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  His cock wasn’t actually inside her body just yet. That was okay. Vlad was enjoying the sight of her riding his shaft and grinding him into the sensitive parts of her pussy. He could feel her clit brush the tip of his penis. The hard nub throbbed with each stroke.

  Mary began to gasp and pant with each motion of her hips. Vlad could feel the tension in her pussy even where it rested against his shaft. She was so close to climax. Her pants turned to little whimpers and Vlad knew he needed to give her just a nudge.

  Letting one hand drift down her belly, he slipped his index finger between her swollen pussy lips and found her clit. Vlad rubbed in circles until he felt her seize. Throwing her head back, Mary began to move her hips in earnest as her orgasm pushed her into an erotic dance.

  “Vlad, I need you inside me,” she told him breathlessly. “Please show me?”

  He bracketed her waist in his hands and lifted her just until he felt the head of his cock slide inside her body. As soon as he had penetrated her just that small amount, she lowered herself the rest of the way. The instant embrace of her hot, tight channel nearly made him burst. He groaned and thrust his hips up into the contact.

  “Holy shit that feels good!” She sounded shocked, but excited.

  “Ride me,” he told her. “Keep moving until the friction is exactly the way you want it.”

  He only had to tell her once. Vlad grunted when he felt her thighs tighten around his sides. Then she began deep motions that ground the entire length of his shaft against the inside of her pussy. The heat and friction were incredible.

  The feel of Mary’s body around his was perfection, but it was the sight of her that drove him mad with lust. She lifted her arms, pushing her fingers through that thick red hair and lifting it away from her neck. Her breasts bobbed with each stroke and her narrow hips were a gentle flare that completed her utter femininity.

  “Mary,” Vlad groaned. “You’re killing me here! I have to have you. Please let me fuck you.”

  “How?” She rested her fingertips on his chest and gazed down at him with confusion plain on her face.

  Taking her hips in his hands, he flipped her onto her back without removing his cock from her channel. She cried out in surprise, but quickly got into the new position. She wrapped her legs around his waist and encouraged him with her body to give her everything he could.

  Pulling out as far as he dared, Vlad slammed back inside her body. He did it again and again until there was nothing in the room but the sounds of their skin slapping together. The scent of sex filled the room and their harsh breathing reached a fever pitch. He surged inside her over and over until he knew he was right on the edge of his climax.

  Taking her thigh in one hand, he lifted her leg and angled his cock down. The new entry into her body seemed to push her right over the edge. Mary screamed his name as her inner muscles squeezed and clenched around his cock.

  Vlad felt his release coming fast. It burned its way through his veins until he was nothing more than the man plunging in and out of this incredible woman. His balls tightened beneath his body. His cock throbbed and finally the long vein down the center pulsed as he spilled his seed deep into Mary’s body.

  He felt utterly spent after only a few minutes. Still, he also felt completely satisfied. Vlad rolled to his side to avoid crushing Mary’s tiny body. Pulling her close, he tucked her against his chest and wrapped his arms tight around her.

  “Hey,” she whispered with a yawn. “I think you completely wore me out.”

  “Me?” he teased. “You were the one riding me as if you were trying to whip me into shape.”

  She nuzzled his chest. “Maybe I was.”

  Vlad felt a moment’s unease as thoughts of what had happened to Giovanni’s son crept back in. Mary had helped him to forget and he was grateful. But the truth was that it wasn’t safe, and nothing was going to change that until they found out who the culprit was and what they wanted.

  “Mary?” He gently traced the shape of her jaw. “I think we should stop seeing each other for awhile.”

  “What?” She sat up so quickly she banged her head on his chin. “You can’t just ditch me like that!”

  “Mary, I just want you to be safe.” He tugged her back down, tucking her alongside his body and wishing he could make her understand. “Whoever is out there is willing to attack you to get the information on those kids. We don’t know what they want with the kids, but we need to figure it out fast. If something happens to Ioannn, you could get caught in the crossfire.” Vlad leaned down and took her mouth in a deep, drugging kiss. “I could never live with myself if that happened.”

