapped her arms around Mickey tighter, wanting to be as close as possible to the familiar darkness. “You’re dangerous” she whispered. “I’m trying my best to be a good girl, but you make me want to be bad.” He smirked.

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A wicked smile appeared on Carter’s face. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” “Alright, alright, enough of that,” Kyle said grabbing her arm bringing her back around the table. “I might get jealous if you give my little brother more attention then you give me,” He said giving her a possessive pat on her behind. Carter frowned and lightly smacked his head. He chuckled. Kyle had a way of getting jealous if Carter even talked to another guy while he’s around. She constantly had to remind him they weren’t dating. After pulling herself together she began to take their orders. “Alright guys what can I get you to drink, and do you all know what you want to eat yet, or do you need more time?” she asked getting her pen and note pad out to take their order.

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“Actually we can order our drinks, but we should wait to get our food. My cousin, Nathan, should be in soon. He was finding a parking space,” Lucca said with a drop dead gorgeous smile. Damn he’s beautiful. Carter cringed. “Yikes, good luck to him, parking spaces are hard to come by downtown, especially during the summer.” “Oh, he just walked in. I guess he finally found one.” Carter didn’t need to turn and look at him. The guy was Lucca’s cousin so she already knew he would be hot. She just focused on the task at hand. “Okay, I’ll get you guy’s drink orders, and his when he makes it through the crowd.” Carter was looking down at her pad listening to Mickey order his drink while

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throwing pick up lines her way to see if they worked when she felt a big hand cover her shoulder. Everything else in the room ceased to exist when she locked eyes with him. It’s him! It’s actually him I can’t believe it! And he was more gorgeous than she remembered! He was dressed casually in a red button down shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. His golden blond hair now a bit tousled, messier than it was when she’d seen him earlier that day, and he was huge! Carter was sure his height was somewhere between 6’5” and 6’6”. He was just plain beautiful. His presence completely overtook the room. He exuded power, and dominance, it was…overwhelming. Carter felt as if she was standing in the presence of royalty, of a

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prince. She felt drawn to him. She wanted to touch him, she needed for him to touch her, to kiss her. Kiss me. Kiss me, please. *** Nathan didn’t know what was happening to him. He was staring into the eyes of the woman he hadn’t been able to get out of his mind since he’d first saw her earlier that day, and all he could think about was kissing her. Her beautiful expressive eyes called to him, begging him for something. He wanted to hear her voice, but neither of them could speak. They were stuck, once again, in one of their silent conversations. Nathan needed more. He wanted more. He moved his gaze from her eyes to her beautiful long, black hair. This was the hair he dreamed about touching and longed to

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feel it against his skin. His fingers entered her thick wavy hair and heard her breath hitch. So soft, so fucking soft, just like he knew it would be. His hand went from her hair to her face and he trailed his thumb across her bottom lip. When her pouty lips parted and her pink tongue darted out, gliding so perfectly across her bottom lip, Nathan was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to kiss her. He couldn’t necessarily understand what had come over him, but the need was too intense, the desire to feel her lips against his was too strong. He had to taste her. Without thinking better of it, he brought his hand up and cupped her face while staring deeply into her eyes. After only a moment of nervous hesitation he leaned forward and kissed her. Something resembling

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a volt of electricity shot through his body and he let out a deep moan. Immediately, her lips parted granting his tongue entrance into her warm, wet mouth. Powerful waves of emotion surged through Nathan, making every nerve, every cell in his body come alive all at once. Slowly and softly he caressed her mouth with his tongue, savoring her sweet taste. One of his hands moved to her neck then he slid his fingers back into her soft hair. Her hands glided up to his face as their kiss quickly progressed from soft to passionate. Nathan gripped her waist with his free hand as she took a step closer, pressing her soft body against his, and bringing her hand down to grip tightly to his shirt. She moaned into his mouth. Nathan’s entire body shuddered.

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He couldn’t really describe what he was feeling, but he felt it everywhere, coursing through is veins. The emotions rushing through him while he kissed this woman were foreign to him, he’d never felt them before. All he knew was that he couldn’t stop kissing her, touching her, longing for her, and he didn’t want to. He lifted her body from the floor arms automatically left his shirt, and went around his neck as he deepened their kiss. Her body was so soft, so warm, Nathan wanted to possess every part of her, but what sanity he had left whispered to him that this was neither the time nor place to take her the way he wanted to. He knew that this kiss was nearing the too hot for public zone, and he needed to calm himself before he lost control

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completely. So reluctantly, very reluctantly, he broke the kiss. Catching his breath, he pressed his forehead against hers. He relished in the feel of her warm breath against his lips and gazed into her eyes, truly fascinated by the beautiful woman who had made him behave completely out of character since the moment he laid eyes on her. He wanted to know her. He wanted to know what made her laugh, or cry. He wanted to know her likes and dislikes, her dreams and fears, and he wanted to know it all, tonight. He didn’t want tomorrow to come without knowing she was his; without knowing that he could kiss her, touch her, or hold her anytime he wanted to. Although all of this surprised the hell out of him, he felt no need to think on it right now. All he wanted at this moment was privacy.

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He wanted to be alone with her. So he made it up in his mind that he was leaving the bar, and he was taking her with him. He placed another kiss on her lips before he placed her on her feet. She looked up at him curiously, and Nathan loved that he could see exactly how she felt in her eyes. She didn’t even have to utter a word. So without speaking, Nathan offered her his hand and she took it without hesitation, letting him lead her through the crowd and out of Benny’s Bar.

6

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What the Fuck Just Happened?

Kyle, Lucca, Dante, and Mickey sat stunned and in silence. “What the fuck just happened?” Kyle growled glaring at the door. “I believe Nathan just took your girl, brother,” Mickey said slapping Kyle’s back and chuckling. “And he took her good, too. Right in front of your face,” he said laughing. Mickey continued his laughter while Lucca and Dante rolled their eyes at the kid, and chuckled when Kyle elbowed Mickey in his side, knocking the wind out of him.

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“She’s not my girl, dumbass,” Kyle said slapping the back of Mickey’s head while looking back toward the door. “I told you we’re just friends,” he muttered. Lucca saw the jealousy in Kyle’s eyes, but he knew it was just Kyle’s pride. He knew that if Kyle had actually had any real feelings for the girl he would have been just as gone as Nathan was a second ago. Lucca smiled as he remembered the look on his cousin’s face when he saw Carter, it was one of recognition. “It was her,” he said feeling genuinely happy for his cousin. “What the hell do you mean, ‘it was her’?” Kyle asked, a frown still on his face. Lucca brushed off his tone even though he didn’t particularly like it. “She’s the girl

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that Nathan saw when he and Mickey first arrived today,” Lucca replied. Mickey’s eyes went wide and his brows shot up. “Are you saying that Carter was the reason why we were about to be attacked by a bunch of road raged housewives?” Mickey stopped and contemplated the possibility then nodded his head in agreement, “Yep, I can see that happening, Carter’s hot enough to cause a whole damn traffic jam.” Lucca chuckled. “Yeah, she really is beautiful, and I understand now too. Apparently they made quite an impression when they first saw each other based on what we just saw here.” Kyle snorted. “Yeah, right. What we just saw here was Nathan looking for his next lay, and I can’t believe my Carter fell for his shit.” Lucca’s brow rose. “My Carter?”

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Kyle waved off Lucca’s curiosity, and crossed his arms over his chest. “You know what I mean. I knew her first is all I’m saying.” Mickey chuckled. “Yeah, well it looks like Nathan is about to get to know her very well, the lucky motherfucker. That’s why I hate that pretty bastard. He didn’t even have to try,” Mickey said smirking looking at the door shaking his head side to side. “He’s so fucking awesome.” Kyle rolled his eyes. “Calm down on the hero worship, kid,” he said as he punched Mickey’s arm. Mickey rubbed the sore spot, scowling at Kyle, “Screw you, Kyle. You’re just jealous.” “I’m not jealous, you little prick,” Kyle snapped, glaring at his brother.

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Mickey shrugged and took a swig of the beer their new waitress had just brought him. “You are, but if I were you I would be too, hell, if I were you I would have never brought Carter around us. I saw how you freaked out when she kissed me. That type of girl is dangerous for a man’s health. You can’t stay mad at her, you’ll want to do everything for her, and she can get anything she wants with a damn smile, trust me I know. Women as beautiful as Carter are rare man.” Mickey continued talking seeing that he was pissing off his brother and wanting to piss him off more. “Now Carter, Carter is grade A sexy, top of the fucking line. I almost fell off my damn chair when I saw her, and as you heard, Nathan lost his mind when he first saw her. That’s why I know you’re not

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okay with this. You had her all to yourself, her attention and her admiration. She probably had a big fucking smile every time she saw you, and seeing how comfortable she is with you I’m sure she wasn’t afraid to be close to you either, or let you be close to her. So I take that back you’re not jealous, jealous is not enough to describe what you’re about to feel now that you’re not the only man in her life. You’ve already developed a craving for her attention, hell, I have and I just met her. And now she’ll be giving all of her attention, and more, to Nathan,” Mickey said with a smirk, enjoying picking at his big brother. The asshole shouldn’t have hit him so hard. Kyle’s jaw clenched as rage filled him. He was about to seriously injure his brother if he didn’t shut the fuck up. “I don’t crave shit,” Kyle said through clenched teeth.

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Dante laughed. “You might want to shut up, kid, your brothers about to kick your ass.” Kyle was so close to seeing red it wasn’t funny. Fuck Mickey, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, Kyle thought to himself. Kyle cared for Carter, yes, but he didn’t crave her. Just because he can be in a friendship with her that has nothing to do with sex doesn’t mean he craved her attention. Yes, he thinks about her even when she’s not around, and he likes to get her the post cards like her father did because he’s a good fucking friend. The only reason he got a little jealous when she gave attention to other men was because… Well he didn’t know why but he knew it wasn’t for the reasons his brother mentioned. Kyle calmed himself, the last

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thing he needed to do is kill his brother. His dad would probably be pissed if he did that. “Like I said, Nathan is just going to use her like he does other women, I’m not jealous, I’m just worried. Carter is a nice girl, she doesn’t deserve that shit,” Kyle said achieving the calm he wanted. Lucca frowned. “You’re wrong, Kyle, Nathan’s not going to use that girl. Have you ever seen him act that way before, have you ever seen him look at a woman like that, like the entire room was empty of everyone but them two? He didn’t notice we were here!” Kyle frowned and looked back to the door wondering where they went, where Nathan would take her. He knew that Lucca was right. He saw the look on Nathan’s face, and no, he had never seen it before tonight.

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“Yeah, I agree, take it from me kids, I’m pretty sure we just met our young heir’s wife,” Dante said, he pointed his beer at Kyle. “And I’m pretty sure you’ve known her for a year.” Lucca smiled and nodded in agreement. “I completely agree. How long you think it will be before they walk down the aisle?” Dante laughed. “You’re looking for another bet?” He nodded and thought about it while taking another sip of his beer. “Okay, I give them six months. In six months’ time she’ll be covered in diamonds lounging in a million dollar penthouse, with a staff at her beck and call and a bodyguard to escort her everywhere, it might be one of us,” he said chuckling at the possibility. Lucca smiled. “Okay, okay then I give them one year. In one years’ time Carter will

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be lounging by the pool at the mansion Nathan grew up in or drinking lemonade in the garden Nathan and Aunt Anya built when he was a kid. Oh yeah, and probably the body guard thing too. What do you say, a thousand?” Lucca said waiting for Dante to agree. Dante nodded and shook Lucca’s hand. “You’ve got a deal.” “Oh yeah? I got three thousand that says she’s pregnant within the next year. Did you see that kiss? I’m pretty sure they’re already getting started on making Nathan’s heir right about now,” Mickey interjected. Dante and Lucca laughed. “I’m in on that one,” Dante said through a laugh. “Yeah, I’m in. I can’t wait to take your money on this one too,” Lucca said and they all laughed.

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Kyle sat there watching them agree on their stupid ass bets with only one thought going through his mind… What the hell is going on?

7

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Getting to Know the Real You

Carter didn’t know if this was a dream, but if it was then she didn’t want to wake up, like ever. His name was Nathan Salerno, he’s twenty-four years old, his father is Italian, and his mother was a Russian woman from Moscow. He grew up in a mansion that looked like a castle, which included a pool and beautiful garden full of various flowers that he and his mother created together before she died. He loved to swim, and he did it competitively in college. He studied martial arts, kick boxing, and boxing. He enjoyed

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going to the gun range, and he had a collection of baseball cards that are probably worth a lot of money. His favorite color was red, and his favorite foods were steak and any type of pasta. Carter asked Nathan every question she could think of as they began to walk down the beach hand in hand. She was curious and wanted to know everything about him. When they first left Benny’s, Carter was a little nervous. After all, she didn’t know what was going to happen or where they were going to go. All she knew was that she trusted him. She didn’t understand why, but she knew he wouldn’t hurt her like others had done in the past. Being with Nathan made her feel safe. It was as if they were connected, only she just couldn’t figure out why. Without even thinking twice, Carter had

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taken Nathan’s hand and left the bar. Why did she take the hand of a man she had only met today without hesitation? She didn’t know where they were going and she didn’t care. All she knew, and all that mattered was that she wanted to be with him, that she needed to be with him. When they first left, he guided her through the people walking in the downtown area to the parking lot where his car was. He opened the door for her and Carter didn’t hesitate getting in, which was unlike her because she didn’t trust anyone. Her life, thus far, taught her that absolutely no one was to be trusted. Yet, there she was getting in a car with a man she didn’t even know. Once they were in the car he took her hand in his, and they drove, in silence hand in hand with “Kiss Me” by Ed Sheeran

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playing on the radio. Carter moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. His scent was intoxicating, a mixture of fresh laundry and soap. She held tight to his large muscled arm and outlined his hand with her fingers. She then brought his big strong hands to her lips and placed a soft kiss on them. Before she knew it they were pulling into the parking lot and when he shut off the car he pulled her into his lap and kissed her breathless. His hands caressed her body like she’s never been caressed before. His touch sent electric shocks through her igniting desires she didn’t even know she had. She loved when his hands moved to her hair and his long fingers massaged her scalp, the sensations he created had her moaning into his mouth and longing for something she hadn’t longed for in two years. He seemed to be

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fascinated with her hair, his hand continued to explore her soft tendrils even as his lips moved to kiss her neck. Carter was lost in a myriad of sensation, she thought she would faint. Her body was on fire, especially when his hands left her hair and cupped her breasts, squeezing and caressing them. She panted, moaned, and whispered his name as she straddled his lap. Her body seemed to move against his all on its own. Carter wanted to rip off his clothes and beg him to take her right there in that parking lot, but once again Nathan broke the kiss before they got to the point of no return. She wanted to smack him for doing that. He looked into her eyes as he tried to catch his breath and said. “We should go walk on the beach.” All Carter could do was nod yes.

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“What are you thinking about?” Nathan asked smiling at her curiously, and pulling her away from her wonderful memory. They were sitting on the beach. Carter sat between Nathan’s long legs with her knees to her chest staring at his gorgeous face while he messed around with strands of her hair. She smirked. “I’m thinking about what happened in the car before our walk.” Nathan laughed, and it was a low sensual laugh, one that made her body warm with desire. “Yes, I remember. You looked like you wanted to kill me when I stopped us, which I understand. I wanted to kill me too, but we should talk first, get to know each other.” The look in his eyes indicated he couldn’t believe the words had come out of his mouth. He pulled it together quickly. “And until we get to know each other, I have

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to stay away from those beautiful lips.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Because next time I won’t be able to stop.” Carter bit her lower lip. She definitely didn’t want him to stay away from her lips. That’s just not fair! “Okay, it’s my turn to ask you questions,” Nathan said to her in a deep baritone voice that dripped with sex. Oh Godsex. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about it? It’s safe to say that it’d been a long time since Carter had gotten laid. She knew she had to get her shit together. Taking a deep breath, Carter straightened her back. “Okay, ask away,” she said coolly. Nathan stared at her while he decided on what question he wanted to ask. When he made up his mind he cleared his throat. “Okay, why did you kiss the rose?”

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Carter’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You saw that?” She didn’t know he had seen her kiss the yellow rose at Hope Garden. She really didn’t know that anyone had been looking at her. Carter blushed, she had never really shared the story with anyone mostly because no one ever saw her do it. She looked up at Nathan and smiled, he was waiting for an answer but she was going to make him work for the more personal stories. “I’ll tell you that story after all the little questions, like my favorite color or food, stuff like that.” Nathan frowned. “I don’t want to know the little things yet, I want to know why you kissed the rose. I actually need to know because… Well just answer my question,

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please,” he said still messing with strands of her hair. Carter chuckled, he was really cute when he frowned. “No, Nathan we have to get the light questions out of the way before we get to the heavy stuff. Plus you said you wouldn’t kiss me until we got to know each other, and don’t know how much longer I’m going to let you keep me from getting what I want,” she said with a smirk. Carter knew exactly how to get him to forget that whole no kissing until we get to know each other thing. Nathan looked at her with his brows raised and grinned. “Let me?” Carter giggled and nodded. “Yes, let you,” she replied a smug smile on her face. Nathan laughed loud. “You’re cute. You know that?” Cute? I’ll show him cute.

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Carter raised an eyebrow. “Cute huh?” She moved closer to his body so he could feel her breath against his neck as she whispered her words. “I can be very persuasive, Nathan Salerno. Especially when I want something, or someone.” She placed a soft kiss on his neck while her hand slid up his shirt. She moved her hand up his muscled abs and softly glided her nails downward and grabbed his belt. He licked his full pink lips and desire darkened his stormy gray eyes. She knew that at that moment he wanted to take her, right here on the empty beach, and she probably would let him. His jaw clenched, Carter knew he was trying to hold on to his self-control, and she tried to hide a smile. “You’re not getting out of the question, Carter. So stop trying to distract me.”

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She chuckled, “Fine, ask me five questions to start with and I’ll answer them all.” Nathan sighed and wrapped his arms around her body pulling her close to him. “Okay, are you from here? Who are your parents? Do you have family here? Why did you kiss the rose? And, oh yeah, what’s your favorite color?” he said that last one in a mocking tone. Carter rolled her eyes, the asshole. She thought about each question and how to answer without revealing too much too soon. Her life was not exactly easy to explain and she didn’t want to scare him off, so she figured she should keep her answers simple. “No, I am not from here. I moved here a couple years ago.” Nathan looked at her inquisitively. “From where?”

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Carter chuckled. “That’s another question, Nathan.” “Not really. It’s an extension of the first one, and those are allowed,” he said in matter-of-fact tone. Carter sighed. “Fine, I moved to St. Louis, Missouri when I was seventeen, then I moved from St. Louis to here when I was nineteen but closer to twenty.” “Alone?” he asked. “Yep.” “Why?” he asked with a curious frown. Carter shrugged trying to think of something to say without giving the real reason why she left St. Louis. “I wanted to live near the ocean,” she lied. She did love the ocean, but that’s not why she got the hell out of St. Louis.

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“You’ve never lived near the ocean before?” he asked. Carter shook her head. “Nope.” Nathan kissed her forehead. “And your parents, how did they feel about their little girl moving so far away from home?” Carter sighed trying to choose her words wisely. “I moved to St. Louis after my father died.” Truth. “Then worked and saved enough money to move here.” Semi-truth. “I have no idea who my mother is.” Lie. “And I really don’t have a home.” Truth. Nathan looked at her. He could sense her fear and he was afraid to push her anymore, but he didn’t want to hold back from her. He didn’t want her holding anything back from him. She kept lying, he hated that. For some unexplainable reason he felt close to her, like they were past lovers catching up after a long

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separation. He wanted to share things with her that he had never been able to talk about. Something about her told him she would understand. He made up his mind to put her at ease by talking about something that has always been difficult for him to open up about. His arms tightened around her body pulling her closer, he looked out at the ocean as he spoke. “Next week is the anniversary of my mother’s death,” he said softly. Carter wrapped her arms around his waist and her body melted into him as he continued to speak. “I usually disappear off to my mother’s childhood home in Russia every year. She left it to me, and I make sure to keep it in good condition. It was kind of my promise to her after she… after she was, uhh…” he cleared his throat and swallowed.

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Carter could see it pained him to speak about his mother, but she wanted him to keep going. “Please, Nathan,” she whispered. “Please keep talking.” Nathan cleared his throat again and continued. “Next week it will have been thirteen years and I still feel the pain as if it were yesterday. I can’t talk about it with anyone because it feels like nobody can really understand how much I miss her, you know. She really didn’t deserve to die so young. I don’t know, it’s just not something I think I’ll ever get over.” Nathan’s chest tightened. He felt himself getting choked up. Carter began rubbing his back with her fingertips. He heard her take a deep breath. “My father was murdered five years ago. Right in front of me.” The words rushed out of her

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mouth as if she had been waiting to say them for a lifetime. Nathan’s body stilled and he looked down at her seeing that she curled into his chest, his brows furrowed. “What did you say?” he asked, maybe he didn’t hear her right. He heard a soft sniffle and he felt Carter’s head shake side to side against his chest. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I didn’t even cry when it happened or when I left,” she said. Her voice was so soft he almost didn’t hear it. She didn’t know what had come over her, she hadn’t cried like this in years. Five years to be exact. Carter’s body began to tremble and Nathan grabbed her chin and tilted her head until he could see her face.

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When her face was visible, Nathan’s body froze and he stared at her in shock. Images of a small girl with the same sad hazel eyes and tear stained face flashed through his mind and Nathan shook his head in disbelief. It’s not possible Carter sniffled again. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice small and soft. “I just wanted to show you that I understand, you know…how much it hurts.” Her sad eyes dropped as her tears continued to flow freely. Nathan was still in shock. It can’t be, it just can’t. “Look at me, Carter,” Nathan said softly. And she did. Carter. Carter… Steele? Nathan’s brows furrowed as a memory made it to the forefront of his mind.

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Nathan approached the girl slowly with a smile on his handsome little face. “Hi, I’m Nathan,” he said waving at her. The little girl gave him a small. Nathan walked a little closer and without another word held out his hand for her to take. She put her tiny hand in his without any hesitation. Nathan held tight to her hand as he led her through the living room over to where his mother was standing and looked up at her, “Are you ready mama, Carter’s going to love the garden.” Nathan turned and looked at Carter. “I’ll give you a pretty flower and then you won’t be sad anymore, okay?” Nathan said looking into Carter’s sad eyes and moving her hair from her face. But it’s not possible. Spook Steele’s daughter was dead.

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Nathan couldn’t be sure if she was who he thought she was or if this was some freak coincidence. He couldn’t just ask her, if he was wrong he’d look like a complete idiot, but he had to know, this was just getting too crazy. “Carter, I need you to tell me the story about the rose.” Carter looked at him and she frowned, confused by the change in subject, but she had already told him about her father so there was no use for her to try and be mysterious now. “When I was three, I went with my father on one of his business trips. I don’t remember much, all I know is that the house was huge and there was this garden and it was big, bigger than Hope Garden.” Carter curled back into Nathan and continued her story while Nathan listened attentively. “I

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remember I was with a woman and her son, he took me out into the garden and gave me a rose because I was crying, and then his mother came up to me and told me to kiss the rose and the stars would grant me wishes.” Nathan wrapped his arms back around her and held her tight while she continued to speak. “I still do it because it’s one of the few good memories of my childhood that I have. I never got to go back to that garden even though I wanted to. I begged my dad to let me go back. I screamed and cried, ‘please daddy I wanna see my bubby,’ which is what I called the boy. I don’t remember his name, but I had lost my teddy bear during the trip, which is why I was so sad, and his name was bubby.” Carter let out a small laugh. “I called him my bubby because he let me lay on him and cuddle with him that day

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even when we fell asleep on the big white cushy swing. I will never forget that day as long as I live. I really needed the kindness that woman and her son gave me.” Carter smiled at the memory and looked up at Nathan. Carter rubbed her palm against his cheek and turned his face toward hers, looking at him with concern. “What’s wrong?” “I know you,” he said staring into her eyes. Her brows furrowed. “What?” His hands came up and cupped her face. “I know you Carter, I know who you are and you know me too. It’s just completely unbelievable to me that it’s you.” Carter shook her head not understanding. “What are you talking about, Nathan?” “The story, Carter. That was me and my mother, you’re Spook’s daughter. I just don’t

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understand, everyone said that you were dead, that you were killed with your father,” Nathan said staring at her with disbelief. He was so fucking shocked right now he had to blink to make sure this was real. This was the girl he had wished for, had cried for, when he was five years old. “Carter Steele? I can’t believe it! You’re still as perfect as the first day I saw you, when I led you out to the garden and gave you the yellow rose. My mother told me I would find you again one day but I…I just thought she was trying to get me to shut up,” he said still looking at her in shock. Carter’s heart sped up and she began to panic. She grabbed Nathan’s hands and took them off of her face and tried to stand up. Nathan reached for her and pulled her body back to him and held her tight.

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“No, no don’t. Please, please don’t panic. Carter just listen to me,” he said the words quick to avoid her trying to leave. Carter squirmed in his arms. “Nathan please, I…I…I don’t know.” “Shh just listen to me. Stop trying to run away, and listen to me.” He was relieved when she stopped trying to get free from his grasp. He loosened his hold on her. “Look at me, Carter.” “My Carter. That’s what I used to call you” he whispered. And there it was. The declaration. Nathan knew there was no going back now, he just said she was his, and he’d never meant anything more in his life. When Carter looked up at Nathan the look in her eyes made his heart break. She was afraid. She looked defeated and tired,

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like she had been fighting so hard for so long and now she just wanted to give up. Nathan brought his hands up and cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumb, she closed her eyes and relaxed against him. “It’s just us out here, you and me. I beg of you sweetheart, don’t ever be afraid of me, don’t ever think I would hurt you.” Nathan was relieved when Carter nodded her head. The last thing he wanted was for her to run away from him before he got a chance to tell her all he needed to. “I asked for you too, after the day in the garden. I cried when my mother told me that you weren’t coming back. I even stayed away from the garden for a few days if I’m remembering correctly. My mother finally got me out of my room by telling me that if I wished to see you again, then it might happen,” Nathan

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chuckled. “I made a wish on every rose I could find in the garden, convinced that it wouldn’t come true if I wished on the same one. My mother was not very happy about all of the damage I did to the garden.” Nathan ran his fingers over her hair and pulled her close to him. “I tried to look for you after…after I heard your father was killed.” “Why?” she asked softly “Your father may not have brought you around, but he was around an awful lot. I used to hear my father talk to him about keeping you so isolated. He asked him why he kept you a secret and locked up all by yourself.” “I wasn’t alone, I had Chrissy,” Carter said still curled up against Nathan’s chest.

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“Where is Chrissy now?” he asked already knowing the answer. “Dead,” Carter whispered, her voice drenched with pain. Nathan wanted to take the pain away, but he knew that he couldn’t and hated that, it killed him. “Tell me why, Nathan,” she said, urging him to move forward with his story. “When my father told me that Spook was murdered I was shocked, and I immediately asked about you,” Nathan continued, “My father said that he didn’t know. He told me that the situation was dangerous and that I shouldn’t ask any questions or get involved. If somebody went after a man as dangerous as Spook, then there must be a serious problem,” Nathan sighed. “I told him I’d stay out of it, but I lied because I knew that I couldn’t. I kept seeing the image of that girl with the

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sad hazel eyes and the tear stained face, except I pictured her older, and she was alone, and it broke my heart.” Nathan lifted her chin until he met his eyes. “I felt like it was my responsibility to find you and take care of you. Hold you while you grieved the loss of your father. Just like the little boy felt it was his responsibility to do everything he could to make the beautiful little girl happy, to hold her while she grieved the loss of her bubby,” Nathan smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly. “And when my father told me you were dead…and that I should stop looking, I don’t know I just…” Nathan couldn’t describe the sadness he felt when his father told him that Carter had been killed along with her father. Carter couldn’t stop crying. She hadn’t cried like this since before her father’s death,

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but Nathan’s presence had now burst open a part of herself she’d thought she’d lost forever. Going against what her father had always taught her, she shook her head and cast her eyes downward. “Nathan, you don’t have to feel that way, and it isn’t your responsibility to take care of me, you don’t even…” “Carter, listen to me. I know what you were going to say and it’s bullshit. I know you feel this too.” He cupped her face looking straight into her eyes. “It’s crazy baby, I know, and I know it’s ridiculous but… I don’t understand how this happened so fast but I…” Nathan shook his head firmly, determination filling his eyes. “I can’t, I can’t let you go and I won’t. I made a wish when I was five years old Carter, I prayed to see you again before I went to sleep at night, and for

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whatever reasons my prayers as a child weren’t answered till now. I don’t care how much sense it makes, I know what I’m feeling and I…I think I…” He pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you, Carter Steele,” he whispered against her lips. And he did, and it scared the living shit out of him. He didn’t know where the hell it came from all he knew was that he had never felt anything like it before. He had never experienced such an intense, consuming feeling. Love was the only word that could describe it! Nathan had never been in love before, he never even planned on falling in love. He had been prepared to live a life devoid of love, marriage, and children, to avoid putting a woman through the same pain his father inflicted on his mother. But from the exact moment he laid eyes on the

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woman in his arms, love, marriage and children were all he could think of. He loved her. Loved her. He wanted her to be his, to have his last name. He pictured her pregnant with his child, lounging with him in the garden on the large plush swing where he first held her in his arms. In the garden where he remembers holding her face in the palms of his hands and taking his first kiss from her soft beautiful lips. Jesus Christ! In one day, Nathan had gone from a cynic to a damn sap. Nathan felt Carter tremble in his arms. “I’m not a good person, Nathan,” she sobbed unable to hold back her tears. Nathan shook his head. “Neither am I, but I still love you,” he said. Damn, he had no idea it would be so easy to say when he actually felt it.

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“I’m broken, Nathan,” she whispered. Nathan kissed her tears. “So am I, sweetheart, but I still want you.” Carter was overwhelmed by the intense emotions rushing through her as Nathan continued to hold her close. He held her like she was precious to him, like she was important to him, she felt safe and protected, and for the first time in a long time, she felt loved. Her feelings for him were instant the moment he said her name and didn’t run away. The fact frightened her, but she loved him, simply because he knew who she was and he was still holding her like this. He was her bubby, her bubby was holding her, loving her. But she didn’t deserve love. She had to tell him the truth about what happened the night her father was murdered, even if it

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meant he would get up and leave her sitting on the beach with her heart shattered. She tried to catch her breath and stop the tears the best she could so that she could explain. “Nathan, my father was very good at his job,” she whispered. Nathan tried to get her to look at him but she wrapped her arms around his body and curled into his chest. She couldn’t look at him while she told him this. “Whoever wanted him dead had to hire six men to actually do the job. Some of the men even knew my father personally. I recognized two of them that my father had done business with before.” Carter worried her bottom lip. She was nervous, but she continued, he deserved to know what type of person she was. “They came to the house when we were sleeping. My father had already known that someone wanted him

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dead, and he was planning on going away from me for a very long time, but I begged him to come home for just one day to say goodbye to me, just one more day together before he left me again. The night they came I was sleeping in my father’s room and I felt like something was off, so I woke up and my father was next to me crouched down telling me to be quiet. He pulled me from the bed and walked me over to the window. He told me that no matter what, I was to run. I begged him to come with me so we could get out together but he said no, he said that they came for him and that he would not risk them chasing after the both of us, he would stay and fight while I got away.” Nathan’s arms tightened around her and she melted into the warmth of him as she continued. “Right when I got out of the

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window I heard a click and my dad fell to his knees and turned over quick, I heard another click and I knew it was the sounds of silenced guns so I screamed for my dad, I needed to know if he was alive. I heard him scream telling me to run, and that’s what I did. While I was running away from the house I heard Chrissy scream and I stopped. I heard things crashing and men yelling, but I didn’t hear my dad, and then all of a sudden all the yelling stopped,” Carter swallowed, it was getting close to the hard part. “I went back because I saw the living room light come on, so I went to the window where there’s a small crack in the shade. I saw my father, he was in a chair and five men were surrounding him, I found out later that my dad had killed one of them. I recognized two of the men as Patrick and Kent,

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two men my father introduced me to before. I was shocked because when I met them they were so nice to me. I heard my dad say, “Take it all, take everything, just please leave her alone. She has nothing to do with this, she’s just a kid.” Patrick had my dad write something down on a piece of paper, which I now know was the number to his safety deposit box where he keeps all of his important information, including access to our finances. It turned out the person who hired them to kill my father told them that they could have my father’s possessions on top of what they were already getting paid, and he gave everything we had to them, they promised they wouldn’t go after me.” “Did they say all of this to him? How did you find out?” Nathan asked.

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Carter took a deep breath. “I’m almost there. Not even two seconds after they got the safety deposit box number, Kent slit my father’s throat. I didn’t cry because I didn’t feel sadness at the time, I was just really pissed. I wanted to make each one of them suffer for the pain that I had yet to feel. I was numb, just standing there watching them walk around my house with my father’s lifeless body in the middle of the floor, like he was nothing. I knew right then that I wasn’t going to leave.” “What do you mean? Carter, you had to have left because you’re here and still alive.” Nathan didn’t understand where this story was going. “Yes, you’re right I did leave, eventually. But I knew those lying assholes weren’t going to let me run, especially since I heard

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them say find the girl after they killed my father. If I ran they would have caught me and killed me, Nathan. I had nothing to fight them with, so my best bet was to ensure my freedom by making a… statement.” Carter took another deep breath before continuing. “Kent and Patrick left to go to the safety deposit box, and the other three guys stayed behind to clean up any trace of their presence there, and to find me. They figured I didn’t get far. Once Kent and Patrick left, one of the men started to clean the place and the other two said they were going to look for me outside.” Nathan furrowed his brows and shook his head in disbelief. “Wait a min—” “The first one came out back,” she continued cutting him off, “I caught him by surprise and broke his leg before I did this little

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trick my dad taught me, and broke his neck. Since I caught him by surprise it didn’t take more than ten seconds to shut him up. It gave me time before his friend came running in the back to see what was going on, and before he even saw me I shot him in the head with the gun I took from his friend.” Nathan’s eyes widened in shock. “But—” Carter held up her hand silencing him. “Let me finish, Nathan, then you can tell me whether you love me or not.” Nathan stopped talking, but he already knew his reply to that, she was only making things more clear. “The third guy was still in the house, but he had made his way upstairs to my father’s room to wipe it clean of their blood from the fighting, so that gave me time to make my statement.”

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“Your statement?” Nathan asked confused. Carter frowned. “Yes Nathan, my statement. Stop interrupting.” “Fine. I’m sorry, continue,” Nathan said. Carter rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I knew I needed to make a statement because if I didn’t they would never stop looking for me. I dragged the bodies into the house, which took forever because they were fucking bone crushers, and I lined them up next to the chair with my father’s body. I heard movement up stairs so I went up there. Since I’m small I was able to get upstairs and get what I needed without making any noise. I wanted to make the last man suffer, so I had to make a plan. I got my knives.” Knives? Nathan thought, but he wouldn’t dare interrupt her again.

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“Long story short, I waited until his back was turned and threw two knives into his back. That gave me my chance to approach him and enact my plan. He’s the one I got the information from. I don’t need to get into exactly what happened in that room,” Carter cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably. “I just want you to keep in mind that I was grieving in my own way. Anyway, I left a note for those fake assholes Kent and Patrick. I told them to take that damn money, which I didn’t want anyway, and go as far away as possible because soon I was going to find them, and the scene would be way worse than the one upstairs.” Nathan didn’t know what to say. It really wasn’t often that he found himself in a situation like this. Actually, he’s never really found himself in a situation like this before.

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Okay, he thought nodding his head. Turns out the woman I have just confessed my love for is a…umm. What the hell was he supposed to say to that? He could see she was waiting for his response so he settled for, “I still love you?” Carter shot up from the ground. “Nathan! Didn’t you just hear a word I said!” she screamed. Nathan got up from the ground and stood, towering over her small body. Jesus Christ! He couldn’t believe someone so small could be so lethal, he also couldn’t believe that he was turned on by the fact that she was so lethal…well yes he could, he knew he had issues. “Carter, what is it that you want me to say?” He asked calmly to her as he looked down at her shocked face.

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“That I’m a fucking psycho. I don’t know! I just told you I’m a killer!” she yelled while she paced back and forth in front of him. Nathan chuckled. “Baby, that’s probably not something you want to yell out here in public.” “Nathan!” she screamed. Nathan rolled his eyes. “Carter, I don’t know what you want from me. You killed the men that murdered your father, they deserved it,” he said with a shrug. Carter frowned and shook her head. “That’s not the point, I just told that I killed those men in cold blood. Jesus, I practically turned the one upstairs inside out and I didn’t even give a shit. I’d do it again in a heartbeat!” “Good! The bastards deserved it. They came into your house and killed your family,

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when you get a hold of those other assholes Kent and Patrick, I’m going to make sure I have a front row seat to the damn show!” Nathan yelled. Carter stared at him in disbelief. “So, you still love me after everything I just told you?” “Yes!” Nathan yelled. He was confused, he didn’t get this woman. Didn’t he just tell her that he loved her? It’s not like he said that shit to women every day, or that he had ever said it to a woman ever. Carter still couldn’t believe it. “But—” “But nothing, Carter,” Nathan said cutting her off before she started questioning him again. “I already know what you’re going to say, and yes it’s true you are a killer, and some may consider you to be psychotic, but I don’t give a fuck, so am I. That’s just the fucked up world we live in. Why would I

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stand here and criticize you for something I would have done? Shit, for something I have done way more times then you have. The Salerno family is the Mafia, honey. I learned how to kill a man a long time ago.” “Mafia?” She whispered. “Yes, Carter” Nathan replied. “And you’ve…killed a man before?” A man? Damn, it’d been a long time since Nathan could say that. He looked in her eyes and saw her shock and confusion, and he was determined not to freak her out too much. He didn’t want her to run from him. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it’d been for her facing the world alone for five years. Not only did she face the world alone, she’d resisted her true nature and pretended to be someone she wasn’t. Nathan couldn’t even put into words how much he admired her for

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that. He’d tried to do that and failed miserably. He didn’t even make it a full year in college before he went back home to work for his father full time. He excelled exceptionally at killing men he didn’t particularly care for, but he didn’t want to tell her that. She wasn’t ready to hear it yet. He decided he’d better talk about something other than his rapidly increasing body count. Nathan sighed. “If I knew who killed my mother I would have done worse.” Nathan saw shock and sadness flash through her eyes. “Yes, my mother was murdered. It happened in Manhattan, and my mother and I were staying in a hotel. My father and mother took me out to dinner, where their main goal was to tell me that they were getting a divorce. I was shocked, but that was because I thought they had already gotten

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one. While they were talking to me they started to fight, and my mother went upstairs to the room. I stayed and talked with my father about visiting him in Manhattan more, since he would never be coming back to the house. After we talked one of his bodyguards took me up to my mother. She wasn’t in the living room so I checked her bedroom. I wanted to make sure my father hadn’t hurt her too badly at dinner. When I walked in her bedroom I heard the shower running so I went to the bathroom and right when I walked in the door I slipped and fell. It was blood. I looked around and the entire floor was covered in it. I looked in the corner and that’s where my mother’s body laid broken, beaten with scars from head to foot, it was like someone had just taken a knife and

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sliced her everywhere over and over again.” Nathan’s eyes glistened with tears. “I could tell that she suffered, that she screamed and no one heard her, and it killed me. I sat in that room staring at her dead body in complete silence for hours before my father sent one of his men to check on us.” Nathan moved closer to Carter. “I still see it sometimes, when I close my eyes. The scene plays in my head like a movie, and I didn’t cry either, when I saw her, haven’t shed a tear, until now,” he said as a single tear fell from his stormy gray eyes. He cupped her face. “Carter, stop trying to convince me that I don’t love you.” He reached for her hand. “Give me your hand.” Carter did as he asked and he pulled her closer to him. “Do you feel that?”

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She did. She felt it from the moment they locked eyes earlier that day. It was an undeniable magnetism drawing her to him. It made her heart beat quicken and her body shudder involuntarily. Carter couldn’t resist it, she was powerless against it. “Every time I look at you, every time we touch, every time we kiss, I feel it. I’ve never felt so drawn to one person in my entire life, Carter. What else does one call this feeling that is consuming us? What else, but love? I love you.” Carter stood in silence stunned by the truth she saw in his eyes. He really loved her, she couldn’t believe it. Her bubby was standing right in front of her telling her that he loved her. This is what she wished for when she was freaking thirteen years old. But she wouldn’t tell him that.

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Carter stared at him a moment longer before she grabbed his face and slammed her mouth against his, desperate for his kiss. She heard him groan and when her lips parted and his tongue entered her mouth, caressing and tasting her as he deepened their kiss. She needed more. She needed to be closer to him, so she pressed her body against his and threw her arms around his neck. She was so lost in their ravenous kiss, she had barely noticed when Nathan lifted her from the ground and lowered them both back to a sitting position on the beach with her straddling his lap. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist to pull him closer and he growled against her lips. She moaned when his big strong hands moved between them and he cupped her breasts squeezing them through her shirt.

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He really had an obsession with her chest. His mouth left hers and made its way to her neck kissing and sucking, while continuing his masterful assault on her breasts. A wave of sensation rushed through her. She tried to catch her breath but it was pointless. Never has she felt such an overwhelming desire to give herself to a man. Her hand moved to his beautiful, thick, blond hair, and her body began to grind against his. She wanted him, right then, and right there. Carter pulled Nathan back from her neck and he looked at her, face flushed, and his grey eyes filled with desire, matching her own. She pressed her forehead against his. “Make love to me, Nathan,” she whispered against his lips.

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Nathan gripped her hips, stilling her movements. She could see he was battling with himself about whether or not this was the time or place for them to make love. But honestly, Carter would be more than happy to make love to Nathan on the beach under the starry summer night sky. She pleaded with him silently even as she felt his grip tightening on her hips. She knew that he wanted this too. She could feel his erection pressing against her behind. She moved her hips again and Nathan took a sharp breath. She could only move a little because of the hold he had on her hips, but she knew that it was enough, so she moved again, brushing her behind against his hardening member. Nathan groaned and Carter tried to hide a smile. “Stop,” he growled against her lips.

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“Make love to me, Nathan, please.” She started showering him with soft kisses. She kissed every part of his face and his neck before she returned to his lips for another deep passionate kiss. She felt him shift under her, and one of his hands left her hip while his other arm wrapped around her tight. By the time she broke the kiss, Nathan was walking toward the parking lot with her still in his arms, and her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. “Nathan, what the hell?” He just chuckled. “What?” he asked against her mouth, she felt his smile. “Where are we going? I want you to make love to me,” she said giving him a confused look. He placed a soft kiss on her lips and smirked. “I promise you I will, just not here.

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I want you in a bed where I can take my time and enjoy exploring every part of your beautiful body,” he said, his voice was deep and smooth and so sexy. “But we can’t go to my house. Jenna doesn’t like company,” Carter whined. He let out another soft laugh. “We’re going to the beach house. That’s where I’m staying.” Carter paused. “Do you mean Kyle’s beach house where you and four other guys are staying?” “Yep,” Nathan replied casually. Carter shook her head firmly and frowned. “Uh, uh, hell no, Nathan. They don’t know who I am, and that we…well, you know, know each other. And we’re about to…” Heat rushed to her cheeks as she thought about what she and Nathan were

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going to do when they got to Kyle’s beach house. “What will I do in the morning when I leave? I can’t walk passed them. I am not a walk of shame type of girl, Nathan. I’ll look like a big ol’ hoe!” Nathan burst into laughter, he couldn’t hold it back. Carter blushed furiously and looked away from Nathan. “It’s not funny, Nathan. I’m serious,” she pouted. “I’m sorry, baby,” he said kissing her cheek, still laughing. Carter frowned. “No, you’re not, you asshole.” Nathan chuckled. “Yes I am, and you’re not a hoe. They’re all going to find out eventually, it might as well be sooner rather than later. And who the hell said you were leaving in the morning? Once I get you in my bed

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you’re not leaving till I do,” he said confidently with a shrug. “Nathan, I can’t spend all my time in bed with you,” Carter said. They made it to the car and Nathan pinned her against the door and put his lips close to hers. “We won’t be in bed all the time. There’s also the shower, the Jacuzzi tub, the pool, and the balcony too,” he said, smiling against her mouth. Carter smiled and moved her hips against him. “I still have a job, Nathan, and a Jenna that I have to take care of. There are many things that I can’t leave unattended.” Nathan shrugged. “Fuck the job. Quit. Give me your bank information, I’ll make sure you have what you need, more than you need, whatever you want. And as for your

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Jenna, who I’m assuming is the tall redhead from the garden, — she may not be as tall as I think you are small, what are you like 5’4? Anyway, I’m getting off track. You and your Jenna can spend as much time together as you want, shopping, spas, all that shit women like to do. I don’t care, as long as you come back to me when you’re finished.” Nathan smiled. He told his mother that when he found Carter he would keep her forever. He was ready for it all. He knew exactly where this relationship was going, and he wasn’t going to pretend or fight what he knew was inevitable. He wasn’t going to let her fight it either. He knew he wanted Carter, and he’ll never stop wanting her, she was his, and Nathan takes care of what’s his. Carter frowned and shook her head. “No, Nathan, I can’t just quit my job. I need

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money and that’s what normal people do when they need money, they work. I’m not going to let you give me money.” Nathan looked into her eyes. “There you go with that, ‘let you’ again. Carter, you will soon find out what kind of man I am. No one lets me do anything, I just do it, and if you won’t give me your account information I’ll get it myself. I was just hoping you would give me the information freely, but I see this one will be a fight,” he shrugged then kissed her lips and her neck and whispered against her skin. “And just so you know, I will win.” He would win, she just didn’t know it yet. Carter shook her head no, even as she let her head fall back giving him more access to her neck. He smiled smugly against her skin.

