Page 86 of Rune
My arm went around him, pulling him close as the kiss tipped, went needier, hungrier.
But just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.
Then we were climbing out, drying off, and making our way into the bedroom.
I had a few changes of clothes, but he helped me into my panties and one of his tees instead.
He pulled on pants; then we fell into bed, him pulling me onto his chest, and both of us drifting off to sleep within a few minutes.
I wanted a hundred more nights exactly like it.
Even if I knew the clock was likely already ticking down.
And, eventually, I’d be back in my own bed. Alone.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Rune
Carmen was practically bouncing as we stood in a line nearly out the door at Lucky Grassi’s pizza place.
We’d already done She’s Bean Around on our way to Junior’s apartment. She’d spent almost ten full minutes gushing over not only the “vibes” of the coffee shop but the actual coffee she’d gotten as well.
After applying some of the makeup meant to cover up tattoos, she’d been excited to get out of the clubhouse for a bit.
If the light hit her just right, I could see the shadow of the bruises. Then again, maybe I only saw them because I knew they were hiding there under the makeup.
“Is that him?” she asked, nodding toward the man tossing the pizza dough up in the air, making his apron stretch over his stomach.
“No. That’s just Dino. A staple, but not a made guy.”
Ever since learning about all the various criminal syndicates in Navesink Bank, she’d been excited to spot the people in the wild. Never mind that she was in a club full of outlaw bikers.
“Yeah, but I already met you,” she’d said when I’d pointed that out. “I haven’t met a mafia boss yet.”
“Running into Jase Mallick and spotting my cousin Ferryn weren’t enough, huh?”
“Think of this like a celebrity autograph book. I have a biker, a loan shark, a mercenary, and a hacker. But I don’t have the signature from a mafia guy yet.”
If she was going to be this excited about them, I would personally drive her to every criminal in Navesink Bank’s house just so she could meet them.
“We should swing by Hope’s place on the way back to the clubhouse,” I said, my hand going to her lower back to scoot her closer so a guy with a giant stack of pizza boxes could pass.
“Hope… who is married to a cartel boss?”
“Yep. We’d probably walk out of there with a new dog for you, though.” At her pinched-brow look, I shrugged. “A is a dog person. He’s got a whole pack of pit bulls.”
“I definitely want a dog again eventually. I miss Hammy, even though I know she’ll be happier with Sofia. Oh! Is that him?” she asked when another guy came out of the back.
“That kid is all of eighteen,” I said, chuckling.
“I don’t know how old mafia dudes need to be to get made.”
“Usually at least drinking age,” I told her as we got closer to the counter.
As she was rattling off the different slices she wanted, I spotted Lucky and his trademark all-black suit outfit moving around in the back.
“Lucky,” I called, making his head whip over, brow raised.
