Matteo (The DiMaggio Crime Family, #1)

by T. Priceton

“The strength of a woman comes from her confidence within, and it’s my job as your mother to teach you and make you see the worth you have.”

The fact this woman stabbed me in the back and I’m still checking her out tells me there’s something seriously fucking wrong with me. I barely pay attention to the females that throw themselves at me every night at the club, yet here I am checking out one who tried to fucking kill me. With my back turned, nonetheless. Fucking ridiculous.

I shouldn’t be thinking about her intoxicating aroma, especially at this moment, yet I can’t help but notice the citrus and vanilla scents emanating from her, blending to create an enticingly sweet but not overpowering fragrance. Get it the fuck together, Teo. I release a nearly undetectable groan, trying to rein in that ridiculous thought and keep my body from reacting to Luxtyn squirming in my arms. Enzo gives me one of his shit-eating grins, surely reading my mind, which is not what I need right now.

Oh, my Little Lux. You stabbed me. It’ll take a lot more than that to get out of my grasp.

“Relax, Little Lux,” and to my surprise, after a few seconds and a few deep breaths, she slackens and loosens her grip on my forearms, leaving behind a trail of ten crescent-shaped marks in them.

“That’s my good girl,” I whisper. Although, I don’t know why I said my, as if she’s mine. She’s a means to an end, Teo. Fucking remember that.

“I’m going to let you go. Can you remain calm, Little Lux?” I whisper, and the soft strands that have fallen over her ear sway with each word I breathe out. I’m not sure why I keep calling her Little Lux like it’s some cute fucking petname I’ve made for her, and it’s not something I want to figure out right now. She nods. “Use your words, sweet girl.” Again with the fucking petnames, but I can’t help it when she responds so perfectly to me.

“I’m not done speaking. You’ve done enough talking, and I kept my mouth shut. Now it’s my turn to speak and your turn to listen. Are you capable of that?” I pause, waiting for his answer, which he gives with a defeated sigh and a slight nod.

“So, you’re going to kill me if I don’t marry you? I didn’t realize you were so desperate to have a woman by your side,” she says. “Why do I even need you? Angelo can just help me find my mom.”

This girl might actually make having a wife . . . exciting. There’s a thought I never thought I’d have.

“Better things to do than keep my brother’s most prized possession in safe hands?” That causes a cackle from me. “I highly doubt I’m your brother’s most prized possession,” I quip while I hop off the bed and walk around Enzo to where my duffle bag was dropped off at some point.

“Perfect timing,” I grunt out as I button up my shirt while keeping my gaze on Luxtyn who’s still rooted in place at my office door. She hasn’t looked me in the eye since I turned around, as she kept her eyes on my exposed chest and abs the whole time. It has me grinning like a damn fool.

“I don’t want to marry you,” she says firmly, which makes me laugh. I thought we were past this. “So you’ve said,” I respond nonchalantly. She narrows her gaze, and it’s the cutest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Irritating Luxtyn Stockwell might be my new favorite hobby.

One kiss. It took one kiss to turn me into a starved man.

“This’ll be the last time you ever have another man’s shirt on. You need something to wear, Little Lux, you come to me.”

“Either you wrap this blanket around your body now, or I’ll bend you over the back of this couch and give my brother an even bigger show than you already have.” A spark flares in her eyes before a smirk pulls at the corner of her lips. “What makes you think I wouldn’t like that?”

Enzo’s voice pulls me out of my daze. “Man. I bet you guys are going to have some fucking fantastic sex.”

“I think you and I both know those were just words, Little Lux.” He glances down at my lips, and I dart my tongue out to moisten them. “There’s something about you. Something that draws me to you. Something that doesn’t allow me to get you out of my head.”

“I told him we’ll talk about it after we find your mother.” Drawing his head up, he turns to look at me. “I want to focus on that first. That is my priority.”

“Why are you suddenly making this your priority?”

“We’re married, Little Lux. It’s you and I, you got it? I know our vows were done under not so normal circumstances, but they’re vows, nonetheless. I plan on taking them seriously, and I hope you do too.”

“The next time I see you rolling your eyes at me, it’ll be because you’re about to come the hardest you’ve ever come in your damn life. On my fingers. On my tongue. On my dick. It’ll be your choice, Little Lux. But the next time you roll those pretty brown eyes of yours into the back of your head, it’ll be with my name on your lips while you beg me for more.”

He pushes into me, holding me in place with his body, so I place my hands on his hard chest and push him, but he doesn’t budge. He never budges.

I’ve been wasting too much time trying to find her mother, and Mancini has proven to be useless, so while Lux did some shopping, I came up with a plan. One that could put me in the line of fire, but finding Lux’s mother makes it worth it. Because she’s worth it.

She glances back over her shoulder with that perfect smile of hers that could melt even the coldest of hearts. I would know.

“If it weren’t for having to find your mother, I would’ve taken my gun and shot the eyes out of each and every one of those men for seeing what belongs to me,” he seethes.

“If you think I’m going to wear a condom while I fuck my wife, you’re sorely mistaken. There will be no barrier between us. Ever, Lux.”

But knowing Lux has had sex with other guys before me leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. “I’m going to need names later,” I mutter. Her brows draw inward. “Excuse me?” “Names. I’m going to need names of the men you’ve been with.” So I can fucking get rid of them. I will not allow anyone who’s been inside my wife to live on this earth.

“I want to hear you say you’re mine,” I say as I continue my languid thrusts in and out of her. “W-what are you talking about?” I stop my movements and brush a lock of hair out of her face. “Those men saw what was mine tonight. I need to know you’re not going to do that again unless you want to be responsible for the deaths of every single person who sees you like that. You’re mine, Little Lux. You have been since the day I laid eyes on you. You understand?” She nods. “I need to hear you say it,” I growl out. “Yes, Teo. I’m yours. I’m all fucking yours.”

“Mauricio doesn’t know when to shut-up once he’s started speaking. The stripper barely had to do any work.” I stare at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue, and when he doesn’t, I decide to mess with him. “We prefer being called dancers, Teo.” He grows still and his eyes narrow in on mine. I shove at his chest. “Hey, I’m just kidding.”

A tidal wave of emotions overtakes me for a few seconds at the sight of my sister comforting my wife. I want to be the one to comfort her. The only one. Holy fuck. I’m jealous of my own damn sister.

“Man, you must really like Lux.” I can’t deny that. “You used to have no problem telling me about your sex life. But now,” he says with another laugh. “Now I can’t even get you to admit if you’ve fucked or not.” “We fucked. It was the best damn sex of my entire life. And yes, I do really like Lux. Any other questions I need to answer, or is this inquisition over?”

She glances back and forth between my eyes, a furrow in her brow. “What’re you doing to me?” she whispers. “The same thing you’re doing to me.” It’s not a direct answer to her question, but it’s enough for her to understand that what’s happening between us is real. The feelings we’re developing for each other are real.

“Who would’ve thought that the big tough Mafia boss who kidnapped me and forced me into marrying him would turn out to be a big ol’ softie deep down,” she teases.

“You keep doing what you do to me, Lux, and I’m going to end up being a fucking goner for you before you know it.” Raising a brow at him, I playfully say, “I’m pretty sure you already are.”

“You might be right about that, Little Lux. You might be right.”

“Then I’m not going to say no. I’m not going to say no to being part of this world that you live in.” She wraps her other hand around the back of my neck. “Because a world without you is a world I want no part of. I’m in this with you, Teo. I’m choosing to stay married to you for the rest of my life.”

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, Little Lux, but I’m going to spend every day for the rest of our lives worshiping you the way you deserve.”