8

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Oh My…

Nathan was going to devour her when they got to the beach house. He was fighting so hard to maintain self-control and not crash, but he didn’t know how much longer he could control himself. He came to the conclusion that if they crashed it would be her fault. She hadn’t stopped touching him since they got in the car, not to mention she’d been rocking her sexy hips against him for the better part of the night, and that had already been driving him to the edge of insanity. And now she decided it was a good idea to jump

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into his lap while he drove. He was trying to focus on driving, but she kept kissing his neck. Not saying he didn’t love it, but he was sure that he would crash if she kept rocking her body up against his the way she was right now. “Carter, baby, you’ve got to stop moving your hips like that or we’re going to wreck,” Nathan pleaded huskily. This woman was going to make him lose his mind. He felt Carter’s smile against his neck, “I can’t stop moving, Nathan, it feels too good,” she moaned. Jesus Christ, she’s going to kill us! Needless to say, he was relieved when the beach house finally came into view. They made it without dying. Once he turned off the ignition, he grabbed her face and kissed her hard. Carter let out a glorious moan into

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his mouth and continued grinding her hips. God, if she didn’t stop right now he was going to come in his pants, which is really not something he wanted to do. He grabbed her hips to still her movement. She made a sound of protest and he gave her a quick kiss. “Carter, we need to go inside, now.” Carter quickly rolled over to the passenger side of the car and opened the door. By the time she was out of the car, Nathan was already on her side. Grabbing her waist he picked her up until they were face to face. Her arms automatically went around his neck and her legs locked around his waist as her mouth latched on to his neck. With a loud groan, Nathan walked them up the pathway to the front door. God, he hoped the door was unlocked.

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Relieved that the door was unlocked, Nathan walked in the house happy to see the lights were out. Assuming that meant the guys retired to their rooms for the evening, he decided to indulge a little before the long walk to his bedroom. Nathan pinned Carter against the wall with his body. He tore her shirt down the middle, pushed both ends to the side, and took a moment to appreciate the beauty of her bountiful breasts. He couldn’t suppress his growl when he noticed her gorgeous dark nipples through her white lace bra. He couldn’t help himself, he latched his mouth on to one lace covered breast and sucked hard while he slipped his hand into her shorts. Carter gasped. “Oh! Oh! God…Nathan!”

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His hands were in her panties. Carter cried out the moment he pressed his palm against her sex. She was already so close, so very, very close. Nathan thrust two long masterful fingers inside of her and she tossed her head back and bit down on her bottom lip, trying hard to contain her cries of pleasure. She panted and moaned and moved her hips against his hand. She was going to cum, and it was going to be so incredible! The first orgasm a man had ever given her! “Umm… I really don’t know how to say this, but…” “Dammit, Lucca! What the hell? Why’d you stop ‘em?” Mickey yelled, glaring at Lucca. “Oh my God!” Carter screamed, grabbing the ends of her ripped shirt and covering herself.

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Nathan pulled his hand out of Carter’s shorts, dropped his head back and sighed. “Shit,” he said feeling his excitement slip away. “I had to Mickey, they needed to know they weren’t in here alone,” Lucca yelled. Nathan looked over to the dining room table where Mickey, Kyle, Lucca, and Dante were sitting with beers in hand and cards scattered around the table. Mickey had a smirk on his asshole face. Dante had his head hung forward and his face buried in his hands chuckling, while he shook his head back and forth. Lucca looked at Nathan with an apologetic smile, while Kyle sat and stared with wide eyes, in shock, at what he had just witnessed. Nathan slid Carter down the wall and she scrambled to hide behind him. She gripped

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his shirt, burying her face in his back and chanting oh my god, over and over again. Nathan made a mental note to ask Kyle for a key to the balcony entrance connected to his room in the morning. “That was hands down the hottest shit I have ever seen in my life!” Mickey said through a laugh. Carter gripped Nathan’s shirt tighter. Lucca slapped Mickey in the back of the head. “Shut the hell up, Mick!” Mickey laughed. “Ow! You ass. What did I say wrong? You know it’s the truth.” Nathan narrowed his eyes on Mickey. “Goodnight,” Nathan said through clenched teeth and reached behind his back to grab Carter’s hand.

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“Hold up, Nate,” Kyle called out as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Nathan’s jaw clenched as he looked at Kyle with cold gray eyes. “Yes, Kyle?” he growled. Kyle shifted in his seat a bit, but maintained his composure. “Mitchell called for you about four times tonight. He said it was urgent, you might want to give him a call.” Nathan snorted. “I’m not giving Mitchell shit. What the hell is he calling me for?” “Do you think it’s because of the meeting we had with Reeves?” Mickey asked. Nathan felt Carter’s grip on his hand tighten and he winced. She was much stronger than she looked, he would have to make a note of that.

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He looked at her frowning. “Ow,” he said as he looked down at their hands and then back to her face, pleading with her silently for her to loosen her grip. She just stared at him with cold questioning eyes. “What?” he asked. “Andrew Reeves?” Nathan frowned. “Yes. You know him?” She nodded. Her jaw tightened and her eyes remained cold as her grip tightened around his hand. “Jesus, baby, you’re squeezing the life out of my hand.” She blinked and released his hand, and Nathan immediately began to massage out the pain. “I’m sorry, I just wasn’t aware that you and Reeves were acquaintances,” she said with a frown.

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Nathan frowned and shook his head. “We’re not, at least not for the time being. I cut off business ties with him for now,” Nathan stated. “How is it exactly that you know Reeves again?” Nathan asked looking at Carter inquisitively. Carter stared at him blankly. “Again? I never told you how I know him, Nathan.” “Yeah, but I believe you were about to, if I’m remembering correctly,” Nathan said. Carter quirked an eyebrow then nodded. “Reeves and I have a… complicated history.” “Hold up, hold up,” Dante said getting everyone to turn their attention to him. “You cut off business ties with Reeves? And what meeting are you referring to? Oh and…” He looked at Carter. “Huh?” Carter shrugged her shoulders and smirked.

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“Nate and I went to Brooklyn. Reeves wasn’t sending his money with Fred and Angelo sent Nate to fix the situation, which he did, permanently. He even got a little extra spending money,” Mickey said smiling broadly. “It’s about damn time. What did Angelo say about it?” Kyle asked. “Haven’t spoken to him about it yet, but it doesn’t matter. When he gave me more power he told me that he trusted my judgment. I am the future boss, I know who I do and don’t want to do business with.” Nathan looked back to Carter. “Complicated history? How so?” Carter cocked her head to the side. “Huh?” “You and Reeves, complicated history,” Nathan replied.

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Carter smiled innocently. “Oh that, it’s not important,” she said with a nonchalant wave of her hand. “It is,” Nathan said narrowing his eyes on her. Carter shook her head. “It’s not.” “Yeah, I’m pretty sure it is.” “No it’s not.” “It is.” “Not important Nathan. Now, let’s go to bed.” Carter looked over to the guys and waved. “Goodnight gentleman, I apologize for the little show earlier. Love you to pieces Kyle.” She grabbed Nathan’s hand and started walking for the stairs, only to be jerked back into Nathan’s hard body. Carter blew her hair out of her face and punched him in the arm. “What the hell you asshole?” she exclaimed.

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Nathan returned her glare. “Just tell me your relationship with Reeves. Carter, this doesn’t have to be a fight,” he demanded. Carter snorted and put her hands on her hips letting her shirt fall open to expose her breast, and smirked. “Well isn’t that fortunate for you Nathan, because I have a very strong feeling that our fights are not going to be like normal couples,” she said. Nathan’s jaw ticked. “Carter,” he growled in warning. “Fine!” she yelled. “You do business with Andrew right? So I suppose you’ve seen the long scar on his face?” She ran her finger down the side of her face. Nathan’s shook his head in disbelief. “That was you?” he exclaimed before he broke out in a loud laughter. Andrew was so full of shit.

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Carter rolled her eyes, smiled, and shook her head. “Idiot,” she muttered. “How the hell did that happen?” Nathan asked Carter shrugged. “It happened on my sixteenth birthday when I was gifted with a trip to one of my father’s meetings before we took a trip to the Bahamas. He made me wait outside for him to finish, then Andrew’s perverted ass pulled up to the house they were meeting in. Long story short he told me I was sexy, I told him to fuck off, he got rough, and then I cut his face. I have a bit of an anger…” she cleared her throat, “anger management issue, but I’m trying to better myself. Anyway, he yelled and called me a bitch, and I told him to be happy I didn’t cut off his fingers. He swung at me and I was about to kill him until my dad ran out and picked me up

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over his shoulder and put me in the car. I didn’t tell him why I did what I did because I made it up in my mind that I wanted to kill that son of a bitch myself, and if I would have told my dad, Reeves would be dead,” Carter smirked as she crossed her arms over her chest. “I’d love to see that bastard again, see how he reacts to seeing that I’m still alive.” Nathan took in a long deep breath. He knew he was fucked up for getting turned on, but he didn’t give a shit, she was sexy as hell. There was something immensely sexy about the devious look in her eyes, plus her shirt was wide open showing off her big beautiful breasts. The only thing he could think about now was getting her upstairs and in his bed. Nathan came to the conclusion in his head that that was all her fault.

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Carter chuckled. “Is this turning you on?” she laughed and shook her head. “You’re such a freak…Ahh!” Carter screamed as Nathan threw her over his shoulder and started running up the stairs toward his room. “Goodnight guys,” Carter yelled from the top of the stairs. “Goodnight,” the guys said laughing at the couple as they left the room. “God, she is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Mickey sighed sitting back in his chair. Lucca rolled his eyes. “Isn’t anyone going to address what was said here?” Lucca asked them wondering why the guys weren’t saying anything about Carter’s story about Andrew Reeves. “No. Obviously Nathan knows something about the girl that we don’t, and he still

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trusts her, and we trust him. I’m sure he’ll fill us in tomorrow or from the looks of it a couple of days from now, or whenever they decide to come out of that room,” Dante said with a chuckle. Kyle stood up from the table and stretched. “Well that was more than enough excitement for me tonight. I’m off to bed, fellas,” he said as he turned to head toward the stairs. The others all agreed and followed. *** Nathan had wasted no time when he finally got her up to his room. When they walked through his door he tossed her on the bed. He threw her shorts and tattered shirt across the room and unhooked her bra, tossing it to the side as well, then he quickly removed his own clothes. Nathan stood at the head of the bed, his tanned muscular body

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on full display for Carter to admire. Nathan seemed to be admiring her as well, his eyes traveled up and down her body as he licked his lips. Carter swallowed hard. He was big, very big…She wasn’t sure if he’d fit. But he didn’t look worried, he just looked really, really sexy. She didn’t know what he was going to do to her at first, but when he walked to the bed, dropped to his knees on the floor, and pulled her naked body in front of his face, she soon found out. Carter lost her mind when Nathan put his talented tongue on the part of her body where no tongue had ever been before. She had only had sex with one guy before Nathan, and he never did this. Carter was lost. God, it felt so amazing. She was so close.

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Her loud moans became screams as she pressed closer to his face. “Na-Nathan, I-I-I’m gonna…” Carter struggled to catch her breath. She clawed at the sheets with one hand, and gripped Nathan’s hair with the other. Her back arched and her eyes closed tight as an orgasm ripped through her body like a forceful tidal wave. She screamed her release as she rode out the most powerful orgasm she had ever had in her life. Wow! That was just…wow. Carter couldn’t stop the satisfied smile that graced her lips. She laced her fingers in Nathan’s hair as he began to move up her body leaving a path of soft kisses until he finally reached her neck. “Mmm baby, you taste incredible” he said against her skin.

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She lay in bed with him panting while Nathan’s incredible mouth moved against her neck and his hard member nudged at her opening. *** Nathan had never wanted anyone more than he wanted Carter Steele. He had very strong feelings for her, and he wanted their first time together to be perfect. He didn’t want this to be just sex, like it was with the previous women in his life. He wanted to make love to her, just like she asked him to on the beach. Nathan had never made love to a woman before, he had fucked, but never made love. Sex to Nathan had always been just that, sex, nothing more than an itch that needed to be scratched every once in a while. But not with Carter. He wanted to worship

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every part of her. He wanted her to feel his love for her in his touch, his kiss. Nathan looked in her expressive eyes and saw everything he needed to see. She felt the same. She loved him too. She cradled his body between her legs as he slowly pushed himself inside of her eliciting simultaneous moans from both him and her. Nathan entered a state of nirvana. Never had anything felt so good, so right. He knew he couldn’t think about how good it felt to be inside her for too long or he would lose it. But it was hard not to think about it, she was so perfect, and so damn tight. Nathan could tell she wasn’t very experienced, and that knowledge made him want to jump for joy. He found Carter’s hands and laced their fingers together. Placing his forehead against hers, he began to move. Their bodies moved

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together in perfect sync as the sounds of their love making filled the once silent room. Carter’s soft whimpers slowly progressed to loud moans as Nathan moved in and out of her at a quicker pace. He unlaced his fingers from hers and brought her thighs up around his waist, he needed to be deeper inside of her. “Lock your legs around my waist, baby,” he whispered against her ear sending chills down her spine. Carter did as she was told and moaned loudly when he pulled her up off of the bed and sat back on his heels. Nathan grunted as he filled her completely. God she felt so good he almost lost it right then, but he held on. He paused for only a moment and looked into her eyes then he began moving her up and down his length. Carter wrapped her arms

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around his neck and brought her lips to his in a searing kiss. Nathan fought hard against succumbing to the overload of sensation, determined to let her come first. Just when he thought she’d never cum, he felt her body tense and a small gasp escaped her lips. With a loud cry, Carter broke their kiss, her eyes shut tight and her head fell back as another orgasm rippled through her body taking her breath away, her nails digging so deep in Nathan’s back that she broke his skin. Both pleasure and pain pushed Nathan over the edge. He laid Carter back on the bed and delivered three long, hard thrusts before burying his face in her neck, and grunting his release. Nathan lay on top of Carter as she stroked his hair lovingly. He knew that he

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was heavy, so he rolled off of her and wrapped one arm around her waist pulling her body to his. She fit so perfectly in his arms, he held her close to him feeling a peace that he had never thought he would feel. Nathan was happy, just like this, holding Carter in his arms while whispering how much he loved her in her ear. Carter held on tighter to Nathan’s strong arms, listening to him whisper to her in a language that she didn’t understand, but she was pretty sure it was Russian. She didn’t know if he was aware that he wasn’t speaking English, but she didn’t care. Whatever he was saying sounded beautiful to her. She felt safe, she was happy, loneliness no longer plagued her, and most importantly she felt loved, truly loved.

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As of now, Nathan Salerno was the only person who truly knew who she was and still genuinely loved her, and she loved him. Tears began to fill her eyes as she thought about how much Nathan had given her. How much he changed her life and given her the peace, happiness, love and acceptance she never thought she would have in just one day. She felt Nathan’s hand softly wipe away her tears and he kissed her cheek. “Don’t cry мое красивое Роуз, tell me what it is. I promise I’ll make it better,” he said softly against her skin. Carter wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and cried against his chest while he stroked her hair and whispered softly to her in Russian. She raised her head to look into Nathan’s eyes. “Promise me Nathan, promise that

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you’ll never leave me.” Carter had fallen hard and fast. She loved Nathan madly, deeply. If he ever left her she was sure that she wouldn’t be able to make it. Nathan came into Carter’s life at a time when she was barely hanging on to the sanity she had left. Nathan cupped her face and kissed her lips softly. He wanted to prove to her that she would never have to worry about him leaving her. He wanted to assure her she would never have to be alone again. Looking into her big beautiful hazel eyes he saw sadness and a vulnerability that made him fiercely protective. The urge to protect her, to possess her was primal and Nathan was unable to resist it. He rolled their bodies until he was positioned on top of her, brought her beautiful smooth legs to his waist, and he pushed

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himself inside of her. She gasped and gripped his shoulders, a soft moan escaping her lips. “I promise you, мое красивое pоуз, it’s you and I from now on, neither of us will ever be alone again,” Nathan whispered against her lips as he made love to her slowly. Carter and Nathan found each other’s hands and laced their fingers together as their bodies moved together as one. They made love looking deeply into each other’s eyes. “I love you, bubby,” Carter confessed breathlessly as Nathan continued to make love to her. “I love you too,” He replied softly against her lips before capturing them in a deep kiss.

9

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One Long Ass Day

Nathan was in heaven. The sun was shining through the few storm clouds in the sky, and the warm breeze blew through his slightly longer hair. He could tell that they would get some rain later on today and he couldn’t wait, he loved when rain cooled off a hot day. He walked out onto the patio connected to his bedroom and looked over the balcony at the pool area. Nathan had heard loud laughter coming from that area when he first stepped out of his bedroom, and he wanted to see what could possibly have everyone in

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such a laughing frenzy. He leaned over and rested his folded arms on the balcony rail, and smiled at the sight before him. Mickey stood in fighting position in front of Carter, who was sporting a sexy little bright pink bikini. She was jumping up and down, her beautiful long hair moving with her. She shook her hands out and moved her head side to side as if cracking her neck. All of her moves were exaggerated, which had Dante and Lucca holding their stomachs laughing out loud as they watched from one of the tables near the pool with beers in their hands. Nathan had no idea what they were doing, and right when he was about to yell and ask, he saw Carter take one quick step forward and Mickey flinched. A mischievous smile spread across her face right before she lunged forward toward Mickey. Mickey tried

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to grab her but she was too quick as she turned her body before he could get a hold of her, and in one quick move she was on his back with her legs tightly around his waist, locking Mickey in a sleeper hold. Nathan’s eyes went wide as he watched. He heard Dante and Lucca slam their beers down and yell “Oh!” as they watched Carter hold tightly to Mickey’s neck. Mickey grabbed for Carter’s arms and her legs tightened around him, so he moved to grab her legs and then her arms tightened around him. Nathan could see Mickey was starting to feel the effects of the hold as he inched closer and closer toward the pool. And just when he thought Mickey would fall in with Carter on his back, Carter quickly jumped off his back and pushed him in the pool.

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Nathan let out a shocked laugh when Carter’s arms shot up in the air as she jumped up and down screaming victoriously. She was bursting with excitement and Dante and Lucca clapped their hands and laughed as Mickey came up the stairs out of the pool rolling his eyes. “You got lucky,” Nathan heard Mickey say to Carter. Carter smile smugly. “Aww, young Mickey, maybe you can beat me when you get older,” she jabbed. Mickey rolled his eyes. “We’re the same age, Carter. As a matter of fact, I’m three months older than your short ass.” Carter laughed that musical laugh Nathan loved. “Whatever, Mickey, you lost. Now, I hope you know me, Dante, and Lucca will

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be expecting our money in cash. Thank you,” she said doing a little dance. Dante raised his beer. “You are incredible, Carter. Seriously the best,” he said through a chuckle. Mickey rolled his eyes and snorted. “You only won because I was distracted by your sexy little body pressed against me,” he said crossing his arms over his chest. Carter just turned around and shook her curvy hips. “Kiss my ass, Mickey,” she replied in a sing song voice. Dante and Lucca laughed at her teasing, and Nathan even heard Mickey chuckle before he picked her up by her waist and tossed her in the deep end of the pool. Carter’s surprised high pitched scream filled the air. Once she came back to the surface she eyed Mickey. “Sore loser,” she said through a

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laugh as he walked over to the table, grabbed a beer and sat in one of the chairs. Nathan shook his head and chuckled. It had been three weeks since Carter Steele had reentered his life, three incredible weeks. The more time they spent together, the more he got to know her, the more he fell in love with her. Nathan was so fascinated with Carter. In the three weeks that they had been together, Carter had managed not only to charm him, but she had every one of the guys in the house wrapped around her perfect little manicured finger. To say that the guys were shocked when Nathan and Carter revealed her true identity would be a huge understatement. Just like Nathan, they had all thought Spook Steele’s entire family was murdered that night. They just like many others didn’t think that

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anyone had a chance of surviving that hit job. Eventually, they all moved on from trying to solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago. Nathan knew that they wouldn’t stick on the subject for long, because they would all want to know what he wanted to know about her as well. Yes, Carter had told him a few stories (which they decided not to share with the guys and he was still freaking out about that whole Reeves thing) but the fact was that he had yet to see it with his own eyes, and he wanted to. Nathan was the one that approached the subject since the guys didn’t seem comfortable asking, but he knew they wanted to know. They had all heard stories of the notorious hit man, Spook Steele. Spook was feared

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and respected by some of the most dangerous people in the criminal world. He was known for his ability to remain calm in difficult situations as well as his extensive skill set when it came to taking someone out or being hired to make a statement. Seriously, the stories of Spook Steele could be used as horror stories to scare both kids and adults. Rumors of his special talents are what made him so mysterious. Everyone knew he was dangerous, but unless you went up against him, one really had no clue just how dangerous he was. So there they all were, sitting in a beach house living room with the only living blood relative and daughter of one of the most dangerous hit men to ever live, and they all wanted to know one thing… Is she as dangerous as her father was?

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It was difficult for Nathan to look at her and believe that she was capable of the things she told him she had done. At first glance, Carter Steele looks like a normal person, stunningly beautiful, but a normal twenty-two year old woman, a model perhaps. But did she look like someone capable of killing two men, and torturing one to death? Not really. He still couldn’t see it in his mind. That’s why he just decided to ask her straight out. What he wasn’t expecting was no clear answer. All she did was shrug her damn shoulders, which didn’t help at all. When they asked her what that meant, she just shrugged again, but Nathan knows that he wasn’t the only one that saw the smile in her eyes.

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Carter remained somewhat of a mystery to Nathan, even though they hadn’t spent a minute apart these last three weeks, there were still so many things she had yet to reveal about herself and that bugged the hell out of him sometimes. Nathan wasn’t used to being with a mysterious woman. Women usually opened up completely when they were with him in hopes that he would fall for them and they would become the future Mrs. Nathan Salerno, but not Carter. How ironic was it that the woman he loves, the woman he wants to know, the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with, was still hiding from him. Maybe she didn’t trust him. The thought cut him deep, but that’s the only reason he could come up with. Carter didn’t trust him.

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Nathan’s brows furrowed at the thought as he slipped his hands into his pockets and made his way down the patio steps. He walked in the direction of the pool, still trying to figure out how to make his mysterious girlfriend a lot less mysterious. Nathan shook his head in disbelief. Girlfriend, he still couldn’t believe the shit. He was supposed to be coming to Hope Beach for some R&R, peace, maybe even get laid a few times. Well, he has gotten those things, and more. He’s gotten some great R&R and peace, both in general as well as within himself. He loved talking to Carter. She listened to him, never judged him, and she understood him. She just gets shit, and Nathan loved her for it, she’s been better than a shrink. As for the getting laid part, well Nathan could only

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smile at that. Who knew incredible sex came with having a girlfriend. “Mmm… I know that smile, what are you thinking about, Nathan Salerno?” Nathan looked up, his thoughts of Carter’s trust issues and disbelief at having a girlfriend momentarily forgotten. He focused on the sight before him and he nearly missed a damn step. Carter was walking up the steps of the pool twisting the water out of her gorgeous long hair. Water dripped from her beautiful curvaceous body and the sun illuminated her brown skin, which Nathan thought was damn sexy in contrast to her bright pink bikini. Nathan was sure he was drooling, he had to be. Carter’s smiled widen as she walked out of the pool and toward him. “Now, what’s

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that expression? That one’s definitely new.” she asked now standing in front of him. Nathan raised an eyebrow and smirked. “This one?” he asked pointing at his face. “This expression’s called Nathan’s Lust. I’m positive you’ll see this one often, and you have only yourself to blame for that.” He leaned forward placing a soft kiss on her lips. Carter laughed and raised an eyebrow. “Nathan’s lust huh? I’ll have to remember that one,” she said messing with the hem of his t-shirt. She looked up at him and smiled warmly. “Did you rest well?” she asked moving his hair away from his eyes. Nathan grabbed her hand and kissed her palm and then her wrist. “Mmm hmm,” he replied while nipping at her palm earning a giggle from her. “You wore me out last night, and this morning.”

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Carter bit her bottom lip, and put her forehead against his chest. Nathan was sure she was blushing. He had come to find out that Carter, although a very passionate lover, was a bit shy when it came to the subject of sex. She had told Nathan that she had very little experience with sex before him, and he loved teasing her and watching her squirm when he whispered dirty things in her ear. It may make him an asshole, but it turned him on. “Nathan, please behave,” she said putting her hand against his chest. Nathan smirked. “I mean it, Nathan! No teasing me today when Jenna comes over to meet you. She can be very conservative when it comes to things like PDA, and she’s very protective of me. I tell her I don’t need it but she insists that

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guys just want to use girls like me, whatever that means. I don’t know, just behave please.” She gave him a pleading look, and then she turned to where the guys were playing cards and drinking beer at the table. “That goes for you too, Mickey. You have to watch your dirty mouth, I know Dante and Lucca know how to be nice, but you’re very bad,” she said pointing at him. Mickey smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at her. Carter rolled her eyes and turned back to Nathan. Nathan frowned, moved a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. “This girl’s opinion is important to you?” he asked. “And if she doesn’t approve of me, then what?” he asked looking into her eyes. Nathan didn’t really know if he was able to impress anyone. He had never been in this

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type of situation before. If she needed the approval of this prudish chick then he was pretty certain they were doomed. Carter shook her head. “She’s important to me, Nathan. She’s been the only person in my life for the past two years, and she’s like a sister.” Carter touched his face lovingly. “But her opinion of you won’t change our relationship at all. Jenna is sort of a pessimist, she doesn’t really like anyone when she first meets them, she didn’t like me, but now we’re best friends,” Carter said with a shrug. Nathan chuckled. “Well, she sounds like a delight,” he said sarcastically. Carter smiled and laughed softly. “Shut up.” “I’m sure I’ll fail miserably at impressing her, but I’ll do my best to behave even

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though I’m sure I’ll fail at that too.” Nathan’s hands slid down her hips and he palmed her sexy ass. He lifted her from the ground and she locked her legs around his waist and laughed. “Yeah, I thought you might say that, you jerk. You’re not even going to try are you?” Nathan smirked and shook his head. “I don’t think I can be around you and not touch you anyway I want to, Carter,” he said leaning forward placing a slow kiss on her neck, making her shudder in his arms. Carter let out a soft gasp and pulled back. “No, Nathan. Don’t even think about it. I have to go soon,” she said firmly. Nathan didn’t care, he wanted her and he wanted her now. It was her fault, not his. At least that’s what he told himself as he started walking with her back to their room, his

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hand moving to release the tie of her bikini top. Carter’s hand quickly shot up to her chest to keep her top from falling, much to Nathan’s delight. “Nathan!” she screamed and he chuckled. “Hmm?” he asked pulling at the strings of her bottoms. She moved her hips back and forth trying to get away from his hand but still refusing to let go of her chest. “Nathan! I’m going to kick your ass!” she yelled. “Moving your hips like that is only going to make your plans for today wait longer honey,” he said in a low sensual tone, still pulling at the strings of her bottoms. “Nathan, you lucky motherfucker. That’s why I hate your ass,” Nathan heard Mickey yell from behind him and he laughed right before dodging a hit in the face from Carter.

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He finally got one side of her bikini bottom untied and Carter gasped. She wrapped one arm around Nathan’s neck tight to keep her top up and grabbed the side he untied. “Oh my God, Nathan! You’re so dead! I am not kidding!” she yelled still holding on to him tight as he headed up the steps of the patio connected to the room. Her nails dug into his back hard, he knew she was pissed. Nathan just smiled. In all honesty, Nathan knew he was an asshole, but he loved to get her all worked up before sex. It made her less shy and the sex incredibly exciting. Sex with Carter was amazing, seriously, the best sex Nathan had ever experienced, but he had come to find out that sex with Carter when he pissed her off was fucking incredible. He knew it was wrong to purposely piss her off,

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but he didn’t do it all the time, just when he knew she was in the mood, and right now, he knew she was in the mood. *** Carter stood in front of the full length mirror admiring her new yellow halter summer dress. She absolutely loved it. It was one of the few things she let Nathan buy her when they went shopping. She saw the dress and she had to have it, but there was no way she could afford it without going bankrupt, so she decided to let her boyfriend spoil her, just a little bit. She loved this dress. It was tight around the bust and waist area, and the skirt flared out a bit and ended mid-thigh. It was the perfect summer dress, she knew Jenna

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would think it was too short, but Carter didn’t care, she loved it. Carter was just finishing up pressing her hair when Nathan walked up behind her. He had on sweat pants that hung off his hips just right, and his hair was still damp from the shower they just took. He looked damn sexy. “Wow, you dress fast. And look! You tamed your wild hair. I told you not to panic,” he said before he began to brush his teeth. “You should listen to me more often, I’m always right,” he said with a smile, his tooth brush was hanging from his mouth. Carter looked over at him and rolled her eyes. She had panicked a little because her hair had started to tangle after she got it wet, and when she dried it, it was a huge poofy mess.

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“My panicking was your fault, Nathan. I told you my hair was on its way to being a giant afro and you held me captive so that you could have your naughty way with my body. Now I’m going to be late for my hair appointment because of you. I have to call and push it back an hour now,” she said glaring at him. Nathan looked at her with feigned outrage. “Nuh uh,” he said shaking his head, his mouth full of tooth paste and Carter giggled. Nathan emptied his mouth. “That was your fault. It was like your bikini just dropped off as soon as we got in the room. I was shocked,” he said with a shrug trying to hide his mischievous smile. Carter knew he was going to attack again if she didn’t get out of the room. Carter laughed. “I’m not even going to have this conversation with you again,

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Nathan. You’re hopeless,” she said laughing and hitting his hand away from her dress when he tried to lift it. “You are insatiable, you know that. Nathan! You have to stop or we will never get out of this room.” She tried to push his big greedy hands away but he was relentless. He scooped her up in his arms and she screamed and giggled. Carter loved when Nathan was playful. “Nathan! Put me down,” she said through a laugh. She screamed when he tossed her on the bed. “Nathan, stop,” she said placing her hand on his chest and laughing when he moved her hand aside. Nathan smirked. “Don’t deny me what’s mine, woman,” he said. Biting his lip, he gripped her hips and she squealed. Nathan raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “Are you ticklish?” he asked with a curious smile.

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Carter gasped and tried to push away. Nathan pulled her back. “Oh my God, you are,” he said through a chuckle and a sly smile appeared on his face. Carter shook her head firmly. “Don’t even think about it Nathan. I’m not kidding, I’m deathly ticklish, it’s a sickness,” she said frantically and Nathan laughed loud. “A sickness? Oh honey, I have to see this,” he said with a big smile on his face. Carter’s eyes shot open and she tried to squirm out of his grasp. “No Nathan, don’t!” she said worrying her bottom lip. Nathan straddled her body, grabbed her arms and pinned them above her head. “Hmm. Where should I start?” He brought his free hand up to her waist giving it a light squeeze, she squealed and Nathan laughed.

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Carter tried to plead with him again, she had to, and begging was her only option at this point. “Nathan please don’t…Ahh!” she screamed and writhed beneath Nathan when he began to tickle her relentlessly. He had no mercy, he didn’t even care when she begged him. Carter chanted please over and over again like she was reciting a mantra, and he still didn’t let up. She was positive she had never laughed so hard in her life. “Oh my God, Nathan, You’re going to kill me,” she screamed through laughter and finally he stopped and looked down at her, his gray eyes bright and full of amusement. His smile, just as bright, revealed his perfect white teeth and the most amazing dimples Carter had ever seen. She sighed. God, she loved him. “Have mercy on me, Nathan, please. I’ll

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do anything,” she begged breathlessly grabbing a hold of his hands. Nathan’s head fell back and he laughed. “Jesus, it is a sickness for you isn’t it?” he asked and Carter nodded her head emphatically. Nathan chuckled while he rolled off of her and lay on his back next to her. He pulled her to him until she was on top of him and she laid there exhausted. “Why are you so mean to me?” she pouted against his chest and the jerk chuckled. “I hope you know I’ll be using that ‘anything’ later on,” he said and she knew the jerk had a sly smile on his face even without looking at him. Carter feigned confusion. “Anything? I don’t remember saying anything.”

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“Oh, you didn’t?” His hands went to tickle her waist. “No wait! I think I remember now. I’m pretty sure I said anything,” she said frantically gripping his hands. “Are you positive you remember?” “Yes! Yes, I remember you meanie. Now let me go,” Carter replied faking a pout. Nathan placed a quick kiss on her lips and smacked her behind. “I love you, now get your ass outta here woman.” Carter giggled and got off the bed and walked to the door. “Love you too, bubby. I’m going to grab something to eat in the kitchen before I leave,” Carter said over her shoulder before she left the bedroom. Once she finally made it down the long hallway to the stairs she saw someone she always loved to see at the bottom of the

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staircase. “Kyle!” she yelled as she ran down the steps and into his arms hugging him tight. Kyle hugged her back and smiled. “Damn, did you miss me that much?” he asked as he placed a big kiss on her cheek. Carter smiled brightly at him. She really did miss Kyle. He hadn’t been around as often lately. Well either he hadn’t been around or she was too caught up in spending time with Nathan, but either way she missed him like crazy. He was her best friend, her fun womanizer. Carter smiled warmly and reached up and ran her fingers through his long black hair. “Yeah, I missed you, but that’s my fault,” she touched his face lovingly and a small smile appeared on his face. “I haven’t really been paying much attention to anyone

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but Nathan lately. Jenna yelled at me yesterday,” Carter said with amusement in her eyes. Kyle kissed her hand. “Sweetheart, I think that’s what people do when they fall in love,” Kyle said sweetly. “I forgive you for ignoring me and forgetting that I exist, if that confession was an apology,” Kyle said playfully. Carter laughed. “It was. Now come with me to the kitchen,” she said grabbing his hand and leading the way. “I’m hungry and since this is your house you are responsible for feeding me.” She smiled at him over her shoulder. Kyle followed. “You’re very demanding, you know that?”

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Carter just shrugged her shoulders. “Yep, I know.” She knew she was. She always thought it to be a great quality, but whatever. “You’re in luck, you little brat, I was about to get myself something anyway,” Kyle said as they made their way into the kitchen. Once they made it to the kitchen, she saw Dante, Lucca and Mickey sitting at the dining room table laughing with beers in hand and she smiled and shook her head. Those guys were the three freaking amigos. They did everything together and they always had beers in hand when they did it. Carter let go of Kyle’s hand as he made his way over to the refrigerator. She looked over at the guys and waved. “Hey, besties,” she said with a wink. “Hey,” they all said simultaneously and raised their beers.

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“You guys aren’t drunk yet, huh?” she asked in a playful tone. Dante shook his head and smiled. “Not yet, but we will be. Hopefully, by the time your friend gets here so that we can make a good impression,” he replied. Carter laughed and then remembered who was in the room and instantly wished she could disappear. Kyle turned around abruptly and looked at Carter with a frown. “Jenna’s coming over?” Carter bit her bottom lip. She didn’t want to mention that Jenna was coming over to Kyle because the two didn’t get along. She turned to look at Kyle and he was glaring at her. “You invited that evil woman over here?” he growled and Carter couldn’t say anything.

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Yes, she knew that Jenna and Kyle never got along, but she still had hope for them becoming friends one day. Kyle’s jaw clenched. “Carter, answer me,” he growled. Carter rolled her eyes, he sounded a lot like Nathan. They seriously acted just alike sometimes. “It’s not that big a deal, Kyle. She’s not that bad,” she defended, crossing her arms over her chest. Kyle snorted. “Not that bad? The last time she and I were in a room together she threw a drink in my face and called me a pig for no damn reason! I hadn’t even introduced myself to her yet,” he said angrily. Carter tried to hide her smile as the memory of Jenna throwing a drink in Kyle’s face at their condo flashed through her mind.

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Jenna was just being a good friend when she did that, and Carter appreciated her for it. When Jenna first met Kyle at their condo she was under the impression that Kyle and Carter were dating, which would have been okay if she hadn’t seen him feeling Tessa up at the bar a day earlier. Remembering Kyle’s face after Jenna threw that glass of water in it had Carter ready to burst into laughter and her hand shot up to her mouth to hold it in. Kyle’s eyes widened in shock. “Do you find that funny?” he said in outrage, but she could see a bit of amusement in his blue eyes. Carter nodded her head. “It was an honest mistake, Kyle. She thought you were cheating on me with Tessa.”

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“Tessa?” Lucca said from the table. “Isn’t that the waitress from the bar last night?” he asked looking over at Kyle. Kyle gave Lucca a strained look and shook his head. “Yeah, I remember her. It’d be difficult to forget, she was very…spirited,” Mickey said through a chuckle. “Yeah, that’s her. Hey Kyle, didn’t she go with you last night when you left? Is she still here?” Lucca asked. Carter’s brows furrowed and she looked up at Kyle in question. “Here? Like, here now?” she asked not understanding what they were talking about. Kyle knew that Tessa was a bitch to Carter on a regular basis, all because of him. Where the hell was his fucking loyalty?

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Kyle gave Carter an apologetic smile. “I got kind of drunk last night. I barely remember anything, all I know is I woke up and she was sleeping next to me. Last I checked she was still passed out in my bed,” he said trying to look innocent. “In your bed?” Carter yelled, shocked. Kyle never let the women he screwed in his bed. Kyle looked away from her guiltily. “I’m no happier about the shit than you are, Carter. Trust me.” Carter just stood, staring at him blankly. She was trying very hard to remember what her father said about not giving into her temper, but Kyle just royally pissed her off. She had told Kyle that bitch, Tessa, had been making her life hell at work because of her

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friendship with him, and he obviously didn’t even care. Carter had hoped that Tessa would back the hell off after she nearly choked her to death, but that just seemed to make things worse. It definitely got worse when Carter called her out on the rumors that she drove passed Kyle’s beach house every day when he was gone for those three months trying to see if he was avoiding her. Carter was to the point where she was thinking about giving in to Nathan and quitting her damn job just to get away from Tessa. Carter constantly had to bite her tongue and clench her fist in order to keep from killing Tessa, and she really wanted to kill Tessa. But no, she hasn’t killed the bitch, instead she made a promise to herself that she would not touch her again due to the simple fact that Carter knew she could

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kill her. Carter knew that she could beat the shit out of Tessa, and that just isn’t fair for her because the whore didn’t even know who she was messing with. Carter usually didn’t care about being fair, but she’d changed. She was so proud of herself for ignoring Tessa’s bitchy comments and constant “accidental” shoves at work, especially since when she shoved her everything that Carter carried at the time would fall to the floor and she would have to clean it up. To be honest, it was easy for Carter to shake off the comments Tessa made about her, but the ones she made about Jenna, not so much. “Carter, baby, you’re scaring me,” Kyle said breaking Carter away from her thoughts. You should be scared you bastard, she thought.

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Carter continued to look at him, her expression cold and impassive. “Excuse me, Kyle,” she said politely as she walked passed him to the fruit and grabbed an apple. She went over to the knife drawer and a beautiful, extremely sharp knife caught her eye. There is nothing Carter loved more than a sharp knife and cutting something when she was this pissed off. Kyle seriously better thank God that she had the fucking apple. She heard Kyle moving around behind her. “You’re mad, I can tell, but because I know you adore me and will eventually forgive me I am going to make you a peace offering,” he said and she turned to see what he was doing. “I’m going to make you your favorite lunch,” he said taking out the peanut butter and jelly.

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Carter rolled her eyes. That was her second favorite lunch. The son of a bitch didn’t even remember that, plus she needed alcohol not peanut butter and jelly. Carter walked over to the refrigerator and shoved Kyle’s big body to the side and grabbed a beer. She saw him watch her as she walked over to the table where Lucca, Dante, and Mickey were sitting and pulled up a chair. She turned and glared at him. “You’re an asshole, and a pig,” she spat as she sat down, crossed her legs turning her back to him, and opened her beer. “Yes, I am,” Kyle admitted with a nod and started to make the guilt sandwich. Dante pulled Carter’s chair closer to him and put his arm around the back of it. “So, are we going to get to know why you’re so

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pissed about this?” he asked with his thick eyebrows raised. Carter shrugged, and just when she was about to open her mouth and tell them how Tessa had been making her life hell, the bitch walked in the kitchen with one of Kyle’s tshirts on, stretching as if she had just woken up. Carter’s entire body tensed. “Oh shit,” Mickey muttered. Kyle groaned. “Fuck,” he said as he ran his hand through his hair.

10

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One Long Ass Day, Part 2: Girl Fight

Dante felt Carter tense next to him and he looked at her with concern, rubbing her shoulder. Carter relaxed and gave him a small smile as she turned her attention to cutting off slices of her apple. She decided she wouldn’t even acknowledge the fact that Tessa was there. Kyle could deal with the crazy stalker bitch himself. Tessa yawned loud and stretched again. She didn’t even care when her shirt rose up

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revealing a red thong. Carter rolled her eyes and made a face of disgust. “Morning, baby,” Tessa said as she sauntered over to Kyle. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek over and over again until he pushed her back. “What?” she asked looking at him confused, and then she looked toward the dining table. “Oh wow, I didn’t know you had…” She paused when she saw Carter. “What the fuck is she doing here?” Lucca, Dante, and Mickey’s mouth’s dropped open and Carter continued to look down at her apple. Lucca shook his head in disbelief. “She did not just say that shit,” he said. Carter smiled a little despite her irritation with Tessa. “I think she did,” Dante said.

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Mickey snorted. “Who the fuck does she think she is?” he asked glaring in Kyle and Tessa’s direction. Kyle took a handkerchief from his pants pocket and wiped his face where she kissed him then tossed it in the trash, disgusted that she had just touched him and put her lips on him after he’d just showered. “Don’t ask me what the fuck anyone is doing in my house, Tessa. It’s none of your damn business. Go get some clothes on so you can go. She’s welcome here, you aren’t,” Kyle said coldly, turning his attention back to his task of making the sandwich he hoped would make Carter love him again. He’d really fucked up this time, but he hadn’t meant to. He hated Tessa just as much as Carter did. He was just too drunk last night to remember that little fact. He

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had been drinking a little too much lately, and purposely avoiding Carter and Nathan because his dumbass little brother was right. He was jealous. Jealous was actually an understatement. He hated the fact that Nathan had Carter, because he wanted her, and he was sure he always had. It took a year for him to figure it out and he felt so stupid for missing all of the chances he had to show her that he loved her, and now it was too late. She was in love with another man, his best friend none the less. Kyle had definitely been in a bad place the last three weeks. He couldn’t look at Nathan and Carter without feeling pain in his chest. He nearly collapsed when he found out who her father was. It was all too much, and last night was the big mistake. Carter was the only woman that had ever been in

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Kyle’s house until now. He’s been so mad at Carter, he wanted her to feel just a little of his pain, and last night his drunk ass made it happen. When he woke up this morning and saw that Tessa was in his bed he immediately felt like shit. He then promised himself that he wouldn’t avoid his best friend and the only woman in the world he cared for anymore. Carter was too important to him, and he knew she still cared for him. Especially when she greeted him like she did today, like nothing had changed, like she still cared about him, like she loved him. Kyle couldn’t lose that…or her. He needed her too much. Kyle felt a boney hand hit him in the arm and he looked up from his task at Tessa standing next to him seething. “Why the hell are you still standing here?” Kyle asked confused. Had he missed something?

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“I said why the fuck do you want me to leave? Is it because of that bitch?” Tessa yelled pointing at Carter. The girl had lost her mind. Her face was crimson, her breathing was labored and she look like she was about to explode. “Are you out of your fucking mind? I said go get your shit and get the fuck out!” he snapped getting frustrated that she was still standing in his kitchen. “What the hell is going on down here?” a deep voice said from the stairs. Everyone looked over to the stairs to see Nathan stepping down the last two steps and walking into the kitchen. “Who thefuck are you?” Tessa asked looking at Nathan with her hands on her hips. Nathan walked right passed her to the bowl of fruit and grabbed an apple. He sat up

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on the island a little distance away from Tessa and Kyle, bit into his apple, and chewed. “Who the fuck are you?” he repeated in deep low tone. He wasn’t asking her who she was, he didn’t care. He was just echoing her question like the true crazy person he is. Kyle hit the counter with his fist and Tessa flinched. “Don’t worry about who the hell is in my house! Get the fuck out, Tessa.” Tessa crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, refusing to leave. “I’m not leaving Kyle, and I’m definitely not leaving so you can fuck that ugly bitch right after you spent the entire night making love to me,” Tessa yelled. Carter chuckled and all eyes went to her. “Making love?” she muttered shaking her head. “Bullshit,” she said in a sing song tone.

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Nathan frowned. “Who the hell is she talking about?” he asked confused. “Carter,” Lucca replied still glaring at Kyle. Nathan’s brows shot up in surprise. “Carter? My Carter?” he asked pointing to himself and Lucca who nodded yes while keeping his glare on Kyle. Nathan looked at Carter and saw she was looking down and cutting into an apple with a very sharp knife. He swallowed hard. Who the hell gave her a weapon? “Hey baby, are you okay?” he asked, already knowing that she was a ticking time bomb. He got even more afraid for the crazy girl when Carter just nodded her head without making eye contact with him. She kept her attention on what she was doing with that knife and that unnerved Nathan,

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the last thing they needed to do was hide a body in Hope Beach. Nathan looked back to the girl and narrowed his cold gray eyes on her. “You should probably go. Carter isn’t really someone you want to fuck with. Instead of finding out why the painful way, just go now.” Nathan smirked. “I promise you, Carter only shares a bed with one man in this house, and it ain’t Kyle,” he said as he took another bite of his apple. Tessa snorted. “Fuck you. You’re lying for him. I’m not going anywhere.” Nathan chuckled and Tessa turned back to Kyle. “You think I’m just going to let you make love to me and treat me like shit while you worship the ground that stupid bitch walks on? You drool over her like every other dumbass that comes in the bar and it’s pathetic. You are pathetic! You actually still want to

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fuck the whore after I told you that she almost killed me!” she screamed at him. Kyle gripped the counter hard so that he wouldn’t punch her. “Tessa. Get. The. Fuck. Out,” Kyle said in a low tone. Tessa slammed her fist on the counter. “No,” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “Fuck you, Kyle! You’re a dumb son of a bitch if you think she’ll actually ever want you the way you want her! I’m so sick of seeing you give her all of the attention you should be giving me. Or looking at her the way you should be looking at me. And she doesn’t even like men.” Tessa let out a deranged laugh. “She comes here and screws your stupid ass and then goes back home and fucks that ugly bitch she lives with! I swear to God Kyle, if you don’t stop seeing her I’ll fucking kill that bitch myself!”

