Charles

I stepped out of the limousine and drew in a deep, refreshing breath of the crisp air. The Levine family estate appeared just as magnificent and fragrant as it had always been. Time had passed, and while the surroundings remained unchanged since my last visit, I had grown. No longer a boy, I felt the quickening of my pulse. I was here to see Geneva, who had also grown into a stunning and captivating woman.


Her father's funeral had given me much to contemplate. Geneva was as enchanting and beautiful as I had remembered her from our youth.

I had loved Geneva deeply during our childhood, even discussing marriage as we grew older. Yet, as a teenager, I had to put such dreams aside, considering our age difference.

Any man in his right mind would feel fortunate to marry her, but I wasn't rushing to the altar just yet. I still needed to win her over, though judging by her behavior at the funeral, I wasn't too concerned about that.


I had to win over Levi Evangelista more than her. He was the one who would make the ultimate decision, and the whole mob world knew how exacting his standards were. He didn't become Don Alonzo's consigliere by slacking off.

Peaceful stillness hung over the estate. If I married Geneva, all of this would be mine. Her father's empire would pass to me.


I would be more than my father's heir and the don of the whole Terranova family. I would be the head of the biggest mob organization on the Eastern Seaboard. The combined Terranova-Levine empire would command the loyalty of every other family around. No one would dare to stand up to us—to me.

And I would have Geneva by my side. She would be mine.

I had to watch my step on this visit, though. Levi would be watching me like a hawk to make sure Geneva married a man who would be worthy of her and who would shepherd Don Alonzo's empire into the future. Levi wouldn't let me near Geneva unless he knew I could do the job.

The chauffeur started unloading my luggage from the limo. I jumped when the house door opened. Levi strode down the steps.

He held out his hand to me, and his face lit up with a big grin. 'Charles—welcome! It's such a pleasure. Come inside, and I'll introduce you to…"

Geneva pushed past him and shoved between me and Levi. 'You don't have to be so formal, Levi. Charles and I don't need to be introduced. We already know each other." She looked up at me, and her eyes blazed with incredible light. 'Hi."

My cheeks flushed with heat. 'Hi."

She slipped her hand through my arm and pulled me toward the house. 'So, how long are you staying? You're staying on the third floor. You've been there before, so you don't really need the grand tour, do you?"

I couldn't stop grinning at her. She looked amazing—so much better than at the funeral. A cloud still hung over her there. Now, she radiated light and happiness and… something else. 'You could give me the grand tour. I'd love that."

She exploded into an even more magnificent smile, but before we could go anywhere, Levi dodged in front of us. 'Hold it, Princess. This is official family business. We need to go through the proper protocols to make sure Charles doesn't slip through the cracks."

'Charles isn't going to slip through any cracks." She rolled her eyes at me.

'Not unless you want me to," I added, and she laughed. That laugh gave me the thrill of my life. I could still make her laugh.

'You have to forgive Levi," she told me. 'He likes to dot his I's and cross his T's."

'Who doesn't?" I asked, and she laughed again.

I couldn't help grinning back at her. She made me so damn happy. Could I really be looking at the next fifty years of my life right here in front of me? She was a thousand times the woman I thought she was.

'Excuse me for interrupting this reunion, Princess," Levi interrupted, 'but there is a certain amount of formality we have to observe. For a start, we need to contact his father and let him know Charles's here."

'You can do that," Geneva told him. 'Charles just drove across town. It isn't like he took a transatlantic flight and might have crashed on a desert island."

I laughed and immediately stopped when Levi scowled at me, but Geneva barely noticed. 'We can skip the formalities, at least until later. Come on, Charles. Let's go for a walk, just you and me. Your man can take your luggage up to your room. Levi will show him where it is."

She drew me away into the grounds and left Levi behind. I got so consumed with looking at her that I didn't see whether he was mad at me or not. I didn't want to know.

Geneva kept grinning at me with that intoxicating wickedness. Were those mischievous looks suggesting something?

She towed me by the arm to the path through the rose garden, and a second later, the driveway vanished behind the hedges. We were alone. We might as well be on the moon.

Her hand on my arm sent electric thrills through me. The glint in her eye whispered so many suggestive hints that I felt myself starting to spiral off the deep end. She couldn't really be trying to imply anything, could she?

