She reached for his hand, the back of hers sliding into his palm. Automatically his fingers closed around it. Her hand was so small, she felt fragile in his large one. Delicate. Who knew that a woman could be made of steel when her skin was softer than satin and her mouth was heaven? She exerted a little pressure as if she wanted her hand to drop, her gaze steady on his. He knew the cop was talking, asking more bullshit questions. He heard every one. He kept his eyes locked with Evangeline's as he relaxed his arm and allowed her to guide them where she wanted to go.
She shifted a little in the chair, shivering as if cold. Automatically, with his free hand, he reached for the nearest throw always kept on the back of the chair. He knew immediately what it was for. He tossed it over them and she smiled innocently up at him.
"Thank you, honey. With no fire in here, it can get cold."
It was about to get hot. She didn't settle her hand on his groin right away. She laid her palm very gently just above his growing, lengthening cock so that it reached for her from beneath his now very uncomfortable trousers.
Her fingertips brushed the sensitive crown of his cock. Back and forth. Right through his trousers. His breath caught in his throat as blood surged hotly and he thickened even more. He hadn't thought that possible. For the first time in his life, with an enemy near, his attention was centered somewhere else. He could barely think with the roaring in his ears.
Her gaze shifted to Brice, who scowled at her. "Is your name even Brice?"
He had the grace to look uncomfortable. "I was working." Immediately he realized just how bad that sounded. He'd been flirting with her for weeks. He'd asked her out repeatedly.
"I see." She drew the word out.
Her hand moved over Alonzo's cock, rubbing gently, persistently, sliding lower to find his balls and massage them as well. A little jackhammer began tripping in his head. His blood pooled. Her hand felt like sin to him.
"You don't see. I didn't want to give you a false name, but I was working undercover."
"Who were you investigatin' in my bakery?" She lifted her chin, her voice very quiet. "Me? Were you comin' in every day to investigate me?"
Alonzo stirred beside her. He didn't like where the conversation was going. He hadn't wanted to be questioned in front of her about the fire or the dirty cop, but she seemed satisfied with his answers. She knew Amodeo had put a contract out on her. She knew a hit squad had come to their home. Now the topic had shifted to something much more personal, and Alonzo didn't want anything personal between his woman and another man.
Her fingers moved again, this time to the front of his trousers. His breath hissed out of his throat as she grasped the zipper with her thumb and index finger, opening the front of his trousers. He'd dressed hastily, pulling on clothes without bothering with underwear, and his cock, already hard and ferocious, sprang free. Her palm covered him, fingers wrapping around his thick shaft.
His breath caught in his throat and he held himself very still, grateful for the years of discipline that taught him control.
"I'd like to talk to you in private, Evangeline," Brice pleaded.
"No." Alonzo made that clear, his voice a soft whip.
Timur and Sevastyan both moved very subtly, just enough to draw attention to their very silent presence.
Brice bit back a curse. "I was working on something that had nothing to do with Alonzo Massi, although the moment I saw him in there, I knew you were in danger. Do you have any idea who this man is?"
"Brice," Reeve, his partner, cautioned.
"No." Brice shook off the warning hand on his shoulder. "She needs to know who she's in bed with."
Alonzo's leopard roared with rage. What if she listens to him? It was the same question Alonzo asked himself. He had tried to tell her about his past. He'd never shared that with anyone.
Her thumb moved to the broad head of his cock, smearing the drops of anticipation all over the crown. She sighed and abruptly pulled her hand out from under the blanket, shifted toward him and brought her knees up.
"Who Alonzo is, is my man." She brought her open hand up to cover her mouth.
"Antonio Arnotto owned this estate," Brice snapped. "He was as dirty as he could get. One of the big bosses. I'm talking mafia, Evangeline. Running guns. Prostitution. Drugs. Not a good man. He had people murdered. Your man worked for him as one of his soldiers. Probably an enforcer. In case you didn't know, that's a man who makes someone the boss points at die."