  Chapter Eleven

  He wanted to break up with her in order to keep her safe? Mary was still stewing over that little tidbit by the time Sunday evening rolled around. She hadn’t heard from Vlad all day long. They had woken up in a twisted tangle of naked limbs and then he’d rolled out of bed and headed out as though his butt were on fire.

  Mary scrubbed her kitchen sink a little harder to get rid of her frustration. It wasn’t as if Vlad didn’t like her. She knew he did. Which in itself was crazy. There was no way she could be his type. She was the epitome of a good girl. In school she had never even had a detention.

  Vlad was the definition of a bad boy. He could casually commit murder without batting an eye if that’s what his job required of him. He was loyal and stubborn to a fault. And that was why he had left her house this morning and would—in all likelihood—never call her again.

  There was a knock at her back door, the kitchen door. Mary whipped around as though she’d been shocked. Through the window she could see two little people on her back step. Unless the mafia had started recruiting midgets, she figured she was pretty safe with these two guests.

  Flinging open her back door, Mary was shocked to see Ioann Sokolov and Bianka Nikaelevich standing there with sheepish grins on their faces. Both children were shifting back and forth on their feet and glancing around as if they knew they were going to get in trouble for coming to see her.

  “Bianka, Ioann,” Mary said. “What can I do for you?”

  “Can we come in?” Ioanna asked eagerly.

  “Of course.” Mary swung open the screen door and both kids trotted into her cozy kitchen. “What can I do for you?”

  It was Bianka who spoke first. “We needed to tell a grown up something that we heard the other day.”

  “Okay.” Mary very carefully folded her hands in front of her and prepared to listen.

  “I’m thirsty.” Ioann sounded so pathetic she knew he was playing her for something specific. “Do you maybe have some milk and cookies?”

  Mary chuckled. “I think I can rustle something up. Why don’t you two sit down at the table?”

  Mary put a hefty serving of chocolate chip peanut butter cookies on a plate and poured out two glasses of milk. She got herself an iced tea, and then carried it all over to her little round kitchen table. The kids dug in before the plate had even touched the tabletop.

  “Did either of you eat lunch?” Mary wanted to know.

  Bianka shook her curly brown head. “No, ma’am. We had to sneak out in order to come here and that was during lunch time.”

  “That was hours ago, where on earth have you been all this time?” Mary was almost afraid to ask.

  “Well…we sort of got lost,” Ioann admitted.

  “How did you find my address anyway?” Mary asked them.

  Bianka primly wiped her mouth with a napkin. “My mother has your address in her book. I just looked up your name and ripped out the page.”

  Mary didn’t mention to Bianka that her mother was probably not going to be pleased that they’d actually ripped a page out rather than just copying it down. Instead, Mary focused on what had brought the children there. “So?” she prompted. “What was the big hurry?”

  “Well.” Ioann glanced at Bianka before starting his story, but she nodded and waved at him to go ahead. “The other day, when Bianka was there
at school, we saw this funny man on the playground. He was talking to all the kids, asking who was who.”

  “Why didn’t anyone turn him in?” Mary tried to keep her voice calm. It wasn’t easy. “You know that strange adults aren’t allowed to talk to kids at school.”

  “I know,” Ioann said, shoving a whole cookie into his mouth. “But he promised us we could have a bunch of money. He even showed it to us.”

  “And you believed him?” Mary raised an eyebrow.

  “He gave us each five dollars if we promised to stay quiet about his being there,” Bianka reported. “Nobody wanted to give up that kind of money.”

  “So how many kids saw this guy?” Mary swallowed back the lump of fear that had just lodged itself in her throat.

  “I don’t know?” Ioann looked to Bianka for clarification. “Maybe ten of us?”

  “Ten of us got paid,” Bianka confirmed. “The man wanted to know who was Ioann. That’s why I called Ioann over to the fence, so the man could see him real good.”

