“You’ve got a good attitude about all this,” Liam said. “Not many would in the face of such pressures.”
“You mean, not many women?”
Liam only shrugged.
“I don’t see where I have much choice. My children depend on me. They’re most important. They’re what pushed my husband to become a sailor in the first place. It was the promise of more money, a better life for the kids...even if it meant being away from them.”
Liam appeared to shiver. “Don’t think I could survive without my boys. Think I’d go insane without them. It’s like I depend on them as much as they depend on me.”
Erica rested the side of her face on the seat, her eyes soft as she watched Liam. “You’re a good father,” she said.
Comforting silence carried them another few blocks.
“This is it,” Erica was telling Liam, gesturing toward the Harlem apartment building beyond the window.
The place had an inviting brick exterior offset by vivid arrangements of tulips and African violets. The vibrant flora were planted in dark soil and filled large, stone pots on either side of the stoop.
Before Erica stepped out, Liam was leaving the truck and coming around to open her door. He had just taken her hand to help her down when he heard his name.
The man on the sidewalk chuckled throatily when Liam turned in acknowledgement. “I thought that was you, Tesano. Surprise finding you here.”
“Same here, Matti,” Liam proceeded to help his passenger from the truck. “Erica, this is Santino Matti one of my neighbors.”
“Just seeing a lady friend,” Matti noted, tipping the brim of his hat in greeting to Erica who smiled and nodded. “Be seeing you, Tesano,” he said and moved on.
“I should be going too Liam,” Erica said. “Thank you for the ride.”
“And thank you for the dinner invitation.”
The silence that followed wasn’t quite as comfortable as what they’d enjoyed in the truck. Erica looked to her hand, still being held by Liam. Gently, she tugged herself free.
Liam blinked as if coming out of a trance.
“Good night, Liam.”
He retreated a step. “Good night, Erica.” He watched until she’d climbed the tall stoop and the building door closed at her back.
~15~
Two Months Later...
She woke with a gasp, but couldn’t be sure if it was due to the time on the wall clock across from the bed or because of what was happening to her beneath the bed linens. She was practically immobile on the squeaky mattress, her thighs locked in Giaimo’s powerful grip. His head nudged at her roughly while he claimed her with his mouth.
Athena’s fingers curled weakly around the pillow case as she tried to arch into the treat her lover had been plying her with before she woke. Her bottom sat in the damp, sticky pool of her need. Faintly, she wondered how many times she’d found release during her sleep.
She cried out into the room when he traded his hold on one of her thighs and smoothed the wide palm up to cover her breast. The mound heaved urgently and she found her delight in his rough skin grazing the nipple. Shuddering, she gave into another cloying orgasm.
The pressure of his smothering weight took hold when he emerged from the covers to settle in and claim her mouth as he had her sex. She moaned insatiably during the act. Tingles were rampant across her body as she pulled her taste from his tongue.
He next filled her with his sex and her cries were nearly ear-splitting. Surely they echoed through the thin walls of the boarding house, she thought.
Giaimo made no effort to quiet her. His housemates were already pea green with envy over the lush beauty he’d been bedding for the past couple of months. Her pleasured screams from his room only made them livid and he basked in their torture as well as his own satisfaction.
If only he could make his perfect little brother bask in similar torture. Growing up the middle of two perfect sons had not been easy. It had been a torture all its own. He would’ve given anything for their family’s tragedy to have never occurred. Yet, it had freed him from the existence that required him to shine as brightly as his older and younger brothers.
Of course, trying to outshine Emilio was a fool’s errand. He was the first born and there was no competing with that. Liam though...he’d been the last of the litter for many years before the twins.
Their parents had adored Liam. So did Emilio. There was something about his younger brother that drew people. It was evident since before Liam had taken his first steps. As hard as Giaimo had tried, he could never match it. Then, their parents had died and Liam had taken the coward’s path and stayed behind like a weak woman. Giaimo had proven his worth, joining Emilio without hesitation when he sought revenge.
Now, it was as if history were repeating itself. Emilio was dazzled by all their younger brother had accomplished. So much so, he’d called on a number of resources to protect it for Liam at no cost. Giaimo found his cautions outvoted as both Mica and Tori were in full agreement as well.
Yes, everyone gravitated toward Liam. Everyone...except the slice of confection he had all but branded with his name over the last 8 weeks. She had come to him there the first time and had taken him into her many times since. There were all sorts of nooks and crannies at the factory that provided the kind of privacy they needed. Athena had tried to play Liam’s doting wife and could not. She craved what Giaimo and only Giaimo could give her and Giaimo was happy to be of service.
He switched their places in bed without breaking their sexual connection. With Athena astride him, he smothered her hips, guiding their movements. He rotated, lifted and settled her upon his stiff cock that was on the verge of erupting. She had been there since mid-morning under the pretense of running errands. They didn’t have much time left and he wanted another go with her before they parted ways.
“No,” Athena sobbed when she felt his need splashing her intimate walls. She wasn’t ready for it to be over. Still, she contracted her muscles around the long, wide length, instinctively milking all it had to give.
For long moments after, their breathing filled the unremarkable room. When Athena pressed on Giaimo’s torso in an effort to climb off him, his hold tightened at her hips.
“More,” he ordered without opening his eyes.
“We can’t do t-this. It has to be the last.”
He smiled, eyes still closed. He had heard the words before. “The last for the day?” he teased.
“We can’t risk Liam finding out.”
“Let him. I’m not afraid of my little brother.”