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Carter burst into laughter. No she did not just say what I think she said. “You’ll do what?” Carter said through a laugh, and then she narrowed her cold hazel eyes on Tessa. “Everyone, pay very close attention because if I snap, you will literally have about five seconds to save her life,” her tone was low and deadly. Each of the men felt a sharp pang of fear that they would never admit to feeling, not even if you paid them. They could all look at Carter and see that the sweet, energetic, playful Carter was not present with them at the moment. The look in her eyes was all too familiar. What the stupid chick in the middle of the room was completely unaware of is that she is in a room full of people who live in an entirely different world then she. In this

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world they handle issues…differently. They could all tell that Carter had tried her best to leave the lifestyle she was raised in behind her and in the past, but looking at her now they could see that the mask she wore to hide Spook Steele’s daughter had completely slid off, hit the floor, and shattered. Carter may not know it yet, but she was going to kill the crazy bitch, and the guys didn’t know if they would be able to stop it from happening. They had all seen this coming, Carter was raised in the same way as they were, and in their lifestyle it wasn’t a good idea to threaten someone’s life unless you knew for sure that you can get the job done. *** Carter couldn’t keep her mouth shut anymore, she came to the conclusion in her head that her dad would be proud of her for

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making it this far. Tessa had crossed the fucking line a long time ago, and it was about time for her to find out how Carter dealt with people who wanted her dead. She decided that even though the bitch just threatened to kill her, she wasn’t going to slice her throat. Instead, Carter decided to just have a little fun and see if Tessa was capable of killing her like she said she would. Carter narrowed her eyes on Tessa. “You said that you would kill me?” Carter asked pointing to herself, a smile pulling at her lips. Tessa glared at her and clenched her fist at her sides. “Yes, you stupid bitch. Don’t think I’m afraid of you just because you knocked the wind out of me once. You wouldn’t be so lucky if I came over there now,” she threatened.

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Carter’s smile widened. “Hun, what I did to you in that hallway a few weeks ago will be nothing compared to what I’d do to you if you came over here now.” “Fuck you, Carter,” Tessa spat. “How?” Carter asked, she cocked her head slightly and looked at Tessa inquisitively. Tessa frowned confused. “What the hell are you talking about?” Carter rolled her eyes. “How would you kill me? I’m just curious to know how I would die.” Carter leaned forward in the chair waiting for her response. The guys continued to watch the exchanged curious to see where it was going. Tessa snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t give a fuck what you want

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to know, just know that I’ll fucking do it.” A passionate, hate filled her eyes. Carter frowned and sat back in her seat. “Wow, you really hate me don’t you? I honestly have no idea what could make you hate me so much, but then again I don’t really care. I just wish to know how you would kill me,” Carter crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest. “So tell me. Would you poison me? Beat me to death? Suffocate me?” Carter said inquisitively. Tessa clenched her jaw and her face turned crimson. “Kiss my ass you ugly—” “Or you could hire someone to do it, if you’re too much of a pussy to do it yourself,” Carter interjected. “But I do advise against that one, some of the best hit men in the world have already tried to kill me and they

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failed, miserably.” Carter heard Nathan chuckle and she smiled. “How about I just shoot you in your fucking face?” Carter’s smile faded and her expression went blank. “Say that again,” Carter said in a light calm tone. Tessa stepped forward and placed her palms on the Island and narrowed her eyes on Carter. “That face that everyone seems to love so much. I would empty an entire clip in it. That’s how I’d kill you.” Each of her words were saturated with hate, and Carter believed her. If Tessa had the chance she just might kill her. So naturally, Carter had to give Tessa the chance she could tell she so desperately wanted. Though Carter was struggling to fight the rage building inside of her, she knew she

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couldn’t go off just yet. There was something she had to see first. As of this moment she knew she wasn’t going to kill Tessa, she was just going to beat the living shit out of her. But not yet, she needed justification first, so her father wouldn’t turn over in his grave, and she wouldn’t risk feeling that God awful guilt. Carter stood up abruptly and the men all looked at each other like they were preparing to stop her if she decided to jump over the counter top and beat Tessa to death. Carter raised her hand to stop them from moving in. “I’m not going to kill her, but I’m not making any promises about not beating her ass.” They all seemed to relax, well, all of them except for Nathan and Kyle, the two who knew her too well to completely relax.

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“Carter,” Nathan said to get her attention. “What are you going to do?” he asked trying to read her eyes, but they were empty and her face was expressionless. If she was feeling anything at all at the moment she was definitely keeping it hidden very well. “Don’t worry, baby. I’m just going to give her what she wants,” Carter said turning to walk toward the small desk in the corner of the kitchen. She stopped in front of it and opened the desk drawer. “Carter, stop!” Kyle said firmly. He knew exactly what she was going for. Nathan looked over at Kyle confused and Kyle motioned for Nathan to look back over at Carter. Nathan heard clicking noises and he looked over just in time to see her pull out a silver coated Glock 26 from the drawer, and

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he jumped off the counter. “Carter, what the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re not giving her that gun,” he said walking toward her fully prepared to tackle her ass to the floor and take that damn gun. Carter put her hand against his chest and he moved it. “Nathan, don’t worry. Tessa and I are just going to play a little game,” Carter said touching Nathan’s face lovingly. “Trust me, honey, please?” she whispered to him and kissed him softly on his lips. Nathan knew that Carter wasn’t an idiot, but she wouldn’t do anything to actually put her own life in danger, would she? He couldn’t tell right now, all he knew was that if something happened to Carter he would lose his fucking mind and snap that Tessa girl’s neck like a damn tooth pick, and then he’d kill Kyle for bringing her here.

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Carter left Nathan and he watched her walk over to the table and pick up the knife that she used for her apple. “Carter, are you sure about this?” Dante asked. Lucca reached up and put his hand over Carter’s. Carter tucked the knife back so it wouldn’t cut him. “I know what you’re going to do and you don’t have to. I’ll personally drag the crazy bitch, throw her outside, and be done with it.” Carter gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. She looked over and saw that Mickey had a devious smile on his face and she ran her hand over his short hair. “You’re my favorite,” she whispered and gave him a wink. She heard Tessa snort and she turned her attention back to her. “Oh my God, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before,” Tessa said with

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a smug smile on her face. “You don’t just screw Kyle, you let him loan you out to his friends too. What are you? Some kind of party favor that they pass and fuck,” she said through a laugh. “So, I guess it is true what they say about black girls huh? You guys are just a bunch of … Ahh!” Tessa screamed when Carter hurled the knife in her hand across the room toward her, it passed an inch away from her face and stuck in the wooden cabinet behind her. “Racism is unacceptable Tessa,” Carter said with disappointment. Tessa began to back up toward the door and Carter raised the gun and pulled the trigger, not giving a damn about damaging Kyle’s property. The bullet went right passed Tessa’s shoulder making her turn around and back into the kitchen screaming.

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Carter heard the guys stand up from the table and Kyle looked at her in shock. She also saw Nathan pacing and running his hand through his hair from the corner of her eye. “Stop moving, Tessa. Stand still,” Carter ordered calmly and Tessa froze. Carter didn’t feel like wasting any more time. She walked toward the island and jumped up on top of it. She stood to her feet on top of the counter and walked to the end of it where Tessa was standing there shaking with her hands covering her mouth and tears filling her eyes. Carter glared at her shaking her head. “Uh uh, hell no, don’t start that crying shit now, you were all big and bad a second ago telling me how you wanted to empty a clip in my face. Now that I’m ready to play your

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game you don’t want to play anymore?” Carter wasn’t going to let Tessa walk away. She already had a chance to leave, and she didn’t take it. Tessa looked up at Carter standing on top of the counter with the gun in her hand and she let out a sob. “I don’t know what game you’re talking about,” Tessa cried. “A knife,” Carter said staring at Tessa blankly. Tessa looked up at her confused. “What?” Carter’s jaw clenched. She walked over to stand in front of Tessa then sat down and crossed her legs Indian style placing the gun in her lap. “A knife Tessa, that’s how I would kill you. I would take my knife, and cut you wide open. I wouldn’t even kill you first because I’d want you to feel everything.

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“I would take pleasure in hearing you scream. That is just how sadistic and twisted I am. I thought it was the two years I spent living on the streets of St. Louis after my father died that made me crazy, but no, I don’t want it to be but it’s genetics, my fucking mother,” Carter said in a matter-of-fact tone then she narrowed her eyes on Tessa. “Today you are going to learn two valuable lessons, Tessa. Lesson one, watch your mouth because shit that you say can get you royally fucked up. Lesson two, never threaten to kill someone like me, unless you are certain that you can actually get the fucking job done.” Carter sat the gun on the counter between the two of them. Tessa looked at her in shock and shook her head. “What are you doing?”

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Carter smirked. “I’m giving you the gun. What the fuck does it look like I’m doing?” “Carter stop, this shit is going too far you are not going to let her shoot you,” Kyle interjected from the end of the counter. Carter turned a deadly glare on him. “Stay out of it, Kyle,” she said through clenched teeth. Kyle returned her glare. “No, I won’t. Now, give me my gun. Tessa get the fuck out of my house before somebody ends up dead.” Carter snorted. “I’m not giving you shit, Kyle. Tessa isn’t leaving yet. This is happening because of you, and I’m ending the shit today.” A loud slam against the counter brought Carter’s attention back to a furious Tessa. “That’s what gets you pissed off? When I talk to Kyle? Really? Even if we’re arguing?”

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Carter shook her head. “Hun, this obsession you have with him is unhealthy and a waste of time. He’s never going to feel anything for you, so you might as well let it go.” Tessa moved closer to her. “Fuck you. He would be able to acknowledge his feelings for me if your fat ass would stop getting in the way,” Tessa spat angrily clenching and unclenching her fist at her sides. Carter laughed loud. “Fat? Oh please slut, having an ass, curves and these,” Carter said cupping her full breasts, “doesn’t make me fat, it makes me a fucking woman,” Carter said through a laugh. Tessa snorted and leaned in closer placing her palms on the counter. “Obviously, not enough of a woman because Kyle still fucks me. Obviously, you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t know how to take

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care of him,” she said her eyes full of anger and hate. Carter’s head fell back and she groaned. “God! How many times do I have to tell you this? Kyle and I are just friends. You’re crazy! I honestly don’t see what Kyle likes about you. I mean you’re cute and you have huge fake tits, but I always thought Kyle was more into real boobs. I mean, he stares at mine pretty hard,” Carter muttered with a shrug and she heard snickering behind her from the guys at the table. Tessa shook her head firmly. “Bullshit, you can’t convince me that you’re not fucking him, you lying little cunt! You’re in love with him,” she said accusingly. Carter gripped the edge of the counter. There was nothing Carter hated more than to being called a cunt, the last person that

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called her that got his face cut with her knife. “Wrong, Tessa, I do love Kyle’s dumbass, but the only man that I’m in love with is blondie back there by the desk, aka my fucking boyfriend!” Tessa looked behind Carter at Nathan and raised an eyebrow. “Wow, very nice. How does he feel about you and Kyle fucking? He should be just as pissed off as I am,” Tessa said as her eyes lingered on Nathan way too fucking long. Carter hit Tessa’s forehead with the palm of her hand. Tessa stumbled back, glaring at Carter. Carter returned her glare. “Nathan is not delusional like you, Tessa. He knows that the only person I’m fucking is him.” Tessa pointed her long finger at Carter’s face. “Don’t put your fucking hands on me, Carter,” she warned.

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Carter didn’t give a shit, she was ready to get this over with. “Or what?” Carter asked smirking. “You’re going to take the gun and empty the clip in my face? Go ahead,” Carter challenged and she crossed her arms over her chest. Tessa’s face seemed to get even redder. “Fuck you!” Carter smirked. “I don’t know what you’re waiting for, Tessa. You told Kyle that you would kill me if he didn’t stop seeing me and I can assure you that’s not going to happen. Kyle will see me, a lot. He and I are really good friends and we enjoy each other’s company. Hate it or love it, there is nothing you can do about it,” Carter shrugged. Tessa slammed her palms back on the counter and leaned close to Carter. “Well he’s a stupid son of a bit—”

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Her words were cut off when Carter grabbed her face hard and pushed her back. She stumbled before she got her balance. “You need to chill with that ‘Kyle’s a dumbass’ shit. You don’t know Kyle well enough for me to let you talk about him like that.” Tessa jaw ticked. “I told you not to touch me, and I know him better than you think.” Carter shook her head firmly and frowned. “Correction bitch, you know his dick, that’s all, not him. He tells you how to lick, suck, and fuck and then your ass is out the door. That’s your fucking problem, Tessa. You don’t know your damn place.” Tessa snorted. “And do you know what your problem is Cart—” Tessa’s words were cut off once again when she flinched at the sound of Carter’s

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hand slapping the counter top hard. “You don’t get to say my fucking name anymore! You also aren’t going to stand here, or anywhere else, and tell lies about me like you know who the fuck I am. You don’t know shit, including my fucking name!” Carter yelled. She was sick of hearing Tessa talk shit about her. Carter was done playing games this shit was ending right now. Tessa slammed her hands on the counter, mimicking Carter. “Have you forgotten that we work together dumbass? I know your name, address, social security number, pretty much everything I need to hunt your ass down if you don’t do what the fuck I say, Carter Alexandria Matthews!” Tessa screamed, right before she gasped loudly when Carter grabbed her face hard and pulled her close.

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Tessa used her hands to try and pull Carter’s hand off her face, but Carter was stronger than her. The more Tessa pulled at Carter’s hand the tighter her grip got on her face. Tessa’s cheeks were being pushed hard into her teeth and she sobbed as tears filled her eyes. Carter didn’t care that she was hurting Tessa because it was passed time that she make something very clear. She pulled Tessa’s face very close to hers as a wicked smile spread across her face and sadistic laugh fell from her lips. “That’s not my fucking name, you stupid bitch.” Carter gripped Tessa’s face tighter. “Would you like to know who the fuck you’re talking to right now?” Carter moved Tessa’s head up and down, grabbed her long pony tail, and jerked her head back, causing Tessa to whimper. She leaned in close and spoke in

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an arctic tone. “Carterina Anastacia Fucking Stone, daughter of Robert Edward Steel, and abandoned daughter of Anastacia fucking Stone. And you have the unfortunate pleasure of being in the presence of what happens when two crazy ass sadistic psychotic motherfuckers, decide it’s okay to fuck without a condom.” Carter looked straight into Tessa’s eye’s and saw that she had finally made her snap. She let go of Tessa’s face, and everything else after that moment seemed to go in slow motion. Tessa let out an enraged scream, grabbed the gun, pointed it at Carter’s face, and pulled the trigger over and over again. Carter heard the guys yell “No!” and other expletives, until they realized there were no bullets coming out of the gun. Tessa stood

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still breathing hard with a look of confusion, Carter just smirked. “What the fuck, Carter!” Nathan yelled from behind her. She knew he was probably both relieved and pissed off right now, but she couldn’t focus on him yet. Carter’s jaw clenched, anger filling her as she turned to look at Kyle. “Do you see, Kyle? Do you see how much your damn girlfriend hates me?” “Carter, honey, you know it’s not like that. I’ve tried to apologize over and over—” Kyle’s words were cut off when Nathan, Lucca, Mickey, and Dante all screamed Carter’s name simultaneously. Carter didn’t need the warning. She had already been waiting for the bitch. Carter saw Tessa swing the gun straight for her face and she instinctively caught Tessa’s wrist and twisted it until

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she screamed out in pain and dropped the gun. After that, Carter saw red. She jumped off the counter with Tessa’s twisted wrist still in her hand. She gripped her long pony tail quickly, wrapped it around her hand and slammed Tessa’s face into the corner of the counter three times. Tessa screamed in pain and blood covered her face. Carter heard Nathan yelling something behind her but she didn’t give a shit anymore. Whether it was wrong or right, she was going to kill Tessa. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mickey, Lucca and Dante running toward her and Tessa, so she quickly extended her arm over to the cabinet where she had thrown her knife, yanked it loose and jerked Tessa’s head back. Tessa wailed in pain and Carter brought the knife to her throat.

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Just when she was about to cut the bitch from ear to ear she felt a big arm wrap around her body and a big hand wrap around her wrist. The hand applied a painful squeeze to her wrist until she clenched her teeth hard as pain shot through her arm and she released the knife. Carter let Tessa’s hair go and her hand shot to her wrist, and she rubbed her sore spot. She felt the big hands grip her waist. She was jerked away from Tessa, lifted off her feet, and carried out of the kitchen. “Get that damn girl off the floor and handle her!” she heard Nathan yell. She looked at the hands on her waist and realized they were his and they were headed up the stairs. Fuck! She thought. I just lost it.I was about to murder Tessa in Kyle’s kitchen.

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Carter looked at her hands and Tessa’s blood covered them, she looked at her dress and saw spots of blood and swallowed hard. Shit! I killed her.

11

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One Long Ass Day, Part 3: Catch Me

Nathan entered his and Carter’s room with her in his arms. She was staring at the blood that covered her hands. Nathan knew that she was panicking and he understood why. It had most likely been a long time since she had lost her temper the way she did with Tessa, and the last time she lost her temper to that magnitude was after the death of her father. Nathan knew that it must be difficult for her to reacquaint with the side of herself that was capable of doing what she was

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about to do to Tessa in the kitchen. He knew he should have stopped the fight before it got to that point, but honestly, his curiosity had peaked. Nathan sat Carter on the bed and stood in front of her. Carter looked up at Nathan with tears in her eyes. “Did I kill her?” Nathan dropped to his knees in front of her and cupped her face. “No, baby, you didn’t kill her.” Nathan didn’t know if his answer was the truth or a lie. Yes the girl wasn’t dead when Nathan took Carter out of the kitchen, but he wouldn’t tell Carter that allowing Mickey and Lucca to handle her meant that the girl wouldn’t be alive for long. That would just be too much, too soon. Carter was still adjusting. Nathan understood that.

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Nathan scooped Carter in his arms and she laid her head on his shoulder while carrying her into the bathroom. He put her on her feet and she stood there and watched him as he unzipped her dress and pulled it down her body. He removed her bra and panties and led her into the shower. “I failed, Nathan. I was supposed to change, supposed to be better, but I failed,” she whispered sadly. Nathan wanted to say something to make her feel better but he knew nothing would work when she was in the state she was in now. Personally Nathan didn’t think she needed to change and he hated that she wanted to. He wanted to tell her that changing was probably never going to happen. She’s a hit-man’s daughter. But he couldn’t

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tell her any of that right now. She needed time. Once she was in the shower, he reached in, turned the water on, closed the door, and left her to wash Tessa’s blood off of her. Nathan picked up her blood stained dress and walked out of the bathroom then checked the spot on their bed where to see if there was any blood. He saw two bloody hand prints on the sheets. He gathered the bed spread off of the bed and left the room with the blood stained items in his hands. Nathan took the items downstairs to the living room. He flipped on the large fire place and set the items down on the floor. “How is she?” Dante asked, walking in the living room from the kitchen taking off a pair of gloves. He walked over to the

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fireplace where Nathan was and threw the gloves in. “She’s in the shower. I just think she needs a moment,” Nathan answered throwing Carter’s dress into the fire, he’d get her more. “Yeah, I get it.” Dante said, shaking his head. “Was that her first time—” “No” Nathan answered before Dante could complete the question. Dante nodded his head. “I didn’t think so. She looked like she knew what she was doing.” “She’s stuck on changing.” Nathan explained “She knew what she was doing, but she didn’t like that she was doing it.” Dante gave Nathan a look of understanding. “You of all people know I understand that.”

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“Yes, but she isn’t the same as you Tae.” Nathan interjected. “Carter is like me…She can try and fight it, but it’s a losing battle.” Dante let out a long sigh. “Well, Mickey and Lucca are going to handle everything with the girl, Kyle and I handled everything in the kitchen. I’m pretty positive he feels like shit.” Nathan frowned. “He should. That girl has been giving Carter shit for months. She has some sort of sick obsession with him. Carter’s better than me, if anyone ever had the fucking balls to talk to me like that I would have blew their head off before the words left their mouth,” Nathan replied. It was true. Nathan had killed men for much less than what that Tessa’s been doing to Carter. Nathan had heard all the shit that girl was talking and he wanted to fuck her up

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himself. She was obviously delusional and needed to be put out of her misery. “I’m surprised it took Carter so long to snap, but when she did,” Dante chuckled, “she moves fast, brother. Seriously, she almost moved too fast for me to see what was happening, she was so close to cutting that girls head off,” Dante said shaking his head and chuckling at the memory. Nathan smirked and recalled the memory of Carter catching Tessa’s hand and jumping from the counter. She did move fast. Nathan had blinked and when he opened his eyes Tessa was screaming with blood pouring down her face and Carter was reaching for a knife. Nathan shook his head in disbelief. “She does move quickly, doesn’t she? I didn’t

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know she was serious about that five second warning until it happened.” “And her reflexes are incredible,” Dante added. “And her legs are incredibly fucking sexy.” Dante and Nathan frowned and looked to see who made the comment. Mickey walked into the living room and Lucca followed behind him rolling his eyes as he closed the front door. Mickey fell back on the couch and propped up his feet. “Seriously, you need to take her shopping so she can get more of those little dresses, Nathan.” Mickey said with a smirk. Nathan glared at him. “I’ll keep that in mind, asshole.”

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Mickey chuckled. “I’m just being honest. Did you guys see her get up on that counter? I swear when she stood up I almost fell over, she looked so good in that fucking dress,” Mickey said with a sly smile. Lucca picked up a couch pillow and hit Mickey hard. “What the fuck?” he said through a laugh. “Hit him again,” Nathan said from the fireplace and Lucca did, getting the same reaction from Mickey. “Do you have to lust over her all 24 hours of the day? You do realize how dangerous a man I am, don’t you? What if I decided I was no longer okay with the comments you make about the woman that belongs to me, Mikilo?” Mickey completely ignored Nathan’s words. Nathan rolled his eyes.

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“I’ll stop lusting when she stops being so sexy, Nate. And that’s never going to happen, so yes, 24 hours a day, diligently,” Mickey said rubbing his head where Lucca hit it. Nathan arched an eyebrow and nodded his head. “You’re a very brave man.” Mickey sat up and looked over at Nathan. “Not brave, Nate. I just know you. And you’ve known me since I was in diapers. You know I’m just being an idiot because I can,” he said with a shrug. “Yes, I say all this shit about how beautiful Carter is, but if I ever hear man say shit like this about your woman, I’d beat his face in with the heel of my shoe. We all would. So don’t sit over there and play the ‘I’m a dangerous man’ card with me, Nate. You and I both know your point of focus is the way I touch her.” He said that last part with a smirk.

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Nathan wanted to break his jaw, but the idiot was right. Nathan had known his punkass since he was shitting in diapers. Because Nathan knew him so well, it was difficult for him to see him as any type of threat when it came to Carter. Mickey flirted, but Carter usually flirted back. It was empty flirtation, both of them just looking to tease the other. It had kind of just became something he’d expected to see from Carter and Mickey. Most of the time Nathan just found it amusing. For him to be jealous of it just seemed ridiculous to him. It was Mickey for God’s sake. Honestly, as long as Mickey kept his hands to himself and didn’t cross the line Nathan didn’t give a shit if he drooled every time Carter walked into a room. But had it been a man other than his brother saying

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shit like that about his woman, he’d have cut his tongue out. “She called you blondie,” Lucca said through a laugh. Nathan looked up and frowned. “What?” he asked confused. Lucca chuckled. “She called you blondie. When that chick said she was in love with Kyle, she said she was in love with blondie,” Lucca said laughing and the guys laughed with him. Nathan chuckled, he had forgotten about that. Carter had said many things during her argument with Tessa. That was actually the reason he didn’t stop the fight long before he did, his curiosity peaked when his beautiful rose began to speak. He knew that was the only time he would be able to see her unafraid with showing every part of who she is.

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No matter how ugly it got, Nathan wanted to see and know all of Carter, every beautiful, sweet, kind, funny, playful, twisted, sadistic, psychotic part of her. Today he saw a side of Carter she tried to hide from him, today was the first time he actually heard her birth name, today was the day he found out her father’s real name, and today was the first time that Carter had ever mentioned her mother. Nathan found out so much about Carter during that little exchanged and he would be finding out more. “Carterina Anastacia fucking Stone,” Mickey muttered with a sly smile. Lucca chuckled. “Little Miss Carterina Anastacia Stone can kick some serious ass.” He sat down on a plush chair in the living room. “Gotta love a woman with a mean

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streak,” he said with a smirk. “You guys think she’s going to kick Kyle’s ass too?” The guys laughed. “Well, if I were him I wouldn’t stick around to find out,” Mickey said through a laugh. “My ass would be on the first plane back to New York, hoping she wouldn’t come and find me.” “What’s so funny?” Kyle asked as he entered the living room. He was carrying cleaning supplies as well as a few towels stained with the blood he cleaned in the kitchen. “Nothing,” Mickey said in a sing song tone. Kyle frowned and walked over to Nathan. “I’ll take care of these, Nate,” he said picking up the bed set that Nathan brought from the bedroom. “You may want to get rid of that t-

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shirt too, man.” Kyle pointed at the bloody hand print on Nathan’s shirt where Carter had touch his chest. Nathan looked at his shirt and nodded. “Yeah, I probably should,” he replied standing and taking off his shirt. Nathan tossed it in the large fire and watched it burn. Kyle cleared his throat. “I probably have no right asking since everything was my fault…” “She’s fine, Kyle. She was a little worked up, but Carter’s strong. She’ll bounce back. She just needs some time to collect herself,” Nathan interjected. Kyle let out a long sigh and hung his head. “I feel like shit, Nate. I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking hooking up with Tessa again. Carter told me how crazy she

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was, but I was just so fucking drunk.” Kyle ran his hands through his hair. “Kyle, I’m not going to tell you that you shouldn’t feel like shit because you should. What you did to Carter was wrong,” Nathan muttered. Kyle rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I want, and I know what I did was wrong.” “Yet, you still brought the girl here where you knew Carter would be?” Nathan looked at Kyle as he spoke. “I told you I was drunk, Nate. Don’t you go and get pissed at me too.” “Bullshit, Kyle. You and I both know that you did it on purpose. You may not have been okay with it when you woke up this morning, but last night, with your liquid courage, you wanted to hurt Carter. No

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matter how irrational, you wanted to hurt her,” Nathan said with a shrug. Kyle’s jaw clenched, but Nathan continued to speak because he knew this needed to be said. “Kyle, I have been trying to give you the space you need to adjust to the way things are now. I have only been considerate of your feelings because you’re my best friend and I care about you, but you need to snap the fuck out of it.” Nathan noticed Kyle had been avoiding both him and Carter lately, and he knew the reason why. Kyle was in love with Carter. Nathan couldn’t believe it based on Kyle’s history and coldness toward women, but he knew it was true. He thought the whole thing was completely ironic that both he and Kyle, men who swore they would never fall in love, fell in love with the same woman. Nathan

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wasn’t completely okay with the way Kyle felt about Carter, but he understood. Kyle and Carter had developed some sort of sexless relationship that had been going on for a year. Nathan didn’t understand how it remained that way with them being as close as they were, but somehow it did. They cared about each other, and Nathan decided he would just deal with it, but only because it was Kyle. Had it been another man, Nathan would have put a bullet in his head. But Kyle was his brother, his best friend. Kyle wouldn’t try anything with Carter anyway. He knew that if he did, Nathan would kill him, best friend or not. Kyle took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. “Yeah I know that, Nate. You think I like it when Carter’s pissed at me?”

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“I know you don’t.” “Okay then.” Nathan slapped his friend on the back. “Good. Now you can work on begging and pleading for her forgiveness.” Kyle rolled his eyes, and Nathan smiled. “Are we okay, Nate? I don’t want anything to change between us because of the shit I’ve been dealing with. I know I’ve been an ass, but I am happy for you, surprised as hell, but happy for you.” Kyle chuckled. “I still can’t believe you have a girlfriend, but I understand. If any woman can turn a crazy ass motherfucker like you into a sappy ass, kissy face, flower buying boyfriend, it’d be Carter.” Nathan laughed and nodded his head in agreement. “That’s true. Sometimes I don’t even believe it myself, but I love her like

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crazy even if it makes me a sappy ass, kissy face boyfriend.” Kyle patted Nathan’s back. “You forgot flower buying,” he added. “Yeah, look who’s talking. I’ve never seen you treat a woman the way you treat Carter. No wonder you drove that chick insane,” Nathan teased. “You of all people should understand why I treat Carter the way I do. She demands that shit, no matter who the fuck you are,” Kyle said thinking of how out of character his relationship with Carter is for him. Nathan smiled and nodded his head. “We’re good, Kyle. We’ve gotten through a lot of shit together, life or death situations, this is a piece of cake.” “Hey. Hey, you two!” Nathan and Kyle looked over to Mickey.

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“Are you two telling secrets again?” he asked with a smirk. Nathan and Kyle rolled their eyes, and Mickey feigned disappointment. “You were telling secrets weren’t you? Not cool Kyle and Nathan, not cool at all,” Mickeys said shaking his head feigning disappointment. Lucca and Dante chuckled. “We have to tell you two this constantly, don’t we?” Mickey let out and exaggerated sigh. “Secrets. Secrets guys, you know the rest.” Dante and Lucca laughed. Both Nathan and Kyle flipped Mickey off, and Mickey rolled his eyes. “Hey now that you two are done having your weekly Kyle and Nathan girl talk time, there is one thing I want you to yell at her about,” Mickey said looking over at Nathan. “The gun. She should have told us that there

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was only one bullet in the gun. I seriously thought that she only pulled out the gun because she thought the bitch didn’t have the balls to kill her, but when that chick picked up the gun and started pulling that fucking trigger…” The rest of Mickey’s statement didn’t have to be said out loud. All of the guys frowned at the memory of that moment. Nathan was a mixture of relieved that Carter was completely unharmed, and pissed that Carter would give a deranged woman a gun anyway. He had never been more terrified in his life, and thinking about that moment only brought the feeling back, which pissed off Nathan more. “I’m just saying, Nate. You yell at her or I will. I don’t do well with distress, and she put

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me through some serious fucking distress,” Mickey said lying back and frowning. “I didn’t mean to, Mickey. I’m sorry.” All the guys looked in the direction of the soft feminine voice. Carter stood meekly at the bottom of the staircase. Her hands clasp together in front of her. She looked at Mickey with an apologetic smile. Her long hair cascaded down her back and over her shoulders in long waves that ended at her waist. She wore an oversized pink shirt that hung off one smooth brown shoulder, a pair of denim jeans that hugged her curvy hips perfectly, and flared at the bottom. She was both sexy and classically beautiful, and commanded their attention without even asking for it. Carter stood waiting for the guys to say something, and when they didn’t, she cleared her throat and continued her apology. “I

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actually want to apologize to all of you about that. I’m still not used to having people in my life that actually care when I do something stupid and incredibly dangerous,” she said nervously shifting from one foot to the other. When the guys still didn’t say anything, she rolled her eyes. Jesus, what did she have to do? Beg? “Come on, guys. Cut me some slack here,” she said softly. Dante was the first to jump up from his seat. “Of course we forgive you, sweetheart. Don’t we guys?” he said trying to get the rest of the guys to speak up and agree. He walked over and gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek and hugged her tight. Carter hugged Dante, and then she turned to Lucca’s direction. “What about you?” She started walking over to him and he smiled.

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Lucca stood up from his seat, and grabbed Carter’s arm and pulled her into a tight hug. He gave her a big loud smooch on her forehead. “Of course I forgive you, beautiful.” Carter giggled and hugged him back. Once they broke their hug, Carter turned to Mickey. He was still on the couch sitting back with his arms folded over his big chest. Carter smiled, and bit her bottom lip. “Mickey?” she said in a sing song voice as she inched toward him. She saw a smile pulling at his lips, and she stood in front of him. “Come on, Mickey,” she said bumping his leg with hers, and he smiled wide. Carter bent forward, placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “You know you like it when I’m bad,” she whispered so only he could hear, and she smiled against his cheek when she felt him tense, but he

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didn’t touch her. She stood up and looked at him, amused by the tension in his body. “You’re a little jerk, Carter,” Mickey said through clenched teeth. A wicked smile spread across her face. “I’m also better at this game than you are. Don’t forget that,” she said with a wink. “I knew you would find it in your heart to forgive me, Mickey,” she said smugly. She could never stop her inner bad girl from making an appearance when it came to Mickey. Just as she was about to walk away she remembered that she wanted to ask Mickey something. “Oh yes, before I forget,” she swallowed and frowned, “did I umm…” Something unreadable flashed through Mickey’s eyes. “Kill the girl?” He finished her question with a sudden seriousness. Then his eyes softened and he sat forward on the

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couch and took her hand. “No, beautiful. You didn’t kill the girl.” He turned her hand over in his and touched her palm. “Her blood is not on your hands. You can keep these beautiful hands clean until you’re ready to come back over to the dark side” he said with sly smile. “Until then, we’ve got you.” Immediately, Carter knew what he meant by the statement. He killed Tessa. “It was just…easier that way, honey.” Lucca spoke up. Carter nodded but continued to look in Mickey’s eyes. There was no remorse, no regret, and no fear. He didn’t have a care in the world. It both unnerved and intrigued Carter. What exactly did Mickey do, when he wasn’t on vacation?

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Brushing off her curiosity she pasted on a smile. She gave Mickey’s hand a squeezed and told him thank you. Nathan watched Carter closely. She looked like she was okay, but Nathan could see that she was just putting on a brave face. Once again his mysterious girlfriend was hiding behind that beautiful smile and witty charm, but she wasn’t fooling him for a minute. Nathan knew his Carter, and he saw the emotions she was trying to hide in those expressive hazel eyes. Carter was sad, angry, and afraid, but Nathan knew she would never reveal the reasons unless he went ahead and nudged her to her breaking point, which he knew she was close to. Instead of waiting for her to fall, he would give her the light pat that it would take to push her over the edge. Nathan knew it may not be the best

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boyfriend move, but he didn’t give a shit. He has never been, and will never be, a patient man. Once she fell he would catch her, and then they would finally be able to continue their journey together with no walls, and no secrets. Nathan watched Carter’s smile disappear as she approached Kyle. “Carter, honey, I know you’re probably still mad—” “I’m not Kyle,” she said cutting him off, and she wasn’t. Carter could never stay mad at Kyle for too long. She reached up and grabbed a hand full of his hair, pulled him down to her level, and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Kyle chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into a big bear hug.

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Carter wrapped her arms around his neck, and hugged him tight. “I’ll stop being such an ass, and I’ll make up for all the shit I put you through today. I promise,” Kyle said as he put her feet back to the floor. Carter stood back and looked at him with a smile. “I know you will,” she said smugly. “When Jenna comes over tomorrow, you are going to be as sweet as a cherry pie to her.” Carter gave Kyle a light pat on his cheek. Kyle frowned. “She’s not coming today?” he asked. Carter shrugged. “No. I called her and told her that Tessa’s a bitch, and she pissed me off. I just want to be with Nathan today,” Carter said truthfully. “Jen said she understood, she has plans today too,” Carter smirked. “She met a guy.”

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Kyle’s eyebrows shot up in shock. “The man hater met a guy?” Carter laughed and nodded her head. “She doesn’t hate men. Kyle, she just hates you.” Carter said with a nonchalant shrug. “Anyway, they’ve been dating for two weeks. I decided to invite her over to your house tomorrow morning for the breakfast that you’re going to cook for all of us.” Carter said with a big smile. “Then she and I will leave and go do girl stuff. Doesn’t that sound great?” Carter asked daring Kyle to change one of her plans for tomorrow morning. Behind her she heard the three amigos snickering, waiting for Kyle’s response as well. Kyle sighed. “Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Want anything specific?” Kyle asked with a tight smile.

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Carter smiled. “Yes, you make incredible omelets. Remember you made me one for breakfast the time I stayed over,” Carter frowned “before you disappeared.” “Hey that was his fault, not mine,” he said pointing over at Nathan. Carter’s mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide in shock. “My Nathan’s the asshole boss?” She laughed. “I guess that makes sense, but I can’t really picture him ordering you guys around.” Carter heard a snort before all the men in the room began muttering under their breaths simultaneously. Carter got the feeling that her boyfriend was very much a strict boss. Carter looked over at Nathan with a raised eyebrow, surprised. Apparently there was a side to her Nathan that she has yet to

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see. Carter knew he could be controlling at times, but she thought it was just with her. Apparently, it was just his nature. “Alright, enough of that” Nathan said effectively silencing the men. Carter chuckled. “My, my, you are bossy,” she said walking over to him. She bit her bottom lip as she admired his shirtless state. Very sexy. “Well guys, let me take the boss off your hands,” Carter said grabbing Nathan’s hand, leading him to the stairs. “You boys have fun, and I’ll let the boss put me to work today.” Mickey chuckled. “I have a feeling it’s not going to be the same type of work, honey.” Carter smirked and shrugged. “Maybe not, but I’m sure he’ll work me hard. I’ll probably break a sweat, and I’ll be really tired once I get off,” Carter said playfully.

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Dante, Lucca, Mickey, and Kyle burst out in loud laughter. “See you later, boys,” Carter said leading Nathan up the stairs. *** Carter and Nathan walked hand in hand up the staircase. She sighed with relief and held Nathan’s hand tight. She made it. When she was in the bedroom she wasn’t sure she could dry her tears long enough to go downstairs and make sure the guys didn’t think she was a complete psycho, but she did. She even managed to smile and tell a few jokes. Carter was glad they weren’t upset with her, because she really did care about them all. But right now she needed to be held. She needed to feel loved by the only man that made her feel

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safe, from herself, from her past, and from who she was afraid she would become. Once they made it up and entered the long sky lit hallway, Carter turned and looked at Nathan over her shoulder. “What about you, do you forgive me?” she asked with a small smile. “Yes, I do, but don’t do it again,” he said and Carter nodded. Good, Carter thought with relief. She really didn’t know if she would do it again or not. She tended to lose her mind a little when she was pissed, thanks to her mother, but Carter would give it her best shot for him. She was so emotionally exhausted, and the only place she wanted to be right now was in Nathan’s strong arms. She knew that was the only way she could pull herself back

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together and function like the normal, nonfucked up, human being she so desperately wanted to be. She had everything ready for their day together. When she came out of the shower she went and got some new bed sheets and a comforter, and she ordered some takeout from Nathan’s favorite pasta restaurant, in Hope Beach. She couldn’t wait to spend the soon to be rainy day with her— Carter’s thoughts were interrupted when Nathan stopped them from walking. She tried to pull him, but he was unmovable. She turned around to look at his face, confused to why he stopped. She saw that his expression had become serious, more serious than Carter had ever seen him. “A nod is not enough, Carter. And neither is trying to do better.” Carter’s eyes went

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wide, and she took in a sharp breath. Could he read her mind? “No, I can’t read your mind, but I know what that nod means, and it’s not enough,” Nathan said angrily. “Do you have any idea how terrified I was? That shit doesn’t happen to me, ever. I always have control over every potentially lethal situation I am in the presence of except the one today, when you, my fucking girlfriend, provided a gun to a deranged woman daring her to kill you.” His deep voice was low and cold. “Don’t ever do anything like that again.” All Carter could do was nod. Nathan narrowed his eyes and pulled her closer. “Say that you won’t,” he commanded. The look in his eyes told Carter that if she didn’t do as he said, she would regret it. Carter shifted from one foot to the other nervously. She was trying to maintain eye

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contact with him, but the coldness in his normally loving stare was breaking her heart. Nathan was pissed, and he had a right to be. She knew the guys thought the gun was loaded since she had fired off a bullet in the kitchen, but in her enraged state she just didn’t care. “Nathan, the gun wasn’t fully loaded.” “That’s not what I told you to say.” Nathan jerked his hand from hers causing her to jump. He tried to walk passed her, but she moved into his path quickly. Carter moved closer to him and pressed her hand against his chest hoping to soften his hard demeanor. She looked up into his eyes trying to hide the tears threatening to spill from her own. “I won’t ever do anything like that again. I promise,” she said softly while looking into his eyes.

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When both his expression and demeanor remained cold, she stood up on her tip toes and kissed his lips, praying that he wasn’t too upset to kiss her back. When Nathan didn’t kiss her back, Carter felt a sharp pain in her chest, and she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Panicking she reached up, and cupped his face and placed another soft kiss on his lips. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she whispered against his mouth while she continued to kiss him softly. She needed him to kiss her back. She needed him to let her know everything between them would be ok, that he forgave her. “Nathan, please,” she pleaded with a desperate whisper. She looked into his cold gray eyes, and her eyes began to glisten with tears. Please Nathan, I don’t think I can take it. I need you, her thought pleaded.

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“Why was that the first time I have ever heard your full name?” Nathan asked, anger filling his gray eyes. He grabbed her shoulders, and pushed her back from him. The tears began to fall from Carter’s eyes as she looked up at a very angry Nathan. But her tears didn’t affect him. He wanted answers, and Carter was going to try and give him what he wanted. “Nathan, I…” “You lived on the streets in St. Louis for two years after your father died,” Nathan stated. “That is another thing that you didn’t share with me.” “Nathan if you just—” “You mentioned your mother, twice, in your fight with Tessa. When I asked you about your mother you told me, to my face, that you had no idea who she was. You lied.”

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Carter had never seen Nathan this angry with her before, but there wasn’t just anger in his eyes, there was hurt. He was hurt because she kept secrets about herself from him. But she had to. She was protecting the love that they had developed for one another. Carter convinced herself a week after her and Nathan found each other that sharing all the details about herself with him wouldn’t make their relationship stronger. It would only bring him to his senses. He would realize that she wasn’t good enough for him, that he was better than her, that she had nothing to offer him, and probably never would. “Nathan, can we talk about this in the bedroom?” Carter asked softly wiping the tears from her face. Nathan’s jaw clenched. “Talk about what?” He cocked his head to the side.

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“About the fact that you don’t trust me, or trust the fact that I love you enough for you to truly let me know you? Or that you, for some damn reason, felt more comfortable sharing your life story with an enraged bitch than the man you’ve been sharing a bed with for nearly a month?” Carter could see Nathan was getting more and more furious with her, but she couldn’t speak. She was too afraid of saying the wrong thing, and she couldn’t lose him. Nathan ran his hand through his hair, and paced before stopping in front of her once again. “Carter, I want you to answer this question for me honestly. Do you trust me?” “Yes,” Carter said without any hesitation. She did trust him. Nathan was the only man she would ever trust with her life, her body, and her heart.

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Nathan grabbed both of her hands and brought them to his heart, his eyes finally softened. “Then stop hiding from me. You can fool everyone else, but not me, honey. I can see every part of you. I look into those beautiful hazel eyes and see every bit of hurt, anger, pain, uncertainty, and fear that you try to hide behind that beautiful smile, and it kills me. It kills me to know that you don’t trust me enough to let me know you, all of you, and I can’t accept that, Carter. I won’t be in this relationship with you if you continue to hide from me. Tell me why I should continue to be with you when there are times, like today, when you say or do something that makes me feel like I don’t even know who you are.” Nathan waited for a response, and when he didn’t get one he spoke again. “Carter,

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baby, you have to help me out here this is new territory for me too. I’m trying to navigate through this shit right, but I can’t do it alone. I need you to be honest with me. Whatever you’re holding back is affecting you. You have my heart, Carter. What affects you affects me too.” Carter was trying to think of what to say, but she couldn’t think straight. His words played over and over in her head but she didn’t know how to respond. Carter did trust Nathan, but sharing too much of her past with him would only make him leave her, right? At least that’s what she thought. She just didn’t know anymore. She knew she had to say something or she was going to lose him, and she couldn’t take that. She couldn’t even handle the thought of it, so she spoke.

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Her voice barely above a whisper, “Nathan I…” Carter’s words were cut off when Nathan abruptly let go of her hands, and stormed furiously to the bedroom. Carter gasped at the force in which he pushed her back, and when she regained her balance, she ran in the room after him. When Carter walked in the bedroom she literally felt her heart fall to the pit of her stomach. Her eyes darted everywhere around the room trying to register what she was seeing. Nathan pulled his suit case from the closet, and began packing his clothes. He pulled out his cell phone and texted someone, then he threw it aside and continued putting his things in the suit case. Carter could feel her heart beat quicken, she felt light headed, and nauseous. “What

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are you doing?” Carter asked frantically through the waterfall of tears coming out of her eyes. “My vacations over. I need to get back to Manhattan. There are things I haven’t been paying attention to that I should be. I’ll call you as soon as I can,” Nathan replied not even looking at her. Carter crossed her arms over her chest, she suddenly felt cold and her body began to shiver. “No, Nathan, please don’t,” she whispered through a sob, shaking her head over and over again. “Don’t what?” “Don’t leave.” “I need to, Carter,” Nathan said continuing to pack his suit case not even sparing her a glance.

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She was losing him, and she didn’t know how to make it stop! Nathan was leaving her when he promised her that he fucking wouldn’t. That thought was enough to turn her tears from sad to angry. “You won’t call!” she snapped. “I said I would, didn’t I?” “But you won’t! You’re trying to get away from me. You’re a fucking liar! You told me you wouldn’t leave me, but you lied!” she yelled, taking deep breaths and sobbing. Nathan turned abruptly, finally looking at her. “I’m the liar?” he yelled, his eyes were filled with hurt and rage. “I have never lied to you about anything. I haven’t done anything but love you, Carter. I’ve fucking stripped myself bare. Do you think that shit was easy? That I just go around telling

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women intimate details of my life. Well I don’t? Just you?” he yelled. “You are not the only one who has issues with that shit, Nathan! I’m trying! I’m doing the best I can,” she screamed trying to get through to him and make him understand. “You’re not trying shit. All you’re trying to do is find new ways to keep me at a distance, Carter.” “No, I’m not.” “Yes, you are. I’ve been waiting for you to let your fucking guard down and trust me, but you’re stubborn as hell, and you’re convinced that I’ll leave you. I don’t know what else I can do but give you time.” “Leaving right now is not giving me time, Nathan. It’s leaving and that’s exactly what you said you wouldn’t do. So you are a liar,” she screamed.

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“You are the only one in this relationship telling lies, Carter.” “I’m not lying to you, Nathan. I’m protecting us.” “From what?” he screamed. “From me! From my entire fucked-up existence. I’m a freak, Nathan. You’ll find out why I’ve had to live my entire life hiding and you’ll treat me like my father did, like Chrissy…” Carter stopped speaking, she was saying too much. Nathan kept packing. “I love you, Carter, but you need time to figure things out.” Carter stormed over to him and jerked his suitcase off the bed, throwing it across the room. “I don’t need shit, Nathan. You’re a fucking liar. Don’t you dare stand here and tell me you love me, and then walk out that fucking door.”