  “Did you get a good look at this man?” Mary wondered if this would be their big break.

  Bianka shrugged. “I guess. He was a grown-up. He had brown hair and blue eyes and he talked really funny.”

  “How funny?” Mary demanded. “Like a really thick city accent?”

  “Yeah.” Bianka waved her hand around her head.

  “Okay. That’s good.”

  “He was also wearing all black,” Ioann recalled.

  “And he paid you both five dollars because he wanted to know which kid was Ioann,” Mary said to clarify.

  “Yep.” Bianka nodded firmly.

  “Did he ask about any other kids?” Mary half hoped the answer was no and half hoped it was yes.

  “No.” She shook her head. “I don’t remember much of anything else.”

  “What made you two decide it was time to fess up about this?” Mary asked, although she had a feeling she already knew.

  Ioann pursed his lips. “We were playing upstairs, then we heard Vlad yell about something. Then Vlad left and I heard my papa talking about an Orsini boy that got stolen. Papa said he thinks they’re going to start taking boys from families all over the city.”

  “And you were afraid that you were next,” Mary mused. She didn’t bother asking him to define what he meant by families all over the city. She knew he was talking about those connected with the mafia. The interest seemed to be centered around the sons of bosses. “Well I’m very, very glad you told me what you know. But it was pretty wrong to come over here without telling anyone. Your mamas are going to be frantic with worry.” Mary gestured to the plate of cookie crumbs. “You’ve both had your snack so I think it’s time to call your families and see what happens.”

  ***

  Vlad banged on Mary’s door with more force than was strictly necessary. He hadn’t been this angry in a good long while. If it were up to him, he would flay his brother alive for daring to scare them all like this.

  Mary opened the door with an amused smile on her pretty face. “It certainly didn’t take you long to get here.”

  “You can imagine why,” Vlad said irritably. “I think his mother has cried enough tears to fill the harbor. Sokolov was ready to send out the troops and raze the city until he found Ioann or his body.”

  “Then let’s be glad it hasn’t come down to that just yet,” Mary said lightly. “Just be aware that the kids were looking for a safe place to tell something they were a little worried about. Did they handle it well?” She shook her head. “No. But they’re seven, all right? Screaming at them is not going to get you anywhere. If that’s what you’re here to, then—”

  “Are you warning me that if I behave badly you’re going to sit me in a corner or something?” Vlad couldn’t believe she was ready to toss him out if he didn’t obey her rules of engagement.

  “Yep, I really will.” Then her expression sobered. “Although at the moment I’m pretty pissed off at you as it is.”

  Vlad’s gut tightened. He’d been an ass earlier when he’d left her house, but it had been hard as hell to leave her. “Look, it’s just until this whole situation blows over. I just don’t want to see you hurt because of me.”

  “Oh, and you think that possibility is going to end when we locate the mysterious Man in Black?” Sarcasm dripped from her words. “What part of your job, on a regular day mind you, is safe? Because I sort of feel like it’s not going to matter what day of the week or month of the year it is, your occupational hazards will become mine if we’re together as a couple.”

  She had a point. He didn’t like it, but she did. Vlad forced the words through his clenched teeth. “Then maybe it isn’t a good idea for the two of us to be together.”

  “You can’t do this,” Mary hissed, keeping her voice low so the children didn’t overhear. “You can’t just waltz into my life and change everything and then prance back out and expect me to act as if it meant nothing!”

  “I don’t prance.”

  “You will when I get done kicking your ass,” she growled.

  Vlad cupped her cheek in his hand, risking the possibility that she might bite a finger right off. “You are an extraordinary woman, Mary. Don’t ever let anyone try to convince you otherwise.”

  She pulled away, keeping her gaze downcast. “You better come inside. Just please be nice.”

  “I promise.”

  He followed her into the apartment and immediately saw straight ahead into her tiny kitchen. Bianka and Ioann were sitting at the table with glasses and an empty plate before them. A wave of adolescent regret hit him hard and he knew he wouldn’t be harsh with these two. Not when he empathized with them so completely.