Her hand slipped back under the blanket, palm wrapping tightly around him. Her palm was wet and she pumped her fist in a slow glide up his shaft and then back down. She was killing him. Pleasure burst through him, radiating out from his cock to his belly and down his thighs. Her touch could do that, but it was so much more than her hand on him. It was the fact that she would give him pleasure secretly in a room filled with cops. Cops telling her things that should make her run. She wasn't running, she was snuggled into him, her hand working him slowly.
"Arnotto was murdered right here in this room, Evangeline," Brice continued. "One of his own men shot him. His granddaughter is now married to the boss of one of the worst crime families in the mafia. They originated in South America and spread their filth throughout several countries. Elijah Lospostos is your man's friend."
Her fingers danced and slid, her fist squeezing even tighter. "I've met Elijah. He seems very nice."
Brice glared at her. "Are you listening to me at all? Alonzo Massi took over Antonio Arnotto's territory. That's who you're in bed with. A man running those same things. Drugs. Prostitution. Guns. Murder. Murder, as in taking out a crime boss such as Amodeo and a cop like Crispin."
"Oh, for heaven's sake, Brice," she snapped. "I've had enough of this. If there isn't anythin' else, and there shouldn't be, I'd like you to leave. You've insulted Alonzo and my boys and you came on what is clearly a fishin' expedition."
Her hand slid right down Alonzo's shaft to cup his balls. She worked them gently, rolling and massaging until his entire body was on fire and lightning streaked through his body. His cock jerked, and she pushed one knee higher so that the blanket tented more, preventing anyone from seeing what was going on.
The leopards knew. They could scent his heightened state. The smell of sex and sin right there in the room. He caught Timur and Sevastyan exchanging smirks of approval. They didn't want her listening to the cops any more than he did.
"The thing with Crispin is silly," she continued. "It sounds as if you made it up just for an excuse to come to our home."
"So now it's your home?" Brice snapped belligerently.
Her chin lifted and her eyes blazed at him, her leopard close. "Yes. I've asked you to leave."
Reeve stood up immediately, as did the uniformed officers. Brice hesitated. "Evangeline, I'd really like to speak to you privately. I could explain . . ."
"That's not going to happen," Alonzo answered decisively. "We've given you our time. We didn't ask for a lawyer, although we probably should have since you were clearly accusing me of having something to do with the disappearance of your partner and perhaps the fire at Amodeo's. Either way, you have your answers and we'd like you to leave." He was shocked that he even had a voice with her hand working him. "Timur will show you out." Because he couldn't move.
Brice stood reluctantly. Neither Evangeline nor Alonzo moved. Timur started for the door, clearly indicating that they all leave. Alonzo allowed his gaze to sweep the room and the two archways leading to other rooms. The cleaners had done a good job. The cops had no idea that Amodeo had sent a hit squad to his house at the same time Amodeo's residence had gone up in flames.
"Clear the house, Timur," Alonzo managed to get out. "Evangeline has something she wants to say to me."
Brice glanced back to see Alonzo bunch Evangeline's hair in his fist, pulling her head back so he could fasten his mouth on hers possessively. The cop swore as he was shown out.
Alonzo couldn't think about anything but his throbbing cock. "Woman, you are a
fucking menace."
"I know." She smiled complacently against his mouth.
He threw off the blanket and all but yanked her to the floor between his thighs. "Take off your clothes." Even as he bit out the command, he was shimmying out of his trousers. The relief was tremendous.
"In here?" She looked around her. The sitting room had open archways on either end leading to other rooms. They'd slept most of the morning away, so light spilled in from all directions.
"Now, Evangeline. You don't take them off, they'll be in shreds in under a minute."
She laughed softly, kneeling between his legs. "Such a savage. It's a wonder what a little thing like pettin' does to your disposition." She pulled her peasant blouse over her head and folded it just as he'd folded his trousers, her eyes on his the entire time. Her bra followed, spilling her breasts out into the open for him.
Her hands cupped both creamy mounds, her thumbs sliding over her nipples. "I ache, honey. So hot and swollen just thinking about your mouth on me."