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Nathan let out an exhausted sigh. “Carter, you know that I love you—” “Bullshit,” she screamed cutting him off. “You told me you wouldn’t leave me and you lied! You don’t love me, you’re just like them! But go ahead, I’m used to it by now, my mother left me, my father…sometimes, he could barely look at me…and Chrissy…” Carter couldn’t finish, she was sobbing uncontrollably as the memories of her father and Chrissy all came flooding back to her at once. Carter’s arms dropped to her side and her head began to feel too heavy for her neck to hold up. She couldn’t hold it back any longer. All of the hurt, anger, pain, sadness, everything she had been trying to hold in for the past five years of her lonely life came rushing toward her like a freight train,

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moving too fast for her to get out of the way in time before it hit her. And oh, did it hit her. Carter began panting. The room started to spin, and the earth began to move beneath her feet. She knew there was no way she could stand much longer and she tried to walk to the bed. But as soon as her first foot left the floor she began to fall forward. Carter didn’t even come close to hitting the floor before she felt strong arms lift her body. Nathan cradled her against his chest, and laid her head to his shoulder. “Shh…Come here honey. Don’t worry, мое красивое Роуз. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ve got you and I’m not going anywhere. I promise,” Nathan cooed, kissing her tenderly on her forehead as she continued to cry.

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Carter wrapped her arms around him, and held on to him with every bit of strength she had. Here, in his arms, was the only place she had peace, and she couldn’t lose him. So she made it up in her mind at that moment. No more hiding. She would lay herself completely bare before Nathan, and trust that afterward he would still love her.

12

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One Long Ass Day, Part 4: Pasta & Anastacia

The rain beat against the large sliding windows leading out to the patio, while Nathan sat in the middle of the bed eating his favorite pasta meal with his beautiful rose, her beautiful face still flush from crying in his arms. Nathan had held Carter while she cried in his arms for a full hour, and he would have held her longer if she needed it. He would do absolutely anything for his beautiful Carter. He had almost broken when the first tear fell

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from her eyes in the hallway, but he wanted to stay strong so that they could get passed this difficult part of their relationship now rather than a year from now. He had nearly broken down, seeing Carter in so much pain, and not being able to take her in his arms and kiss the pain away. It was the hardest shit he had endured in a long time. The devastation in her expressive eyes nearly made him pull her to him and tell her that he would never leave her, that it shattered him completely to even think of living his life without her. But he couldn’t, he had to be strong. He knew that he was too close to finding out everything Carter was keeping from him. The shit was not fun, and Nathan didn’t really know how far he would have went, but he was happy she let go before he left, which he wouldn’t have really

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done anyway. He did get his suitcase out, but he had no intention of leaving. Kyle had texted him during the argument, and told him that takeout had arrived and he wrote him back telling him to set it aside, he knew that their fight was close to being over, and he really wanted that delicious ass pasta. After Carter had cried herself to sleep Nathan carried her to her side of the bed and placed her under the comforter. He wanted to have their dinner upstairs and ready when she woke up, so he went downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed their food and a couple extra things for dessert. Nathan could tell from the looks he was getting from the guys that they’d heard him and Carter’s argument, but he didn’t give them any information. It was none of their business anyway. He just silently retrieved

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their dinner, drinks, and made a quick fruit salad for their dessert then went back to their room. When he had come back to the room, Carter was still sleeping and the storm outside was full blast. Nathan had gone to the large windows to watch the ocean being tossed and turned by the wind. He’d been standing there for about five minutes when he felt soft hands on his back, then arms wrap around his waist. He kissed one of her soft hands, and felt her press her soft full lips against his back as she slid one hand into his sweat pants, and ran her soft fingers up and down his length. It took about a total of two seconds for his body to respond to the touch of his beautiful Carter. Nathan was sure he had never been crazy for a woman the way he was crazy for Carter.

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She could snap her fingers and he’d get hard. It was a pleasant change from feeling absolutely nothing with a sexual partner. Everything was better with Carter. “Why did you get to put on boxers and I have to eat naked?” she asked with a playful smile on her beautiful face. Nathan scanned her sexy body and licked his lips. “Mmm…Because it pleases me,” he replied with a sly smile on his face. He couldn’t stop thinking about the passionate, wild make up sex they had before they finally settled down to dinner. An hour and a half of worshiping her beautiful body had Nathan covered in sweat and more satisfied then he’d ever been in his life. After they showered Nathan threw on a pair of boxers, but when he saw Carter pull out one of his tshirts he suddenly thought of a new rule. In

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the bedroom, Carter was to always be completely naked, no exceptions. Nathan thought the rule was genius. Best rule he ever came up with. Carter giggled, and placed the rest of her food on the bedside table. She moved to the middle of the bed in front of him, and lay on her back. Her back arched as she brought her long thick black hair over one shoulder. Every move she made was graceful, and sensual, Nathan couldn’t take his eyes off of her beautiful body. He couldn’t get enough of this woman. She had absolutely no fears about being naked in front of him. Her confidence was refreshing, and sexy as hell. She turned over on her stomach and looked up at him, a sensual playful smile on her face.

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“Does this please you, Nathan?” Carter asked lightly shaking her sexy ass back and forth, biting her bottom lip to hide a smile. Nathan seriously almost lost it right there, the answering erection was instant. Her ass was so damn juicy he wanted to bite her, but he didn’t act. He just remained in his spot and enjoyed the view. “It does, very much,” he replied not taking his eyes off her ass. “Vvous êtes un garçon très impropre, Nathan Salerno,” Carter said with a naughty smile. Nathan’s brows shot up and his eyes left her delectable ass and he looked at her face. “What? Was that French? You speak French?” he asked surprised. Carter smiled and nodded yes. “Fluently, and I do an incredible French accent, so if

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you like role play…” she said with a sensual smile biting her bottom lip. “When did you learn to speak French?” he asked, storing that role play offer away for later. Carter turned on her side toward him and propped herself up on her elbow, she rested her head on her hand. “I taught myself when I was ten. I learned pretty fast. I have an eidetic memory, I tend to pick things up quickly. I was fluent a month and a half after I started learning. I did it for her,” Carter replied, she frowned, and shifted uncomfortably. Nathan knew this was hard for her, but that wasn’t going to keep him from moving forward with the direction of their conversation. “I’m assuming that she is your mother?”

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Carter was still frowning, but she nodded. “There was a time in my life when I was obsessed with Anastacia. I begged my dad to tell me everything about her, but the only thing he told me when I was ten, was that she was French and she spoke with a thick French accent.” A small smile appeared on her lips. “I spent hours every single day listening to those tapes and reading those damn books. My dad hated it sometimes, I could tell. I spoke French constantly, at dinner, when I read my textbooks to Chrissy I would say the words in French instead of English. I was so desperate to have something in common with Anastacia, even though I had never seen her.” Carter cleared her throat, and the smile left her face. “That was around the time I first noticed my dad become a little uneasy around me. I thought

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he would be proud of me for picking up my mother’s language so quickly but whenever I spoke French around him he would just look at me and frown. Sometimes it was like looking at me caused him discomfort, and that only got worse as I got older.” “Did you ever ask him about it?” Carter shook her head. “I didn’t feel the need to. I knew he loved me, and I was afraid to find out anyway. It could have been something that really hurt me, you know, but I eventually found out why,” Carter said with a shrug. Nathan’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why?” Carter sighed. “That, my love, is a long sucky ass story that my father didn’t tell till I was fifteen.”

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“I have time.” Nathan was very interested in finding out the reason Spook would make his daughter feel like it pained him to look at her. Carter smiled, a sexy crooked smile, then sat up, and crawled closer to him before settling on her heels in front of him. Her palms flat on her lap. “In order to understand that, you need to know the back story, my dear Nathan,” she said with a smile. Nathan smiled and gave her a nod to continue. “Okay. My parents weren’t in a relationship or anything, they just knew each other because they had a similar career.” Nathan’s eyes went wide. “Bullshit, your mother was a hit man?” Carter laughed softly. “I don’t really know, Nathan. My father wasn’t completely

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clear he just said that they had a similar career, but not exactly the same. He said that that they loved each other very much, but their relationship was complicated. He didn’t know she was pregnant with me or that I even existed the first month of my life.” “Where were you?” “With Anastacia I guess. Apparently she disappeared, which wasn’t okay with whoever she worked for. The man’s people looked for her everywhere. She was obviously the queen of hide-and-go-seek because they didn’t find her until she was ready for them to, which was after I was born. She had me in the U.S. and named me Carterina Anastacia Stone. Stone is my last name legally, but I have always said Steele because my father is the parent I know, not Anastacia.”

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“But why didn’t your father know you existed if she was in America?” “She didn’t find him until after I was born. When she came to his apartment in Manhattan he was shocked. He said he didn’t believe that I was even hers at first, but he didn’t tell her that, he said it would have been a huge mistake to accuse Anastacia Stone of being a liar. Because she would have killed him on the spot, apparently she had a bit of a temper,” Carter said giving him an ‘are you getting it yet’ look. Nathan hadn’t gotten it yet so he answered her look that said continue the damn story. “Anastacia stayed in my life until she was finished breast feeding and then they hired Chrissy. They paid her a shit load of money to stay too. I think that she stayed because

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she was in love with my father though, and because Anastacia threatened her.” “Threatened her how?” Nathan asked “Put a knife to her throat and told her that if anything happened to me, she’d rip her throat out. My father always told Chrissy she could leave whenever she wanted.” Nathan took a deep breath and nodded his head. He got it. Carter nodded to seeing that Nathan finally got it. “When I was fifteen, I was still obsessed with my mother, but my dad refused to talk about her so I got really angry. I believe that was the first time I yelled at my father. I may even have thrown in a few curse words.” She cleared her throat. “Anyway, my dad lost it after that, and yelled the entire story. I ask him why he never talks about her or tells me about her and he

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flipped his fucking lid. I seriously, didn’t even recognize him. He told me if I want to know who the fuck she is then I should just get to know myself. I talk like her, we have the same walk, mannerisms, character, voice, fascination with knives, everything. He told me I was on the road to becoming exactly like Anastacia Stone so I better change fucking direction, because Anastacia Stone makes it impossible for anyone to love her. He said that if I wanted to be like my mother then I need to be prepared to live my life alone.” Nathan breathed in a deep breath finally understanding Carter’s fears “That’s why he couldn’t look at you it’s because…” “He said sometimes he thought he was looking at Anastacia, apparently the resemblance is uncanny that’s why we moved to that

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boring ass town. He said that if the right people saw me they would know exactly whose daughter I was or they would just think I was her. I was very developed by the time I was fifteen, seriously the only difference now is that my breasts are bigger. He said that most of them would run, but there were some that would want to hurt me. Nathan focus!” Nathan looked up from Carter’s breast to her face quickly. Whoops. What did she expect?She couldn’t mention her fantastic fucking tits and expect me to stay focused on anything but said fantastic tits. Nathan justified with a shrug. Carter smiled in spite of herself. “You’re ridiculous,” she said shaking her head. “Who is this one person that would hurt you?” Nathan asked getting back on subject.

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If there was someone out there that would try to hurt Carter, Nathan would put a stop to that shit before it even started. He’d find the fucker and kill them. Carter shrugged. “I have no idea, I wish I did, ‘cause I’m thinking the same thing you are, babe. I’d cut that motherfuckers throat so fast. I’d use my favorite knife too,” she muttered, picking at the sheet in thought. Nathan smiled wide and pulled her into a big hug. Carter let out a surprised squeal. “We’re such a good couple, baby.” He took a deep exaggerated breath and sighed loudly. “Mmm… You just get me.” Nathan squeezed her tight and rained kisses on her face. Carter squirmed in his arms trying to get loose, but he was too strong, so she settled for hitting his arm. “Nathan! Let me go

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before I kick your goofy ass,” she said through a laugh. “Carter, why didn’t you tell me all of this, why were you so afraid?” Nathan asked. He wanted to understand why she would keep all of this from him. Carter settled in his arms and leaned back against his chest. “Because of what my father said, and because Chrissy said I scared her and she was leaving me after my eighteenth birthday.” “You scared her?” Nathan asked confused. Carter nodded and worried her bottom lip. “I’ve always had that stupid obsession with knives. So I learned how to turn that obsession into something that protects me. My father taught me a lot, but he didn’t like my knives, his preferred weapon was a gun,

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knives would be Anastacia.” Carter shifted uncomfortably. “Chrissy and I were in the kitchen one morning eating breakfast and I was messing around with a new set of knives I bought online. Chrissy told me I shouldn’t play around with them the way I did because I could hurt someone. I swear I didn’t know I would freak her out, because all I did was look at her and smile and ask her if she was afraid for someone else or herself. I was just messing with her like I always did. That night I heard her talking to my dad telling him that she just couldn’t stay anymore, that it was impossible for her to look at me and not think of Anastacia, that’s when I heard that Anastacia threatened her.” “Did you ever ask your dad for a picture of this woman? I find it difficult to believe that you look exactly like her. I know parents

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and children have similarities but they make it sound like you’re an exact replica.” Carter nodded in agreement. “I know, that’s what I thought, and I did ask him and he said that he didn’t have any pictures of her. So I asked him to describe her to me. He said she’s beautiful, had brown skin the same color as mine, between 5’4 or 5’8 in height, long thick silky black hair that went passed her waist, and if I wanted a visual go look in the mirror. Of course that day, he said it nicely.” Nathan laid back on the bed, and put his hands behind his head. “Damn, baby, that’s some heavy shit,” Nathan said pulling her to lay on top of him. “I don’t care if you have a mean streak, baby. I still like you, a lot,” Nathan said kissing, and nipping at her ear. “I don’t even care that you like to play with

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knives, or that you’re a clone,” Nathan teased and Carter laughed against his chest. “I love you, Nathan,” she said kissing his chest. Nathan smiled. “You do huh? Then tell me why you didn’t tell me about your troubled days in St. Louis?” Carter sighed. “Because it wasn’t fun, and I was seriously in a dark place, Nathan. I did a lot of things I’m not proud of. I think I killed a guy that tried to rape me. I tried drugs hoping that it would take the pain away but nothing helped. I was dying and I didn’t get my shit together until I met Henry.” “Henry?” Carter smiled. “Yes, Henry. The Christian boy I met when I fell asleep in a church. I only went in the church to get some sleep

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and feel safe, but he woke me up. He was so cute and shy he could barely speak to me. I told him I was only sleeping there because I had nowhere to go and he took pity on me. He was so nice and I got to pretend to be someone else with him, someone I’d never actually be. I never told him anything true about myself except that my parents were dead, which was half true. We eventually started dating. He was my first and only boyfriend before you.” Carter smiled at the memory and laughed softly. “He was my first time and I was his, it was both horrible and wonderful. We were together for almost two years just until I saved up money to leave St. Louis. It was hard, but I knew I had to leave him.” Nathan frowned. “Did you love him?” he asked.

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Carter sat up on top of Nathan straddling his body. “Yes, I loved him for what he did for me, but I couldn’t fall in love with him like he fell in love with me because I knew he didn’t know me, and if he did he would never have accepted me. Henry and I come from two different worlds, and mine was absolutely no place for sweet Henry, he wasn’t the one I was meant to be with. But it was my time with Henry that brought me here. That makes me want to find him and give him a big kiss and thank him for helping me straighten up because if he didn’t help me, I never would have seen you again.” Carter leaned forward and kissed Nathan on the lips softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about any of this. I just didn’t want what my father said to be true, and I didn’t want you to look at

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me differently if you found out about how stupid I was in St. Louis.” “You were not stupid, Carter, you were seventeen years old and you had just lost everything. None of it was your fault baby.” Nathan kissed her then looked in her eyes. “I love you, my beautiful Carterina. There isn’t anything you can do or say to change that,” Nathan said, Carter smiled. “I love that.” Nathan’s brows furrowed in question. “Love what?” he asked. Carter placed a lingering kiss on his jaw. “I love the way you say my name. Your accent is very beautiful Nathan Salerno.” “I don’t have an accent.” Carter laughed softly. “Yes, you do. When your guard is down, when you’re mad…” she

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kissed and nipped at his lips “…when you’re horny,” she whispered shyly. Nathan’s erection came back full force. “It’s very distinct. What I assume is a mixture of your mother and father’s accents. It’s sexy.” No longer able to be this close to her without kissing her, Nathan captured her lips in a passionate kiss. He wanted to take it further, but he couldn’t yet. They weren’t finished talking. He broke their kiss then lay in each other’s arms listening to the rain beat against the windows, and the thunder roar in the sky. Nathan ran his hands over Carter’s silky skin and through her long hair thinking about how he was going to approach this next subject. It was something he’d been thinking about, and he was ready for it but

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he didn’t know if she was. Since Nathan was never one for beating around the bush he figured he would just go for it. “It’s time for me to get back to my responsibilities in Manhattan, Carter. I may have to get back sooner than I thought.” Nathan felt Carter tense, and he hoped what he said next would put her at ease. “I don’t think I’ll be able to function with you here and me all the way in Manhattan, baby. Not to mention the life I live is time consuming. This time that I get away is rare and soon it will be non-existent since my father has given me more responsibility.” “So what are we going to do?” Carter asked in a soft voice. Nathan sat up on the side of the bed with her still straddling his body and looked into her eyes. “We’re going to go home, in

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Manhattan. We can’t be apart, baby. I need you with me.” Nathan tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear, and his eyes went to her lips as he ran his thumbs across her bottom lip. “You’re mine, Carter, you belong where I am. Where I can take care of you, protect you. You will never want for another thing. You’re going to have everything you desire. Whatever it is, whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.” “I want a family,” Carter whispered. “A family?” Nathan asked making sure he heard her correctly. Carter nodded and lowered her eyes nervously. “A family,” she said softly her eyes still lowered. “I’ve never wanted anything more than I want a family, Nathan. Someday, not yet, but someday I want to be what I never had. I want to be a mother. I

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want to be your wife and I want a family, that’s what you will give me, that’s the dream I thought would always be impossible for me.” She looked into his eyes, and touched his face lovingly. “But for now, we’ll just go home, because I’m yours, and I belong where you are,” Carter said. Nathan inhaled a deep breath and hugged Carter close to him. He couldn’t understand why, but hearing Carter say that she belonged to him, that she wanted to be his wife, have his children stirred something deep within him. He couldn’t explain the sudden rush of emotions, all he knew was that out of all of the possessiveness was front and center, and he suddenly had a primitive urge to claim. Carter gasped when Nathan suddenly cupped her between her thighs.

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Nathan placed one hand against her back to hold her in place as he thrust two fingers inside her. Nathan watched as Carter’s eyes rolled to the back of her head and her head fell back. “Nathan,” she moaned. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her ear. “Lei sarà mia moglie, Carterina,” he whispered against her ear. Carter began to grind against his palm. “Si appartiene ame per sempre.” He sped up his rhythm. “Lei sarà una madre per i miei figli,” he whispered to her, and he meant every word. He wouldn’t say these things to her in English, not yet, but he would, very soon. Nathan watched as Carter became lost. He felt himself harden in response to her pleasure. He could tell she was getting close

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as her walls pulsed around his fingers, but he wanted to be inside her when she came. Nathan flipped Carter onto the bed and settled between her legs. He removed his fingers from that heavenly space between her thighs and brought them to his mouth enjoying the sweet taste of his beautiful rose. Carter moved beneath him panting and arching her body, pressing her hips against him trying to get closer to the part of his body he knew she needed right about now. Nathan smiled to himself. He fucking owned her sexy little body, and he knew it. He loved seeing that he drove her as crazy as she drove him. He had pleased her in every way imaginable. In this bed, on the floor, in the shower, Jacuzzi tub, the pool, the beach, the ocean, the living room, the kitchen, the car, and he knew what she wanted. But

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instead of giving it to her, tonight he would make her tell him what she wants. Nathan pushed down his boxers and kicked them to the side. Once he settled back between her legs he positioned himself at her opening but he didn’t push himself inside her, not yet. Instead he focused his attention on her beautiful breasts driving her crazy with his mouth in all the ways he knew she liked. Carter writhed beneath him as he continued to torture her with pleasure and deny her the release her body was begging for. *** Carter was sure that Nathan was doing this on purpose. She was near the point of violence if he didn’t give her what he knew she wanted. “Nathan, please,” she begged desperately. She was so passed the point of

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caring how she sounded she just needed him in the worst way or she was sure she’d die. Carter felt Nathan’s smile against her breast. Arrogant bastard. “Please what…baby,” he asked against her breast. “You know what, Nathan, stop teasing me,” she whined breathlessly. She heard the jerk chuckle. “I’m not teasing,” he replied right before he turned his attention back to her breast. Carter arched closer to his mouth. “Yes you are,” she moaned and panted. “Nathan, please,” she begged again. She didn’t care if she sounded needy. “Please, what?” “You know what, Nathan.”

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“I want to hear you say it, Carterina. Tell me what you want and I’ll give you what you need.” She knew what he wanted her to say, but she told him it made her sound like a damn hoe, and she refused to sound like the thing her and Jenna detest the most. “Nathan,” Carter whined. “Say it, baby.” Carter gripped Nathan’s back and dug her nails deep until she was positive it would leave marks on his tanned back. Nathan grunted and bit his bottom lip. “Fuck me, Nathan, please— Oh!” Carter screamed when Nathan thrust into her body hard. “Carter…Sei così serrate” Nathan grunted right before he pulled back and drove into her again. They both cried out from the incredible feeling of their bodies joining.

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After that, both Carter and Nathan lost control. The room filled with their loud groans and cries of pleasure. Nathan plunged hard and deep into her and she met each of his thrust eagerly. She released a loud cry as Nathan repeatedly hit a spot that had her desperately grabbing at anything she could grasp. “Oh my god. Oh my god…don’t stop,” Carter chanted it over and over again as Nathan continued to move in and out of her at a devastatingly quick pace. Nathan kissed and sucked on her neck, moved to her collar bone then made his way back down to her breasts, still maintaining his pace. Carter was lost in a sea of ecstasy, biting her lip she looked up at the ceiling as he continued pumping into her body while

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his mouth continued its exploration of her breasts. She couldn’t seem to keep her eyes from rolling to the back of her head. She couldn’t stop the loud cries that escaped her lips. She was so close, and it was so good, she never want the feeling to end. “Oh my God,” she screamed. Carter’s entire body tensed and she gripped the bed sheets tight. With a gasp she arched her back and she screamed his name at the top of her lungs as an intense powerful orgasm caught her by surprise. She faintly heard Nathan say something unintelligible before he bit down on her shoulder grunting his own release as he continued to thrust into her. Surprisingly, the pain from his bite sent Carter over the edge a second time. She clawed at the bed sheets crying out her pleasure, not giving a damn if anyone heard.

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*** Once they both came down, Nathan rolled over and collapsed on his back next to her panting. “Holy shit,” he muttered trying to catch his breath. He looked over to Carter and saw she was out of breath too. Her long hair splayed out everywhere. She turned her body and curled next him, resting her head on his chest. Nathan wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair as he whispered his love for her in Russian. Her eyes were heavy, he could see that she was about to fall asleep, which was understandable. It had been a long fucking day, but it had a good ending. Carter was moving in with him, and Nathan couldn’t think of a better end to his time away. He wasn’t worried about whether or not Carter would be able to fit into his lifestyle, he knew in his gut that

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she would, effortlessly. He just needed to reorganize a few things to ensure he would be able to go home to Carter most nights, instead of spending his nights on an airplane. Nathan looked over at Carter again. She was sleep, and snoring softly like she did every night. Nathan stared at her and swallowed. Sometimes he still couldn’t believe it. Carterina Anastacia Stone. Spook Steele’s fucking daughter. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he probably should have informed his father about who he found in Hope Beach a few weeks ago.

13

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Leaving Hope Beach

“You bitch! I can’t believe you’re leaving me and moving to New York. I hate you! How dare you fall in love with that sexy ass Blond Zeus like man that’s so sweet and has very exceptional table manners, you whore!” Carter laughed as Jenna made a fool out of herself in Madison’s Café. “I didn’t say you had to act like a psycho, I just said I thought you would react more to the news,” Carter said through a laugh. Jenna smiled and threw her arm around Carter. “That wasn’t the more you wanted?

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Cause I can try again, you of all people know I’m always ready to snap on a bitch,” she said with a smirk. Carter laughed. “No, that was acceptable. Thank you.” Carter poked out her lip into a pout. “I’m going to miss you like crazy, Jen,” she said as tears glistened her eyes. Jenna smiled. “Jesus girl, look at you. In the two years I’ve known you I haven’t seen you cry once and now you’ve gone all girly on me. Stop it, before I cry too. You know I don’t stop once I start, you remember Titanic,” Jenna said dabbing Carter’s tears with her cloth napkin. Carter chuckled through her tears. “I know, but Nathan spoils me with hugs and constant cuddling sessions. It’s his fault that I’m such a crybaby now,” Carter pouted wiping her tears.

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“Carter, I’m rich all I have to do is snap my fingers and we can see each other, have sleepovers, chat about our boyfriends. It’s going to be fine. We’re just a plane ride away from each other,” Jenna said reassuringly. Carter nodded. Jenna was right, but she was still going to miss her. Carter had waited till after Jenna met Nathan at breakfast to tell her about her moving to Manhattan with Nathan, and surprisingly Jenna screamed and hugged her in excitement. Carter had been prepared for a fight, and maybe some Jenna tears, but it turns out the only person that cried was her, she was really turning into a sap. They all had an excellent breakfast this morning. All the guys were nice to Jenna, including Kyle. He even held his peace when Jenna threw a few jabs his way. Carter was

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both surprised, and pleased. But the star of the breakfast this morning was her amazing boyfriend. Nathan was absolutely amazing today. This morning when she woke up he was already dressed and he had a yellow rose lying on the bed next to her. Carter was touched by the rose alone, but Nathan told her to kiss the rose and wish for something pretty, then look under her pillow. Carter kissed the rose, closed her eyes and wished for the prettiest thing that popped in her mind. Diamonds. When she looked under her pillow she almost passed out when she saw the two boxes from Tiffany’s. She screamed with excitement, much to Nathan’s amusement, and when she opened the first box she lost her breath. It contained a beautiful platinum

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diamond necklace from Tiffany’s Victoria collection. Carter had never seen anything more beautiful in her life. Carter almost fainted when Jenna told her the necklace was worth over $50,000. The smaller box had an equally stunning pair of diamond earrings from Tiffany’s Legacy Collection. She didn’t let Jenna tell her the cost of those. Carter was so touched by the gifts Nathan had given her that she spent a nice chunk of the morning showing exactly how much she appreciated him. After she finished appreciating him, she got dressed so they could go down stairs. Much to her pleasure Kyle had already started the guilt breakfast, which was absolutely delicious, and the guys where already up making fun of him. Carter was happy to see everything was normal.

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When Jenna arrived she met the guys and then Carter introduced her to Nathan. Much to Carter’s amusement, Jenna was not at all silent about her admiration for Nathan’s beauty. Carter saw Nathan blush a few times as Jenna made it known to everyone how handsome she thought he was. It was definitely the funniest thing Carter had ever seen. Jenna absolutely loved Nathan. Carter was surprised he was so amazing after he assured her that he would fail at impressing Jenna. He was funny, charming, sweet and a gentleman the entire time. If Carter didn’t already love him like crazy she would have definitely fallen for him today. After breakfast, Nathan had another surprise for both Carter and Jenna. He reserved them both spots at the most exclusive luxury

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spa in Hope Beach. Jenna freaked out. She begged Nathan to tell her how he got the reservations she had been trying to get for a year. He just laughed and told her to enjoy herself. When Carter thanked him with a kiss Nathan returned her kiss and placed a black card in her hand with her name on it. She looked at him both shock and confused. He just gave her a quick kiss and told her to go have a good day with Jenna and shut the department stores of Hope Beach down. Carter gave him a big kiss and didn’t argue. Why the hell would she? She was moving to Manhattan in two days! She desperately needed a new wardrobe. Carter and Jenna had an incredible day. The spa was relaxing, and Carter felt fantastic. She and Jenna had incredible massages.

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They also got manicures, pedicures, skin treatments that had their skin feeling like silk, and facials. They pretty much did everything. After the spa they went to the salon because Carter decided she wanted something new done to her hair. She always wore it straight so she decided to get some loose curls. She usually got her hair trimmed around this time because her hair grows quickly, but she decided to keep it at its new length because she knew how much Nathan loved it. She went to a new hair dresser that did a fantastic job taming her wild hair and turning the thick tangled mess into shiny, silky curls. Carter decided to go for a half up half down pinned back look so her new necklace and earrings wouldn’t be cover by all of her

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hair, which her hair dresser loved. She couldn’t get him to shut up about it. “Think I’m going to have a salad, I feel like everything I eat is going straight to my ass these days,” Jenna said pulling Carter back to the present. They were sitting at Madison’s for a late lunch after their insane shopping spree. Carter was glad that she catalogue ordered most of her clothes to be delivered to her and Nathan’s place in Manhattan. Nathan and I’s place. Our Place. “Why are you smiling? Do you agree that my ass is fat?” Carter looked up and saw that Jenna was looking at her frowning. “No, Jenna, your ass isn’t fat,” Carter said dryly. “If your ass is fat then mine is giant, because I have more ass

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then you,” Carter said in a matter-of-fact tone. Jenna laughed. “You’re not giant.” “And you are not fat.” “I know. It’s just…I’m a lot more body conscious now that I get naked in front of someone other than myself. I know Ben loves my body, but he’s just stupid and horny all the time,” Jenna said pouting a little. Carter was shocked when she found out that Jenna’s new boyfriend was Benny from the bar, but she was also happy for her. Ben’s nice, and she wanted Jenna to be happy. “Jenna, you’re gorgeous. There’s nothing wrong with your body. If I was a lesbian I’d be all over you,” Carter said with a playful smile and a wink. Jenna smiled. “You’re sweet, you always are. I might be pretty, but only people that

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look like you are considered gorgeous, honey.” Carter frowned and shook her head. “No, Jen, I’m no prettier than you are, and Ben loves you’re body because you’re hot, and because he’s horny.” Jenna laughed. “Whatever you say,” Jenna said through a laugh. Carter rolled her eyes. “So you and Ben are great, huh?” she asked. Jenna nodded and smiled. “Yep, I like him a lot. I think he and I are going to make it. I don’t know, I guess we’ll see, we’re not to Nathan and Carter level yet.” “Nathan and Carter level?” Jenna smiled wide. “He looks at you like you’re everything that’s precious in the world to him, Carter. That golden god loves you like crazy.”

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Carter laughed. “That doesn’t make any sense, Jen.” Jenna nodded and smiled. “It does, and I hope that one day Ben looks at me like that. Loves me like that.” Carter smiled. “He will.” Jenna smiled, and then her smile disappeared. “Now, how are you going to deal with the parasite?” Jenna asked frowning. Carter frowned. “Huh?” she asked confused about what Jenna was talking about. “Kyle.” “What about Kyle? He and Nathan are best friends.” “Yeah, that may be true, but Kyle’s in love with you, Carter,” Jenna said in a serious tone. Carter snorted. “Kyle is not in love with me. He’s too busy being in love with

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himself,” she replied. Which is true. If Kyle was in love with her he would have told her by now. Wouldn’t he? Jenna rolled her eyes. “You’re not slow at all, Carter. I know exactly how smart you are. That’s why I know the only reason you don’t see that Kyle’s in love with you is because you’re refusing to look. You don’t want to complicate things because you probably don’t return his feelings.” Carter rolled her eyes. “That’s because there are no feelings to return, he’s not in love with me, Jen. Kyle’s not the fall in love type of guy.” “He is when the woman is you. But he could have never been the guy for you. You and Nathan are too perfect for each other. So maybe it’s a good thing you chose not to acknowledge his feelings it just would have

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ended badly,” She said with a shrug. “But he is in love with you, Carter, I’m not blind.” “Yeah, whatever,” Carter said with a wave of her hand. She and Kyle were best friends and that’s all, she thought as she tossed her hair over her shoulder. Carter heard Jenna clear her throat trying to get her attention. When she looked up Jenna had a sly smile on her face. Carter frowned. “What?” Jenna’s smile widened. “So, Zeus likes it a little rough in bed, huh?” Carter’s eyes went wide and she gasped, she had never heard Jenna talk like that before. “Jenna! That is an inappropriate question. What has gotten into you?” Carter said blushing. It was never really easy for her to talk about sex, well at least not her sex life.

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This was the first time she’d ever actually had one, well a good one at least. Jenna laughed. “Well it’s kind of hard not to think about Zeus’s bed habits when you’re showcasing that big ass hickey. Oh I’m sorry, is love bite more appropriate for you?” Jenna said through a laugh. Carter’s hand shot up to her neck. “Where?” Carter questioned frantically. Jenna chuckled. “Not there. It’s like half neck half shoulder. Wow, it must have gotten crazy last night,” Jenna said wiggling her eyebrows. Carter covered her shoulder and bit her bottom lip. “He sort of…bit me last night when we…Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m telling you this,” Carter said burying her face in her palms, blushing furiously.

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“Wow,” Jenna said biting her bottom lip, “that is fucking hot, Carter. OMG, I bet he’s really good in bed too,” Jenna said with a mischievous smile as she signaled for the waiter to come and take their order Carter laughed and shook her head. “Jesus, what has Ben done to you, Jenna?” she said through a laugh. *** Nathan finally finished making arrangements for his and Carter’s arrival in Manhattan. He spent the rest of the morning after Carter and Jenna left as well as the afternoon preparing everything that was necessary to ensure her safety and comfort on their arrival home. Deciding that it may not be a good idea to show how much of a fearless badass he is anymore, Nathan took more precaution and

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increased his security. That meant a driver, his men and the increased security at the apartment as well. Nathan was sure his father would be thrilled to hear this seeing as he had been trying to get Nathan to stop driving around New York without protection. Nathan only used his additional men when he was out of the country, but now he actually needed them with him in New York, not just because of who he is but because of who he had with him… Spook Steele’s daughter. Word would spread fast that Nathan Salerno was back in Manhattan, and it would spread even faster when they found out that he wasn’t alone. Everyone will want to know who the young woman is with the young business man and alleged mafia underboss, Nathan Salerno. He would make sure he was

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prepared for anything. There was only one unpredictable issue that he had. This issue being Carter’s mother. Nathan wasn’t a fan of the mystery of Anastacia Stone. He didn’t like the possibility of someone mistaking Carter for this Anastacia woman, especially if it is an enemy. To fix that little issue he had security ready to accompany Carter everywhere she went in New York. He also bought her a brand new set of knives with a holster that can strap on her thigh. It carries four small sharp knives that can pierce skin at the slightest touch. He knew if anyone knew how to handle the knives it would be his Carter. He also bought her a gun. He didn’t miss how well she handled a gun during her argument with Tessa. She handled the Glock like a pro, so he bought her one, custom made,

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that should be at the penthouse when they get home tomorrow. That was another thing Nathan needed to tell her, they were leaving tomorrow. Nathan left the bed room and headed down stairs. He needed to get the guys on the same page as they prepared to head back to Manhattan. Nathan made his way down the staircase and spotted Dante, Lucca, and Mickey in the living room. “Lucca, where’s Kyle?” Nathan asked walking into the living room. Lucca looked up, noting Nathan’s demeanor before answering. “I’m not sure. I’ll go find him,” Lucca said getting up. He knew when his cousin was talking to him as a cousin, and as a boss, and Nathan was all business right now.

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Nathan nodded as Lucca left the room, and then turned his attention to his phone. “Is everything okay?” Dante asked looking at Nathan. Nathan looked up at Dante. “Yeah, everything’s fine.” Then he turned his attention back to his phone. His father wanted him to call him as soon as possible. Nathan knew that Mitchell would probably be on the call to which he wasn’t looking forward to. Nathan’s been ignoring the constant calls from Mitchell for the past few weeks and he knew Mitchell was probably not particularly happy about that, but Nathan really didn’t give a fuck about what Mitchell was happy about. Mitchell couldn’t tell him shit, and whatever he’d been calling about these past few weeks could wait until Nathan got back to Manhattan. If the asshole wasn’t his

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father’s friend, Nathan would fuck his face up for continuing to call him when he told him not to. But Nathan would make sure Mitchell learned respect when he got back to Manhattan. Both Kyle and Lucca walked into the living room. Nathan took the chair that was positioned in front of the coffee table and couch. He crossed one long leg over the other while he continued to go through the many messages on his phone. The guys all sat back and watched Nathan as he continued looking through his phone as if they weren’t even there, but they all knew better than to say anything. Nathan wasn’t exactly in vacation time mode, this was obviously business. So they all waited patiently for the young underboss to speak.

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“Dial Manhattan and put it on speaker,” Nathan ordered still not looking up from his phone. Kyle walked over to the phone and did as instructed. He then placed the phone in the middle of the table as it began to ring. After three rings there was an answer. “The Salerno Organization. How can I assist you today?” a woman’s voice said over the phone. “Transfer me upstairs, Chelsea,” Nathan replied. “Yes sir, Mr. Salerno. I hope you’ve had a nice vacation,” Chelsea said in a sweet voice. Nathan smiled. Chelsea was always a sweetheart. “That’s very kind, sweetheart. I have.” “I’m glad to hear that, sir. If you just hold on a second, I’ll transfer you to your father’s

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office. See you soon, Mr. Salerno,” she said right before she transferred the call. “You do know she’s only that nice to you because she is in love with you, right?” Lucca teased looking over at Nathan. Nathan chuckled still not looking up from his messages. The phone began to ring, and after two rings it was answered. “Yeah,” a male voice said over the phone. Nathan took his eyes off his cell phone a looked at the phone on the table and frowned. “Is that how you answer a fuckin’ phone?” Nathan asked recognizing the voice on the line. Nathan had told the idiot not to answer the phone like that a thousand times before. It was unprofessional. The man gasped. “Holy Shit. Nathan? I didn’t know it was you. My bad. Hey, what the hell!”

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“Is there a reason why you have been ignoring my calls young Mr. Salerno?” Mitchell asked after he took the phone from Gianni. Nathan’s jaw clenched and he gritted his teeth. Even the sound of Mitchell’s voice pissed him off. “Dove è il mio padre?” Nathan asked through clenched teeth, trying to rein in his temper. “He stepped out for a moment. What did you think? That he would just sit around and stare at the phone until you decided to remember that you have responsibilities here in Manhattan?” Mitchell replied his words dripping with disapproval. Nathan didn’t give a fuck what Mitchell thought, the son of a bitch thought he had a right to talk to him anyway he wanted because he was once the second in command. But that was before Nathan came of age and

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took his rightful place as the underboss. Mitchell seemed to constantly forget that Nathan had become the one to answer to, and not the one to be questioned. “Mitchell, send someone to find my father,” Nathan said maintaining his cool. “Is there a reason why you cut off Andrew Reeves?” Mitchell asked in an authoritative tone. Lucca shot up from his seat. “Who the fuck do you think you are, Mitch? You may want to remember who the fuck you’re talking to. Nathan doesn’t have to tell you shit, you fat fuck,” Lucca he yelled at the phone. Nathan chuckled because he knew his cousin would lose his temper before he did. “Of course you’re there too, with your disrespectful ass, Lucca. Notice that I wasn’t

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speaking to you, I was speaking to Nathan,” Mitchell scoffed. Lucca was about to say something back to Mitchell, but Nathan silenced him by holding up his hand. “Mitchell, I remember telling you to send one of the men to tell my father that I’m returning his call. As for your calls, I did not care to answer them, and as for my reasons for what happened with Reeves, well that’s none of your fucking business,” Nathan said coolly. Mitchell snorted. “If it’s family business it is all of our business, when I was second—” “Enough,” Nathan finally snapped. “You do not question me. If you do it again there will consequences that not even my father can protect you from. Do you understand?” Nathan’s patience disappeared when

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Mitchell didn’t immediately answer. “Answer me,” he roared. Mitchell cleared his throat before speaking. “Yes sir, I understand.” He muttered with reluctance in his voice. Nathan sat back in his seat. “Very well” he said, returning to his calm state. “Now do as I said.” He heard Mitchell place the phone on the table and yell at someone in the background to go and tell Angelo that Nathan was calling. “What the fuck is wrong with that bitch?” Lucca said. “Just say the fucking word, Nathan, and I swear I’ll teach that fucker a lesson in respect that he’ll never forget,” Lucca said glaring at the phone. Nathan smirked and shook his head, Lucca and that famous temper of his. Nathan had almost forgotten about it since Lucca

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had been in a more relaxed mood during this little break. “Not yet cousin,” Nathan said smirking. They heard someone pick up the phone. “Nathan, I’m going to transfer you into his office,” Gianni said. Nathan rolled his eyes. Why did it always take so long to get to his damn father? Nathan could have saved all the bull shit if his father would have answered his damn cell phone. “Well! This couldn’t possibly be my son. The last time I talked to him he hung up on me.” Angelo Salerno’s accented voice sounded through the phone. Nathan chuckled. “Forgive me for that, father. The last time we spoke I wasn’t at my best.”

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“It would be easier to forgive you if you would bring your blond ass home. I need you here a.s.a.p.” “I know, papa. I’ve read your messages and I’ve already made arrangements for my arrival home tomorrow.” “Yes I heard. I’m glad you’re finally taking your safety seriously,” Angelo said. Nathan didn’t reply. It wasn’t his safety he was concerned with. He looked around at the guys giving him curious looks. He hadn’t told them about the extra security measures he’d taken, or why yet. “When were you planning on telling me about your decision with Andrew?” Angelo asked bring Nathan’s attention back to him. “I was going to call you but I’ve been a little…busy these last few weeks.” “Busy?”

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“Yes, busy. It also slipped my mind to call and make sure Reeves paid what I told him,” Nathan said realizing for the first time how far gone he’d been these few weeks. He’d never been so forgetful before especially since he gave Reeves a time limit, and a threat was on the table. “He did. He sent the money in record time as well as a nice little 20% tip of what he already owed us, but that hasn’t stopped him from being pissed that you cut him off Nathan,” Angelo said with a smile in his voice. “I agree with your decision son, it’s exactly what I would’ve done. Andrew is more trouble than he’s worth.” “So, now he’s shopping around for allies to try and retaliate? For what? I only slapped him around a bit,” Nathan said with a smirk.

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Angelo laughed. “Slapped him around a bit huh? Nathan, you knocked out two of his teeth, killed two of his men, broke his nose, gave him a concussion, and damaged his restaurant. All in front of his family. Of course he has some ambitions of retaliation,” Angelo said through a laugh. Nathan let out an exasperated sigh. “I’ll be in Manhattan tomorrow, papa. I’ll take care of this then.” “You have many things to “Take Care Of” Nathan, but that’s your fault for letting it all pile up. You haven’t even called to look in on your businesses son. You should be happy you have such a good papa that looks out for you.” “I am, and I apologize. I’ll do better. I promise,”

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“You already do well enough, son. I’m proud of you, whatever time you have taken you deserved. Now get your ass home and let’s continue running this empire together shall we? We have many things to discuss,” Angelo said. Nathan smiled because he always enjoyed making his father proud. His opinion was the only one that Nathan cared about. And his father was right, they do have many things to discuss. “Absolutely, I’ll be home in the morning. I have to handle a few things when I get back to Manhattan, but I’ll meet you in your office around noon.” “Very well, son.” His father cleared his throat. “Have you heard from Mikilo and Kyle at all?” Nathan nodded. “They’re here with me right now.”

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Nathan heard his father chuckle. “I should have known, and I suppose Dante and Lucca are there too?” “Yes,” they all said simultaneously. Angelo laughed. “Some things never change. Same as when you all were kids, we’d look up and the five of you would be gone somewhere raising hell,” he said through a laugh. “Mikilo, you and your brother call your father. He wants to hear from you. That goes for you too, Dante. Lucca your father’s headed back to Italy in a couple of days so get your ass back here to see him before he leaves to take care of our business there. He’ll be gone for a few months. Understand?” Angelo asked waiting for their responses. The men all voiced their understanding.

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“Good, now get my son back here safely and quickly. He’s been slacking off these past few weeks, and you all are going to tell me why,” Angelo joked. “I haven’t been slacking off,” Nathan said. “I’ve just been…occupied.” “You’ve been occupied? You’ve been busy? Pick one son. Or you can just tell me what you’re hiding,” Angelo said. Nathan knew his father was smiling. “I’m not hiding anything,” Nathan lied clearing his throat. He didn’t make eye contact with the guys while he lied through his teeth. He could never lie to his father, he tried, but somehow his father always knew he wasn’t being honest. “Nathan, I don’t even know why you try to lie to me anymore,” Angelo said. “You’re my son, I know when you’re hiding

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something from me,” Angelo said through a chuckle. Nathan rolled his eyes. “Pop, I’m not—” Nathan’s sentence was cut off when he heard the front door open. He turned around at the sound of Carter’s stilettos clicking against the hardwood floor as she walked into the living room. She seemed to brighten the entire room, she was glowing. Her long beautiful hair was in a new style, bouncy curls pinned back. She was wearing her new necklace and earrings Nathan had given to her this morning. The memory of how she thanked him had Nathan shifting in his seat and biting his lip. His little Carterina had quite the little hidden talent. She wore a pale pink baby doll style dress that ended mid-thigh, showcasing her

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incredibly sexy legs. She was carrying shopping bags in both hands, and had a big smile on her gorgeous face. She was stunning. A smile appeared on Nathan’s face as he stood up to go and greet her, completely forgetting that his father was on the phone. As soon as Nathan stood up Carter’s smile widened, “Bubby!” She dropped her bags, ran to Nathan, and jumped into his arms. She captured his lips in a searing kiss that stole both his breath and his ability to think straight. When she moaned into his mouth he held her tighter against his body. He knew they had to stop. If they didn’t he’d take her right where they stood. Remembering they weren’t alone he broke the kiss, but that didn’t stop Carter. She cupped his face and began

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raining kisses all over his face and neck. Nathan laughed. “Jesus Christ, woman. What has gotten into you?” Nathan said laughing at Carter’s behavior. Carter continued attacking Nathan with sweet kisses. “I missed you,” she said not letting up on her attack. She was killing him. Her playful behavior always turned him on… well, nearly everything she did turned him on, but that’s not the point. “Oh my God,” he said through a laugh. “Carter, baby, I need you to behave yourself. You’re killing me.” He gripped her waist and her hands remained on his face refusing to let up. She licked his ear and he groaned and bit his bottom lip. “But, I love you,” she said against his ear.