  “So.” Vlad took an empty seat at the table. “Tell me what happened with the Man in Black.”

  “He came to school the day before Bianka missed school.” Ioann swallowed, and Vlad knew his brother was struggling. “You know, before her dad died.”

  Bianka nodded, her blue eyes wide as saucers. The sight of her did horrible things to Vlad’s conscience, but now was not the time to try and make amends.

  “All right,” Vlad encouraged. “What did he say?”

  Bianka spoke in tight, concise words. “He paid me five dollars to tell him which boy was Ioann Sokolov. Then he paid four other kids to tell him the same thing. Then I called Ioann over and he got five dollars too.”

  “I see.”

  “Then today we heard Papa talking about that Orsini kid,” Ioann said, his voice picking up speed and volume. “Did the Man in Black take him too?”

  “We don’t know,” Vlad admitted. “But it seems like he did.”

  “Will they find him?” Ioann wanted to know. “The Orsini kid, I mean.”

  “We hope so.” Vlad stood up, gesturing to the kids to follow. “This might help. Hopefully, anyway. Maybe someone else saw him at school. Or maybe he went to Jonathan’s school too. I don’t know. All of us are looking now.”

  “You mean the Sokolovs are working with the Orsinis?” Ioann said in wonder.

  “Pretty crazy, right?” Vlad said with a smile.

  “Yeah!” Then Ioann looked over at Bianka. “Is Bianka going to get in trouble?”

  “No.”

  Vlad wasn’t even going to tell his father where he’d come up with this information. As far as he was concerned, he had taken the kids over to visit their teacher, whom he was supposed to be romancing anyway. Then he would attribute this information about the Man in Black to Mary. He wouldn’t take a chance of his father getting upset with Bianka. Not after what had happened to her father. Vlad didn’t know if he could trust his father or his father’s motives.

  “Are you all right?” Mary asked him softly. “You look upset.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Mary held her hands out to the children. “Why don’t you guys come with me into the front room and we’ll get ready to go.”

  “What’s wrong with Vlad?” Ioann cocked his head. Vlad could feel his brot
her studying him.

  Mary hushed the boy. “Nothing, sweetheart. He just needs a minute.”

  Yes. He needed a minute. Or maybe a century wouldn’t be enough to work through all of the baggage he’d been carrying around since childhood.

  Chapter Twelve

  Monday dawned bright and early. Mary was at school at what felt like the ass crack of dawn trying to get everything ready for their class field trip to the Bunker Hill Monument. The logistics of getting her twenty-five second graders to their destination, plus trying to coordinate with the other three second grade classrooms was mind boggling. Mary was making lists of lists and seating charts and anything else that might prevent her from losing track of the kids under her care.

  “Good morning, Miss Reilly,” Bianka said quietly as she came into the classroom.

  “Morning Bianka.” Mary gestured to the treats she’d left on her desk. “You may give each student a granola bar when they come into the room. I want to make sure everyone eats something this morning. Lunch won’t be until late.”

  “Okay, Miss Reilly.”

  The little girl’s flat expression told Mary that she was still deeply grieving her lost father. Mary couldn’t even imagine what the child must be going through. Losing her own parents at an early age had been world altering.

  Other children began spilling into the room. Bianka handed out the granola bars and Mary took head count after head count. Finally Ioann was the only child missing. Mary’s gut tightened with nervous apprehension. What if the Man in Black had gotten to Ioann somehow? What if Ioann was gone?

  “Bianka?” Mary tried to keep her voice calm. “Did Ioann say if he was coming or not?” Mary could see the busses pulling up out front. “It’s almost time to go.”

  “He’s coming,” Bianka said with a firm nod. “He’s bringing Vlad.”

  “Ah. All right.” Mary tried to control the excited flutters in her belly. She and Vlad were supposedly on the outs. She shouldn’t be that excited about the prospect of seeing him.