She turned into the trees beyond the hedges. The leafy canopy shaded the grounds in this part of the estate. The stone wall separated the Levines' domain from the rest of New York.

She let her hand slip off my arm. She kept smiling up at me in such obvious delight that I took her hand in mine without even thinking about it first.

Her eyes widened in surprise, but she didn't pull away. She squeezed my hand tighter. She liked it. My heart turned over again. This first meeting was going so much better than I hoped.

'So…" she began. 'How was your flight?"

I laughed. 'It was exhausting."

She laughed back. 'I'm sorry to hear that."

'Yeah… The delays at the airport were hell, and the plane from Paris had mechanical trouble so we sat on the runway for hours while they repaired it. I was really worried we wouldn't make it to JFK at all."

She beamed at me. 'I'm really glad you're here."

'Yeah." I pulled her to a halt under the trees. 'Me too."

She brushed her hair out of her face and looked up at me like she wanted to say something else, but I didn't give her a chance. If all her hints and blushes and suggestions meant something, I wanted to find out right now.

I pulled her in by her arm. Her breath caught, and her pupils dilated. She glanced down at my mouth and realized what I was about to do a second before I did it.

I hesitated just to let the reality sink in. I gave her a long moment to pull away if she wanted to, but she didn't.

She stood so close to me, and the tension sizzled through her, but she didn't withdraw. She gripped my hand tighter, and when I kissed her, she melted into it. Her lips softened and floated open for me.

I tugged her the rest of the way in and slipped my fingers into her hair. Her mouth tasted delicious, and her tongue welcomed mine in a delicate dance of sweet bliss. She collapsed into my hand guiding her deeper into that kiss.

She slipped her arms around my waist, and her body sagged against me. She felt so beautifully responsive and receptive. She was everything I wanted to marry and more.

I let her lips slip off mine. Her eyes shimmered inches from my face. 'So…" I murmured. 'Would you like to marry me?"

She blushed again, but she didn't pull out of my hand that still cradled the back of her head. 'I think Levi might have something to say about that."

She started to step back. She still smiled up at me, but I didn't want to let her go so easily. 'Hey! Come here. I'm not finishing with you."

I yanked her hand and tugged her back against me. I kissed her much harder and hooked her arm behind her back to crush her into me.

She yelped and then collapsed into my hold. She electrified me like no one else I'd ever met. I had to have her all to myself right now.

I lifted her off the ground, kissing her fast and hard and deep. She squealed, and that squeal turned into a moan of unquenchable desire. She couldn't be this responsive, this open. What if she let me take her right now?

The thought set me off in a volcanic rush of passion, and hot blood flooded to my crotch. I took a chance and dug my swollen prick between her legs.

She whined in excruciating pleasure, and a shiver went through her. She clawed at my shoulder, somewhere between fighting to get away and pulling me in tighter. Fuck, she was on fire!

I slid my other hand down to her ass and crushed her into my package. Her legs parted, and she actually arched her back to drive her slit down on my spike. Holy shit, she wanted it!

I let go of her ass and massaged one breast through her shirt. She gasped in my mouth and broke away in a desperate moan of aching passion. Saliva moistened her lips, and she shuddered, drawing ragged breaths between her bared teeth.

Her drunken eyes floated up to mine, and my brain exploded when I found myself looking down at some kind of wild animal lost in ravenous desire. Was this the little girl I used to know—this craven harpy matching every move of mine with so much volcanic energy?

She leaned in and kissed me before she eased just the tiniest bit backward. I kept squeezing and teasing her breast.

That look in her eyes drove me crazy. She didn't lose it as she weaseled herself out of my arms.

She pulled my hand away from her chest, slithered her fingers into mine, and started drawing me deeper into the trees.

She walked backward in such an obvious suggestion of more that I followed in a trance. Did she really want to do it—here?

I caught her and kissed her again, but she only laughed. 'You're bad. I knew you were bad at the funeral. Levi would kick your ass if he knew you were kissing me like this on your first night here."

'I'll do more than kiss you." I snatched her and pulled her in again. 'Do you want to find out just how far I would go? I'm not afraid of Levi."