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Nathan groaned. “I love you too, and you’re doing this on purpose,” He said with a smirk. Carter giggled. “Why would you say that? Would it be because you nearly tickled me to death yesterday, or because you stripped off my bikini in public?” she said with a playful smile against his ear right before she did something she knew would drive him near insanity. Carter dipped her velvety tongue in his ear, sucked on his earlobe. Instant erection. Nathan nearly lost it. In a quick move he turned Carter around until her back was pressed against his chest. Carter screamed and giggled in his arms when Nathan buried his face in her neck. “Nathan please, you know I can’t take it,” she screamed laughing as Nathan began tickling her.

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Nathan growled against her neck. “Mmm… You know how much I love it when you say please.” He continued to tickle her. “Nathan!” “Promise to be good?” Nathan said against her ear. “Yes! Just stop torturing me,” she whined and laughed at the same time. Nathan placed her feet to the floor and popped her behind. “Good girl. Now, get your ass upstairs and pack woman, change of plans, we’re leaving in the morning. I bought you some new luggage and the car will be here at 8 am.” Carter turned to him abruptly. “8 am! Nathan, what the hell? That is very, very short notice.” “I know, мое красивое Роуз, but I told you last night that I have responsibilities that

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can’t wait anymore. We have to leave,” Nathan said. “But Nathan I’m…” Carter stopped speaking. Nathan took the liberty to try and finish her sentence. “Nervous? Excited? Afraid?” he said with a smirk. That last one got Nathan’s arm punched and he burst into laughter while trying to protect himself. He knew how much Carter loathed being told she feared anything. A deadly glare appeared on her beautiful face. “Don’t get your ass kicked, Salerno.” Nathan growled and pulled her roughly against his body. “Don’t get your ass spanked, Stone” he said with sly smile. Pure unadulterated lust flashed through Carter’s eyes right before a wicked smile spread across her face. She was challenging

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him, and Nathan couldn’t even describe how much that turned him on. Carter chuckled. “So we leave in the morning huh, Underboss?” Nathan smirked. “Yes. There are…situations that I must attend to,” Nathan said, frowning at the thought of Reeves. “Reeves…” Almost instantly Carter’s mood changed and she frowned. “Should I be worried, Nathan?” Nathan looked at Carter trying to decide whether or not he should be honest. He didn’t want to be dishonest with her at all, not even when it came to business and he didn’t think he’d have to be. This just may be one of the perks of being with a woman like Carterina Anastacia Stone, or Steele. No lies, no hiding who he really is, and no secrets.

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Deciding he would try this whole being open thing to see how she took the truth, Nathan decided to be honest with Carter. “Do you honestly want to know?” Carter stepped back and crossed her arms over her chest her expression going from playful to serious. “Yes, Nathan I would appreciate honesty, that’s what we decided yesterday, right?” Nathan nodded. “Yes, we did.” Nathan cleared his throat. “You remember hearing about the confrontation I had with Andrew Reeves?” Carter frowned and nodded. “He wants to retaliate,” Nathan said with a shrug tucking a loose strand of hair behind Carter’s ear. Carter raised an eye brow. “What exactly does he want to do?”

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“Kill me, I suppose. It’s actually quite funny. He’s trying to gather allies, but I don’t really give a shit. He’s not the first man to want me dead, and he won’t be the last. Don’t worry, baby,” Nathan said hoping Carter wasn’t distressed by what he just told her. Carter shook her head firmly. “I’m not worried, Nathan, but I am upset. Reeves should be dead. He’s too fucking stupid to breathe.” Nathan crossed his arms over his chest and nodded slowly. “I’m aware of that, but it wasn’t exactly the right time to kill the asshole, our last chat was…a bit too public for my comfort.” “Yeah, well, I’d love to go to Brooklyn and have a nice little “chat” with the bitch myself. We really didn’t get to finish our

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conversation the last time I saw him, and it was just getting to the good part too,” Carter said with a smirk. “To think I could have saved you a ton of trouble if I had just went for his throat first,” she said with a shrug. Nathan smiled and leaned forward to kiss her lips. “Tell you what, once I get Reeves together for another “chat” I’ll make sure you get a chance to come by and say hi,” He smiled against her lips. Carter smiled wide and wrapped her arms around Nathan’s neck. Nathan lifted her from the floor, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Don’t tease me, Salerno. You know exactly what will happen if you put me in a room with that asshole. What happened with Tessa will look like a game of patty cake compared to what I’ll do to him.” Nathan laughed. “That’s my girl.”

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Nathan heard someone clear their throat and he looked over to the phone on the table and he tensed, instantly remembering who was on the phone. He locked eyes with Carter and bit his knuckle. Carter gave him a look of confusion. Dante, Lucca, and Mickey were trying to hide their laughter, and Kyle was giving him an apologetic smile. Nathan looked over at the phone on the table. “Umm… Pop, are you still there?” Carter’s eyes went wide and gasp and put her hands to her mouth shaking her head. “Yes son, I am still here. The question is who is there with you?”

14

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Afraid in Manhattan

The men stood waiting for the young underboss and his men to exit the Salerno private jet. They were all skeptical about the rumors going around about whom was returning with Mr. Salerno, mostly because many of them never even heard of the girl until it was said that she was killed with her father. After the exchange between the boss and underboss was overheard, the rumors have been spreading like wildfire. The men at the landing site couldn’t wait to see if it was true. They couldn’t wait to see if Spook Steele’s

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daughter actually survived one of the most vicious and dirty hit jobs any of them had ever heard of. They all stood straight as soon as the door to the plane opened and the stairs appeared. They stood watching, waiting to see who came out of the plane first. “Gianni, you think it’s true, or just a load of bullshit?” one of the men asked. Gianni took out a cigarette and lit it up. After a couple puffs he looked over to the man standing next to him. “I told you I was there when they were on the phone. Angelo had it on speaker so Mitchell heard and so did the other men in the office. Not only did Nathan find Spook’s daughter, he’s screwing her too,” Gianni replied with a smirk bringing his cigarette back to his lips.

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The other man laughed. “Shit man, that sounds like Nathan.” He turned to face Gianni. “I just find it hard to believe that some little girl survived that crazy ass hit job. This bitch could be lying. She could be like a cop or something. He can’t be sure. I mean really, how many people have actually seen Spook’s daughter? She’s a fucking rumor her damn self.” Gianni snorted. “Angelo knows the girl exists, he saw her when she was like three or four. Angelo said that Spook brought her to his house once and her and Nathan played together or some shit, and after that Spook only talked about her when he was here.” “Yeah, well that doesn’t mean she survived.” “It’s possible that she survived. Didn’t you hear the shit about how that job went

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down? Somebody hired six men and only two made it out alive. Spook killed more than half the motherfuckers, probably to save his daughter, before they got him,” Gianni said with a shrug. “True, but I still don’t trust it, and if I was the one that paid for that job, I’d be pissed that they didn’t kill everybody,” the man said still skeptical. “She knows Andy Reeves. She told Nate that he was too stupid to breathe,” Gianni said smiling at the memory of hearing the woman talking about Andrew Reeves. The other man frowned. “She said that Andrew Reeves was too stupid to breathe?” “Yep, she said she would love to have a “chat” with him.” “Why would she want to talk to A.R.?”

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Gianni rolled his eyes. Dumbass, he thought. “I don’t think she plans on talking to him, you dumb shit.” “Then what she plan on doin’?” Gianni shrugged. “No idea, but I’m just saying, she sounded like Spook’s daughter to me. You know Spook was fucking crazy, the craziest son of a bitch I ever met, at least. It’s only right that his daughter be crazy too.” “What you think she looks like?” “Don’t know.” “Well if Nate’s fucking her she must be a piece, but he usually has a particular taste in chicks.” “What the fuck that got to do with anything?” Gianni asked looking confused at the shorter man.

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“I’m just saying I only see him with blonds, maybe a few brunettes, all tall because he’s a fucking giant.” “So?” “Well this chick is black right? Spook was black so I’m guessing his daughter is too, and I’ve never seen Nate with a black woman before. Have you?” Gianni rolled his eyes, “Yeah, well there’s a first time for everything I guess,” he said puffing on his cigarette “Well maybe she’s not black. She could be adopted, you know, or her mama could be white.” Gianni’s pursed his lips and he looked at the idiot with flared nostrils. “You’re a fucking dumbass, you know that. Who gives a fuck what color she is, she’s Spook’s daughter and that means she’s family. You know

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how close Spook was to the Salerno family. There’s no way Angelo’s going to let your racists ass say anything about his daughter.” “I’m not racist, you asshole. I was just wondering, what if she has his heir, we already have Nathan, who’s half Russian, now Nathan’s going to bring another mix into the family?” Gianni narrowed his eyes on the shorter man. “You got a problem with Nathan’s Russian mother?” “No I’m just…” “Good, ‘cause if you say that shit to his face, he’d blow your fucking head off,” Gianni smirked. “Or he’d make me do it, and I would do it.” Gianni smacked the idiot in the back of the head to further make his point. While the man rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head, Gianni turned his attention

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back to the plane waiting for the passengers on the private plane to descend. After a few more minutes of waiting, men began to unload from the jet. Mikilo Valente was the first to appear. He came down the stairs quickly and looked around as if scanning the area. After him, Dante Luciano appeared and Lucca Salerno followed after. The three men huddled together and spoke quietly each of them removing the leather jackets they wore revealing the shoulder holster that each of “The Five” always had on them. “The Five,” as they were known to everyone in the family and to most in the criminal underworld, consisted of Nathan Salerno and the men he had with him where ever he went. The men have all been together since childhood. All raised in the same life, with

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each of their fathers in positions of great power within the Salerno family. They were not only a dangerous group of childhood friends, they were the future of the Salerno crime family. Each of them expected to carry on the legacies of their father’s. Dante “The Hammer” Luciano, age twenty-five. Known as “The Hammer” because of his vicious right hook, which was said to have the same effect as being knocked in the face with a hammer. He was the son of Bruno Luciano, who was the second most powerful capo in the Salerno family. Bruno Luciano ran all Salerno operations in Las Vegas, Nevada. This included their legal fronts, such as luxury hotels and casinos, as well as their more illegal operations. Lucca “Tick” Salerno, age twenty-five. Known as “Tick” because of his hot temper.

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Every man that addressed him constantly remind themselves that Lucca Salerno was a constant ticking time bomb; ready to blow up any second. He was the son of the most powerful capo and brother to the boss, Alessandro Salerno. Alessandro runs all Salerno operations in both Italy and Sicily. Every man or women in the organization there answered to him. The only man Alessandro Salerno answered to is his boss and brother, Angelo Salerno. Mikilo “Silencer” Valente. Known as “Silencer” because of the many men he’d silenced. Mikilo Valente is the main assassin in the group. His skilled use of weapons had made him one of the most feared men in the criminal underworld at the young age of twenty-two. He was the son of Cesare

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Valente, the consigliere of the Salerno crime family. “Get the luggage and load them in the SUV’s, let’s go!” Mikilo ordered the men clapping his hands. Gianni and the other men present did as instructed. There were four Cadillac Escalade SUV’s present that were all meant for separate destinations. “Gianni!” Lucca called signaling for Gianni to come over. Gianni ran over to where Lucca was standing. “Who’s driving Nate to the office?” “Nate will be in the SUV in the front,” Gianni said pointing to the SUV in front of the line. “Dino’s driving that one, Angelo instructed him to bring Nathan straight to the office.”

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Lucca nodded. “Alright, Mickey will ride along. He’s sticking with Nate today. Have Gio, Bear, and Nino take Nathan and Carter’s luggage in one SUV to the penthouse and leave now. I want them out before she gets there. Did you already take the added security measures for the building?” Gianni texted Lucca’s instructions to the guys then answered the question. “Yeah, we did just like Nate said. We replaced the door man he hired and the front desk workers with our men. We added the extra security and cameras too. The building is safe. We control who goes in and out with respect to the residents that live there. It helps that Nathan owns it.” “Good, has there been any more talk about Reeves and what he’s planning?” Lucca asked.

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Gianni shook his head. “I’m not sure. I think that’s what their meeting’s about. Well, that and the girl.” Lucca frowned and nodded. The boss had seemed skeptical on the phone after Nathan told him about Carter. Nathan had to leave the room and try to explain how it was that Carter is actually Carter Steele, Spook Steele’s daughter. Nathan was told to come straight to the office upon his arrival, and Carter to be brought to the office after their meeting. “So is it true, is she Spook’s daughter?” Gianni asked looking at Lucca with raised eye brows inquisitively. Lucca frowned. He knew the word would spread fast, he just didn’t think it would take less than 24 hours. “Yes she is,” Lucca said turning his attention to his phone, reading

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messages from his father and others at the office asking him the same exact question. Gianni’s eyebrows shot up. “Holy shit, man. I can’t believe Nathan’s fucking Spook’s daughter. Was it just him or all of you, I know you guys do everything together, what is it? Does she have like big tits or something, he real— Oww! Shit why the hell you do that?” Gianni yelled when Lucca slapped him so hard on the back of his head, he nearly knocked the wind out of him. “Watch your fucking mouth.” Lucca snapped. “Carter’s not like the filthy whores you fuck, so when you talk about her you better do it with some fucking respect. If I ever hear you say some shit like that again you’ll be spending a week trying to figure out how to get my boot out of your ass,” Lucca warned giving Gianni a deadly glare.

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Gianni clenched his jaw and nodded his understanding, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. “I got it. Damn man, you didn’t have to hit me so hard. You could have just told me,” Gianni said. Lucca shrugged and looked backed to his phone. “Gianni!” Gianni looked up to the deep voice calling out to him from the plane and saw that the voice came from Kyle Valente, another one of “The Five” and best friend to the underboss. Kyle “Charmer” Valente, age twenty-four. Known as “Charmer” because he’d charm any man or woman to death, sometimes literally. Kyle Valente was also Nathan Salerno’s best friend and confidante, which was why he was expected to take the role as consigliere when Nathan Salerno took the

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role as boss. He was the eldest son of Cesare Valente, who was the current consigliere and best friend to current boss, Angelo Salerno. Kyle came down the stairs of the private plane dressed in a navy blue Armani suit, with his shoulder holstered Glocks on display and his jacket in hand. “Yeah?” Gianni answered leaving Lucca and walking over to Kyle. Kyle stepped down off the last step. “You’ll be driving Carter and I to the apartment and to the office once their ready for us.” Gianni thought, but he didn’t say it out loud, nor did he show his excitement. Of course he wanted to drive the girl. Then he could determine for himself whether or not she actually is Spook’s daughter. “Spicciati Carterina!”

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Gianni looked up to the door of the private jet at the sound of the underboss calling for the girl. Nathan walked quickly down the steps of the plane in his black Armani suit, with his cell phone in hand. Nathan “The Russian” Salerno, age twenty-four. He is the son of Angelo Salerno, boss and founder of the Salerno Organized Crime Family. Nathan Salerno is the current underboss, but has been groomed his entire life for his future position as boss of the massive empire when his father steps down. He is the feared and powerful leader of “The Five” a highly dangerous group of men known in the criminal underworld. There are some in the criminal world that are still unaware that Nathan Salerno and “The Russian” is the same person.

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“I don’t speak Italian, but I’m pretty sure you just told me to hurry up again. To which I will reply, again, don’t rush me, Nathan!” a woman’s voice yelled from the plane. Gianni assumed that must be Carter. “Get your little ass out of the plane, then I won’t have to rush you,” Nathan yelled back. “Screw you, Nathan. I have to make sure everything is in my purse. I would be very sad if I forgot something.” “You’re stalling.” “No, I’m not.” “Yes, you are. Now bring your ass out here or I’ll carry you out.” Gianni heard Lucca chuckle and he looked over to see the man had come forward. Gianni was sure he had only seen Lucca laugh a few times, and that was only when he was sitting with the rest of “The

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Five.” Other than that the man always had a permanent scowl on his face. Gianni looked at Lucca shocked. “Carter, sweetheart, everything will be fine. He’s not a monster, I promise,” Lucca yelled up to Carter, who was still on the plane. “I’m not afraid,” she pouted. “Aren’t you?” Nathan asked. “Isn’t that the reason you’ve been drinking champagne nonstop since we got on the plane?” he said looking down at his phone. “I didn’t drink that much.” The five men chuckled. “Shut the hell up guys, I didn’t drink that much.” “Carter lets go, baby. The sooner we do this the better. He just wants to meet you.

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Our fathers were good friends for over twenty years, it will be fine.” Gianni was mildly amused that the girl was so nervous to meet Angelo Salerno, but he also understood. Angelo was an intimidating man. She definitely wouldn’t be able to get out of meeting him. When Angelo summoned someone he always made sure they were there when he wanted them. Just when Gianni thought the girl would never come out of the plane, she finally walked out onto the first step. His breath caught in his throat and he stared wide eyed. Spook Steele’s daughter was fucking hot! Gianni stared at the stunning beauty as she worried her bottom lip. “Holy shit,” he muttered. Lucca looked back at him and rolled his eyes.

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Gianni looked around to see if the other men that came were staring at Spook’s daughter too and they were all drooling as much as he was. She stood at the top of the stairs in a tight fitted white spaghetti strap shirt and a pair of short khaki shorts. The outfit was simple, but she made it stunning. Her long curls cascaded down her back and ended at her waist, right above her incredible ass. Gianni was in serious lust with Spook’s daughter. “Don’t you think your father can hold off on meeting me for about four, five maybe six months? That doesn’t sound too bad,” she asked looking at Nathan. Nathan chuckled. “No, he won’t.” He held his hand out for Carter to come and take it.

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Carter walked down the steps at a leisurely pace then took his hand and he kissed it. “I get to go to the apartment first, right? I don’t want to wear this to meet your father.” “Yes, Kyle will be with you. Everything will be fine, Carter.” “I know it’s just weird. I’ve never really met anyone who knew Spook as well as your father. It’s just a little…” Carter cleared her throat and rolled her eyes. “Nerve racking?” Nathan teased. Carter pursed her lips. “Yeah, that,” she said dryly. “I’m not afraid, and I didn’t drink that much.” Her eyes ran up and down Nathan’s body and she smirked. “You look damn sexy today, Nathan,” she said. Then she gave him a quick kiss and stepped down the last step and walked passed him.

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Nathan smiled as his eyes followed her, watching the sway of her hips as she walked away. “Actually, all five of you look hot as hell,” she said confidently. “God, bless Armani and who ever made those leather jackets.” The guys all smiled and watched her walk over to Kyle and take his hand. They were positive that she was tipsy, because she did in fact have a lot to drink on the plane. She had been on edge ever since she found out Nathan’s father was on the phone yesterday. She started her champagne marathon after she found out he wanted to meet her the same day they arrived in New York. “Alright, which car are we in Kyle?” she asked looking up at him and he chuckled and pointed at the last SUV in the line of the three still sitting there.

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She looked up at Kyle and smiled and began pulling him to the car. Kyle followed behind her amused. He looked over to Nathan and gave him a nod silently promising him that he would protect her with his life if need be. Nathan nodded back. They had all talked about the risk of people knowing of Carter’s survival the night before. Although she had ensured her safety from the remaining hit men, they still didn’t know who put the hit on Spook in the first place. They knew that the news of Spook’s daughter’s survival had already spread like crazy, five families over and they wanted to make sure she was protected. That’s why Nathan told Kyle to stay with her at all times while he went to the morning meeting with his father, because he knew that just like himself, Kyle would focus on ensuring

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Carter’s safety, and put her safety before his own. *** Kyle sat in the back of the SUV texting his father and enjoying the feel of the beautiful Carterina leaning against his arm, her hand still in his. Kyle loved these moments. He knew it may be wrong and he did respect his best friend’s relationship, but the moments when Kyle had Carter to himself were the moments he cherished, moments he missed. He always loved spending time with Carter the year he knew her before her and Nathan became a couple. Kyle would actually look forward to cuddling with Carter and watching movies in his beach house. He always loved how affectionate Carter was. He loved that she wasn’t afraid to cuddle up next to him. He loved

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how warm she was, the sweet scent of her perfume and the softness of her skin. Even now, as she did pretty awesome tricks with a butterfly knife, she lay against his arm with her other hand in his and her legs crossed. Kyle couldn’t help but run his thumb up and down the silky smooth skin of her hand. He knew that she may not love these moments as much as he, but he didn’t care as long as they continued to have these moments. These moments, for Carter, were as natural as brushing her teeth in the morning. They had become so used to the way they were around each other that every cuddle session, kiss on the forehead, cheek or lips, argument, or touch had become secondnature. Kyle knew for a fact that Carter would be the only woman he would ever love enough to have such a relationship with. He

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was too much like his damn father to actually settle down in a relationship one day. Much like his father, Kyle knew that he would have a life full of girlfriends and illegitimate children. That’s just who he is. Kyle didn’t want the married life, none of it really appealed to him. Why be with one woman forever when he could be with many. Marriage and monogamous relationships never made any since to him. That is what Kyle realized when he was trying to figure out why he never confessed his love for Carter. Because he knew he couldn’t be faithful to her and give her what she wanted— a family. Carter had told him she wanted a family a little while after they met, on one of the nights she stayed over at his house. Once again Kyle had been trying to get her to revise the limits of their friendship and she

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told him flat out, “I don’t have casual sex, Kyle. I only do serious relationships because one day I want a family. Is that what you want as well?” When she said that, Kyle just let it drop and turned his attention back to the movie they were watching. Of course Carter teased him about it, the “fear” she said she saw in his eyes at the mention of a relationship and family, but Kyle knew that there was no way he would ever be able to be in a serious relationship. So he settled with having a woman in his life that he could steal warmth and affection from whenever he needed it. Carter has the perfect amount of feminine warmth and sensitivity as well as the perfect amount of attitude and fire. Meaning, Carter Steele was the only woman that has ever and could

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ever call Kyle out on his shit, and he loved her for it. “I miss you, Kyle,” Carter whispered pulling Kyle from his thoughts. He looked down and noticed she had put her butterfly knife away and cuddled closer to him. Her eye lids were heavy he could tell that she was headed for a champagne induced sleep. He smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and gave her ear a tug like he always did. “How can you miss me, Carter, I’m sitting right next to you?” he replied sweetly. “I mean, I miss cuddling with you like we used to,” she said softly. “I do too.” Carter looked up at him with her tired hazel eyes and placed her chin on his arm while she looked into his eyes, “Then stop

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ignoring me and come to me, Kyle. You need me, and I miss you. Nathan will just have to deal with it. Our friendship hasn’t changed just because I fell madly in love with your best friend,” she said with a playful smile. “I miss watching scary movies with you and eating junk food, planning the day that we decide to let ourselves go and get fat.” They both smiled at that, remembering the hilarious conversation. “I would love to watch scary movies with you and continue that very important discussion, but don’t you think your boyfriend, my best friend, will get annoyed with us?” “He’ll deal with it.” “And if he doesn’t?” Kyle asked. Carter smirked. “He will, Kyle. As you know, Nathan’s not really the jealous type. He’s too conceited for that. Plus, he knows

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that if he doesn’t, I’ll kick his ass,” she said with a shrug. Kyle laughed softly and kissed her forehead. “La mia bella Carterina. Still as sassy as ever.” Carter rested her head back on his shoulder. “I’m just saying nothing between us has changed, Kyle. I still want us to be as close as we have always been even when you fall madly in love with some beautiful woman.” Kyle chuckled. “I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen, Carter,” he replied sardonically. “It could happen, Kyle. You never know, you could fall madly in love, have a family.” “I’m afraid not, beautiful. I like being a bachelor too much for that. Plus, I love my

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lifestyle and I’m pretty sure I can’t limit myself to one woman,” he said with a smirk. Carter rolled her eyes. “I don’t know, Kyle, you and Nathan are a lot alike. I’m sure he used to be a whore just like you but now he’s in a committed relationship. You just have to find the right girl,” she said confidently. Kyle laughed at the whore comment. “Your right, we do have similarities, love. But Nathan had one thing I didn’t growing up, Anya. He is a man capable of the love you two share because of her. I on the other hand am not a good man.” Carter looked up at him with furrowed brows. “That’s not true, you’ve always been sweet since the day I met you.” He touched her face lovingly. “Which would shock many, many people who have

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known me my whole life, Carter.” He lifted her face to look into her eyes. “It may come as a surprise but the Kyle that you know, is not the Kyle that everyone else knows, love.” Carter frowned and nodded as if she understood what he was saying. As she laid her head back on his shoulder she whispered. “I love you too, Kyle.” Kyle smiled, he didn’t care if her love was just pure friendship he was just happy she loved him too. By the time they made it to the apartment Carter had fallen into that sleep Kyle had seen coming. He didn’t want to wake her so he carried her into the apartment, ignoring the stares from the men there for security. He knew they were just trying to get a glimpse of Carter since she was the subject of the majority of the talk around the family.

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Kyle didn’t know how far word of Carter’s survival had spread yet but he knew that it was all around New York by now. Once he finally got her away from the eyes of the other men and safely into her new home he laid her on the plush couch in the living room. He walked into the spotless, clean kitchen and started a pot of coffee for when Carter woke up. He checked his phone and saw a text from Nathan telling him what time he and Carter should be at the office. Once he got the pot of coffee started he made his way back over to the living room. He sat on the coffee table in front of the couch and watched Carter sleep soundly. She looked so beautiful lying there snoring softly, and his eyes rested on her full soft lips. Memories of how he used to wake Carter up when she would fall asleep on his couch

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rushed through his mind and his fingers traced her soft lips. Without thinking better of it and knowing that she’d understand he leaned forward and placed a soft slow kiss on her lips. A small smile appeared on Carter’s face and Kyle smiled in return. “You stole a kiss. Nathan’s going to kick your ass,” she said sleepily. Kyle smirked. “Worth it.” Her tired hazel eyes opened and she looked at him with a playful smile. In an instant her expression went from playful to fearful. “I don’t know if I can do this, Kyle. Meet these people. I went from nobody knowing who I am to being surrounded by people who knew my father. Spook kept me away from all of this. What if there was a reason why he did? He even kept me

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from Nathan’s father, and they were close. What if this is a bad idea?” she said softly, her voice a whisper, her eyes filling with tears. Kyle looked at her, not knowing what to say at first. In all the time he had known Carter he had never seen her cry nor had she ever expressed any fears to him. This vulnerable side of her was probably a side Nathan was far more familiar with than he. Kyle looked into the eyes of the woman on the couch realizing that this was the first time he had ever heard her refer to her dad like he was actually her dad, and it hit him. He had spent a year becoming close friends with Spook Steele’s daughter. The thought was unbelievable because much like everyone else in the Salerno family, he did know Spook well because of how often Spook

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would come to New York. Kyle instantly understood Carter’s fear. Spook did keep her far away from this lifestyle, even though that didn’t stop Carter from developing the mentality of it, he kept her away. Kyle wanted to make her feel better and give her the comfort she needed so that she would be able to make it through this. He took off his suit jacket and his shoulder holsters. He laid the items on the table, sat on the couch, and pulled Carter into his lap. She melted into his embrace and he stroked her hair lovingly. She seemed to need the closeness he was offering her because she held onto him tightly. “Carter, honey, I understand this is all new to you but you don’t have to worry. I promise,” Kyle said tenderly. “People here knew and respected your father, especially

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Angelo. They just want to meet the girl Spook spoke of constantly when he was here. Besides, Nathan will be there and you know he won’t leave your side. Lucca, Dante, and Mickey will be there, and I will be there too. We won’t let anything happen to you, you know that, right?” “Yes,” she said softly, laying her head against his chest playing with strands of his long black hair. Kyle smile and kissed her forehead and continued to hold her hoping to give her as much strength and comfort as he could.

15

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Guns, Lies, & Anastacia

Nathan sat in his father’s office while Angelo sat with four men by his side staring at him. Nathan crossed one leg over the other, rolled his eyes and sighed. “I wasn’t aware that you all were going to be here for this meeting,” he said looking at the five men sitting near his father’s desk. None of them responded to him, they just continued to look at him. Nathan knew that his father wanted to meet Carter, what he didn’t know was that Mitchell, Bruno, Cesare, and his uncle

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Alessandro would be in the room to meet her as well. When Nathan had first arrived they began the meeting with business Nathan needed to attend to, aka problems they wanted him to handle. There was an entire list ranging from issues with men within the family to associates from other families in New York and Italy, the biggest issue on the list being Reeves’ plan for retaliation. Nathan had no idea who Reeves was asking to help him in his quest for revenge, but if they were smart they would come to Nathan and tell him what Reeves was up to so that they can remain in his good graces. If they didn’t, they would suffer the same fate that Reeves will if he doesn’t back the fuck down.

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“So you’re saying you found her in this Hope Beach place?” Bruno asked with a crooked smile and a thick eyebrow raised. Dante really looked just like his dad, Nathan thought. He nodded. “Yes, that’s what I’m saying,” Nathan replied wondering why Bruno wasn’t back in Las Vegas. “Is there any more business you all would like to discuss?” “No son, that can wait for now. We would like to hear more of how it is that you found Spook Steele’s daughter in housewife land,” Angelo joked. “Now, tell us again what you were doing there.” Nathan shrugged. “Slacking off like I do all the time around this time of year.” Angelo nodded. “And you all stayed in Kyle’s beach house?” “Yes.”

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“You, Kyle, Mikilo, Dante, and Lucca all went together?” Nathan let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes, papa. What is your point?” “I’m just getting the story straight. So when exactly did you find out whom she was?” Nathan rolled his eyes, they were all looking at him waiting for him to answer all of these questions, and Nathan fucking hated being questioned. “I first figured out who she was when her and I,” Nathan sighed, “went to the beach.” “Why were you at the beach?” Alessandro asked Nathan heard Mickey snort from the corner. “Because he wanted to finish what they had started,” he muttered smugly.

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Nathan turned to him abruptly. “Shut the hell up, Mick,” he said, glaring at the asshole. Mickey crossed his arms over his chest and placed his fist over his mouth, frowning and nodding his understanding, but Nathan knew he was just trying not to laugh. Cesare sat back in his seat and looked at his son with a crooked smile. It was like they could read each other’s fucking minds and Nathan wanted to punch both of the blue eyed assholes. All three of the Valente men were the same. “How did you find out who she was at the beach?” Angelo asked. “Did she mention his name, did she recognize your last name? What?” Nathan had to think about how to answer this one. Pretty much everything that

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happened on the beach that night was personal, between him and Carter only. “Before the beach, before everything, I saw Carter at the Hope Garden—” “He held up traffic for twenty fucking minutes staring at her,” Mickey interjected through a chuckle. Nathan calmly pointed at the stapler on his father desk. “Pop, could you kindly pass me that stapler off your desk so that I can staple Mickey’s mouth shut!” he yelled turning a deadly glare on Mickey. Mickey turned his back to Nathan to hide his smile. “Alright now. Get back to telling us how this happened, Nathan,” Angelo said calmly. He was used to the boys’ behavior. “Like I was saying, I saw her at the Hope Garden and she kissed a yellow rose like

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mama used to do. On the beach I asked her about it and she told me the story of the day we spent together when we were kids.” “Aww, how sweet,” Mitchell said in a mocking tone. Nathan looked over at the son of a bitch with cold gray eyes and gripped the arms of the chair tight to keep from breaking off the leg of the chair and shoving it down the fucker’s throat. Nathan reigned in his temper, but he couldn’t say the same for Lucca who was also in the room. “Say one more fucking thing and I’ll come over there and shove my fist down your throat, bitch,” Lucca growled narrowing cold gray eyes on Mitchell. “Easy,” Angelo said in a low tone knowing that with Lucca’s temper he would actually do it.

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Mitchell shot up from his seat. “I am so sick of your disrespect, Lucca! You can’t keep speaking to me like that. I deserve more respect.” “You don’t deserve shit but my foot up your fat ass. I suggest you squeeze your ass back in that chair before I toss you out the fucking window,” Lucca yelled. Nathan knew his cousin was close to seeing red, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to save Mitchell this time. His dad could do it because there was nothing Nathan would love to see more than Mitchell’s dumbass flying out the window. “How dare you—” “Shut the fuck up, you fat son or a—” “Lucca Salerno!” Angelo yelled standing up from his chair. He turned to Mitchell. “Sit down, Mitchell,” he ordered and Mitchell

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took his seat. Angelo looked at Nathan knowing why he didn’t get up and calm his cousin. Angelo pursed his lips and looked at Lucca who was staring daggers at Mitchell, “Gesù Cristo nipote. How many times do we all have to remind you to control that temper of yours?” “Go get some air, son,” Alessandro said nodding his head toward the door. Lucca nodded, a scowl still on his face. “Nate, I’ll be downstairs waiting for Carter and Kyle to get here.” Then he looked back at Mitchell. “You think that was bad, you bitch? Mock Carter to her face,” he said with a smirk then he walked out the door. Nathan and Mickey chuckled. “It’s funny because it’s true,” Mickey said through a chuckle.

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Angelo put his hands over his face and sighed. “Jesus Christ,” he sighed then sat back up. “Nathan, did she tell you how she made it out?” “Made it out?” Nathan asked. “Yeah, how did she escape?” Bruno said. Nathan swallowed. “Yeah, the papers said there were six bodies found in the house. Five men and one women, African American and unidentifiable. They said her face was cut off and they couldn’t trace her DNA. We just figured Jane Doe was Spook’s daughter,” Cesare said. Nathan cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “That woman wasn’t Carter. It was Chrissy, her nanny.” “She was seventeen with a nanny?” Mitchell asked.

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Nathan’s jaw clenched and he gritted his teeth. He didn’t even look at Mitchell, he just spoke to his dad. “Chrissy stayed with her because of how often Spook was away on business.” “But how did she get away? I know she told you, Nathan,” Angelo asked. “I’m sure it was easier for her to run once Spook took out four of the men,” Bruno said looking at Angelo. “But how did Spook have time to do what the papers said happened upstairs in his bedroom. That was some crazy shit. It didn’t seem like Spook’s style at all,” Cesare said. All the men seemed to stop and think. Nathan frowned and sat back in his chair hoping they wouldn’t ask any more questions. He and Carter hadn’t shared that part of the story with anyone and he wouldn’t say

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anything about it. If Carter wanted them to know she would tell them and unless that happened, Nathan would feign ignorance. “How long have you known who she was, son?” Angelo asked “A few weeks,” Nathan replied. “And you didn’t see fit to tell me until yesterday? Well, you didn’t tell me then either, you just forgot I was on the phone,” Angelo said narrowing his eyes on Nathan. Nathan shifted in his seat. “I told you I was sorry about that, Papa. I’ve been occupied the last few weeks.” “And you, Mikilo? You didn’t see fit to say anything either?” Angelo asked “Mickey didn’t say anything because I asked him not to. I asked them all not to say anything.” “Why?”

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“For her safety. I wanted to make sure she was protected before word got around that she had survived. Her safety was my main concern, it still is. We don’t even know who put out a hit on Spook or why, but I plan to find out,” Nathan said firmly. Angelo tensed. “I thought I told you that the situation was too unpredictable to get involved, Nathan. Spook was my dear friend but he’s gone now and there’s no reason to dig up the past.” “I know that Spook’s gone, but Carter is still here and word has already spread about her survival. I don’t know if the asshole that sent six men to kill Spook won’t come for his daughter because she survived it. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen. Carter doesn’t deserve to live her entire life hiding,” Nathan argued.

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Mitchell shook his head. “Let your father deal with this, Nathan. You can’t risk your life for some girl,” Mitchell said, once again giving his unwelcome opinion on the matter. Nathan let out a long frustrated sigh and straightened out the front of his suit. “Some girl” he repeated. Unable to ignore Mitchell’s presence any longer Nathan turned a cold gaze on the man. “Mr. Romano.” He said idiots name with menacing smile. “Be. Silent.” he commanded. Those two words combined with the tone of Nathan’s voice and the deadly look in his eyes was enough to silence Mitchell. Satisfied with Mitchell’s silence, Nathan turned his gaze beck to his father. “I understand your concern Pop, I do. But you of all people should know not to underestimate me. If I say I will take care of Carter, then I

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will. She’s not just here, she’s here with me. She and I will be cohabitating.” “Cohabitating?” His father asked. Nathan nodded. “Yes. She’s moving in with me.” “With you?” Nathan took in a sharp exasperated breath, beginning to become irritated with the questioning. “Yes” he answered his father in a clipped tone. “Why is that hard to believe?” When all the men in the room began to answer the question Nathan silenced them, much to their amusement. “I get it. But it’s…different with Carter. I…” Nathan cleared his throat uncomfortably, “enjoy being with her very much” he said looking at his father. After a moment a wide smile spread across Angelo’s face and he laughed joyously.

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“My, son. You all should have seen when the two first met when they were just little tiny things. They were attached at the hip the entire day, my boy wouldn’t let anyone near little Carter. Spook didn’t think they’d ever be able to go home.” Angelo smiled at the memory. “So I take it she is what’s been keeping you busy these past few weeks?” Nathan nodded. “Yes, she is” Nathan replied with a smile as he recalled the past three weeks. He smiled slyly. Carter sure did keep him busy. Angelo chuckled. “I see. She must be an amazing woman. You’re glowing” he joked. Smartass. “Yes, I agree. Angelo, your son is very relaxed, not as tense as he usually is. I’m sure he had a very nice vacation,” Cesare added with a sly smile.

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Angelo laughed at his best friend and nodded in agreement. Nathan definitely wasn’t as snappy as he usually was, and he actually sat through them questioning him without telling any of them to fuck-off or breaking Mitchell’s neck. Mickey chuckled at his dad. “Wait until you meet her. She’s cool as hell and hot as fuck.” Angelo smiled and nodded. “She was a beautiful little girl, I’m sure that she is a stunning woman. She must be if she caught my son’s eye, and kept Kyle in a friendship with her for a year,” Angelo said in a teasing tone. He still couldn’t believe that Kyle had a friendship with a woman, the kid was just like his father. A string of girlfriends and cold to all of them, yet they still come back for more.

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Cesare laughed. “She must be something.” Mickey let out a long loud exaggerated breath shaking his head. “That nice huh, son?” Cesare asked through a laugh. Mickey smirked and nodded. All the men, except for Mitchell, chuckled. “Alright, enough of that, you damn Valentes,” Nathan said looking at his phone. “Kyle just texted me. They’re in the lobby with Dante and Lucca on their way up. *** Carter was more nervous than she had ever been in her entire life, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying the beautiful day in Manhattan. She had only gotten to see a little so far, but she already loved it. Manhattan

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was beautiful, and full of life and energy. Carter knew she was going to love it here. Even now, walking down a sidewalk full of people to The Salerno Organization high rise building, Carter couldn’t help but bask in the energy of beautiful Manhattan. It was so bright and fast, and people didn’t know how to say excuse me, but Carter didn’t care she just held on tight to Kyle’s hand as he led her through the crowded sidewalk. He pulled her in closer as the crowd became thicker at the crossing point, and she held on tighter to his arm as they crossed the street, three of Kyle’s men following closely behind him. She took a deep breath and Kyle’s scent filled her nostrils. He smelled so damn good, and he looked good too in that incredibly sexy navy blue Armani suit. Visions of Nathan and Kyle stripping those suits off for her

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had her fantasizing about some very naughty things in the shower. She couldn’t prevent the orgasm inducing fantasy, she lain in Kyle’s arms for an hour while he held and comforted her while she was vulnerable. She’s only a woman for goodness sakes, and Kyle and Nathan are fine as hell. She couldn’t deny that she had strong feelings for Kyle either. Damn Jenna for saying Kyle had feelings for her. It forced her to think about the feelings she had for him. But Carter knew her feelings for Kyle could never rival her love for Nathan, he had her whole heart, Carter was his and she knew that with everything in her. The thought of seeing Nathan made her want to tell Kyle to hurry up and walk faster. She missed him like crazy and she gave herself a good pep talk so that she wouldn’t

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embarrass herself in front of his father. She was going to keep her emotions in check, not get upset when they ask her questions about herself, and be as honest as she could be. Yep. That was her plan, and it was going to work. Carter usually didn’t make plans but she would do her best for Nathan. She knows how important his father’s opinion is to him, and she would do everything she could today to make Nathan proud that she was his. It took her forever to pick out what to wear. She had too many short dresses and she didn’t want to look like a hoe, as Jenna would say, so she decided to wear a casual purple flower print, Louis Vuitton dress. It was mid-thigh length with black satin straps, a belted waist, and low neckline. At first she thought it pushed her breasts up too much, but she decided it wasn’t that bad. The dress

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kept her neck and shoulders bare which was perfect because she wanted the summer look. She decided to pair the dress with a pair of black peep toe pumps, and she definitely couldn’t forget the jewelry her incredible boyfriend surprised her with a couple of days earlier. The low neckline of her dress showcased her diamond necklace perfectly, and she tucked her now wavy black hair behind her ears so she wouldn’t hide the earrings. Once she had gotten the long look of approval from Kyle she knew that she had chosen the right attire for the meeting. As they neared The Salerno Organization, Carter couldn’t help but stare at the high rise building in awe. Kyle had told her that Angelo Salerno was a master at hiding in plain sight. He hid all of his criminal activity by building an empire as Angelo Salerno,

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business mogul. The Salerno’s practically owned New York City. They owned numerous department stores full of designers from all around the world, jewelry stores filled with rare diamonds worth a fortune, and Carter was also surprised to find out about the amount of real estate they owned. The Salerno Organization owned many of the luxury apartment buildings in Manhattan including the one her and Nathan lived in. Kyle also told her about the many properties they own in Las Vegas, such as hotels, casinos, resorts, and Carter was shocked. The Salerno empire was massive, no wonder they’re so powerful. “Kyle, are you sure my boobs aren’t showing too much?” Carter asked adjusting her dress and worrying her bottom lip. They were getting closer to this little meet and

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great, and she was starting to doubt her entire outfit choice. Kyle looked at her with a sly smile. “Carter, you have beautiful breasts. Why the hell would you hide them with clothes?” Kyle answered honestly, and he laughed when Carter hit him on his arm. The inside of the building was huge. Carter held tight to Kyle’s hand, trying to keep up with his long strides as her heels clicked against that shiny black marble floor. She was still nervous, but she felt her nerves ease when she saw two familiar smiling faces in the lobby. Carter’s mood brightened and she smiled wide as her and Kyle approached Dante and Lucca. “Hey there, sweetheart,” Lucca said as he, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You look stunning.”

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“Yes you do. My goodness, honey,” Dante said placing a loud kiss on her forehead. Carter blushed and lowered her eyes shyly. They were all being so sweet, she knew it was because she had been so nervous. “See, I told you look beautiful,” Kyle said looking down at her with a smile. “She wanted to change.” “You guys are just being sweet, thank you though,” she said with a shy smile. These guys always made her blush like a damn school girl. “You ready to go up? They’re ready for you now,” Dante asked. Carter frowned. “They’re? How many people want to meet me?” she asked feeling her nerves now renewed. “Don’t worry, it’s only our father’s, they all knew Spook too,” Lucca assured. “They

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don’t bite, I promise,” he teased and Carter gave him a playful punch in the arm. “I’m sure they don’t. If you all are any indication of their personalities I think I’ll be able to get through it,” Carter said wondering if the guys’ fathers were just older versions of their sons. If they were, than this was going to be fun. “Hold on, is Cesare there?” Kyle asked the guys while they loaded on the elevator. He pressed floor twenty-six and entered a security code on a key pad. Dante chuckled. “Yep, he’s there.” “Who’s Cesare?” Carter asked confused “My father,” Kyle said with a groan. “And he might bite, not in a bad way, just in a very inappropriate way,” he said with a frown, “Oh, so that’s where you and Mickey get it from,” Carter teased. A crooked smile

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appeared on his face and he winked at her. Carter giggled. “Mitch is up there too, Kyle,” Lucca said suddenly serious. Kyle frowned. “What is he doing in there?” he asked. “Hell if I know, but I almost had to throw his ass out the window,” Lucca said with a scowl on his handsome face. Carter didn’t like it, he looked so angry and she had never been able to handle anger, not even her own. Whenever Carter would walk around her house upset with a scowl on her face her father would embrace her warmly, and it always seemed to do the trick. He was the reason why Carter loved to show affection to those she cared for. Whenever her father showed her affection it made her relaxed and she felt loved.

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Carter reached up and touched his face tenderly and he looked down at her with a curious smile. “If he pissed you off that much, I’ll help you haul his ass out of the window. That should help me make a good impression with your fathers. Don’t you think?” she said with a wink. Lucca laughed softly and kissed her hand. “I know it would help with my father.” Once the doors to the elevator opened on the twenty-sixth floor Carter tensed again and unknowingly gripped Kyle’s hand tighter. “We’re right here, honey. We’re all going in together,” Kyle said giving her a reassuring smile. Carter nodded and they exited the elevator. Kyle held her hand and she gripped his

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arm, pulling close to him, Dante and Lucca followed closely behind. The twenty-sixth floor was huge, and busy. Men filled the area, some sitting at desks, some sitting at long meeting tables. The floor had pretty much everything you would think was in a regular office, like cubicles and conference rooms, the only difference was everyone in this office was strapped. Every man had a gun holstered somewhere and a cup of coffee in their hand. Some guys had a beer, which was not very business-like. And why was everyone wearing black? Carter just shrugged and let Kyle lead the way. Once they got in the view of everyone, it seemed like every man paused and looked in their direction. Carter tried to maintain an

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impassive expression. She didn’t want to look like a frightened child. They continued to walk through the large office. This side of the office was filled with young men, many of them attractive. They all ran an appreciative eye up and down Carter’s body and some of them just focused on her chest. She told Kyle it showed too much. Carter saw a man look at Kyle and smirk. “Damn Kyle, is that your…” His sentence trailed off as realization hit him and his eyes opened wide. “Hold up, is that Spook’s…” “Go find something to do, Jay.” Lucca growled from behind her. Carter looked at the man as they passed by and he stared back at her, his mouth still agape. Once they rounded a corner to another side of the office she relaxed a little. This side looked to be the side with the veterans

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of the business because no one looked to be under forty. Every man was focused on what they were doing on this side, so no eyes looked at them making their way to the boss’s office. Carter relaxed, she much rather have them focused on their work than on her. That was the way it remained until one man that looked to be in his early forties stood up from a meeting table with a cup of coffee in his hand looking at a piece of paper. The man’s eyes rose from the paper in his hand and met Carter’s. He gasped as shock registered on his face. He dropped the cup of coffee in his and it shattered as it hit the floor. Startled, Carter gripped Kyle’s arm tighter. Kyle stopped walking when the glass hit the floor and looked at the man’s expression

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confused to why he looked like he’d just seen a ghost. “What the hell, Rick?” Lucca said angrily. The man pointed his finger at Carter frantically, shock still masking his face. “What the…” he trailed off. “That’s Anastacia fucking Stone.” Carter’s heart stopped. More fear than she had ever experienced in her life accompanied by a million different emotions she couldn’t really deal with at the moment stilled her heart. After the man yelled that forbidden name, every man in the room abruptly shot to their feet, pulled out their guns, and aimed them straight at Carter. In a fast swift move Kyle had Carter behind his back shielding her with his big body.