"You tortured me in a room full of men. You don't get my mouth on you." He pointed to her skirt.
"I did, didn't I?" she teased, unrepentant. "Quite brilliantly, I might add."
"Get rid of that skirt. I swear to God, if there weren't so many men around here I'd just have you walk around naked all day. You're beautiful, Evangeline. I could look at you forever and never tire of the sight."
"They might walk in now and find me naked," she pointed out with a little shiver, but she stepped out of the skirt and panties, adding them neatly folded to her blouse and bra.
"If they do, they'll find you with your mouth busy. You need to finish what you started."
Her eyes laughed at him. "Did I start somethin'?" Her gaze dropped to his cock and she reached out and smeared the pearly drops across the head, sending darts of fire streaking through his shaft. "I'm burnin' for you. So damp. Just thinkin' about your cock so hard for me under that blanket with those idiots questionin' you. It was so sexy, knowin' what I was doin' to you while they sat there all self-righteous. If they stayed any longer actin' like you weren't worth my being with you, I might have gotten on my knees right in front of them and showed them I practically worship you."
His cock jerked. He clenched his teeth. "Woman." His only warning. The fist in her hair pulled her head forward and down, right over the top of him. "Open your mouth." Because she couldn't say things like that to him and not have his heart explode.
Her laughter teased at the crown. She blew warm air over him. He swore at her in Russian and pushed her head down over him, giving her no choice. Her mouth engulfed him. Took him deep. Nearly swallowed him. Her hands came up to massage his balls. She didn't grasp the base of his shaft to limit how deep he went; she worked him, hollowing her cheeks and suckling strongly.
He thought the top of his head might blow off. She had him so ready. He was leopard and they weren't modest by any means, stripping easily in front of one another in order to shift, so the fact that she had taken out his cock in a room full of men had been extremely hot to him. He loved that she wasn't shy about their sex life either. She wanted him and she made it known.
She gave herself up to pleasuring him. Enjoying herself. Loving what she was doing. She watched him, watched his face, his eyes. He watched her. The sight of his cock swallowed by her, her lips wrapped so tightly around the thick girth of his shaft nearly sent him over the edge. Her body was beautiful, her breasts swaying, her legs parted enough that he could see liquid gleaming on her bare mound for him. Her body loved what she was doing as well.
He placed both hands on her shoulders and stood, forcing her to tip her head back. He fisted her hair again and held her head while he began to move his hips. "That's it, malyutka, take all of me. Suck harder. Use your tongue." He gave her orders and watched the heat in her eyes darken to pure passion.
She followed his every instruction, relaxing her mouth as he picked up the pace, his fist tightening on her scalp. The pleasure was exquisite. Torture. Moist heat surrounded him. Her tongue was velvet, her cheeks soft, her throat tight.
"Can you take more? This is paradise, Evangeline. I need to know if you can take more."
She slid her arms up his thighs and around, to grip his buttocks, pulling him into her. Her mouth suckled hard. Her tongue lashed at him and stroked the underside of his rim. He took that as a yes and surged into her, nearly out of control. He'd never had a woman work his cock like she did, his leopard would never have allowed it. His body belonged to her alone, and she made certain he knew it.
He heard himself swearing over and over in Russian. His shaft swelled. Went deep. "I can't hold back, Evangeline," he warned.
He didn't want to stop. Not now. Not when it felt so fucking good. So perfect. She didn't pull back and he couldn't help his hips bucking, thrusting deep while he held her head in place. Her eyes never left his and she deliberately took him deeper. So deep. Her muscles massaged and squeezed. He swelled more as fire streaked through his body, rushed through his veins. Deep in his balls, his seed boiled and churned and then rocketed, jet after jet pulsing into her. She didn't fight for air, but swallowed, massaging him even more.
She held his cock in her mouth, her tongue gentle. When he could finally breathe enough to withdraw, she followed after him, lapping at him. He closed his eyes, savoring the sensation and holding the vision of her on her knees, taking his cock down her throat, so that he could burn the image into his brain forever.