I was actually afraid of Levi. Any sane man would be, but she only laughed. 'Not here. We're still too close to the house. He could be watching us through the windows."

I rushed her, seized both her wrists, and shoved her against a tree. I pinned her there and raised both her arms against the bark on both sides.

I flattened my body against hers and drove my throbbing cock between her legs. I undulated against her to stroke into her sweet little pussy.

'Let's do it right here," I hissed down into her panting mouth. 'Let him watch. It would probably turn him on to see how hot you are. Huh? Do you want me to fuck you right here in front of him? You know you want me to."

She moaned, and her whole body quaked. Her eyes drifted half-closed when I ground my cock into her.

'You want it, don't you? You want to show off for Levi? Huh?" I glanced sideways. 'There's a security guard posted on the wall over there. Do you want him to watch me fuck you right here against this tree? Huh? Spread your legs for me, and show me how much you want it."

I made sure she didn't answer that by kissing her again. She kept whimpering and sobbing into my mouth so desperately that I knew she wanted it. She was dying for it.

I let go of one of her wrists and dove my hand between her legs. I rubbed her through her loose, white slacks, and she moaned again.

'Say you want me to take you, baby," I murmured. 'Say you want me to show you off to all these guys. Does that turn you on? You want all these guys to see how hot and wet you are for me?"

'Charles…"

I grabbed her waistband to pull her fly open, but she grabbed my wrist to stop me. I struggled for a second to understand what she was trying to do.

'Charles…" I looked up and found her staring at me with a very different expression. She gulped. 'I can't. I'm… a virgin."

Those words poured a bucket of cold water over me, and I dropped both hands. Her arms fell to her sides. 'Oh. Right."

'I'm… sorry. I shouldn't have led you on. It's just that… it's important to both our families that I'm a virgin when we—I mean, when I—get married."

I snapped out of my sex-crazed trance and smiled at her. 'I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you like that. That was wrong of me. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

'You didn't. I…" She ran her hand across her eyes. 'I wanted it. I…"

I studied her for a second. 'Are you sure? You aren't just saying that?"

'Of course. Did you think I was just playing along? Of course, I wanted it. I loved it."

Another torch of adrenaline burned my insides. She wanted it! She loved it.

I slipped my fingers into hers and eased in close to steal another kiss. 'Would you like to do it again?"

She gasped, and that insatiable shiver gripped her. 'Yes!" she whispered. 'I need it so bad!"

I stole a glance up at the guard tower. 'Does it turn you on to know that guy up there might see you?"

'Yes!" she breathed. 'It turns me on so much!"

I snaked my other arm behind her back and pulled her down on my rock-hard cock. Every shaky breath coming out of her made me so throbbing hard I couldn't stand it. 'Does it turn you on to think about Levi watching you from the house?"

'Yes!" she panted.

'You want him to see how turned on you are, don't you? You want him to see me touching you… and fingering you… and turning you on like this. Don't you? You want him to see you begging me for it."

She squealed in agony and shoved her pussy down on my prick. She gasped and cried with every cruel stroke. Holy fuck, she turned me on like no woman I'd ever met!

All at once, she burst out laughing, tore away from me, and took off running through the trees. She shot me an impish grin over her shoulder.

That grin set my blood on fire, and I bolted after her. The little vixen! The tease! I would show her.

I raced up behind her, and when she looked back at me, her hair blew across her face. Her eyes blazed with desire and mischief. She wanted me to hunt her down and take her right here in the woods like an animal.

She dodged trees, but I was too fast. I charged her and tackled her down in a pile of dry leaves. She laughed and yelped again. Her sounds fogged my brain with lust and the excitement of the chase.

I rolled her on her back, and she started to struggle. That only made me want her even more. I climbed on top of her, pinned her wrists again, and squashed my prick between her legs. 'Beg me for it, baby. Beg me to show you off to every man who wants you. Huh? Is that what you want? You want to be my wife—my hot little wife? Does this turn you on—me punishing you and teaching you your place?"

Her moist, soft eyes drilled into my soul and, impossibly, she spread her legs to bring me between them. She wrapped them around my hips and rippled under me when I drove into her.