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“Hey, hey, hey what the fuck? Are you out of your minds?” Kyle shouted. “Get away from that crazy bitch!” the men shouted over and over again, urging Kyle, Dante, and Lucca to stop shielding Carter. “Put down your guns now!” Dante yelled as he shielded Carter on her left and Lucca came and shielded her on the right. “I swear to Christ if you don’t put those goddamn guns down I’ll blow all of your heads off!” she heard Lucca scream at the men. After that, every man in the room began to scream back in forth in Italian. Carter didn’t speak Italian. She had no idea what they were saying. All she could understand were the two names being thrown

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back and forth, Anastacia Stone and Carterina Steele. This is it. This is why her father kept her away from here, from it all. Carter’s heart began to beat rapidly. It was too much, being here in this place where people knew a face identical to her own that wasn’t hers, was all too much. Carter had never even seen her mother, except in her own reflection. She knew absolutely nothing about the woman, and she was haunting her, and there was no way Carter could escape it. She didn’t want to pay for the sins of an identical stranger. Oh God. I have to get out of here! The men continued to scream at each other back and forth and the sounds were deafening. Men from the other side of the office came over to see what the chaos was all about.

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Oh God. Oh God. Where the hell is Nathan! Carter thought as she covered her ears and buried her face in Kyle’s back, trying to silence the arguing men. Carter wanted to disappear. She wanted to curl into a ball and become invisible. But most of all, she wanted her father. At the thought of her father, a sob threatened to escape Carter’s lips. She should have listened to him and stayed away from this place. So what if she would have lived her life in hiding and alone. These people would kill her! Her father taught her numerous skills, but not one of them was how to dodge fifty bullets that come at her at once! Tears filled Carter’s eyes and she groaned as she tried to blink them away. She gripped Kyle’s suit jacket. “Kyle,” she screamed. Kyle

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turned around to her quickly, standing directly in front of her still shielding her from the yelling men with guns. “Kyle, please you have to get me out of here. Please?” Carter cried to him. She was about to have a serious breakdown. This was too much too soon. Kyle quickly scooped her up in his arms. “Go to Angelo’s office and get Nathan now!” he yelled to Dante walking quickly back to the other side of the office with Carter in his arms. She buried her face in his neck refusing to show the men her tears. “None of you idiots move a muscle because if you do I will not hesitate to blow your head off,” Lucca growled, pointing his gun at the men and blocking the path where Carter and Kyle had just exited. ***

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Nathan sat in his father’s office wondering what was taking Kyle and Carter so long. He knew the twenty-sixth floor was large and his father’s office was located a long distance away from the main elevator, but they should have been here by now. While he looked out of the glass wall of his father’s office to the long hallway something that he forgot to ask his father popped into his memory. He figured he’d ask since his father always seemed to know everyone, and Anastacia should be nearly the same age as him. “Pop, I forgot to ask you something.” Nathan walked over to his father. Angelo looked up from his conversation with Cesare. “Are you familiar with a woman named Anastacia Stone?” All the men visibly stilled.

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“Where the hell did you hear that name, Nathan?” His father asked him, his tone suddenly becoming serious. Nathan’s jaw clenched. “Shit,” Nathan muttered, and just as he was about to explain the door of the office swung open and Dante stood in the doorway breathing hard, as if he’d just run a marathon. “Nate, you need to get out here now, the men have lost their minds.” “What the hell do you mean? Where’s Carter?” “We were bringing Carter through and they all flipped out and aimed their guns at her. They think she’s her mother, Nate.” “Her what?” Cesare exclaimed. “Her mother, Anastacia Stone,” Dante replied remembering Carter saying the woman’s name during her argument with

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Tessa. What he didn’t understand is why the men reacted that way when they thought Carter was her. Who the hell was Anastacia Stone anyway? Every man in the room shot up from their seat. “Shit, shit, shit, shit…” Nathan chanted over and over as he ran out of the office and down the long hallway. His father and the other men in the office followed behind him.

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Carterina Anastacia Stone

Once the office came into view Nathan stopped running and stormed the rest of the way in. “What the hell is going on here?” he yelled. The men paused at the sound of the angry underboss. Nathan was pissed, beyond pissed, the thought of Carter being held at gun point in a place she should feel safe — a place that was his— filled him with rage. “These dumbasses wanted to kill Carter for no fucking reason,” Lucca said still standing where Kyle and Carter just exited.

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The men standing behind the long meeting table looked at Lucca like he was crazy. “Who the hell is Carter? We were following orders given to us before you could tie your damn shoe, Lucca. If you see Anastacia Stone you capture the bitch and take her to Angelo,” one of the men said. “You are a dumbass, Rick, you know that Me, Kyle, and Dante kept telling you idiots over and over that she isn’t Anastacia Stone. She’s Spook Steele’s daughter.” Lucca yelled and the men. “Bullshit,” Rick yelled back. “It’s impossible for Spook to have a daughter who has the exact same damn face as Anastacia—” Rick’s sentence was cut off when Nathan stormed across the room, gripped the meeting table, tossing it effortlessly across the

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office. Men in the path of the table darted out of the way as the large flying table sent papers flying through the air. The table was thrown with so much force when it hit the wall and cracked and the men stared wide eyed as Nathan took long angry strides over to Rick, and gripped him by his shirt. He towered over the shorter man, which wasn’t surprising, Nathan and his father pretty much towered over many of the men in the family. Angelo stood back and didn’t intervene. He figured the men should see his son like this now, he would be the boss one day, and they needed to see what the boss is like when he lost his temper. “She looks like her because she’s her daughter,” he yelled. He pushed Rick back forcefully into the wall behind him. Nathan

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turned and focused on every man present in the office. “None of you are to pull out a gun on this floor unless you are instructed to do so. Everyone that has access to the twentysixth floor has been approved by either me or my father. So this shit, will never happen again because if it does, heads will literally be rolling across this goddamn floor,” Nathan growled. He looked around the room, daring them to challenge him. Nathan turned back to Lucca. “Where is she?” “Kyle carried her to his office. She wasn’t okay, Nate,” Lucca replied. Nathan clenched his fist. “Clean this shit up!” he ordered the men as he stormed toward Kyle’s office. Angelo followed slowly after his son. He noticed the men hadn’t moved yet. He

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looked at them with his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. “If I were you I’d clean this shit up like he said. We wouldn’t want him to come back in here, would we?” Everyone present in the office, and even some men from the other side of the office began to scramble around cleaning up the mess and Angelo chuckled. *** Back in Kyle’s office, Carter had gone from being sad that her father wasn’t there, to furious at pretty much anything she could think about. Like, why the hell did she even left Hope Beach in the first place? Why was she stupid enough to think she didn’t have to live her life hiding? Why the hell were there so many people that wanted to kill Anastacia Stone? Why the hell was there so much blue

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in Kyle’s goddamn office? And last but not least, where the hell was Nathan? Carter paced back and forth in the middle of Kyle’s office, seething. Her fists were clenched and her jaw tightened, she was trying to block out the knowledge that she had four very sharp knives holstered around her thigh. She wanted very badly to go back out to that office and rip all of their heads off. She was sure eventually they would shoot and kill her, but not without her taking at least ten of those sons of bitches to hell with her. “Carter, honey, you have to calm down,” Kyle said, getting very worried. The last time he’d seen Carter this mad she cut Tessa’s throat. “I am calm,” Carter said her tone low and cold.

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No you’re not, Kyle thought, but he didn’t want to deal with what would happen if he said it out loud. He would just watch her pace back and forth and stop her if she tried to go back out to the office. When he first brought her back to his office, she seemed sad, distraught even. He sat her on his couch and she buried her face in her lap. He’d gone to his restroom to get her a warm towel to help her relax then he heard a series of slaps against the leather couch. When he turned to the direction of the noise he saw Carter slamming her balled up fist against the couch, with her head still buried in her lap. “Carter, are you sure I can’t get you anything to help you calm down?” he asked sitting on the front of his desk watching her

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pace back and forth while they waited for Nathan. Carter looked at him with a deadly glare. “I am calm, Kyle,” she said through clenched teeth. If looks could kill and voices threw daggers, Kyle was sure he’d be dead. He raised his hands in surrender and nodded. “Calm,” was all he could say. And he was relieved when she started pacing again. The door to Kyle’s office flew open and Nathan came in. “Carter,” he said relieved to see her. Carter whipped around and stormed up to him, “Where the hell were you?” she yelled glaring at him. Nathan seemed taken off guard by her mood. Tough, Carter thought. She didn’t give a shit, she blamed his ass for all of this.

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Noting her mood, Nathan chose his reply wisely. “I was waiting for you to come to where I was, honey. I didn’t know—” “What? That I was going walk into a gun fight where I was the sole target!” “Technically, Anastacia was the target, not you.” “Don’t say her name, Nathan. I told you this was a bad idea. I just have to keep hiding. I can’t go through my life having people with guns mistaking me for that bitch.” “No you don’t have to hide, Carter. You hated hiding. Don’t even stand here and pretend you didn’t.” “It doesn’t matter whether I hated it or not, Nathan. The fact is that I have to, I can dodge bullets, but not that many.” “No one’s going to shoot at you, Carter, just calm down.”

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“Don’t tell me to calm down, Nathan. You know I hate that shit. I have a right to be pissed, you weren’t out there, and you didn’t see what happened.” “Well, I know that it’s not going to happen again, they know you aren’t Anastacia now and that’s all that matters so just calm—” “Stop telling me to calm the fuck down, Nathan. And if someone says that bitch’s name one more time I’m going to lose my mind.” Right at that moment, the men caught up with Nathan and begin to fill Kyle’s office. Dante, Mickey and Lucca came through the door first and were followed by their father’s and Mitchell. When they laid eyes on Carter standing in the middle of the office with a scowl on her

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face, their hands shot to their mouths and they stared at her in shock. “Holy shit,” Cesare exclaimed. “Jesus Christ,” Alessandro said quietly. “My God,” Angelo said staring wide eyed at Carter. “This can’t be possible,” Bruno said shaking his head from side to side. “There’s no way that she’s not Anastacia Stone,” Mitchell yelled from where he had backed up against the wall. At the mention of her name Carter’s body tensed with rage. She hiked up her dress and gripped one of her knives, ready to kill the motherfucker that said it. Each of the men in the room gasped. Nathan stepped in front of her with his hands up to stop her from moving forward. “Carter calm— Shit!” Nathan bellowed and

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he fell to the floor holding his poor balls after Carter punched him, full force. There was a collective “Oh!” from all the men in the room when Nathan fell to the floor, then a collective “Shit!” when Carter threw a knife across the room and it stuck in the wall, passing mere inches away from Mitchell’s face. Carter stormed to the bathroom, threw open the door and stood in front of the mirror. She looked at her face for two seconds, balled up her fist, reared back, and punched her reflection once, twice, three times, before the glass shattered under her fist. “Just… give me a second. She’ll be fine,” Nathan gritted out. His face was crimson as he waited for the pain to pass. “Jesus Christ,” he groaned placing his arm over his eyes while lying back on the floor.

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The men watched as the woman stood in front of the shattered mirror. Her head was hanging forward and her shoulders rose up and down as she began to take loud deep breaths. She appeared to be doing some sort of calming exercise. Her long hair shielded her face and she brought her now wounded hand in front of her. Without even flinching, she pulled a piece of glass from her knuckle. Blood ran through her fingers as she continued to stand in silence. Nathan let out a loud groan then jumped up from the floor and walked calmly into the bathroom. Carter turned on the sink and placed her wounded hand in the warm water letting the blood wash away. Nathan walked over to a cabinet on the other side of the bathroom and pulled out a first aid kit. He walked over to Carter, turned her toward

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him and took her wounded hand in his. Quietly, he cleaned the cut and wrapped it with gauze, Carter stood silently while he completed the task. Once he finished he ran his fingers through Carter’s hair, pushing it back from her face softly then gripped a hand full of her hair hard. Carter gasped and a small whimper escaped her lips. Nathan leaned in close to her lips and kissed her softly while maintain his tight grip on her hair. “That hurt,” he said against her lips. Carter smirked. Nathan smiled and released his grip on her hair. “I’m cold,” she said softly. He removed his suit jacket and helped Carter put it on. He gathered her long hair and placed it on

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the outside. The suit jacket was longer than her dress and she nearly disappeared in it, but it was warm and it smelled so good, like him, it helped calmed her. Carter turned back to Nathan. “Which one is your father?” she asked softly. “Guess,” he replied with a smirk. Carter worried her bottom lip. “Shit,” she muttered. Nathan chuckled like the true asshole he is. “Don’t act shy now, killer,” he teased. “Get your ass in there and say hi.” Carter scowled at the jerk. “Kiss my ass, Nathan. It’s your damn fault my whole damn plan is shot to shit,” she whispered angrily. Nathan just laughed at her which only turned her scowl into a deadly glare. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t know you’d be that

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pissed.” He only laughed harder when she pushed him. She pointed her finger in his face. “Don’t fuck with me, Salerno. I swear to god I’ll cut your ass off.” Nathan raised an eyebrow and smirked. “No sex?” he asked, amused by her threat. Carter crossed her arms over her chest smugly. Hell yea she can cut his smartass off…at least she thought she could, she didn’t really know yet. Nathan smirked and reached out, delivering a light tug to the hem of her dress. Carter slapped his hand away and sent him a vicious warning glare. Nathan laughed in the face of her glare and tried to reach for her but she dodged his attempt. Carter hit his hand from the hem of her dress once more

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and scrambled into the office before coming to an abrupt stop. They were all looking at her now, and with her rage now gone she was a little nervous. She scanned the room and her eyes fell upon a man with brown hair and brown eyes. She knew that had to be Dante’s father. They both had those thick eyebrows that she loved to tease Dante about whenever she could. Her eyes moved to the next man. His hair was in a short cut, black, and smoothed back. He had gray eyes much like Nathan and Lucca’s, but Carter knew that he wasn’t Nathan’s father. Lucca looked just like him. She smiled when she looked at the man standing next to Lucca’s father. His beautiful sky blue eyes and inky black hair told her exactly who his sons were. And just like his sons the man was devilishly handsome. The

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smile Carter gave him seemed to make him uneasy. He frowned, cast his eyes downward, and turned to look in another direction. Carter’s smile faded and she bit her lip, her stomach tightening with nerves. She walked forward toward the tall man with black hair, gray eyes and features resembling her Nathan and stood in front of him with her eyes cast downward, afraid to make eye contact with anyone else. She knew she was a damn freak of nature. That had to be the reason Kyle’s father just gave her the same look her own father used to, like it pained him to look at her. Carter extended her hand, and introduced herself the way her father instructed her to for this sort of situation. “Hello, my name is Carterina Anastacia Stone,” she said softly. “I am Spook and Anastacia’s

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daughter,” Carter cleared her throat, “and your son’s girlfriend.” Even though she was pretty sure the man thought she was a fucking psycho now. God, she hated her temper, she really did. She tried her best not to get mad, to keep her cool so that she could make a good impression, but sometimes it’s like the universe was against her. She couldn’t catch a damn break. She wanted Nathan to be proud of her, proud to be her boyfriend but instead she attacked him right in front of his damn dad. Carter felt big hands grip her chin softly as Nathan’s father tilted her head until she met his eyes. Surprised, Carter tensed under his touch but she didn’t move. She let him continue with his inspection of her face. He looked into her eyes with a frown on his handsome face as he turned her head from

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one side to the other. Once his inspection of her features was complete his expression softened and he looked into her eyes. “Spook was a dear friend of mine. I was deeply saddened when I heard what happen to him. You have my sincerest sympathy for your loss,” he said genuinely. At the mention of her father’s death, Carter’s eyes filled with tears. It didn’t take long for the tears to overflow and begin falling down her face and she didn’t even try to stop them, there was no use, they weren’t going to stop. Nathan’s father had opened up the flood gates. “Thank you,” Carter whispered through her tears. “There she is,” he said as he gently wiped the tears from Carter’s eyes. “There’s that sad little girl that stood in my living room nineteen years ago. Your father told me

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about your teddy bear, he called the airline before our meeting began, trying to get them to look for it.” Carter laughed softly through her tears. “My bubby,” she whispered. Angelo smiled. “If I’m remembering correctly your father said you thought Nathan was your new bubby for a long time after that day.” Carter smiled at the memories. “You are remembering correctly.” “No, you are not Anastacia Stone at all. You have her temper,” he said tapping her nose with his index finger, “and your resemblance to her is unreal, but Ana doesn’t have this,” he said wiping the tears softly from her face. “Have what?” Carter asked inquisitively

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“A heart, sweetheart, genuine emotion. Regardless of that fire we all just witnessed you have warmth, but your mother, she’s…not warm.” He frowned. “Accept this, your existence, the fact that she nurtured you inside of her body for nine months is out of character for Ana, but then again she was always good at surprising us,” he said as if lost in thought. He released her chin and stood back to get a full view of Carter. “Have you ever seen your mother, child?” He asked in a deep fatherly tone. Carter shook her head. “No, I haven’t,” she replied softly. He didn’t say anything after she answered. All he did was stare at her as if he were trying to figure out something. After a moment he walked up to Carter and placed one hand on her back. “May I

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show you what the fuss is all about?” he asked while motioning toward the door of the office. Carter looked up at him giving him an are you serious look and he nodded. “Yes, please” Carter replied and he began to lead her out of the office. Once they got to the door he paused and looked over at Mitchell. “Mitchell if you pull that knife from the wall please, so that I can return it to Carterina,” he said. Mitchell’s jaw clenched, but he did as he was told. He handed the knife to Carter. Angelo smiled. “Very impressive dear, we’re going to have to find you an outlet for that anger. I have a feeling that if we don’t,” he turned to look at Nathan, remembering when Carter punched him and chuckled,

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“you and my son may have trouble conceiving his heir for this empire.” Carter lowered her head in embarrassment and blushed. She heard Dante, Lucca, and Mickey snickering behind her followed by a loud smack, which she was sure was Nathan’s hand slamming across someone’s head, probably Mickey’s. “Meet us in my conference room,” Angelo said over his shoulder, as him and Carter began to walk toward his office. He led Carter through the twenty-sixth floor with his hand on her back. As they passed the place of the incident of mistaken identity, Carter looked around. The place was destroyed. Men were picking up papers scattered across the floor and carrying out a huge broken meeting table.

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“That would be your boyfriend’s work. He has a bit of a temper himself, especially when he finds out the woman he loves was being held at gun point by a room full of his men,” Angelo said continuing to lead Carter to his office. Once Carter walked into Angelo’s office she walked nervously over to a chair and sat down. Angelo went behind his large desk. Opening a drawer, he picked up a key and walked over to his safe. He unlocked it and removed a black folder then closed it back. “Where have you been these past five years, sweetheart?” Angelo asked as he pulled up a chair to sit beside her. “Drifting,” Carter said with a small sad smile.

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Angelo chuckled. “Well, you should be able to afford to drift. Your father was a very wealthy man, you should want for nothing.” Carter shook her head. “I have nothing, Mr. Salerno. Spook exchanged everything we had for the promise of my escape. They told him that if he didn’t give them everything they would torture me to death, and he gave them everything,” “So they didn’t kill you because Spook paid them not to?” “No, that’s not why. They were still going to kill me after they killed him.” “If you don’t mind me asking, how are you so sure?” “I heard them say they were going to kill me, after I watched them kill my father,” Carter whispered, her eyes cast down to the floor. She knew that if she looked into his

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eyes and saw the concern she knew was present she would just start crying again, and she didn’t feel like dealing with all of that emotion. Angelo tucked the hair shielding her face behind her ear. “Honey, if you don’t mind I would like to know what happened that night. There are rumors and the newspapers but I have a feeling that the truth of what happened lies with you. Am I right?” Carter looked from the floor to Angelo’s eyes and nodded yes. Angelo gave a nod of his head and opened the black folder in his hand. He pulled three small pictures from one of the small pockets and Carter tensed. This is it. She’s finally going to see if she is actually identical to her mother or if everyone was full of shit. A part of her wanted this

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to remain a mystery, but there was a much larger part of her that wanted to see, needed to see her mother. She could feel the obsession she had as a child making its way back into her system, and she nearly reached for Angelo’s hands and yanked the pictures from him. She suddenly wanted to see Anastacia, get know her, and she hated that; she hated her. She hated that she left her, she hated that she looked like her, she hated that her father said she was exactly like a woman she’s never even met. “Are you ready?” Angelo asked. Carter saw the concern in his eyes and she suddenly felt like she had accidently said her thoughts out loud. She took a deep breath and relaxed. “Yes,” she whispered.

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Angelo nodded and put the pictures in her hand. When Carter flipped the pictures forward she gasped loudly. Her hand shot up to her mouth and her head shook back and forth as she stared wide eyed at the picture. The picture in her hand showed a young woman sitting on the edge of a large fountain. She was wearing a yellow dress and looking at the camera or the person taking the picture with a small smile on her face. Carter could feel tears stinging her eyes as she looked at a woman identical to herself. There were a few differences, but they were barely noticeable. The woman’s skin was a chocolate shade of brown, her eyes hazel, and her hair so long it touched the edge of the fountain she was sitting upon.

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Carter turned to the next picture. In this picture the woman wasn’t alone. She still sat at the edge of the water fountain but this time, a handsome young man with striking sky blue eyes sat with her. The man was looking at the camera with a huge grin on his face, while Anastacia’s lips were against his cheek. “Is this Kyle’s father?” Carter asked still looking at the picture. “Yes,” she heard Angelo reply. Carter smiled. “Kyle really looks a lot like him. He’s very handsome.” She really wanted to say he was sexy as hell. But that would be too much even though he was, he really was. After Carter finished lusting over Kyle’s father she moved on to the third picture. In this picture Anastacia sat with Cesare and a tall beautifully handsome man with gray eyes and messy black hair. They all had smiles on

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their faces. Anastacia held both Cesare and Angelo’s hand as the men smiled to the camera and she rested her chin on Angelo’s shoulder looking at his face. Carter smiled. “That’s you,” she said looking at the picture, “it’s like looking at Nathan with black hair.” Carter looked up at him. “I think she liked you a lot, Mr. Salerno. I can tell, by the way she’s looking at you.” Angelo didn’t respond he just looked at the young beautiful woman in front of him. Looking at her brought back many memories of his younger days with Anastacia Stone, many of them painful and hard to relieve, but he refused to look away from the young girl. He wouldn’t make her feel as if it was her that caused him the pain her mother had caused him. Carterina Stone is not Anastacia

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Stone. Anastacia Stone is a cold hearted bitch. Carterina Stone is the sweet girl in front of him, with the genuine smile that captured his son’s heart. “Are you okay, Mr. Salerno?” she asked concern in her eyes. “Is it me? I can look away if it’s difficult for you to look at me. I understand, now more than ever,” she said sadly as she waved the pictures in the air. Angelo chuckled. “No, sweet girl. I was just lost in thought. And call me Angelo please. You’re making me feel old. Forty-seven isn’t old anymore is it?” he asked in a teasing tone and Carter smiled. He chuckled. “Yes, the resemblance between you and your mother is uncanny, but I know who you are.” “What about my voice, my father said my voice was like hers too.”

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“Did he? Well I would have to agree. In her younger days her voice was very similar to yours, but now, she definitely puts a little more bite in her words.” Carter placed her hand on Angelo’s. “Tell me about her, please, just what you know. I would really be grateful. Anastacia was a forbidden subject with my dad,” she pleaded. “Darling, that’s a very long story.” “Please.” she saw in his eyes that he wasn’t going to let up so she tried another strategy. “I’ll make you a deal. You tell me about Anastacia, and I’ll tell you my secrets.” “Secrets?” “Yep.” Angelo smiled. “What kind of secrets do you have, Ms. Stone?” Carter smirked. “I’ll tell you how I got away, who I let go, who I killed, why I

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tortured the man upstairs, what made me do what I did to Reeves face, and why I’ll kill the asshole if he attempts to touch my Nathan.” Carter sat back in the chair and crossed her arms over her chest smugly. Angelo looked at her with one eyebrow raised then burst into laughter. “Men like me dream of having daughter’s as tough as you,” he said through a laugh. “You have a deal. I will be honest with you and you will be honest with me. How does that sound?” He held out his hand for Carter to shake and Carter smiled and shook his hand. “Deal.” “Good. And after all of this we can talk about finding you that outlet for your temper, huh?” he said in a teasing tone. “I have a feeling you and Mikilo would work together very well.”

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*** Angelo and Carter joined the men in the conference room and Carter settled in a seat between Kyle and Nathan to listen as Angelo told her about her mother. “Alright, when we were eighteen years old Cesare and I were pretty much lap dogs for a mafia boss named Fiorenzo Luchini. His family was big in Sicily, they still are, but his son is boss now. Anyway, Fiorenzo was good friends with a powerful man in The French Corsican mafia named Alexis Stone. Alexis was said to have had an affair with an African woman and she became pregnant with his child. The woman died while giving birth to a baby girl whom Alexis named Anastacia. “Now, although Alexis was married and had three children at the time, he favored Anastacia above anyone. She was his pride

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and joy. He spoiled her rotten and kept her with him always. She was never out of his sight once. Her skin color was an issue with many men back when she was first born, but Alexis dared anyone to say anything about his precious Anastacia, and if they did, he would kill them in the most brutal ways imaginable. Whenever Anastacia would even hint that someone had a problem with her to Alexis he would kill them, on the spot, while Anastacia watched. Like it was some kind of offering to her, and she loved it so much she made him teach her to do it too. “Ana’s first kill was when she was ten years old, and she didn’t stop. She was just as dangerous as her father and she had an army of men to back her up if anyone tried to retaliate. As she grew up she began to make a name for herself, Anastacia Stone, as

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dangerous as she was beautiful. And she is very, very beautiful, much like yourself child. Grown men feared her because of her coldness and because of whose daughter she was, but her world fell apart when she was sixteen years old. “Alexis became terminally ill and died, it was quick, and it tore Ana to pieces. Her father’s men scattered and Alexis’s wife and children threw Anastacia out of her home. Ana was sixteen years old when Luchini took her in. Alexis left Ana all he had, but she couldn’t have access to it until she was twenty, so until then Luchini would take care of her out of love for his dear friend. Even though she had been living in Luchini’s mansion for months Cesare and I didn’t see her until we were assigned as security for

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Fiorenzo’s son, Paolo, who had just, become underboss at twenty-two.” “Yep, we had to follow his ass around everywhere prepared to take a bullet for the prick everyone wanted to kill,” Cesare interjected. “Very true. So, we had to drive him to a meeting he had with an associate and when he came out of his wing of the mansion Ana was with him. Stunning.” Angelo said shaking his head from side to side remembering the first time he saw Anastacia. “People of color weren’t really respected then and still some these days but it was like Ana got a free pass because she was so beautiful.” Cesare nodded in agreement. “Long thick black hair and hazel eyes with specks of green, much like your own,” he added.

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“And Luchini had her by his side like she was a damn accessory. He would make sure everyone knew that she was his possession and if anyone touched her, he would cut off their fingers, Ana seemed to enjoy it when he actually did. There were some men who couldn’t keep their hands to themselves around her. Even though she could stop them easily by herself, she would wait and watch Paolo fucking lose it. He was obsessed with her and she used it for her own entertainment. To this day Paolo is still obsessed with your mother. She’s been following him around since she was seventeen years old as his secret weapon, brutally killing his enemies and scaring the shit out of anyone who even thinks of trying to fuck with him,” Angelo said.

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“Is she still with him?” Carter asked engrossed in the story. Angelo shook his head no. “Even though it pisses off Luchini, Ana comes and goes as she pleases. There isn’t really anything he can do to stop her. Obviously, nobody had a clue that she had a child with Spook,” he said and Carter saw an emotion pass through his eyes but it was gone too quick for her to identify it. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “Spook didn’t even know she had a child with him until she showed up on his door step with me,” Carter swallowed hard. “Then she left after she was finished breast feeding.” Cesare looked at Angelo as if they should say something but they weren’t completely sure if it was the right thing to say. After a

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moment Cesare sighed. “Carterina, honey, I know you may hate your mother for leaving you, but I can honestly tell you that if she didn’t leave you with your father, Luchini would have killed you.” “And now, what if he saw me now? There would be no way I could hide whose daughter I am.” “He would try and take you as his, the way your mother let him take her,” Angelo said truthfully. He noticed Nathan tense and saw Carter take his hand, “Don’t worry, son. Carterina is nothing like her mother,” he said with a smile and Carter smiled in return. “She is stronger, much stronger, Luchini wouldn’t last a second in a fight with her or her army of men.” “Thank you,” she said and Angelo winked at her. “Is that the whole story?”

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Angelo chuckled. “Yes it is.” “Is it?” Carter said giving Angelo a knowing smile then she looked at Cesare with a raised eyebrow. “Are you positive that you two have nothing else to tell us about your time with Anastacia?” she asked with a smirk. She had definitely picked up on both of their familiarity with Anastacia, and that story was pillow talk. She was pretty sure Angelo, Cesare, and Anastacia’s story was a very juicy one, and she was nosey. Angelo and Cesare both shook their heads. “That’s all the story you’re getting. I haven’t seen or spoken to your mother in fourteen years” Angelo said with a bit of sadness in his eyes. He pulled himself together quickly. “Now let’s go, a deals a deal. Spill, child.”

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Carter sighed. “Alright, alright, I suppose I should hold up my end since you held up yours,” she said with a smirk. Carter sat for a moment, trying to figure out where she would start. “I would like to ask you one thing before I tell you what happened that night,” Carter said to Angelo and he nodded. “My father was flying to see someone the day I convinced him to stay home one more night before he left me again, do you know who that was?” Angelo nodded, his expression becoming serious. “It was me, he called me and told me he wanted to meet privately, that he had things to tell me that needed to be said in person.” Carter swallowed hard. There was one more secret that she hadn’t told Nathan

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because she didn’t know that it needed to be told, until now. Carter took a deep breath and just went for it. “Someone tried to hire my father to kill you,” she said her tone serious and firm. The men in the room moved to the edge of their seats and frowns appeared on all of their faces, each of them giving Carter their undivided attention. “Carter, you didn’t mention that when we spoke,” Nathan said and Carter met his eyes. “That’s because I didn’t know it was your father then and I do now. Spook confided in Chrissy often and I would ease drop on most of their conversations. He said that he was flying to see a dear friend because he needed to warn him that someone close to him is looking for men crazy enough to try and take him out.”

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“Someone close to me?” Angelo asked. “Yes, he said it was someone close. Spook never used names when he spoke about his business, but I’m positive he said it was someone close.” “But why would anyone try and hire Spook to kill my father? It doesn’t make sense, everyone knows how close he and Spook were,” Nathan stated. “That’s true. It doesn’t make sense for anyone to think that Spook would do anything but warn me.” Carter cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. Of course there was a reason why, but there was no way in hell she was going to tell it. “It’s someone who’s been around you for a long time Angelo. It’s more than likely this person is still around, unless you’ve had

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someone disappear on you in the last five years.” “I haven’t. But you still didn’t make sense of why this person would think Spook would kill me,” Angelo said picking up on Carter’s uneasiness. He could tell she was keeping something from them. “There is a reason why, but it isn’t one I’m going to share,” she said firmly Angelo’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. Well, that was definitely something he wasn’t used to. Every time Angelo wanted information he got it, and now this young woman wants to hold back information from him after she just told him that someone close to him hired his good friend to kill him. “And why is that Carterina?” he said folding his arms over his chest. “Trust me.”

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“Trust you?” “Yes, trust me. If it were something that you needed to know I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you. But I am not rubbing salt on any wounds and causing any more pain when there is no reason to.” “You’re worried it will hurt me? I assure you, Carterina, I am a big boy I can take anything you—” “With all due respect Angelo, you are not the one that I am worried about hurting,” Carter said cutting Angelo off. Angelo frowned. “I don…” His sentence trailed as he realized who Carter was protecting. He looked over to his son who was looking at Carter curiously. “Wait is it me?” Nathan asked. “You’re worried about hurting me? Carter, don’t. I can handle whatever it is, baby, you don’t

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have to protect me. If this needs to be said, say it,” he pleaded looking in her eyes. Carter shook her head firmly. “That’s the thing, Nathan, it doesn’t need to be said. It’s not—” “Carter, just—” She reached up and cupped his face silencing him. “No, bubby, I will not just say it.” she moved a strand of his golden blond hair from his face. “There are some truths that are just too heavy. Even for a man as strong as you. This truth is a burden Nathan, one that I will carry for the both of us. Your curiosity will not hurt you, this would.” Carter pulled his face down to hers and kissed his lips softly. “Trust me,” she whispered looking into his eyes. She really hoped he would just let it go and trust her because the truth was Spook’s secret that Carter overheard him

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telling to Chrissy would hurt Nathan way more than it would hurt Angelo. It would kill Nathan, so Carter came to the decision that she was taking this secret to the grave just like Spook did. Nathan seemed to be battling with himself about whether or not he should push her more. After a moment he nodded his head and Carter smiled. “I trust you,” he said then he kissed her forehead lovingly. “Good,” she said. She held his hand and rested her head on his shoulder. She looked at Angelo who had a small smile on his face. “I will tell you the names of the two hit men that are still alive. The person that hired them is the one that wants to kill you. The men may be difficult to find because I told them I would be coming for them, but I’m positive you will be able to track them

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down.” Angelo nodded his agreement and Carter continued. “I would be eternally grateful if you would allow me to maybe have a few words with them,” she said with a wicked smile and Angelo laughed. “I just want to talk, but to be on the safe side because you all know…I have a temper. You should probably get the name of the person before you let me have my words,” she said it playfully, but Carter wasn’t playing. She was going to kill those bastards as soon as Angelo got the information he needed. All the men smiled and laughed except for the man back in the corner. The chubby, bald man with black eyes, and sweat beads on his pale forehead, Carter believed his name to be Mitchell. Carter had been watching the man since her and Angelo joined the men in the conference room and she didn’t

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like him. He seemed uneasy. At first she thought it was because she scared him with the knife incident, but that wasn’t it. Carter needed more time to figure out this guy and she would have it, she’d make sure of it. “And what about when I find this man, who wants me dead, and killed your father, young Carterina? What would you do if I put you in a room with him?” Angelo asked. Carter’s body tensed and something deadly flashed through her eyes. For a moment Angelo thought she was a completely different person. Her body relaxed and she centered herself in her chair and crossed her legs. The men watched as a smirk appeared on her face and her eyes turned cold. “Now that would be a very generous gift, Angelo.”

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The way she said his name made Angelo tense. He spent this entire meeting doing his best to separate the girl from her mother, even though it was damn hard. But right now the coldness in her eyes, and the deadly excitement in her voice, made her a dead ringer for Anastacia.

17

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Gasp!

Mitchell stormed into his office, slammed the door and locked it. “Shit,” he said frantically looking through the drawer for the phone number he hoped was still there. “Shit, shit, shit, shit.” He pulled the drawers out trying to find the cell number to those two greedy, lying, assholes. They told him the job was done. They told him that Spook Steele’s family was dead, but the dumb motherfuckers lied, and now Mitchell was fucked. Screwed. And he had to

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make a new plan or he was fucking dead. Or he’d be forced to live his life on the run from Angelo and that fucking freak bitch. When the hell did Anastacia Stone and Spook Steele have a daughter? Mitchell thought as he continued to destroy his office looking for the number. He hadn’t even gotten over the initial shock of finding out he paid a fortune for a half assed hit-job, then he had to find out that Spook Steele’s kid was Anastacia fucking Stone’s kid too! “Fuck!” he yelled as he hit his fist against his desk. This was not what he planned at all. His plan was always the same: kill Angelo, kill Nathan. But for some reason he can’t find anyone willing to do it. The majority of the hit-men around the world knew Angelo. And

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were good friends with the bastard. And the ones that hated him, where too afraid to take the job. Spook was Mitchell’s last hope at hiring an assassin to take out Angelo. Since that was shot to shit, Mitchell would just have to do it himself. “New plan,” Mitchell said as he continued to look for the two phone numbers that he needed. He didn’t always hate Angelo. There was a time when he loved the man like a brother. Angelo brought him into this family and let him be a part of this empire he built out of a kindness to Mitchell’s father, who was an old friend to Angelo. A man that Angelo loved and respected, but Mitchell knew that if his father knew the way that Angelo treated him now then he would hate him just as much as Mitchell does.

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After years of Mitchell being a damn lap dog for Angelo, he had finally gotten to be in a position where he could demand the respect he deserved, as underboss. Mitchell did hear Angelo when he told him that the position was only temporary until Nathan came of age to take over, but he was convinced that he could change Angelo’s mind about giving that weak Russian boy so much power. He didn’t know that the little prick would grow up to be just like his damn father. When Angelo took his position from him and gave it to Cesare to hold, Mitchell saw red. Angelo thought Mitchell would be just fine as his right hand aka lap dog again, but Mitchell had had enough. He would not spend his entire life following Angelo around waiting for him to give him tasks that are not worthy of his time anymore.

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No more. No, no more. Mitchell decided he would end the Salerno Family once and for all, and then watch it fall. His first plan was to cut off the head of the snake, then kill his son too. But that turned out to be a bust. His second plan was to start a war. So he enlisted Michael Ricci and ten other men that loved money to ambush shipments going to a very powerful business partner, hoping to piss him off enough to attack Angelo. Mitchell also tried to drop a few names of some associates hoping Angelo would be in two wars at once. But that demon seed of Angelo’s had to get involved and ruin the entire plan. So now, after years of trying, Mitchell had a plan he knew would work. But now his list was much longer. One, all of “The Five” must die. Two, all of the fathers of the demon

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seeds must go to hell with them. Three and most important, Anastacia Stone’s daughter must be eradicated from this earth. “Got it!” Mitchell pulled out his cell phone and dialed the first number. No answer. The damn voicemail. Oh, he’ll leave a message alright. “Hello, Kent? Yea this is Mitchell Romano and you will never fucking guess who I met today. Carter Steele, you know, Spook Steele’s daughter. The rumor baby, the one that’s supposed to be, fucking dead.” Mitchell needed to breathe. He needed to calm down so that he could think straight. “Look, I didn’t mean to yell, but I just don’t appreciate being lied to. You both really fucked up because now Angelo Salerno is coming after both of you and when he does

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you weak assholes will probably rat me out because you’re too afraid to die. So it looks like we are in this together. The only way to save our asses is to kill Angelo, and a few other problems that we now have. So call me, I have a plan.” Mitchell hung up the phone and took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves. Once he was calm he dialed the last number in his hand. After two rings a man answered the phone. “Who the hell is this?” “Mitchell. Mitchell Romano.” “Angelo Salerno’s Mitchell Romano?” the man said surprised. “Yes.” “Look man, I don’t want any trouble, I called off all that revenge shit. It ain’t worth

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it. You can tell Angelo and baby Salerno that we’re cool,” Reeves said. “I don’t think you want to do that Andrew, the Salerno’s are not forgiving men, they will not sell to you again, and they are already planning to kill you.” “Bullshit, I haven’t even done anything yet, plus how the hell do you know they won’t do business with me again?” “Because I know, and I want to help you. Let’s meet.” “Help me how?” “Let’s meet and I will tell you.” “Naw man, you tell me over the phone. I don’t trust you.” “I can help you kill Angelo and his son,” Mitchell said quickly hoping Reeves was on the same page.

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He heard shifting over the phone but no one spoke. It was a full minute and a half before Andrew spoke again. “Meet me in Brooklyn in my family’s restaurant. Don’t bring any guns and come alone.” “Fine,” Mitchell said and he ended the call. Mitchell knew this plan was going to work. It had to. Reeves wanted them dead just like he did, and they could do it together. Mitchell could combine Reeves’ men and resources with his knowledge of the Salerno family. He would be able to use his inside information to help Reeves conduct an effective attack on the Salerno family that results in the deaths of each powerful member. Mitchell smiled to himself as he grabbed his jacket and headed for the door. He

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turned the door knob and swung the door open to leave. “Hey there.” Startled, Mitchell jumped at the sight of Carterina Stone. “Umm…. Hi,” he said tightly. He didn’t know why, but for some reason an intense fear filled his entire body. She was leaning against the wall with a wicked smile on her face and emotionless eyes. Mitchell swallowed and brushed off what he could of his fear. Many people thought the young woman was breathtaking, but Mitchell hated her so much, he was sure she looked like a troll. He wanted to vomit every time he looked at her hideous face. “I just wanted to catch you to say I’m sorry for the knife incident,” she said, her voice void of sincerity.

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“I forgive you, now if you’ll excuse me I should be going.” She didn’t move. She just stared at him blankly like he was the dumbest person on earth. Mitchell frowned. What the hell did she want? She let out a small humorless laugh. “Are you serious?” she asked. Mitchell’s fear increased. What was wrong with him? He took a deep breath. “What are you talking about young lady?” She chuckled. “While I appreciate being called young, I have to say, you’re a bigger idiot then I remember. Open your eyes dumbass.” Mitchell frowned. “I’m confused—” She cut him off by raising her hand. “Spare me please. I just, I didn’t think my American accent was that good. I mean, it’s

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mediocre at best. And I’m positive I don’t look that young, but if you choose to call me Carterina, then by all means Mitch, let’s pretend I’m Carterina.” She let out an exasperated sigh and waved her hand in the air. “Tell me, where are you going?” What? He thought. “Out,” Mitchell said backing away from her. She was making him uneasy, so was the deadly look in her eyes. She looked at him like she was reading him. Like she knew every thought in his head, every plan he ever made, and every lie he ever told to cover up his betrayal. It took everything in Mitchell not to break out into a guilty run. “Out where, Mitchell?” she asked her face suddenly serious, and a little different. There was something different about her, he just

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couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, but there was a difference. “That’s none of your business,” he said still putting distance between them. She shook her head feigning disappointment. “You have too much in that head of yours Mitch Romano, thinking this way can only end badly for you.” “I don—” “Your fists are clenching and unclenching, you have sweat beading on your forehead, and you keep putting more and more distance between us. Your body language indicates fear. Are you afraid of me, Mitchell?” she asked in a cold menacing tone. “No I am not, now if you would excuse me.” Mitchell tried to walk past her but she moved in front of him.

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“Yes, you are afraid, Mitchell.” She cocked her head to the side. “Do you know why yet? Do you know why you’re afraid of me?” “I’m not—” She held up her hand, effectively halting his next lie. “Yes you are. And now I’m going to have to kill you whether you’ve done what I suspect you’ve done or not.” She shrugged. “It is time for you to die anyway. You were never any use to Angelo in the first place. I told him he should get rid of you, a long time ago,” she said, but she was starting to sound different. Mitchell noticed her accent become a bit more foreign and…Wait a minute, what did she say? “I’m sorry, did you just say get rid of me a long time ago?” Mitchell starting to actually get a little frightened.

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A sinister smile spread across her face and she nodded. “I did,” she said her accent becoming thicker with each word. “Has your brain caught up with your body yet? Your instincts are trying to tell you something Mitchell, but your mind is not listening. You’re seeing what you want to see. You’re not seeing what’s actually in front of you. Or should I say who’s in front of you?” Mitchell’s heart beat quickened and sweat beaded on his forehand. “Wait, why are you speaking like that, what the hell is going on here?” “Do you really want to mess with me, Mitchell? Ask yourself that, do you really want to fuck with a Stone?” She pushed his chest hard. “Don’t fuck with me,” she snapped. “I don’t understand—”

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That’s when reality slammed into Mitchell, nearly knocking him off his feet. Fear, dread, and terror ceased his body, causing him to shake uncontrollably as he tried to utter the forbidden name that no man wanted to speak. “Ann-a-a-Ana-Ugh!” Mitchell’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when her hand wrapped around his throat and she pushed him into his office door, hard. She pressed a large golden knife against his throat, and Mitchell nearly pissed his pants. “Shhh. What is it that Angelo’s sweet son says to you to get you to shut your mouth again? Be silent?” She flipped the knife and pushed the pointed tip against his skin and Mitchell stop breathing. “Be silent, Mitchell. This little meeting will be our little secret, okay?”

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Hot tears began to fill Mitchell’s eyes, and his legs felt as if they would give out. “P-pplease don’t kill me.” She frowned. “But why?” she asked with genuine confusion in her eyes. “Why would you say that to me, Mitch? I’ve been waiting so patiently. I want to see your blood.” Her gaze fell to the skin her knife was sitting against then she looked into his eyes. She pierced his skin with the sharp knife, and Mitchell nearly howled in pain, but she immediately stopped him. “Shh…” she said sharply. “You make a sound and I’ll kill you. I promise you Angelo won’t punish me for your death.” She looked to the side as if she were lost in thought. “Well, he might punish me, I miss his punishments…so much fun.” She shrugged and her eyes came back to him. “I think you did something bad Mr. Romano.

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I need more evidence to prove it, but I think you did it. And when I prove my suspicion correct, I will kill you. I would kill you right now, but I don’t need the attention. Not yet. She’s not ready, I can tell.” She frowned. “And I need my baby to be ready, Mitch. Do you understand?” Mitchell nodded frantically. She nodded her head once then pressed her knife against his neck again. “If you touch my child, Mitchell —I don’t care if it’s an accident, or you’re just shaking her hand— I will decapitate you. Do you understand me?” As if she already knew his answer she pushed away from him and stuck her knife in the back pocket of her jeans. “Get me out of here undetected. I don’t want anyone else to know I was here.”