When he could, he reached down and lifted her, tossing her into the chair. The chair was wide enough for both of them to sit in. He caught both of her legs and placed them over the arms so she was spread very wide, completely open to him. He sank to the floor, lifted her butt into his hands, brought her to his mouth and without preamble, began to devour her.
Her cries had to be heard throughout the house. He loved the sound. He loved how there was no inhibition. She thrashed in the chair, but he clamped his hands on her, and his hands were large. His shoulders wedged between her thighs so she couldn't move her legs from off the arms of the chair. He indulged himself in the taste of her. She tasted like she baked, all honey and cinnamon spice. He could eat her for breakfast. Or lunch. Even dinner. He definitely liked her for his midnight snack.
He nuzzled her, inhaling the scent of her arousal. He made certain to rub his shadowed jaw over her bare mound and lips. She writhed and gasped when his teeth tugged first one lip and then the other. He devoured her again, sucking her clit, using his teeth to bring her to the edge, stabbing with his tongue, and then collecting more honey and spice.
Her body was flushed a beautiful rose all over. He loved that. He slid one hand free, making certain to keep her pinned with his shoulders so he could slip one thick finger into her, massaging her sensitive walls and especially that one spot that made her hips buck and her mouth form that perfect O in shock. He took her up again and again, but refused to allow her to soar. "You're so fucking hot, malyutka. I love looking at you. Feeling you. Just watching you come apart for me."
"I don' care how hot you think I am," she snapped between her clenched teeth. "Less playin'. Stop teasin'. Get to the comin' apart part."
"You did a lot of teasing," he mused, all thoughtful. He bent to her again, lapping at the honey and spice, tugging with his teeth, pushing deep with his finger to massage that hot little spot. "I need something from you."
"What?" she demanded through her ragged breathing.
"You want a reward, figure it out."
"You're such a baby, Fyodor. Such a baby. I told you with my hand and my mouth. Strippin' for you. Sheesh. Get on with it."
All the while he nuzzled her. Teased her. Smiled inside because Evangeline was pure happiness. The one thing he didn't do was let her come apart.
"Alright. I'm madly in love with you."
There it was. All his. "Now, Evangeline. Give it to me now." He sent her soaring because those six words had done it for him.
18
EV
ANGELINE was nervous. She didn't have many friends. She'd read a lot of books, and she'd done well in the bakery because she could keep a distance between herself and the customers. The counter was always there. She liked people, she just wasn't comfortable interacting closely with them.
Alonzo curled his palm around the nape of her neck and pulled her a little closer to him. "You aren't going to your doom, malen'kaya lyublyu moyo."
She shot him a glance from under her lashes. He had no idea. "Why does it feel like it?" She narrowed her eyes at Timur, who had exchanged an amused glance with Gorya. "It's not funny."
"Yeah, it is. You take on my brother, his crazy-ass leopard and the cops, but you're afraid of a few women. That's hysterical."
"No more desserts for you." She poured hostility into her voice.
Timur grinned at her. "I've got news for you, mladshaya sestra, you don't have a mean bone in your body. Your threats are empty."
She rolled her eyes at him and gripped the two carriers she'd brought with her, desserts for the women she was meeting for the first time. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought anythin'. They might think I'm tryin' to show off."
"Anytime you bake, Evangeline, you're showing off," Timur said. "You're that good. They don't like it, they don't deserve your friendship."
She wanted to wrap herself in that compliment. More, in the genuine fact that she'd somehow gotten past his reserve and wariness that she might be out to harm his brother. "Thanks, Timur."
Alonzo pressed the doorbell firmly, not giving her any more time to rethink her decision to come. Elijah's home was a very large, sprawling house. Like the Arnotto estate, the Lospostos property had been landscaped and the mansion constructed with leopards in mind. Lots of secluded acreage for the cats to run, hidden passageways in the house as well as groves of trees for an arboreal highway. The property backed up to Jake Bannaconni's.