Her lips parted in a seductive moan. Her breasts heaved with her breath. She was ripe for the picking under me, but this was all a game. She was a virgin, and she had to stay that way until I married her.

Oh, fuck, I was so going to marry this girl. I had to have her. I had to be the one to pluck her sweet flower and teach her how to be my seductress like this.

I wanted to be the one to hunt her down and take her in the woods. I would take her like this for real as soon as she became mine. I couldn't wait.

I dove in and kissed her again. She relaxed under me, and her kisses became slow and deep and sensual. Her tongue glided around mine, and I lowered myself on top of her.

I had to let go of her wrists to touch the rest of her, and she responded as never before. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down into a deep kiss of bottomless love and bliss.

I couldn't take this. I let myself succumb to something so much more meaningful. I loved this girl so much when I was younger, but now, so much emotion gripped me that it almost hurt. I could go on kissing her forever and never get enough.

Without warning, she ripped me sideways, dropped me in the leaves at her side, vaulted to her feet, and streaked away laughing. Her voice pealed through the trees.

I sank back on the leaves. This girl was going to be the death of me, but a second later, she called from much farther away in the grounds. 'You can't catch me! Catch me and I'll kiss you again."

I was on my feet in a split second, but I didn't run. This vixen needed to learn a lesson about running away from me.

I headed the other way and went back to the lawn. The dry leaves would give away my position. I needed to sneak up on her.

I followed the path in the direction her voice came from. Then I spotted one of the security guards. He turned in his watch tower and looked down into the grounds. He must be watching Geneva through the trees. Then the next guy in line did the same thing.

I grinned to myself. She thought she was being clever. I would show her who was boss.

I headed into the trees, but I chose my route so nothing would alert her that I was sneaking up on her.

She appeared up ahead. She wasn't running anymore. She hid behind a tree looking toward where she left me. She had no idea what was coming.

I circled behind her and tiptoed from one tree to the next. She hid there and kept peeking out to search for me, but she had her back to me.

My heart fluttered as I drew nearer. This girl was all mine.

I crept right up behind her and then sprang out. I grabbed her and gave a tremendous, monstrous roar. She screamed out loud, and at least three of the security guards spun around.

They raised their weapons and aimed down at us, but I couldn't stop laughing.

'Charles, you asshole!" She swatted my shoulder. 'You scared me!"

I put my arms around her and hugged her. 'I'm sorry… Actually, no, I'm not. You said you would kiss me if I caught you."

She glared at me and then split in another grin. 'You bastard."

I pulled her close, but the same thrilling passion didn't erupt again. The game was over.

She let me kiss her, and that kiss softened into such a sweet, happy kiss that I didn't want it to end.

She pulled off suddenly. 'Do you hear that?"

'Do I hear the sound of you ratting me out to Levi? Yeah, I do."

'I'm serious. Do you hear something?"

I listened. She was right. I frowned. 'What is that?"

We both looked around, but there was nothing to see. A few birds flitted in the tree branches, but the strange sound didn't come from them.

The security guards went back to looking out at the city. Geneva and I searched everywhere, but the sound didn't stop.

It sounded like something making little soft bursts of some kind of sighing sound. Geneva ventured deeper into the trees, but I pulled her back. 'It's coming from the wall."

'How can it be coming from the wall? It's made of solid stone."

I listened again. 'It's coming from the other side."

I found a sycamore tree with some low-hanging branches, and I climbed up. I looked down at the grass outside the wall.

The noise came from a guy. He wore a tailored grey suit, but blood saturated the back of it, and the seams had split on his burly, muscular shoulders.

Blood, gore, and split flesh clotted his scalp, and blood dripped from his hair. I couldn't see his face because he was on his hands and knees trying to crawl across the grass.

His knuckles had split in several places. Cuts, bruises, and caked blood discolored his neck and what parts of his cheeks and ears that I could see.

He kept making those soft gasping noises while he struggled to crawl a few paces. Then he fell flat on his face in the grass, but he still tried to claw his way forward and failed.

'What is it?" Geneva asked. 'What do you see?"

'There's a guy over here. He's all beat up." I pulled out my phone. 'I think he needs an ambulance."

She climbed up on the branch next to me and looked over. 'Oh my God! It's Nico!"