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There was no one but them around. Mitchell thought she may have been talking to him. Just when he was about to obey her orders three men that worked for Angelo came around the corner. Mitchell’s eyes shot open wide as the men lead Anastacia Stone away from him. Once she left, he escaped the office planning to never return. He planned to collect all of his money and leave New York, but he couldn’t seem to get himself together. Over the next few days he felt as if someone was watching him. He saw Anastacia’s face everywhere he looked. That’s when he came to the realization that there was no running, there was no hiding, and there was no getting away.

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Anastacia Stone was going to find out what he did. And when she found out, she was going to kill him. Mitchell knew right then that he had to do something.

18

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She Called You The Maid!

“No Jenna, you don’t have to cook. You’re our guest, just order something anywhere and charge it to my credit card. It’s in the night stand next to my bed,” Carter said as she made her way through the large luxury hotel lobby with Mickey and three other men following close behind her. She smoothed down her knee length pencil skirt, and adjusted her fitted purple top, making sure it was tightly tucked in. Her black pumps clicked on the marble floor as she made her way to the last meeting she had for the day.

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“Carter, I don’t need you to buy me anything. I have plenty of money. Don’t start getting a big head just because you live in this incredible penthouse, and are practically married to a trillionaire Zeus-like businessman,” she said in a teasing tone. Carter smiled. “I’m not getting a big head you goof,” she said while she switched her cell to her other ear. “You shouldn’t have to spend your money here Jenna, you’re our guest, that’s all I meant.” “Carter, I’ve been here a thousand times since you first moved here four months ago. I have personal items that I leave in the guest room which I now consider my room. I’m hardly a guest,” she said dryly and Carter chuckled. “Ben’s mad at you for constantly stealing me away. Remember I’ll be staying at a hotel with him tonight. He says he

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should open another bar here and we should move to Manhattan. I don’t know, I think I agree with him Carter. You and I seem to be closer than we thought we were when we lived in the same house,” Jenna said as if lost in thought. She was right. The first week Carter was in New York she started getting ‘Jenna-sick’. She could care less about Hope Beach, she just needed her Jenna. She was almost to the point of tears when she called Jenna and told her she needed her to visit because she missed her. And that’s when it began. Nearly every Friday Jenna would hop on a plane, come to Manhattan, and stay until Sunday. Carter loved her visits and Nathan always made sure Jenna felt welcome in their home, like she was a part of the little family Carter and

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Nathan had built since she moved to Manhattan. “Do it, Jen. There’s a penthouse open in the building,” Carter said nearing her destination, and getting excited at the thought of Jenna living so much closer to her. “Talk about it with Ben and tell me what he says. I have to go,” Carter said quickly as they reached their intended destination. A man stood in front of her dressed in an all-black Italian suit. He stood about 6’ tall and had four big men standing with him. He looked at Carter straight in her eyes. Good, he had heard about her, these things went so much faster when they knew what to expect. “What do you mean you have to go? You just got on the phone with me literally two seconds ago, and when are you coming

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home. I’m lonely. I need company until Ben gets here,” Jenna said with a pout. “Jay, I’ll be home soon, I have a few things to pick up before the guys come over tonight,” she said staring into the black eyes of the over tanned man in front of her. He opened his mouth to say something and Carter rolled her eyes and raised her hand silencing him. “Jay, I need to go now. I’ll see you soon.” Jenna was saying something but Carter hung up the phone before she finished. “May I speak now Ms. Stone or is it Mrs. Salerno yet?” He asked, his tone a bit too derisive, and Carter smirked. “You may speak, but not here. We need to have this discussion in private,” she replied to the asshole.

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He nodded and led her, Mickey, and the rest of the men present to a conference room. Carter took a seat and Mickey took the seat next to her. Mickey leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his big chest. Carter crossed her legs and the light tap of her index finger against the wooden meeting table filled the room. “Do you know why we are here Mr. Clay?” Carter asked. “I actually do not. I was surprised when I got the call,” Clay said feigning surprise. “I have to say, I’ve heard many things about you, Ms. Carterina, but I am having a hard time believing the stories are about a beautiful little thing like you,” Clay said with a chuckle and a smug smile on his face.

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Carter knew he was mocking her. She knew about the buzz going around about the work she does for the Salerno family. When Angelo told her that he would find her an outlet for her anger it was like he knew exactly what she needed. Let’s just say that Carter has never been more relaxed in her entire life. She loved her job. It didn’t take her long to make a name for herself. She and her partner in crime have been raising hell all over New York City. Mickey and Carter have become thick as thieves these past four months, and Carter loved it. She didn’t realize how much they had in common until they started working together. She had no idea how talented he was with weapons. They both have spent these last four months helping each other learn new skills as well as

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sharpening existing ones. So Mr. Chuckles better chill with the mocking shit. “Whether you believe it or not is of no concern to me. You know why we’re here, so cut the shit, and stop what you are doing,” Carter said coolly. Clay laughed and clapped his hands. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear Carterina. What exactly is it that you want me to stop?” he said through a laugh. Carter’s jaw clenched, she really didn’t like this motherfucker. “Carterina, we could always just kill him and give this hotel to Angelo to destroy as a gift,” Mickey said. He kept his eyes narrowed on Clay. “I’m sure Angelo can build something nice on the property. A parking lot perhaps?” he threatened with a sly smile.

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“I’m sorry, did you just threaten to kill me?” Clay said raising an eyebrow. “No, that wasn’t a threat, it was a suggestion, that I believe my partner here is considering,” Mickey replied then pointed to the four men standing behind Clay. “And what did you bring these idiots for? They can’t do shit if we decide to kill you.” Clay frowned. “These men are here for security purposes because associates of mine have shared horror stories of you two with me.” Clay sat up straight in his seat and adjusted his suit. “There will be no killing here. You two are here because your boss thinks he’s the king of New York, and he is not. So if you would, wrap this up,” Clay said as he began to stand from his seat. Carter stood up abruptly and hit her fist against the table. “Sit your ass down, Clay!

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We aren’t going anywhere until we discuss what Angelo wants.” Clay looked up at Carter as if deciding whether or not he should comply with her command. “Sit. Down. That’s the last time I’ll say it. This is not a game, and I’ll only warn you once. I don’t like to be mocked. You’re about to find out why your associates tried to warn your ass before we got here,” she said giving him a warning glare. Clay sat in his seat slowly and Carter turned her glare to the men behind him. “Neither one of you are to move a muscle throughout this meeting. He may pay you, but it’s not worth your life. You move, I’ll kill you, and you won’t be able to spend the money anyway,” she said with a shrug. Then a mischievous smile appeared on her face. “Actually, all four of you have a choice right now. You can continue to stand behind him,

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and protect him, or you can come over here with me, and I’ll reward you,” she said. Mickey laughed. The four men looked at each other, and then they looked back at Carter. She smirked and raised an eyebrow, waiting for them to make a decision. When two of the men walked over to her and stood behind her, she smiled. Clay’s eyes went wide and he shot up from his seat. “What the hell are you doing? Get your asses back over here now!” “No, they are not your men anymore, they are mine, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” Carter said leaning forward with her palms flat on the table, never taking her eyes from Clay’s. “That all? You two don’t want to be over here with me?” She asked looking at the two men who hadn’t

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moved…yet. “If you think that I or my friends will harm you, you are wrong. The only way you will be safe from us is if you are with us, not against us. But, if you choose not to come over here, well…”she shrugged and took a deep exaggerated breath. The two remaining men walked over to her and stood behind her and she laughed. “Damn, Clay looks like you’re all by your lonesome self over there. I bet your feeling pretty cold right now,” she said through a laugh. “What the hell do you want from me?” Clay shouted. Carter saw that she pissed him off and she smiled. “You rent out women and young men as sex slaves in your hotel,” Carter stated.

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“That’s none of Angelo’s damn business. This is my hotel!” Clay yelled his tan face turning crimson. “Wrong! It is his business, especially since the police think he has some involvement in your fucking business. Angelo Salerno doesn’t sell humans. That’s sick,” Carter spat. “So what the fuck am I supposed to do about that? The cops can’t prove shit and they never will.” “Angelo doesn’t give a shit about what the cops can prove. He doesn’t want his good name tarnished. He is a very important man, and he will be backing the senator in this upcoming election. He doesn’t need this shit going on in his city.” “This is not his—”

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“This is his city,” Carter shouted, and Clay flinched. “And it would do you a world of good to remember that.” She looked behind her at his men then turned back to him. “Do you see how quickly I took what was yours? Your protection, your safety, your money, because I’m sure you pay them good money to protect you. Look at them and imagine this… It will be easier than that for Angelo to take everything you have, and do what he pleases with it.” She stood up straight and walked over to the side of the table where Clay stood. She walked in front of him and sat on the table. She smoothed his suit and tightened his tie. Clay didn’t move a muscle. “Clay, you’re a good business man,” she said looking in his eyes. “I’m sure you only became this successful because you made

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good decisions, made the right moves, at the right time. Am I right?” she asked him. And she waited for him to nod his answer, and when he did she continued. “Then tell me, business man,” she said as she wrapped his tie around her hand, pulling him closer to her and putting her lips close to his ear, “what’s your next move?” she whispered then she pushed him back hard and he fell back in his seat hard. He gasped loud and moved to stand again, but couldn’t when Carter’s leg shot up and she pressed her black stilettos against his chest. “Don’t move,” she commanded her voice as smooth as silk. Clay sat down in his seat slowly, and stared at her with wide eyes. She kept her stilettos against his chest as she began to lift her skirt up her thigh. Clay’s eyes shot

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directly to her legs as the skirt rose higher and higher until a holster holding four small knives came into view. The holster wrapped around her upper thigh, and was held in place by a garter. Clay was trying his best not to drool. Carter gripped one of her knives and pulled it loose from the holster. “Tell me Clay, have you heard a lot about me?” she asked while looking at her knife, as if examining it. “M-My An-Um-associates said ma-many things,” Clay said now looking at the sharp knife in her hand. Carter’s eyes locked with his. “Did they mention how much I hate repeating myself? And don’t speak when you answer, just nod.” Clay nodded yes and Carter leaned forward, her stiletto still against his chest. “You’re no

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longer selling sex in this hotel. If you want to keep it, clean it. Run it completely legit. It’s nice, you’ll still get plenty of business if you know what you’re doing. If you choose not to listen now, Mickey and I will have to come back… I do not like making two visits. It makes me look bad with my boss. The second visit won’t be like this Clay, I’m warning you. I’ve come to you today peacefully, but if I have to come back I…I…” Carter let out an exaggerated sigh. “I just don’t know if I can let you live, Clay.” She smiled warmly at him. “Will I have to come back here, Clay?” she asked. “You may speak now I want to hear your answer.” “No,” Clay said quickly. He just wanted this to be over, and for Angelo Salerno to leave him alone.

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Carter smiled and nodded. She placed the knife back in the holster, stood up, and smoothed down her skirt. “Good businessman, indeed,” she said and she reached over and smoothed his hair back. Clay leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. “And now for you boys,” she said looking over to the men that abandoned their boss. “I suppose you want your reward for your betrayal?” Each of them looked at each other after Carter mentioned the word betrayal. “Yes, betrayal is the correct word to describe what you just did. This man is your boss, and you betrayed him. So now for your reward. You get a career change. I’m sure Clay doesn’t want you anymore, and I sure don’t want men with me who will betray me at the first sign of danger,” Carter shook her head

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feigning disappointment. “You all should be ashamed of yourselves, and I wish I could stay and see how Clay deals with you but…” she signaled for her men and Mickey. The men moved quickly while Mickey gave all four of Clay’s shocked men a pat on the back. “She does this often, and it never fucking fails,” Mickey said through a chuckle. One of Carter and Mickey’s men held the door open while the other two stood and waited for them to exit. “I hope I don’t have to speak to you again, Clay,” Carter said as she exited the conference room and began to walk toward the lobby to exit the hotel. Mickey joined her at her side. “You are a very naughty girl, Carterina Stone,” Mickey said. “What do you mean?” Carter asked.

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“I mean showing off your sexy legs, and that damn garter. Are you trying to take me off my game?” he asked, he put his arm around her as they continued walking out. “How am I supposed to watch your back if I’m too busy watching you to see how high you lift that skirt?” he said with a sly smile. Carter chuckled. “Mickey, honey, you’re just going to have to learn to control yourself. I mean, I learned how to control myself around you. Do you think it was easy for me to learn how to watch your back instead of stare at your ass?” Carter said with a playful smile on her face. Mickey laughed loud. “Well, it looks like we both have our issues, don’t we?” “Yep.” “Hey, I heard you on the phone with Jenna earlier. Make sure you get wings for

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tonight. A lot of them. I think I’m going to be very hungry.” Carter laughed. “Yeah, okay. I’ll get them,” she said wrapping her arms around Mickey’s waist as they walked out of the hotel. “Now, kiss me so we can part ways.” Mickey chuckled, threw his arms around her and placed a big long smooch on her cheek. Carter giggled and hit his arm. “Don’t let your boys be late tonight. We haven’t gotten a chance to just hang out since Hope Beach. When you get to the office tell Nathan to get his ass home on time tonight or I’ll come up there and drag his ass home by his hair,” she said with a playful smile. But she wasn’t playing. Nathan had been late coming home too damn much lately, and Carter wanted him home tonight, no excuses. She knew he had been busy lately with his responsibilities

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as well as the search for Mitchell, who disappeared the same day Carter came to town, but Carter didn’t care. She wanted her Nathan home in their bed with her every night where he belonged. Not behind that stupid desk. “Yeah, I hear, baby. I’ll tell him. What do you want me to tell boyfriend number two?” Mickey teased. Carter knew he was talking about Kyle. It was a whole thing at the office that Carter had two boyfriends, Nathan and Kyle. Carter thought it was ridiculous, but she doesn’t stop them, she could take a joke. Carter punched Mickey in the arm and he chuckled. “Tell him to bring his ass too,” Carter said as she walked passed Mickey to her car but not before she pinched his ass.

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Mickey gasped and turned pointing at Carter. “Watch it, Carter,” he warned through a laugh. “If you get to pinch my ass, I get to grab yours, psychotic boyfriend or not.” Carter laughed. “See you later, Mickey,” she said as she walked to her car where her driver had the door held open for her to enter. *** Carter had everything she needed for her night with her boys. She was really excited that she was going to get to spend time with the guys and Jenna tonight. She definitely missed the fun they all use to have when the guys vacationed in Hope Beach. It felt like that was a life time ago, and Carter hadn’t gotten to see Dante and Lucca in a week, and she really missed them both.

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Carter walked into the lobby of her and Nathan’s apartment building with a bunch of grocery bags full of junk food in her hands. “Hey Reno,” she said waving to the man behind the security desk. “Hey Carter, you want me to get that stuff for you? I can get Rocky to come out here and take over until I get back,” he said frowning at the bags in her hand. Carter smiled let out a relieved breath. “Yes, please. I was about to collapse. All of these bags and stilettos do not mix.” Reno chuckled, ran over, and took all the bags into his big hands. Carter wanted to kiss him. Being surrounded by big men who carry your groceries and tell you how great your outfit is, really comes in handy sometimes. Carter walked to the elevator with Reno following close behind her. Just when she

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was about to enter the security code for her and Nathan’s private floor she heard someone yell. “Hold it, please!” a woman’s voice said. Carter looked up, and a tall beautiful woman with platinum blond hair that fell a little passed her shoulders was speed walking her way to the elevator. Her very high heels clicked against the floor loudly, and she carried a large amount of department store shopping bags in her hands. She wore a very short, very tight, pink dress, and her sunglasses nearly covered her face. “Umm,” Carter heard Reno say. She turned to look at him and he was looking at the woman like he wanted her to disappear off the face of the earth. Carter frowned, curious to why Reno would look at the girl like that.

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“Oh my goodness. Thank you! I would have been so mad if I had to wait,” the woman said as she made it closer to the elevator. She stepped in the elevator and sat her bags on the ground. She let out a long sigh. “My goodness.” she looked over at Carter. “Who ever said shopping wasn’t cardio was lying,” she said with a smile. Carter smiled back and the woman’s eye brows rose. “Wow… you are a very good-looking individual… and Jesus Christ your hair!” she exclaimed “Is it real?” Carter smiled tightly and nodded yes. Bitch! “Damn. Well, it’s gorgeous,” the woman said still looking at Carter. She was starting to make her feel uncomfortable and Carter wished she would avert her eyes.

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Carter just smiled at her hoping she would say her floor soon. Although people commented on Carter’s looks often, she still felt a little uncomfortable when they focused on her appearance too long. It was even more uncomfortable with Reno standing behind her still looking at the woman like he didn’t want her to be there. “Did you just move in? I’ve never seen you before,” she said waiting for Carter to say something, and when Carter didn’t she continued talking. “Let me guess, you’re a model. Probably a high demand one with those cheek bones. Are you foreign or something, you look exotic? I’m a model too. I never see you at any parties. Are you new to New York?” Carter wanted to roll her eyes. This woman really talked too much. But instead she

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just shook her head no. “I moved in about four months ago,” Carter said hoping that the woman would say her floor now. No such luck. “Four months. OMG! I guess I really don’t pay attention to new people that move in the building anymore,” she said. Carter didn’t like her voice. She had an arrogant tone that made Carter want to smack her. “Hey, don’t I know you?” the woman said to Reno. “You remember me, right? Julia, I know your boss,” she said looking at Reno. Carter’s eye brows rose and she looked back at Reno. “What floor miss?” Reno said not making eye contact with Carter.

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“Do you live here now? Does Nathan pay you that much?” Then she looked at Carter. “Is Reno your boyfriend?” Reno?Carter had to slow time down in her head in order to process every question the girl just asked. Jesus she talks so damn much! And what the hell does she mean, does Nathan pay Reno that much? Why does she know Nathan? “Speaking of Nathan, have you…umm…seen him at all?” Julia asked. “It’s been a long time and I know he’s probably still upset, but tell him that he doesn’t have to avoid me anymore because I want what he wants, he will know what that means,” she said to Reno in a pleading tone. Carter just looked at the woman blankly. Oh hell no!Nathan was fucking some bitch that lives in the building!

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Carter could feel her temper rising and she knew she needed to calm down. She silently wished upon whatever star was in the sky in the middle of the day that this big blond bitch in front of her would be walking a runway and her heel would break and she’d fall and break her ankle. That may be mean, but Carter didn’t give a shit. “What floor should I press, Julia? Is it?” Carter asked looking at the woman with a fake smile. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot you were there. You’re a short little thing. Umm, I’m on the tenth floor, and yes my name is Julia,” she said with what Carter was sure was a fake smile as well. Bitch!Carter wanted to choke her, but she didn’t, she just pressed the tenth floor then

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pressed the top floor button and typed in the security code for her and Nathan’s floor. “You just pressed the top floor,” Julia stated looking at Carter. “I did,” Carter said not looking at the woman. “That’s the owner’s floor. You know Nathan?” “I do.” “Are those his groceries? What are you like his shopper or something?” Carter looked at Julia trying not to show her irritation. “I told you that I live here.” “Why are you going to Nathan’s floor? He’s the only one that lives there and he doesn’t allow anyone on his floor,” she said with confusion in her tone. Carter stared at her blankly. She looked like she was on the verge of panicking, this

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amused Carter. Of course Nathan would have a woman in the damn building that’s in love with him. She really didn’t need this shit. “Julia,” Carter said her name as if she was speaking to a child. “I pressed that floor and entered the code to get access because I live there.” “I didn’t know Nathan hired a live-in maid. It isn’t like him to have someone living with him. He’s a very private man,” Julia said. And she was serious. She was fucking serious. Carter’s jaw clenched and she felt Reno nudge her with the grocery bags. She looked up at him and assured him she wasn’t about to snap. Reno and every other man in The Salerno Organization knew about Carter’s temper, and this hoe was real close to finding

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out just how jealous of a girlfriend Nathan had. Seriously, did Carter look like the fucking maid. “Julia, I am not Nathan’s maid. I am his girlfriend. We live on the top floor together. I’m going to the top floor because that is my home that I have been sharing with my boyfriend, Nathan Salerno, for the past four months,” Carter spoke slowly so the bitch would get the picture. The elevator opened on the tenth floor, but Julia didn’t move. “This is your floor, hun,” Carter said with a smirk. “Get off of the elevator, Julia. Reno doesn’t need to tell Nathan what you said. I’ll let him know. But there will be no point really. I’m pretty sure you don’t want what he wants, honey.” Carter leaned forward.

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“Because he wants me,” she whispered to her with a smug smile on her face. “Have a good evening, miss,” Reno said and he pushed her forward until she was out of the elevator. Julia gasped and tried to grab her bags as Reno began tossing them out of the elevator. “Hey! Stop throwing my shit,” she yelled. “Sorry miss, but you’re moving too slow, and I’m sure Ms. Stone wants to get home,” Reno said tossing the last bag out then he pressed the button to close the elevator door. And the elevator slid closed. Carter leaned against that wall of the elevator and looked at Reno with her arms crossed over her chest. “Well, now I see why you were looking at her like that,” Carter said with a smile.

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Reno chuckled. “I didn’t look at her like anything Carter. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Carter smiled deviously. “Well, everyone in the office is going to be surprised when Nathan comes in with a black eye on Monday.” Reno laughed, loud. *** “She called you the maid!” Jenna yelled. Carter stormed into the living room in her tank and panties with a pair of shorts in her hand. “Yes, can you believe that?” Carter said putting on her shorts. “She was so arrogant and she wouldn’t shut up! She just kept talking and talking. She had the nerve to tell me how ‘private’ my Nathan is, and how she couldn’t believe he had anyone living with

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him. I was like, woe hoe, I know my man. I don’t need you all up in my face telling me about mine. Bitch, you don’t know my life. Oh my gosh. Jenna I am so serious I was so close to going straight hood on that bitch.” Carter got yet another bottle of wine for her and Jenna to pop open. They were on their third bottle. She and Jenna had been drinking since Carter walked in the house, went straight for the wine, and started telling Jenna about her little encounter with Nathan’s model in the elevator. And that was two hours ago. They just took a break so Carter could go and change out of her work clothes. Let’s just say they were a little more than tipsy. Ok, fine, really buzzed, Carter’s buzzed, but so was Jenna. They drank and made enough food to feed an army of men.

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Jenna laughed. “You’ve never lived in the hood, Carter.” “So what, Jenna, that has never stopped us from going hood before,” Carter said looking at Jenna with her hands on her hips. “True, true,” Jenna said then she shot up from her seat on the couch. “Let’s go find that bitch!” “Right! I can’t believe we’ve been talking for two hours and I forgot to tell you about that maid shit, Jen.” She had been too caught up on a long rant about how she was going to kick Nathan’s ass for him not telling her about Julia in the first damn place. “You know me, Carter. I would’ve popped that bitch.” “I know, and then she started talking to Reno like I wasn’t even there about my man

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and told me she forgot I was there because I’m a ‘short little thing’ or some shit.” “Oh no she didn’t.” “Right? I was like, I’m Carterina Stone bitch. Nobody forgets me.” “Carina what?” “Carterina, Jen, my name. Damn girl, keep up,” Carter said. Jenna nodded firmly. “Oh yeah, I got it. Yeah, nobody forgets Katrina Stone,” Carter laughed loud. “Carterina,” she yelled. “Yeah, that!” Jenna yelled and plopped back on the couch. Carter frantically ran over to the couch, jumped over the back and sat in front of Jenna on her knees. “Jen, omigod. What if she’s better than me?” Carter said frantically. “Huh?” Jen said looking at her curiously.

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“In bed, Jenna. I had like one sexual partner before Nathan, who is a fucking sex God! I bet that girl knows like a million tricks that Nathan loved. What if he gets tired of me and goes to the hoe who knows tricks?” Carter whined. Jenna scrunched her nose. “Tricks?” she said through a laugh. “This isn’t funny, Jenna! I need to get better at sex before Nathan goes back to a bottle blond,” Carter whined louder. “Carter, does it seem like he enjoys the sex you guys have?” Jenna asked. “Well, yeah, I think so, we have sex a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if I was pregnant right now, lately we’ve been irresponsible as hell.” “And there is the way he looks at you.” “Huh?”

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Jenna giggled. “Sometimes Nathan looks at you like you’re a hot meal after a week of starving,” she said through a chuckle. Carter laughed. “He does, doesn’t he?” Then Carter got on all fours and started crawling toward Jenna like a predator. “And he growls,” she said with a mischievous smile. Jenna smiled wide and started backing away from Carter. “He growls? How?” she said playing Carter’s game. “Like this.” Carter did her best impression of Nathan and his sexy growls. She failed miserably, but it didn’t matter, it made her hot just thinking about how Nathan is when he’s in the mood. Keeping up with the game, Jenna jumped up from the couch.

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“Oh Nathan,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. “You can have me if you catch me,” Jenna said playfully imitating Carter. Carter channeled her inner Nathan and growled again. She started moving closer like she knew Nathan would. Her eyes narrowed on her prey. “Carterina,” she growled, trying to mimic Nathan’s Italian accent that comes out every time he says her name. “You’re entering dangerous territory, baby. Come here and I’ll go easy on you.” Jenna giggled. “No, Nathan,” she said in an overly dramatic tone. “Get over here woman. Don’t deny me what’s mine. You’re mine, Carterina, all mine. I own that sexy little body. Now strip,” she growled. Jenna laughed and started running, but Carter was too quick and tackled her to the

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floor. Carter got on top of Jenna and straddled her body while Jenna squirmed and laughed beneath her. “Mmm… You ready for me baby?” Carter said staying in character, locking Jenna’s arms above her head, just like Nathan does to her. Jenna giggled. “Yes Zeus. Take me. Yes! Yes! Yes!” she screamed. The girls heard a throat being cleared and their heads snapped to the direction of said throat. “Are we interrupting something?” Nathan said with a smirk on his sexy face. Nathan, Kyle and Benny stood behind the couch looking at the girls with amusement in their eyes. “Hey, Jenna. We found this guy down stairs, he says he’s your boyfriend and that he loves you. So Nathan told him that he

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could come up here and wait while we call the psych ward to come and pick him up,” Kyle said pointing his thumb at Benny. Nathan hit Kyle’s arm. “I did not, you asshole,” Nathan said and Kyle laughed and walked to the kitchen toward the heavenly smell of food. Buzzed out of their minds, the girls squealed and scrambled off the floor excitedly. They jumped over the couch and into their boyfriends’ arms. The guys caught them and laughed as the girls rained kisses on their faces. “What has gotten in to you?” Nathan asked through a laugh. “Hey Nate, I think I found what’s gotten into both of them,” Kyle called and Nathan looked in the kitchen at Kyle.

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Kyle held up two empty bottles of wine and Nathan chuckled. “Are you drunk, Carterina?” “Buzzed… not drunk. It would take a lot more than wine to get me drunk Naaathan.” She popped a kiss on his lips. “Uh uh, Carter,” Jenna said looking over at Carter while leading Benny over to the couch. “Don’t let him get away with his web of lies just because he looks really sexy in those suit pants and that red button down shirt,” she said pointing over to him. “Hey, what the hell?” Benny said and Jenna turned to him. “Shh, Benny.” She turned back to Nathan and Carter. “We’ve uncovered your little secret, Zeus, and don’t think you’ll get away with it just because you’re really good in bed.”

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They all heard Kyle chuckle from the kitchen. “Damn,” he said while eating a chicken wing. “Okay, seriously what the hell?” Benny asked and Jenna rolled her eyes pulled him on the couch. Kyle laughed from the kitchen. “Damn, Nate. What did you do?” Nathan frowned and looked at Carter. “What did I do?” Carter gasped in outrage remembering her exchange with Julia in the elevator and attacked Nathan. Her motor skills were a bit impaired, due to her semi-intoxicated state, so her usually fierce fighting moves, were reduced to a series of girly slaps against Nathan’s big, hard chest. Nathan looked down at her small hands hitting his chest repeatedly then up at the

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adorable scowl on her face, as she focused on her attack. He walked them both to their bedroom while she continued to attack him. “We’ll be right back. I think my love and I need to have a little chat,” he yelled out to everyone as he walked down the hall with an angry Carter still locked around his waist. Once they made it to the room Nathan closed the door and sat on the bed with Carter straddling his lap. Smack! Carter smacked him right in the face. The sound of the slap was much more serve then the actual slap. Nathan’s eyes opened wide in shock. “What the hell was that for?” he asked through a chuckle, still shocked that she slapped him.

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“How could you?” she pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. Nathan tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He knew what she was talking about. Reno had already called him and told him about what happened in the elevator with Julia. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, baby,” he lied. He wasn’t going to say her name. He knew Carter would probably slap him again if he did. “Julia, Nathan,” she whined. “That stupid, arrogant, blond, tall, beautiful model that lives in the damn building. She’s desperate for you. I saw it in her stupid brown eyes.” She pouted and punctuated each sentence with a slap against his chest “And she’s tall. And pretty. And she’s a model. And she has perfect clothes. And pretty shoes. And pretty shopping bags.”

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Nathan kissed her lips softly, then her cheek, then her neck. Carter took a deep breath and gripped his shoulders. “Your shopping bags are prettier than hers,” Nathan teased, kissing her neck. “Nathan, stop trying to distract me. I’m mad at you,” she moaned, letting her head fall back, giving him more access to her neck. Her body betrayed her, she couldn’t help it. She pressed her body against his. “Why didn’t you tell me about her?” She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensations Nathan created kissing her neck while his hands roamed her body. Nathan’s hands slipped under Carter’s shirt and he cupped one of her breasts and squeezed. Carter moaned. “You want the truth?” Nathan asked pressing his lips against her ear. Carter

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nodded, unable to speak. Nathan smiled against her ear. “Because I forgot about her,” he said truthfully. He was being completely honest. The first time he thought about Julia was today when Reno called and told him that Carter found out about his past with the woman. The truth is, that for the past five months Nathan’s thoughts and time have been completely consumed by Carter and work, the two most important things in his life, in that order. “Nathan, stop kissing my neck like that. You’re going to start something and we have guests.” “So what, they can wait,” Nathan said, not letting up. He brought his mouth to hers and captured her lips in a fervent kiss. Carter grabbed his face with both hands and moaned, feeling heat engulf her body.

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But the knowledge that people gathering in the living room made her break the kiss. “Nathan we shouldn’t, we should get back in there,” she said weakly. Really, she wanted him as badly as he wanted her. “Carter, baby, they’re fine. We’ll be quick, I promise.” Nathan lifted Carter’s shirt over her head. He unhooked her bra, and tossed it and her shirt to the side. “Nath—“ “Don’t fight me, baby. I need it,” he said, a small plea in his voice, before capturing her lips again. Honestly, he did need her because he was so close to losing his mind it wasn’t funny. Nathan was exhausted. The extra hours at the office handling his work load, as well as his father’s, had really been taking a toll on him. Nathan had been taking on more work since Mitchell’s mysterious

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disappearance, while his father focused on the search. Nathan has been working nonstop keeping things in order and running things smoothly while his father searches for Mitchell as well as the reason for his abrupt disappearance. But Nathan didn’t want to think about any of that right now. What he needed at this moment was to be wrapped up in his beautiful Carterina. He needed to surround himself with her love, warmth, and he needed it now. Carter could see in his eyes that he needed her and heard it in his voice too. She knew Nathan had been stressed lately, and she wanted to do anything she could to take some of that stress away. She hoped the hot meals and massages she had waiting at home for him every night helped him. But right now she could see he needed to feel the

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closeness that he only felt with her and that she only felt with him. Carter broke their kiss, jumped off his lap, and pushed her shorts and panties down her hips. Nathan made quick work of his belt, pushed his pants down, and sat on the bed as Carter straddled his lap once again. Nathan gripped her waist as she reached between their bodies and gripped his length. He moaned and bit down on his bottom lip when her soft hands wrapped around him, and stroked him softly. This is what he needed, time with his perfect Carterina, enjoying the feel of her beautiful body. Carter positioned him at her entrance and slid down on him. They both moaned as their bodies joined and Carter began to move up and down, tightening her inner muscles around him.

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“God…Carter,” Nathan groaned. “Just like that, baby.” Carter bit down on her bottom lip hard, trying to contain the cries of pleasure threatening to escape her as she rode him. She didn’t know if she could keep quiet for much longer, especially when Nathan gripped her hips tighter and took control of their movements. He held on to her tight as he thrust his hips upward at a quicker pace. Carter held on to his shoulders for dear life, digging her nails in every time he hit her g-spot. She wanted to scream, it felt so good. And right when a loud cry nearly escaped her lips, Nathan captured her mouth in an earth shattering kiss, silencing her as he continued thrusting in and out of her body. He brought his free hand up to grip a handful of her

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thick soft hair and broke their kiss. Pressing his forehead against hers, he looked into her eyes as he continued to pump mercilessly into her body. Carter whimpered. “Oh God, Nathan, I’m going to scream,” she whispered breathlessly. One loud moan escaped her lips. “I’m gonna come…” And God was she going to come…hard! “Come for me, baby. I’ve got you.” Nathan jerked her head back softly and bit down on her neck hard. Carter erupted. Nathan’s hand quickly covered her mouth, muffling her loud cries, just as she clung to him tightly surrendering to a soul crushing orgasm. It wasn’t long before Nathan went over the edge himself. After three long hard

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thrusts he exploded inside her, grunting against her neck. He fell back on the bed and held Carter tightly in his arms. “I love you so much, мое красивое Роуз.” “I love you too, bubby.” Her arms tightened around him as they lay in each other’s arms, too exhausted to move. Carter rested a moment before speaking again. “I missed my doctor’s appointment for my birth control shot last week because I’ve been so busy, and we’ve been having unprotected sex, Nathan,” Carter said against his chest. “Are you frightened we may have conceived a child?” “Aren’t you?” she asked. “Do you want me to be honest?” Nathan asked. It took Carter a minute but she eventually nodded yes. “No. I would love for us to

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have a child. Honestly, Carter, I would rather you be at home with our children, safe, then out cleaning up messes with Mickey.” “I know,” Carter whispered against his chest. She knew Nathan would rather her be home every day waiting for him, but she loved working with Mickey. It gave her purpose, she felt needed whenever Angelo gave her a new situation to handle and Carter loved feeling needed. It was better than feeling empty like she used to feel before she met Nathan. “You can’t want a baby just to keep me home, Nathan,” Carter said. “I don’t want a baby for that reason, Carter. That’s just a nice little bonus for me,” he said kissing her forehead. “I wouldn’t mind if you were pregnant because I want a family with you. I know it would be fast, but so what, everything with us has happened

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fast, honey. I told you I loved you the first night I saw you again after nineteen years. You had to know I would put my son in you soon after that,” he teased. “How do you know we would have a son?” “Just a gut feeling. My gut feelings are always right,” he said confidently. “Well, I’m not having your son until you marry me, bubby. So next time we have sex, bring a condom. I don’t have another appointment until next week.” “I haven’t asked you to marry me yet?” Nathan said feigning surprise. “Damn, I was sure I did that on the beach too.” Carter giggled. “No, you didn’t,” she said, playfully hitting his chest.

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“Well, I guess that’s just one more thing to add to the old to do list,” Nathan said through an exaggerated sigh. Carter chuckled. “It’s nice to know I’ve been added,” she said dryly. Nathan kissed her forehead. “Isn’t it?” he teased. They lay there for a moment in silence before Carter spoke again “Can you do me a favor?” Carter asked as she placed a soft kiss on his chest. “Anything,” he replied stroking her hair. “Can you make Julia move out?” she asked. Nathan laughed, a soft deep laugh that vibrated against Carter’s face as she lay on his chest. “Yes, honey, I can,” he said kissing her forehead. “But are you sure you want to kick

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the woman out of her apartment. She will be living here much longer then we will be.” Carter lifted her head and looked at Nathan. “We’re moving?” she asked. “Mmm hmm,” he replied nodding his head yes. “When?” “Sooner than you think.” “Where?” Carter asked curiously. She didn’t know they wouldn’t be living in the penthouse long. Nathan kissed her lips softly. “Home,” he said looking in her eyes.

19

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Home

Carter leaned against Nathan’s arm flipping her butterfly knife through her fingers as they rode to work together. It had been a long time since her and Nathan had actually gotten to leave the house at the same time. She was both surprised and happy that Nathan slept in with her this morning. She knew he needed it, he works way too hard. She had actually started taking less work so she could go home earlier and be there when Nathan got home, just so they could spend more time together before he passed out sleep.

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She also needed the extra time to help Jenna pick out new furniture and decorations, since her and Benny announced that they’d decided to move to Manhattan just a couple of days after her and Jenna first talked about it. When Carter first got the news of their move she and Jenna screamed over the phone for about ten minutes. They would have kept screaming if their voices didn’t get tired and scratchy, and if Nathan didn’t yell in the living room telling her to shut up. But all in all, the past week had been a great one for Carter. Nathan had been extra sweet since their epic maybe baby discussion a week ago. That thought reminded Carter that her appointment for her shot was today. She would have to remember to tell Angelo she was leaving early. She was working with

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him today helping him go over a few numbers since she was practically a math genius. She also needed to make sure she called her and Nathan’s personal shopper. Nathan wanted steak tonight for dinner so she figured she would incorporate it in his favorite pasta dish. She needed to call the cleaners and make sure Nathan’s suits were going to be delivered, she didn’t want to bother Gianni with that task, and she had time. She needed to make sure she was home in time to get those so the cleaner wouldn’t have to leave them at the front desk. She really needed to call and ask the maid why her damn curling iron was broken in two when she got home. Carter’s to do thoughts were cut off when she actually focused on what was happening around her. “Umm… Nathan, honey, where

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are we going?” she asked looking around and seeing that they had left Manhattan and were being driven to heliport. She wasn’t even aware she had zoned out that much. Nathan looked down at her face. “Home,” he said then he kissed her lips. Their doors opened and they both got out. Nathan grabbed Carter’s hand and they climbed into the helicopter. Carter eyed Nathan suspiciously. She had no idea what he was up to, or why they were getting on a helicopter. “What are you up to, Nathan Salerno?” she asked with a raised eyebrow. Nathan chuckled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Ms. Stone, or is it Steele this week?” he teased. Carter giggled. “We’ll go for the legal one this week,” she replied.

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“Ahh, so Ms. Stone it is. Well then, Ms. Stone, do you mind joining your dear boyfriend in a game of hooky for the day?” Nathan said with the most charming smile Carter had ever seen. His gorgeous dimples were showing and Carter wanted to kiss him, so she did. “I would love to,” she said with a smile on her face. “Now tell me what you’re up to and where we are going.” “I already told you where we’re going, Carterina. As for what I’m up to, well that’s a surprise, love,” he said with a sly smile. *** “Nathan, I can’t find you!” Carter yelled giggling and running through the immense breathtaking garden that went on for miles. “This isn’t funny you jerk, you left me. Nathan! Where are you?” she yelled turning yet

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another corner on one of the many trails in the garden. Carter was sure she had just gotten lost in the incredibly large garden at her and Nathan’s future home. Carter stopped and admired the assorted flowers and beautiful manicured grass. Home, my home. She still couldn’t believe it. It was like a dream, and she never wanted to wake up from it. After their helicopter ride they landed on a heliport at private airport in an area Carter faintly remembered from when she was only three years old. She remembered looking out of the window and seeing all of the tall trees. She remembered holding her father’s hand as they were escorted to a car and were

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driven to the breathtaking mansion where she stood now. When they first arrived to the property, Carter was blown away by the stunning beauty of the landscape surrounding the colossal stone and brick mansion. The vast property was surrounded by a high stone wall and an iron security gate. Carter wondered as they drove up the long curved driveway how many people it took to keep the land as perfectly manicured as it was. The inside of the enormous seven bedroom, six bathroom mansion was completely empty, except for a large king sized bed in the master bedroom. When Carter looked around the empty mansion she couldn’t contain the giddy feeling building up inside her, especially when Nathan informed her that this mansion would be their home.

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It was the mansion Nathan shared with his mother until her tragic death. When he turned twenty-one, his father gave it to him and told him to do with it what he pleased. Nathan told him he was going to sell it, but he couldn’t bring himself to let go of the home and garden his mother loved so much. And a month after he met Carter he had the inside stripped and remolded. He put the majority of the things in storage and got rid of the useless items. Nathan told her he hadn’t even been to the house since his mother’s death, but he knew that this place was perfect for them. “It’s the perfect place for us to start our family whenever we decide to, Carterina,” he said tenderly as they stood in the middle of the large living room. Nathan stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her

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shoulders and leaned close to her ear. “There’s a sweet little town a little distance away called Pleasant View, good schools, plenty of space, and completely safe. I have security surrounding the area with trained guard dogs, nobody knows about this home. The only men that have ever been here are Dante, Lucca, Mickey, Kyle and their fathers.” “What about Mitchell. Has he been here?” Carter asked. She didn’t want him to know about this place. She was pretty sure the son of a bitch ran away because he was guilty of something. “Absolutely not,” Nathan said firmly. “My mother hated Mitchell so my father never brought him here. The only business partner my father let come to this house was your

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father,” he said as he leaned forward and kissed her cheek. Carter was happy that only close family knew about this location because she loved it. Nathan was right it would be the perfect place for them to start a family. They walked around the entire house while Carter made décor plans in her head. She absolutely loved the kitchen. The floor was polished hard wood, marble counter tops, the cabinets a deep cherry wood. It was stocked with all knew appliances that Carter couldn’t help but imagine herself using for the many meals she would cook for Nathan and their children, whenever they decided to have them. Carter couldn’t believe how much she learned about herself these past few months being with Nathan. She had absolutely no idea how domestic she was until she found

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herself with someone to take care of, Nathan. She honestly didn’t understand how he was surviving without her. He told her that before she was in his life he spent the majority of his time on private jets traveling around the world doing business for his father. Carter loved taking care of Nathan. She loved how much he needed her, it gave her a more fulfilling sense of purpose than work ever could. She walked around their future home with him dreaming about how wonderful their life together was going to be. She silently promised to be a good wife and mother, to devote herself to the type of family she always dreamed of having. She was surprised once again to find out that Nathan had packed them both an overnight bag. He had a bed delivered and everything else they needed to be

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comfortable for their first night together in their beautiful home. Carter loved looking around the house, but what she really wanted to see was the garden, their garden. She wanted to see the garden where she and her love spent their first day together, where he gave her first kiss, the beautiful garden that destined them to meet again. When they changed into more comfortable clothes, they decided to make some lunch and take it with them out to the garden. Carter could barely contain her excitement. Much to Nathan’s amusement, she bounced around the kitchen making their sandwiches while Nathan packed sides and drinks. She was so excited to be spending the day with Nathan in their garden. After nineteen years she never thought she would get to go back to the garden with

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her bubby, and the thought was enough to bring tears to her eyes as she continued searching for Nathan. After they had lunch Nathan had disappeared within the large garden. There were so many things that Carter didn’t remember about this garden. She couldn’t help but admire the small ponds and waterfalls that she spotted along the trail. This was the type of garden that people paid to see, and she had one right in her own backyard. She smiled at that thought —her own back yard. She never would have guessed her life would turn out like this. After her father was murdered she lost all hope at happiness. She stopped dreaming, hoping, she even stopped praying because she felt like no one would hear her. But here she was. Standing in this beautiful garden, behind a beautiful mansion,

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looking for a beautiful man, and they were all hers. All mine, she thought with a small smile on her face. “Nathan, stop hiding from me,” she yelled as she turned another corner on the long trail. She was okay with looking for him because it gave her a chance to look around. But then again, the thought of her never finding her way out of the garden made her start calling Nathan’s name again. She was continuing her search when she saw something in a bed of red roses that caught her eye. Carter squinted and walked toward the roses to see if she was actually seeing what she thought she was. Once she made it to the rose bed she picked up a picture and gasped, “Oh my God,” she whispered. She looked around behind her,

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“Nathan,” she called “I-I can’t believe it. It’s us,” she said staring at a picture of a three year old Carter, and a five year old Nathan sitting on a white plush swing smiling at whoever took the picture. Anya, Carter thought, it had to be Anya. Carter couldn’t believe it. She didn’t remember any pictures being taken when she came here that day, but then again she was only three, there was only so much she could recall. Carter looked up from the picture and noticed another lying farther within the bed of roses. She ran forward with anticipation. She leaned forward, picked up the picture, and laughed as her eyes began to fill with tears. The picture showed her and Nathan sitting at the picnic table with Carter resting her head on his shoulder. She had her thumb in her mouth and from the looks of it Nathan

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was filling her little spaceship plate with fruit. Carter looked up again hoping to see another picture and when she did, she darted for it eagerly. The next picture had her laughing louder and tears flowing down her face. Nathan had both hands on her face and his lips pressed against hers. “My first kiss,” she whispered pressing the picture to her heart. She found five more pictures featuring her and Nathan cuddling in different areas within the garden before she finally came upon the big white gazebo featured in many of the pictures. The most beautiful assortment of flowers Carter had ever seen surrounded the gazebo, and a big plush white couch swing sat in the middle. In front of the plush couch sat a small table with a gorgeous music box with

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dark wood and golden edges sitting in the middle of it. Carter looked at it wondering why it would be sitting in the middle of the gazebo, but when she noticed another picture sitting next to it she ran up the steps, excited to see another adorable picture of her and her love. In this picture Carter lay on the plush swing sleeping, with Nathan next to her and his little arms surrounding her small body protectively. Carter smiled at the way they were laying in the picture, it was the same way they sleep in their bed now, her cuddled close to Nathan’s chest and his arms wrapped tightly around her. She could feel the floodgates opening again, but before the first tear fell she spotted a small key sitting in the spot where the picture lay. She picked it up, and looked closely at the music box

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noticing for the first time, a small lock on the front of it. Her curiosity sparked. She stuck the key in the lock and turned. There was a click right before the box began to open on its own. The top came up slowly, the sides dropped, and back of the box fell flat. Carter stood frozen. Her eyes locked to the big diamond ring sitting in the middle of a picture of Nathan and her on the plush swing. Nathan held two yellow roses in his hand and Carter looked at him with tears running down her face while he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Carter’s hand came up to her mouth as the tears began to flow freely down her face. “My beautiful rose. I knew you would find me,” a deep loving voice said behind from her.

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Carter turned around and saw Nathan walking up the steps of the gazebo with a yellow rose in each hand. He stood directly in front of her, towering over her, his striking gray eyes so sweet and full of love. Carter looked up at him unable to stop the waterfall of tears coming from her eyes. Nathan placed both roses in one hand, and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. “Don’t cry, beautiful girl,” he said placing a kiss on her cheek. “Make a wish with me,” he said softly against her skin, putting a rose in her hand. Nathan rested his forehead against hers, kissed his rose softly, and dropped to one knee in front of Carter. A soft sob escaped Carter’s lips as she watched Nathan reach for the diamond ring. He sat his rose down and took Carter’s left hand in his. He looked into her eyes.

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Oh my God… “Nineteen years ago I made a thousand wishes, prayed a million prayers, and the object of each one of those wishes, every one of the prayers is standing right in front of me, in all her regal beauty. After my mother,” Nathan cleared his throat and began again, but Carter could see the pain in his eyes at the mention of his mother. “After my mother was taken from me, I stopped believing that there was anything beautiful in this world. I stopped hoping, dreaming…praying. I was lost, angry, and alone. That was until I was convinced not to go to Russia this year, but to a little “housewife city” called Hope Beach,” he teased, and Carter giggled through her tears. “What I found in that little “housewife city” changed me, or I should say who I found. Carter you have given me

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happiness, peace, hope…love, things that I thought I’d lost thirteen years ago. Your beautiful heart humbles me, your smile warms me, your laugh…it’s the sweetest music. Make my wish come true, baby. Carterina Anastacia Stone, will you be my wife?” Yes! Carter’s heart soared. She didn’t know it was possible to love a person as much as she loved Nathan Alessandro Salerno. Leaning forward, she kissed Nathan’s soft lips. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes?” he asked. Carter smiled. “Yes.” Nathan arched an eyebrow. “You sure?” Carter giggled. “Positive.” “Wow, positive huh? That’s really sure. I could give you a little time if you want it.”

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Carter laughed. “I don’t want time, Nathan, I want my ring.” “This ring?” “Yes, Nathan,” Carter said rolling her eyes, but she couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “I just want to make sure because if you put this on—” “Nathan!” “Fine, fine. Damn, you’re bossy,” he said in a playful tone as he slipped the ring on her finger and chuckled. “Well, there it is. Now you’re stuck with me forever.” He gave her a big smooch on her lips. Carter bounced up and down gazing at her ring as Nathan stood to his feet. “Nathan, it so beautiful. Ahh!” Carter screamed when Nathan picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder. He started

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down the gazebo steps “Nathan, what on earth?” she said and Nathan slapped her behind. She squealed. “Where are we going?” “What do you mean ‘where are we going?’ You just said that you would marry the heir to The Salerno Empire, Carter. We have obligations baby, responsibilities. It would be out of my way, but I guess I could devote the rest of my day to starting on that whole heir thing,” he let out an exaggerated sigh. “I suppose I’ll spend all day and night locked up in a room making sweet, sweet multiple orgasm inducing love to you. Making sure that by time we leave the room you’re pregnant with my son,” he said feigning exasperation. “Wow, you’re so giving. How can I ever thank you?” Carter said dryly, trying not to laugh.

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“Don’t sweat it, baby. You know me, I’m a giver,” he said with a shrug. Carter laughed. There was no way she was getting pregnant today. Little did Nathan know, Carter had emergency condoms in her purse.

20

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Temper, Temper

“Ahh! I know he’s so sweet. I love him so much.” “Have you set a date yet?” Jenna asked over the phone. Carter and Jenna had been screaming over the phone since Carter and Nathan got back to the city. She didn’t get to tell Jenna about the engagement in person because she couldn’t wait. Carter chuckled. “Jen, he just proposed yesterday,” she replied.

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“Omigod! I am going to look so hot in my maid of honor dress.” “You are. We decided we were just going to have a small ceremony in our garden with the people we love.” “Aww. That’s so sweet, Carter. I can’t believe you’re getting married! Call me later so that we can cry together,” Jenna said. She sounded like she already had tears in her eyes and Carter knew she better get off the phone with her before the damn flood gates opened again. “Alright Jen, I’ll call you later.” “Love you, hun.” “Love you too,” Carter said as she hung up the phone and caught up with Nathan. “Nathan, stop walking so fast,” she said running up the side walk to catch up with

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him. The three security men behind her sped up, as she did. “I’m sorry, baby. I wasn’t watching. My father said we need to hurry, it’s something urgent,” he said grabbing her hand and pulling her along with him. “Is it Mitchell?” “I don’t know, but we’re about to find out,” Nathan said as they walked into The Salerno Organization building. “Nathan!” Kyle called walking over to Nathan and Carter. “Where the hell have you guys been? You won’t believe who’s upstairs!” he said. Carter and Nathan stopped walking and looked at him waiting for him to say. “Andrew Reeves. He said he has information about Mitchell. He’s using it as a peace offering.”

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“What?” Nathan asked shocked. “Wow,” Carter said. “Reeves is such a pussy,” she said shaking her head in disgust. “Carter. Don’t be so crude, baby. You need to stop hanging out with Mickey, you’re starting to sound like him,” he said and Carter smirked. “Mickey’s not bad,” she defended, then she spotted him on the elevator and she let go of Nathan’s hand. “I’m going to go up with Mickey,” she said and Nathan nodded. She saw Mickey exit the elevator and walked quickly over to him, happy to see her partner in crime. “Carter, hey, just the legs I wanted to see,” he said with a sly smile. Carter laughed. “Where are you headed?” she asked looking up at his smiling face.

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“I was actually looking for you and your boyfriend. The Russian one, not the one that’s full Italian,” Mickey teased. “Angelo sent me to see if you two finally made it in. You know where he is?” Carter turned her body around. “They were just—” Her words were cut off when two loud gun shots rang through the large lobby of the building and Mickey doubled over screaming in pain. Carter whipped around just in time to see Mickey fall to the floor holding his thigh and knee. After that everything went in slow motion, as Carter turned to the direction of the gun shots and saw a man in a hood walking away with a gun at his side.

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Carter. Saw. Red. She kicked off her heels and darted in the direction of the shooter. Carter was so far gone that she completely ignored the screaming people running passed her, trying to get out of the building. She faintly heard men yelling her name, but she was passed the point of thinking straight. There was only one thing going through her mind at that point. Capture and kill the motherfucker that shot her Mickey. As if the shooter knew she was coming, he turned around, and saw her running at lightning speed and he began to run. This only made Carter speed up her pace as rage continued to fill her. She wanted blood, and she wanted it right now. The man quickly ran into the door where the stairs were located on the far side of the large lobby. Carter ripped her skirt up her

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thigh so that she could have easier access to her knives. She’d been running so fast that she entered the stairwell only seconds after the shooter, and once she walked in, she discovered she had walked into an ambush. Shit! Carter had time to register that three men were standing in the stairwell, and they all had guns pointed directly at her. One man stood to her right legs spread apart. Another man stood in front of the downward stairs. And the last man stood on the first step of the upward stairs. Carter took a deep breath, did what her father trained her to do. She slowed down their movements, and moved at the speed of light. The gun shots rang in the acoustic room. Carter dropped to the ground and scrambled

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through the legs of the shooter on the right of her. She pulled one knife from her holster, stood quickly, and stabbed him in the back of the neck twice. The man let out a loud howl, and before he lost his balance, Carter pushed him hard into the man standing in front of the downward staircase. Both men tumbled down the steps. The man on the upward staircase made a mistake and looked at his two accomplices falling down the steps. Before he even thought to raise his gun again, Carter threw two knives, piercing him in both eyes. Carter ran down the stairs quickly to the man she knew was still alive. He was panicking and trying to push the now dead man off of him. He frantically grabbed for the gun that had fallen from his hand on the fall

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down the stairs. Carter jumped the rest of the stairs, and kicked the gun. She pulled out one of her remaining knives quickly and stabbed his hand. He howled in pain and Carter grabbed both sides of his head and slammed it against the floor effectively knocking him unconscious. *** Nathan had only heard two gunshots and Mickey scream in pain before he looked up and saw Carter running fast through the large lobby after a man in a hood with a Glock in his hand. His heart stopped, but he managed enough breath to scream her name before he took off running after her. He heard Kyle shout something behind him, but Nathan didn’t look back. He ran passed Mickey where he had fallen to the floor and saw him

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pointing frantically in the direction Carter ran out of the corner of his eye. The lobby was in chaos. People were running, screaming, and as the crowd became more frantic. Nathan lost sight of Carter. He turned in every direction looking for her, hoping she would appear. “Carter! Carter, goddammit,” he shouted feeling dread in the pit of his stomach. Kyle ran up next to him. “Where is she?” Kyle asked frantically looking in every direction hoping to see Carter’s face. “I don’t know. I fucking lost her,” Nathan yelled. He was hysterical at this point and his heart was pounding. If anything happened to Carter, he would kill everyone in this fucking lobby. “I can’t see passed all these fucking people.”

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“Carter!” Nathan and Kyle ran around the entire lobby calling out her name as men from upstairs began to pour into the lobby and join in on the search. They all continued looking until they heard something that made each of them turn and run in the direction of the sounds at the same time. Nathan’s heart dropped to the pit of his stomach when he heard a series of gunshots ring out in the staircase on the far side of the massive lobby, and just as quickly as they all began, they stopped, as did Nathan’s heart. The gunshots stopped, that meant they got their target, Carter, his Carter. Images of Carter lying dead in a pool of blood assailed him making him light headed, and he sped up his pace. They all made it to the door and stood aside as the underboss stepped forward. He

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opened the door. Nathan and the men stood frozen at the sight before him. Carter quickly jumped down a flight of stairs to a man trapped under another man frantically reaching for a gun. She kicked the gun and pulled a knife from her holster, raised it in the air and stabbed the man’s hand. Then she grabbed both sides of the man’s head and slammed it into the marble floor. Carter stood up with her back still to them and released her long hair from the bun she had it in and it fell down her back in thick waves. She ran her hands through her hair trying to catch her breath and let out a pained groan while she twisted her wrist around working it out. The men stood in silence, trying to move closer and get a look at the woman standing

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in the stairwell with two dead men and one unconscious. They looked at what she’d done. One man lay at the bottom of and upward staircase with a dagger in each eye, another man lay on top of the unconscious man with the back of his neck brutally cut open. Nathan looked at Carter, relief rushing through him. That’s it. He was going to lock her little ass up somewhere where nothing like this would ever happen again. “Carter,” Nathan said. Carter turned around quickly and looked at Nathan, worry masking her face. “Mickey?” she asked in panic. “He’s fine. Two shots in the leg, but he’ll live, he’s upstairs in the office,” Nathan said trying to remain cool. He wanted to yell at her, but he couldn’t, he was just so fucking happy she was alive.

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Nathan held out his hand for Carter. “Carter, baby, let’s go,” he said softly. Carter nodded then bent down and pulled her knife out of the unconscious man’s hand. She ran up the stairs, her skirt ripped up her thigh showing the lone knife she had left in her holster, and her shirt was open and disheveled showing off her black lace bra, but from the looks of it she was too tired to care. She went over to the dead man at the bottom of the staircase and pulled both knives from his eyes, careful to keep the blood away from her clothing she handed them to Gianni. “Gianni, I would love you forever if you cleaned these for me,” she said. Gianni nodded and took the bloody knives from her. “These bodies need to be handled before the cops get here. The one under the man

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who shot Mickey is still alive. Take him somewhere for me, do not kill him. I would like to have a discussion with him when he wakes up,” she said to the men as they all began to file in the stairwell to follow her orders. Carter went over to Nathan who still stood waiting for her to take his hand and she walked over to him. She was just about to take his hand when she looked in his eyes. “Shit,” she said looking up at him. “You’re pissed.” And just like that he was. His jaw clenched and rage filled his gray eyes. He looked at her wondering what the fuck she was thinking going after a man with a fucking gun. Alone. When she didn’t take his hand he reached out, grabbed her arm, and jerked her out of

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the stairwell passed the men. Kyle followed silently behind them. “Ouch! Dammit, Nathan,” she yelled. “What the fuck were you thinking?” Nathan yelled. “I wasn’t thinking obviously, or else I wouldn’t have run into a fucking ambush.” “Why the hell do you do shit like this, Carter? I tell you over and over to control your fucking temper because it makes you do stupid shit.” “Not all the time, Nathan. There are times when my bad temper is the only key to my survival.” “That makes no fucking sense, Carter,” he said pulling her into the elevator he pressed the twenty-sixth floor and typed in the security code. Nathan and Kyle stood on both sides of her.

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“It does make sense. I had to go after that guy. If I didn’t then those men would’ve come back anyway. Now we don’t have to worry about it. Plus, he shot Mickey. The son of a bitch had it coming. I wasn’t going to let him get away with that shit.” Both Kyle and Nathan slowly turned to her and gave her looks that made her gasp and back into the wall behind her, trying to disappear. She worried her bottom lip and looked up at both of them as innocently as she could. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking,” she whispered, but she couldn’t keep the wicked smile out of her eyes. She couldn’t help it, she had just kicked some serious ass and they were worried about something that could have happened, instead of what actually did.

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She saw rage fill blue and gray eyes before the two men began to yell at her simultaneously in Italian. Carter took a peek at the lit number above the elevator door and groaned. Dammit, only the tenth floor, and sixteen more to go.

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I Love You

The elevator door opened and Carter tried to dart passed them both only to have her efforts stopped when Nathan caught her arm. “Dammit, Carter. Stop running, just stand still,” he yelled glaring at her. “Why, Nathan? I already said I was sorry,” she yelled at him. “I don’t want a damn apology, Carter. I want you to stand still,” he said still glaring at her. “Kyle, tell my father we will be in shortly,” Nathan ordered. Kyle nodded, and

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with a parting glare to Carter, he walked off of the elevator. Carter crossed her arms over her chest and stood still. Unwillingly. Nathan uncrossed her arms, and buttoned up her shirt. “Now that I have your attention, you need to make sure you keep that damn temper of yours in check when you see Reeves.” “I know, Nathan. I’m not a damn child.” Nathan muttered something under his breath and Carter wanted to slap him in his damn face, but she didn’t want to prove him right about her temper. So she stood tall with her head held high. “I’m ready when you are, asshole,” she said with a fake smile. Nathan rolled his eyes and held out his hand for her to take it. Carter wanted to hit it away from her, but she once again refused to

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prove him right about her temper. So instead she took his hand and let him lead her through the office. The longer they walked the more Carter thought about what she did. She would freak out too, if Nathan were ever in any danger. Guilt began to creep its way in. Nathan was still mad at her. She could feel it, and she hated it. She started wracking through her mind trying to figure out what she could do to make him like her again. Carter held on to Nathan’s arm tightly. “Nathan, I don’t want to go to the meeting if you’re still mad at me,” she pouted. A small pout, because it was true she was a spoiled brat that hated it when the man she loved was mad at her, so what. “I’m not mad, Carter.”

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“Yes, you are. Stop walking and talk to me.” “We need to get to the meeting.” “Not like this, Nathan. I’m sorry, I really am. Now please just talk to me. Tell me how you feel.” Nathan stopped walking, leaned against the wall in the hallway, and groaned. He looked down at Carter. He could see in her eyes that her apology was actually real this time. “I hurt you. I made you panic and I’m sorry. I’ll do better, I promise, just please don’t be upset with me anymore. I can’t take it, Nathan, you know I can’t.” “I can’t take it when you put your life in danger like you did today, Carter. You’re so damn unpredictable you make it impossible for me to protect you.”

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“I know, I know. I want to be better for you, Nathan.” “Baby, I thought you were dead. Do you have any idea how terrified I was? I’m not mad at you I’m… shit I don’t even know what I am. You make me want to lock you up far away from all of this shit, Carter! I’m this fucking close to doing it. I’ll lose my damn mind if I have to go through what I went through today all the time. The thought of losing you is just too unbearable, baby. I can’t take that shit,” Nathan said. His tone both tired and defeated. Carter worried her bottom lip, and looked down at her hands nervously. She was sorry, she really was. She never wanted to make him feel like this, and it hurt like hell knowing that she did. Carter didn’t want to cause Nathan stress, ever. She could see in his eyes

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how tired he was and she hoped it wasn’t her that he was tired of. Carter cupped his face. “Let’s make a deal. Once we get married, I’ll cut down on my work with Mickey. But I get to keep doing the business work with your father because I love that.” She kissed his lips softly. “That way, I can have something to do, that I enjoy, and I can lighten your work load.” She waited for his response. “Why not just stop working with Mickey all together?” “Because I have issues, Nathan, and I love that grown men are afraid of me,” she said with a shrug. “Hey, I’ll even go to an anger management class,” she lied with a smile. No she wouldn’t.

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Nathan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, you do have issues, that part’s true,” he said with a frown. Carter nodded in agreement. It was true. “And I know that anger management class idea was complete bullshit,” he said pursing his lips. Carter clenched her jaw to keep from laughing. “So do we have a deal?” She bit her lip waiting for his answer. Nathan smiled and nodded. “Yes,” he said with a sigh of relief. “We have a deal.” Carter held out her hand. “Shake on it?” she asked with a playful smile. Nathan smirked. He grabbed her hand a pulled her hard against his chest. Carter let out a surprised squeal right before Nathan captured her lips in a deep passionate kiss. Carter’s arms automatically wrapped around

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Nathan’s neck as he lifted her from the floor and their kiss became more fervent. “How did I know I would find you two like this?” Carter and Nathan reluctantly broke their kiss and looked over to Angelo standing with his arms crossed over his chest, and his lips pursed. “Can I get you two to keep your hands to yourselves, and get your asses in here?” They both knew he wasn’t asking, so why the hell did he word it that way. Carter giggled and ran over to hug Angelo. “I have a surprise for you,” she said with a big smile on her face. Angelo looked down at her and grasped her chin. He examined both sides of her face. “Not a scratch,” he said with a proud smile. “And the other guys?” he asked.

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Carter smiled wide. “Two dead, and one unconscious,” she said proudly. She loved making Angelo proud of her. They had developed a father, daughter relationship these past few months that she cherished dearly. Angelo laughed. “That’s my girl,” he kissed her forehead. “Stop enabling her, papa,” Nathan said looking at his father and Carter with a small smile. He had no idea how much his father wanted a daughter until he introduced Carter into his life. Carter could do absolutely anything and still be a perfect angel in Angelo’s eyes. “Don’t listen to your grumpy old boyfriend. You’re my dream daughter,” he said smiling at Carter. Carter laughed and turned to Nathan sticking out her tongue playfully.

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“Now tell me, child, what’s this surprise you have for me?” Carter brought her left hand up and wiggled her fingers. “I’m getting married,” she said in a sing song voice while bouncing up and down. Angelo’s eyes lit up and he lifted Carter high in the air, laughing joyously. Carter giggled and laughed as Angelo twirled her around in his arms, voicing his excitement in Italian. He placed her feet back on the ground and walked over to his son with his arms wide. “Complimenti il mio bel bambino,” he grabbed Nathan’s face with both hands and kissed both of his cheeks. “Papa,” Nathan said trying to get out of his father’s grasp. Carter laughed and tried not to cry. She’d been too damn emotional lately. She figured

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it was because of all the beautiful changes in her life. “Don’t ‘papa’ me. This is wonderful news. Come over here, Carterina.” Carter went over to him. “You will be a good husband to her, son,” Angelo said patting Nathan’s cheeks lightly then he looked at Carter. “And you will have many sons to carry on the Salerno name.” He began walking forward with one arm over Nathan’s shoulders and the other over Carter’s. “You two have no idea how much happiness you have given me today.” “So that means you’ll walk me down the aisle?” Carter asked softly and Angelo stopped walking. He turned to Carter with and unreadable expression, and Carter began to ramble nervously. “I just…I wanted to ask you be-because I wanted someone that I love to walk

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me down the aisle and you’re like…a…father to me,” she said softly feeling tears glisten her eyes. “You can say no I just…” Angelo cupped her face lovingly, and his eyes glistening with tears of joy. “Onore a Voi me bella ragazza. You honor me, and bring me so much joy.” He kissed both of her cheeks. “Of course I will walk you down the aisle.” Screw holding back. Carter let the tears fall freely from her eyes and hugged Angelo tight. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much.” *** “Can you tell her to stop looking at me like that?” Andrew Reeves asked Angelo. Angelo looked at Carter and chuckled. “My future daughter in-law has to look at

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you Mr. Reeves, it’s one of her many jobs here at S.O.” “What job is that exactly?” Reeves asked trying to look away from Carter, who was staring daggers at him. “She can spot a lie from fifty miles away. Think of her as a human lie detector. So I would be careful if I were you. If you came in here to lie to us today you will not be leaving this office alive. Now tell us what you want,” Angelo said coolly. “Can you at least ask her not to look so damn deadly,” Reeves said in a pleading tone. “I’m serious, Angelo. I’ve been scarred by her kind,” he said. “What the fucks that supposed to mean, you little bitch,” Carter spat. “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m half black, Carter. I’m not a damn racist.”

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“Then you might want to explain what you meant Reeves. If she wants to kick your ass I’m sure not going to stop her, and I’m sure no one else will either,” Nathan said with a smirk. “I was talking about her damn identical mother,” Reeves said quickly. “She told me that I better come and tell you all what Mitch was planning, or she would burn my family’s restaurant down with them inside it.” “Bullshit,” Angelo said. “You’re trying to tell me you spoke to Anastacia?” Reeves looked directly at Carter, “Tell him I’m not fucking lying. Here’s the story. Mitchell called me the same day your crazy little ass came to town saying that he wanted to help me retaliate against baby Salerno. I told him I wasn’t doing shit because I didn’t think it was worth it. I’m not a dumbass, I

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knew I wouldn’t win, but Mitchell told me that y’all were already planning to kill me. So I met with him. He told me that we had to do something quick because somebody was after him. Some chick named Anastacia Stone almost killed him in his office or some shit.” “Wait… He said Ana was in this office?” Angelo asked shocked. “Yes,” Reeves said never moving his eyes from Carter’s. “Anyway, I was never gonna help the crazy ass motherfucker because he was trippin’. Looking around every corner like some crazy lunatic to see if this chick was there. I’m serious, just the thought of this broad drove him crazy. He was telling me that she was going to kill him because he ordered a hit on her daughter and Spook, and she was after him because he made her

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think her baby died. I didn’t believe him. I thought he was seeing shit, but then she came to see me. She told me that I worked for her, and I had to watch Mitchell’s every move and tell her what he was planning. I told her to go to hell, and then she threatened me with a big ass knife, so I did what she said. When I first saw her I thought she was you, but she’s older and taller. Her hair is long but not as long as yours. She’s fine as hell too, but she didn’t trip when I told her that like you did.” “Don’t fuck with me, Reeves. You know damn well what happened that day.” “What happened that day is you can’t take a damn compliment.” “I was sixteen years old, you piece of shit! You told me you could make a lot of money selling me.”

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Reeves smirked “Look at you. I could. Millions,” he said with a shrug. Carter hit the table hard with her fist and stood to her feet. Reeves flinched. “He’s telling the truth,” she said never taking her glare from him. “My mothers in New York and Mitchell killed my father.” She pointed a finger at Reeves. “You better thank the fucking heavens that I’m trying to better myself because if I wasn’t… it would take God and an army of angels to keep me from shoving my fist down your throat.” Her tone was cold matching her deadly stare. Reeves shifted in his seat, but remained silent. Carter pushed her chair back and stormed out the door. “Nathan,” she called as she exited the conference room. Nathan stood from his seat. “If you all would excuse me, my fiancé needs to speak

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with me.” He looked at Reeves with cold gray eyes. “Do you happen to know where Mitchell is, Andrew?” Andrew cleared his throat nervously. “If he’s still alive… I don’t know somewhere planning how to kill y’all with those two hit men. Anastacia and I lost his fat ass a week ago. She’s looking for him though. That’s why I’m here and not her. Plus she doesn’t think her daughter is ready to meet her yet.” Nathan took a deep breath, frowned and nodded his head. He turned and walked out of the conference room to go and find Carter. He found Carter around the corner leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest. “Hey, you okay?” he asked, concerned. Carter looked up at him with tears in her eyes. “No,” she whispered. “She’s here

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Nathan. She’s in New York. What if she approaches me? What do I say? What the hell do I do?” she said frantically shaking her head. “I can’t do this.” Nathan pulled her shaking body to him. “Shh. Don’t worry baby,” he said tenderly. “We’ll figure this out, I promise. She’s obviously here to protect you.” “Why would she protect me? She abandoned me, Nathan. I convinced myself a long time ago that the woman didn’t even love me” she said with a hint of devastation and something Nathan couldn’t discern in her tone. Nathan frowned, knowing that there was a war of emotions going on in Carter’s head right now, and there was nothing he could do about it. He could only be there for her. He kissed her forehead softly. “I know this is

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hard, baby. But you aren’t alone anymore. You have me, and our family. We’ll get through this together and handle the rest as it comes. Right now we need to handle this Mitchell problem, and then we’ll focus on you meeting your mother.” Carter shook her head firmly. “I can’t, Nathan. I don’t want to.” Nathan cupped her face. “Yes you do, baby. I know you. You may be reluctant right now, but if you let her leave New York without meeting her, you’ll regret it. You owe it to yourself to hear her side of the story.” Carter looked away from Nathan as tears escaped her eyes. She knew what he said was true. She just couldn’t deal with any of it at the moment. “This is too much. I’m tired, I just want to go home and go to bed. Please come home with me,” she begged gripping

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Nathan’s shirt and burying her face in Nathan’s chest. “I would love nothing more, but I can’t. We have to handle this Mitchell situation today. I need to make sure you’re safe.” “I would be safe in bed, with you,” she said wrapping her arms around his waist. “How about this, I’ll have Gianni take you home, and I’ll be there in about an hour? We’ll take a hot bath, I’ll give you a massage, and see what else I can do to help you relax,” Nathan said kissing the top of her head and Carter nodded. “Good, now give me a kiss and get your ass home and in bed,” Nathan said. Carter obediently stood on her tip toes and gave Nathan a soft kiss on his lips. “Hurry home, Nathan. Don’t make me wait too long.”

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“Damn, you’re bossy,” he teased. “Damn right I am.” “Let’s go get Gianni and get your grumpy ass home then, shall we?” Carter laughed softly. “Please.” She followed Nathan to the front of the office. Once they made it to the front of the office, Carter went and stood by the elevator to wait for Gianni, who was receiving instructions from Nathan. It had been a stressful day, and now she had more to worry about. Her mother was here. In New York. The thought made Carter uneasy. She didn’t understand why her mother would be here trying to protect her. The woman didn’t even know her, and Carter had convinced herself a long time ago that her mother didn’t even care. This was all just too much to think

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about right now. Carter rested her aching head against the elevator. “You ready to go?” Carter turned around to see a smiling Gianni standing behind her. She smiled back and nodded. The elevator doors opened, and they both got on. Carter stood next to Gianni and rested her head on his shoulder as he pressed the first floor button. The doors of the elevator closed, and the elevator began to move. Carter frowned. The elevator was going up, not down. “What the hell?” Gianni muttered, pressing the first floor button again. “Why is it…?” Carter’s sentence trailed off as the elevator came to a stop on the twentyseventh floor. “I don’t know. This floor is aband…”

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Gianni’s words were cut off when the elevator doors opened and two bullets hit him, one in the throat, and the other in the head. Blood spewed from his head as his body fell to the floor. Carter dropped to her knees next to Gianni, her mouth agape and tears filling her eyes. “No, no, no, no,” she screamed and cried, laying her head on Gianni’s chest. Carter lifted her head from Gianni’s chest and looked down at his lifeless body. She was only looking for a second when she felt a forceful blow to the back of her head, and her body flew forward as darkness overtook her. *** “Wake up now, you little troll,” a voice taunted. Carter’s eyes opened, but her vision remained hazy, and her head felt like a tone of

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bricks collapsed on it. She saw a figure standing in front of her, but she couldn’t make out who it was, or where she was. “Wake up. You little bitch.” Carter’s vision began to clear and she looked at her surroundings. She was in what looked like an abandoned office area. The area was completely empty, and it looked like it was being remodeled. They were on a side with no elevator, but there was an emergency exit. Carter made sure she stored that knowledge just in case she decided to dart for the stairs. Then it hit her, she was on the twentyseventh floor. She remembered getting on the elevator with Gianni to leave, and the elevator started moving up on its own. Oh God! Gianni!

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She looked at the man in front of her. He stood staring at her in a black shirt and black trousers pointing a gun straight at her face. “Mi-Mitchell?” she whispered, and pain shot through her head. Her head dropped forward, and she closed her eyes tight, biting her lip through the brutal pain. “Don’t say my name, you little bitch,” he spat. “You just sit there and wait for the show to begin. I was starting to think you wouldn’t wake up. Kent may have hit you in the head too hard, that dumb son of a bitch.” He shook his head “Can’t find good fucking help these days. Hell, you were supposed to be killed by the dumb motherfuckers five years ago.” Kent? Kent, as in the man who killed my father, Kent?

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She wanted to ask, but it hurt to talk, to breathe. She could barely open her eyes. The pain in her head was excruciating, even the tears stinging the backs of her eyes caused her pain. Her breaths were labored, but she tried her best to push back the pain and focus. She needed to see if she could move, she didn’t care if it hurt like hell, she was getting out of here. Carter tried to move her hands and legs, but she couldn’t. She looked down and noticed for the first time that she was sitting in a chair. Her hands were tied behind her back, and her legs were tied to each of the front legs of the chair. “Shit,” she muttered, then instantly regretted it when pain shot through her head once again. “You may want to be quiet, baby Anastacia. That’s quite a head injury you got there. I don’t want you dying before you fiancé gets

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up here. Congratulation’s by the way, such a shame to see a young couple die before the wedding,” he said with an evil smile on his face. “What the hell do you want, Mitchell? Why didn’t you just disappear?” Carter bit out. “No point in disappearing,” he said with a shrug, “your fucking mother’s going to kill me anyway, so I might as well take you and that fucking little blond prick with me.” “Why? What the hell do you want?” “Peace,” he said in a bright, sadistic tone. “You came here and ruined everything. You should be dead like your lying cowardice father, but instead you’re here and your goddamn mother is making my life a living hell. I can’t sleep. I see the bitch everywhere I turn.”

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“That’s because you’re insane,” Carter said a bit too forcefully, and pain shot through her head, so severe, it knocked the wind out of her. “I told you to stop talking, but you never listen. Do you?” Mitchell taunted. “That little temper of yours, huh? That was very impressive what you did to my three men down stairs. You ran right into that ambush then walked right out. New fucking plan.” he screamed. “I keep making new plans with you around. This little elevator plot wasn’t even set for you. It was for your damn fiancé. Yep, we were going to shoot him up as soon as the elevator doors opened, but when I saw you get on the elevator, inspiration struck. Some Romeo and Juliet type of shit… except I will be the one killing both of you. I’m going to make you watch me kill your fiancé,

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then I’m going to listen to you cry, and once I’m satisfied, I’ll shoot you in the head,” Mitchell chuckled. “I still can’t believe you survived all the shit I’ve thrown at you. How the fuck did a little thing like you do that?” “Untie me, and I’ll show you,” Carter said through clenched teeth. Mitchell laughed. “Absolutely not. You think I’m an idiot? No, you sit there. I will call your fiancé, tell him I’ve got you, and to come alone or I’ll kill you. He will come up here, Kent and Patrick will try to kill him.” Mitchell leaned in and whispered. “But between you and me, they don’t have a chance against your boy toy. That giant bastard will kill them quick. Then he’ll come looking for his “beautiful” little Carterina, and as soon as he gets to that point right there,” Mitchell said pointing to the small

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opening leading to the side of the large area him and Carter were in, “I’ll kill him before he even sees you. And you my dear have a front row seat.” Mitchell pulled his cell from his pants pocket. “No, please don’t,” Carter whispered. She felt herself drifting again, but she fought against it, she needed to find a way to warn Nathan. “Oh wow! The bitch begs?” Mitchell said through a derisive laugh. “As much as it pleases me to here you humble yourself. I have to say that begging will not work at all.” He dialed Nathan’s number. After two rings, Nathan picked up. “Hello, you Russian parasite. Guess who I have with me on the twenty-seventh floor, tied to a chair, waiting to die?” Mitchell’s tone was smug and filled with hate. “Let me

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show you,” he put the phone up to Carter’s mouth, “say something!” he ordered, scowling at her. “Nathan, don’t come up here. Ahh!” She howled in pain when Mitchell jerked her throbbing head back hard. “They’re going to try to kill you Nathan!” She screamed before Mitchell snapped the phone away from her face. Carter could barely breathe, the pain in her head now reaching an unbearable level. She couldn’t stop the river of tears falling down her face or the loud sobs escaping her lips at this point. She had never experienced such insufferable pain in her life. She knew she couldn’t hold on for much longer. She needed to get loose, save herself and Nathan before she either passed out, or died.

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“Do you hear that, Nathan? Do you like hearing your little bitch cry?” he spat, and then he delivered another hard blow to the back of Carter’s head. Carter’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes opened wide as the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life shot through her, stilling her entire body. She was sure she blacked out for a second and when she came back she took a loud gasping breath as broken sobs began to fall from her lips. “Gianni is dead. Come alone, or it’ll only get worse,” Mitchell said and he ended the call. *** Nathan crushed the phone in his hand, picked up the chair he was sitting in, and hurled it across the conference room in a fit of rage.

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“Son! What has gotten into to you?” Angelo yelled, as he and the rest of the men stood from their seats. Some had to move from the path of the flying chair. Nathan removed his suit jacket quickly, then his holster. He removed both Glocks from his holster and stormed out of the conference room. “Nathan, what the hell is going on?” he heard his father say behind him. Nathan kept walking with a Glock in each hand at his sides. “Mitchell has Carter. She’s hurt. Gianni is dead,” Nathan said continuing his journey to the elevator. He knew he had to map this out right or else he’d get himself killed before he got Carter back. Carter said something over the phone. She said, “Don’t come up here they’re going to kill you.” They’re meaning Mitchell

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isn’t alone. They will probably try and get him when the elevator door opens, but Nathan would be ready for the motherfuckers. He would kill them and then he would find Mitchell and make sure the bitch wished he’d never met his fucking father. Nathan was going to make Mitchell suffer for this. “Nathan, I’m going with you. Where is she?” “Us too.” Nathan heard his father and the rest of the men fall in line behind him. “No, he said to come alone or else he would kill her. I’m not taking any chances with Carter’s life. I’ll do this alone,” Nathan said nearing the elevator. He pressed the up button. “He has her on the twenty-seventh floor, I’ll be back soon.”

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“No son, it could be a trap,” Angelo said turning Nathan toward him. “I will go, let me handle this. Mitchell is my fault, my problem. I will get her and bring her back to you.” “No papa, I can’t let that happen. Once he sees it’s you and not me he’ll kill her, and I can’t…” Nathan could feel his heart beat quicken. The thought of losing Carter made his chest tighten painfully. “I will not live without her. Do you understand that? She is going to be my wife,” Nathan said firmly as the elevator door opened. Angelo’s hand shot up and he grabbed Nathan’s arm. “I know that, Nathan, but you are my son, and I will not live without you. I need you to let me do this. You need to be here where you can be protected,” he said trying to move Nathan from the elevator.

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“No,” Nathan snapped. “Mitchell gave his orders. None of us will put Carter’s life in any more danger than it already is.” Nathan looked into his father’s eyes. “Trust me, papa, everything will be fine. Do not send anyone up. I’m going to get my wife,” Nathan shook loose from his father’s grasp. He saw that his father was restraining himself. Nathan knew he wanted to throw him out of the elevator and have him held down while he went up to get Carter, but he didn’t move, and Nathan was grateful for that. Once the elevator closed, Nathan pressed the twenty-seventh floor and pressed his back against the side wall, preparing himself for the series of bullets coming when the elevator door opened. And not to disappoint,

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as soon as the elevator door opened shots rang out. *** Carter heard the sound of gun fire and her heart stopped. She didn’t give a shit how much it hurt. She pulled against her restraints, trying to get loose. “Nathan,” she screamed at the top of her lungs over and over while Mitchell laughed at her, enjoying her pain. It was only a second before the shots stopped. “Nathan,” Carter screamed, tears pouring from her eyes. “Nathan please. Say something please!” “Carter,” she heard him scream and she cried loud, relieved to hear his voice. “I’m coming baby.”

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“I told you he’d kill them,” Mitchell said with a shrug then he aimed his gun toward the entrance. “No, please don’t, I’m begging you.” “I don’t care.” Mitchell said waiting patiently for Nathan to round the corner. Carter could hear Nathan running, he was coming fast. “No. Please I’ll do anything. I’ll give you anything you want.” She begged and cried pulling at her restraints even as the pain in her head continued to worsen, and she felt warm blood oozing down her neck. Mitchell snorted. “I’m sorry, Ms. Stone, but there is nothing you can give me that would be sweeter than this.” “Nathan, go back! Don’t come back here please.” Mitchell laughed. “Sounds like he’s still coming, honey.”

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“Nathan, stop!” “Keep your eyes open, little girl, this is going to be quick.” Carter saw Nathan round the corner looking in a different direction from her and Mitchell. Everything after that went in slow motion in Carter’s eyes. Mitchell’s gun cocked and Carter screamed. Nathan looked her way and raised his gun quickly, but not quickly enough. Carter knew Mitchell’s bullet would hit first if Nathan didn’t move now. She screamed, “Go back!” as she closed her eyes tight. “Ahh!” Carter heard a man howl in pain, but she didn’t hear a gun go off. She opened her eyes and saw Nathan looking in the direction

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behind her with wide eyes and his mouth agape. Carter turned her head to the direction of the emergency exit and saw a woman resembling herself running quickly for Mitchell, who was staring at a knife stuck in his hand in shock, his gun on the floor in front of him. Mother? Anastacia rushed straight for Mitchell, and tackled him to the floor. She straddled his plump body, and before he could do anything to stop her, she pushed a large gold knife slowly into his throat. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Mitchell. You will never take her away from me again.” Her tone was cold, as she looked into Mitchell’s wide horror filled eyes. The sound of Mitchell’s throat filling with blood filled the room. Anastacia let go of the

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knife and removed two small knives from a holster on her side. She flipped the knives in each hand and stuck them in each of Mitchell’s eyes. Carter sighed with relief, and let her head fall back. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” she cried softly over and over again. She knew she should be shocked right now, but all she could do was be thankful that Nathan was still alive. Carter felt hands untying her restraints. She knew it was her mother because the hands were much smaller than Nathan’s. Carter didn’t care who it was she just needed to get out of this damn chair. She lifted her head and stared into her mother’s hazel eyes. They were right, their eyes were identical. “Mo-mom,” Carter whispered. “Mom,” Carter sobbed and whined deliriously.

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Anastacia leaned forward and wiped the tears from Carter’s face. “Shh. Don’t cry Carterina, mama is here. I’m sorry it took me so long,” Anastacia cooed. She placed her hand on the back of Carter’s head and kissed her forehead lovingly. She heard Carter’s labored breathing and felt something warm cover her hand and she frowned. Anastacia removed her hands from Carter’s head, and her breath caught in her throat. Blood covered her hand. “Nathan, get over here, now!” Anastacia looked into Carter’s eyes. They were hazy, unfocused, and heavy. Nathan snapped out of his shock and ran over to Carter and Anastacia. “What is…” his words died off when he saw the blood covering Anastacia’s hands. He fell to his knees next to Carter and took off his shirt. He applied pressure to her wound and brought her

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to his chest, holding her in his arms. “Oh God Carter, stay awake, honey. I’m going to get you to a hospital, stay awake,” he said frantically. Careful not to move her head too much, Nathan stood up with her in his arms and ran toward the elevator. Carter looked up at Nathan with heavy eyes and smiled. He was alive, but she didn’t know how much longer she would be. She touched his face lovingly, “I love you, Nathan Salerno,” she whispered feeling darkness taking over. She touched the back of her head and saw the blood that covered her fingertips. Tears filled her eyes. “I’m bleeding” she cried. “No, baby, don’t look at that.” He placed her blood covered fingers on his face. “Look at me, honey, and stay awake. Do you hear

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me? Don’t fall asleep” he said as he frantically pressed the elevator button. “I love you so much, Nathan,” she whispered as tears began to fall from her eyes. “I love you too, baby,” Nathan said feeling tears falling from his eyes. “But you have to stay awake. Let’s talk about something, anything. What about the wedding? Let’s talk about the wedding.” he looked down at Carter. Her eyes were closed. “No, no, no, no, no, no, open your eyes for me, baby.” Her eyes peeked open. “Stay with me, honey, please,” he begged as he pressed the button for the elevator again wondering what the hell was taking it so long. “I can’t anymore, it hurts too much now,” she whispered.

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“Yes you can! I need you to be strong for me.” Carter smiled weakly. “My, bubby” she whispered “I love you…” “Carter, please” Nathan begged desperately “I can’t…Carter?” Nathan looked down at Carter. Her eyes were closed “Carter wake up, baby,” he cried. “Wake up, Carter, please. Let me see your eyes, honey.” Nathan began to panic. He touched her face, softly. “Carter, I’m begging you, baby, open your eyes! Carter, please! Carter! Honey, open your eyes! Carter, wake up!”

A Note From Michelle Born and raised in Missouri, I am a dreamer. I am in my 20’s and have a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. My dream is to one day make a mark in this world. I want to do something that I will be remembered for, be someone people can respect. I have a big heart, and even bigger smile. A perfect evening for me would include a glass of wine, chocolate, and a romance novel on my kindle. I love to read a good story. I have an overactive imagination and enjoy putting together a good story with raw emotion and shocking secrets. Dangerous Beauty is the first novel I have ever

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written and I hope to write many more in the future. If you enjoyed this book, please recommend it to your friends and write a review. If you would like to be the first to know about upcoming releases, contests, and more, send me an email at [email protected] with “subscribe” as the subject. Feel free to email any other comments or questions too. I love to hear from my readers. You can also find out more about me and find out about future releases at MichelleHLuvs.com.

To my mother, my number one fan, I love you. Thank you for your support, love, and encouragement. To my Grandmother, thank you for loving me, for praying with me, and for believing in me. You are truly a beautiful person my beautiful Grammy Buns. To Celeste, Latricia, and Tim-esha. You guys are totally awesome at being my sister’s. Even though you guys are super unpredictable, crazy, and give me many, many premature gray hairs, I love you! To my Father, thank you for always making me feel like a rock star whenever you brag about how cool I am to your brothers and sisters.

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To my baby nephews Ethan and Aydan…Just met you and I already love you… To Dewy Moss LLP. Thank you for giving me a chance, a platform, a place to live out my dream of being an author. I’m excited about this journey. Thank you for signing me and believing in my story. You guys are Awesome! Lastly I would like to thank my overactive imagination. Many people in my life wondered how a goofy, bubbly good girl like me actually managed to create characters that differ so greatly from me. Well, I owe that to my overactive imagination. I’m always dreaming up good stories, or awesome TV show ideas, and I never took the time to appreciate it until now.

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Sneak Peek- Dangerous Beauty Part 2: Mafia Princess Carter opened her eyes. Everything was blurry and it was bright as hell in this room. She tried to lift her hand up so she could cover her eyes, but it wouldn’t move. It was as if something heavy was weighing it down. Her second effort to move was successful, and she pulled lose from the weight. She shielded her eyes and sat up in the extremely comfortable bed, blinking, trying to figure out where the hell she was. She looked around the room. It was beautiful, but it wasn’t her room. As Carter pushed the comforter down from her body

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she caught a glimpse of her hand. There was an IV in her right hand, and next to the bed there was medical equipment! What the hell? She noticed a flash of light reflected off of her left hand. She lifted her hand and stared at the huge diamond ring on her finger. Carter frowned and blinked rapidly, “What is this?” she whispered. “WhereShe stopped talking to herself when the door burst opened. Relief rushed through Carter at the sight of a familiar face. “Carter!” Kyle yelled as he ran to her and pulled her into his arms. Carter held on to him tighter than she had ever held on to a person in her life and cried, “Kyle I don’t know what’s going on,” she cried. “Please take me away from here, please”.

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Kyle pulled back from her and cupped her face. A tear fell from his beautiful blue eyes and Carter shot up on her knees and held his face with both of her hands. “Kyle what’s wrong?” she asked, panicking at the site of his tears. She had never seen him cry before. “Nothing angel, nothing’s wrong anymore” he said softly as he tenderly stroked her hair. “What’s going on?” She asked hoping Kyle didn’t betray her. “I don’t know where I am? Help me, please. I thought…I thought we cared for each other. I need you to tell me why I’m here. You’re the only person I trust,” she moved closer to him. “You’re my best friend,” she said softly hoping to God he still was.

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Kyle smiled, leaned forward, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “I love you Carter, you know that.” Carter lovingly wiped the single tear from his face and looked in his eyes, seeing the honesty in his words. “You’re telling the truth”. She smiled, gave him a soft kiss on his lips, and then wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “I love you too” she whispered “Please take me home Kyle”. “You are home angel”. Carter backed away a bit and frowned. Why was he saying that? “Kyle I live in Hope Beach, you know where I live. I’m just a damn waitress! I can’t afford a home like this,” she said getting irritated with him. “Do you trust me Carter?” “I…”

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Kyle put his finger to her lips silencing her. “You were hurt angel, very badly. You almost died, but you survived a very bad head injury.” Kyle took Carter’s hand and placed it on the back of her head softly. “Feel it Carter.” Carter pushed her thick hair aside until she felt the evidence of her injury. She looked up at Kyle with wide confused eyes. Kyle took her hand from her wound and held it in his. Carter frowned suddenly becoming serious. “What the hell happened to me? Who did this?” “A dead man honey.” “How did this dead man do this? How did I let this happen?”

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“He caught you off guard baby,” Kyle said sadly. “We were all caught off guard by this.” Carter frowned. “I-I can’t be caught off guard Kyle,” she lowered her eyes and frowned. “My father would never approve of such carelessness.” Kyle cupped her face. “It was an unexpected event sweetheart. We all learned a lesson from it.” Carter raised her eyes to his, he was still being honest. Thank God. “There’s no need to be afraid now angel.” Kyle tucked her hair behind her ear. She wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and frowned. “I’m not afraid” she lied firmly. She was scared shitless, but she hated being told she was afraid of something. She shook off what she could of her fear and continued to search for

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clarity. “I have on a ring,” she continued, “You said this is my house. Are—” she placed her hand on his chest and looked into his eyes “Am I your wife Kyle? Did we get married?” she asked him meekly. Carter wasn’t opposed to being Kyle’s wife, she loves him. She could see how their love for one another could easily become romantic. It may take her some time, but she was sure she’d remember eventually.

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