Witness: A Dark Mafia Romance (Romano Brothers Book 2) Read online

  That would be the smart thing to do. I’d tell Jenna and Tyler that Mateo and I made out a little. Maybe I could pretend to be sick, and make them take me home. I’ve been in New Jersey for all of twenty hours, and already my plans are being derailed. I needed to stay on track, to get up in the morning and start applying for jobs.

  I drop the chord, and wipe my sweaty palm on my pants. I start walking briskly towards the door before I have a chance to change my mind. On the way, I stumble over a mop bucket, but quickly regain my footing. I hold my arms straight out, walking carefully, as I approach the door.

  I reach out, expecting to touch wood. Instead, I feel fabric, and beneath it, something solid. The figure in front of me moves, and I realize it’s a person. The blood freezes in my veins. On the inside, I’m screaming at myself to snatch my hand away, but my body doesn’t want to obey. Heat emanates from beneath the thin T-shirt, absorbing into my hand and up my arm, electrifying my skin. It feels too good to pull away.

  The hard muscles fold, clenching my fingers, as the person bends down. My eyelids flutter. I try, unsuccessfully, to control my stuttered breathing. I sense a face, very close to mine, so close his stubble lighting grazes my cheek. I hear his lips part right at my ear. His warm breath on my neck makes me shiver.

  “Where are you going?” he asks in a gruff whisper. “You just got here.”

  I step back with a gasp, ripping my hand away from his delicious abdomen.

  “Mateo?” I whisper, squinting in the darkness.

  All I can see is the outline of his broad figure completely blocking the door. He’s bigger than I remember, and taller. In the darkness, it still doesn’t feel real. For all I know, this could be a dream. His footsteps echo through the silence as he takes a slow step towards me. There’s a large man approaching me in a darkened room, and it causes my instincts to kick in. I step back quickly with shuffling feet. Mateo cocks his head.

  “How you doing, kid?” he asks. His deep voice rumbles my chest.

  “Fine, fine,” I say in a quivering voice.

  I take another step back, and unexpectedly kick the mop bucket. It knocks me off my balance. My arms flail in the air. I try to catch myself, but I can’t fight the gravity. My knees buckle beneath me, and I tip backwards.

  Mateo thrusts his arm out, catching me around the waist. He yanks me forward, breaking the momentum of my fall, and holds me against his chest. I’m enveloped by his warm, solid body, and it sends endorphins flooding through my brain. His familiar scent floats into my nostrils, intoxicating me further. It’s a high I never want to come down from. Mateo brings his face so close to mine, our noses almost touch. He pauses for a moment, glancing down my chest. I breathe deeply, my chest heaving against his. In his arms, I feel like I could melt.

  “It’s good to see you,” he growls.

  Despite the darkness, I see a glimmer in his brown eyes. I stare into them, locked into his gaze. I clutch at his shirt, eager for his lips to crash against mine.

  “It’s good to see you too,” I say, my throat strained.

  Mateo’s lips twitch into a one-sided smile. He grazes his thumb against my cheek.

  “It’s been a long time,” he says. “But it doesn’t feel like it. I feel like we can start back where we left off.”

  He steps his long legs forward, pushing me backwards. His arm is tight around my waist, almost too tight. I have no choice but to follow his lead. My back hits the wall, and he presses his large body against me.

  This is all so surreal, and happening so fast. I shouldn’t do this. I’m not this kind of girl. But after working so hard, I deserve a little pleasure, right? And that’s all this is.

  Mateo grabs my wrists, and pins them over my head. “What are you doing here?” he asks. “Looking for a taste of the rough stuff? Just like back in high school?”

  I swallow hard. “I’m here with my friends. Just in town visiting.”

  Mateo tilts his forehead closer to mine. “Did you come looking for me?”

  “No, actually.” I laugh in a desperate attempt to act casual. I feel his stomach muscles flex against me. “Though I thought I might see you here.”

  “You thought you might,” he says with a cocky grin. He presses his pelvis harder against me. Blood pools between my legs when I feel something hard in his pants. “You miss me?”

  We are back where we left off. Mateo’s grip on me is as strong as ever. All I can focus on is the pulsing between my legs, and the dark desire flooding my brain.

  “I-um- I’ve been busy. Really distracted.”

  Mateo laughs slowly against my ear. His hot breath travels down the side of my neck, making my knees weak. He nibbles lightly at my earlobe.

  “You miss that?” he whispers.

  My eyelids flutter. I rest my head back on the wall, letting the pleasure overwhelm me.

  “Yes,” I whisper.

  He brings his face to the crook of my neck. He nips at my neck, moistening my skin with his warm saliva.

  “I miss the way you taste,” he growls. He snakes his hand down my arm, to the middle of my chest, and fiddles with my top button. “I miss the way you look, the way you feel.” He slips the tips of his fingers down my shirt, and kneads the fleshy top of my breast. I feel his cock growing harder. It strains against his pants, pressing into the bottom of my stomach. “Did you think you’d be back here tonight, with me?”

  I open my mouth to speak, but I can’t get the words out. I settle for quickly shaking my head.

  “You look good, Lily, just like you did back then.”

  Mateo lays his hand flat against my chest, then rubs it down, over the slope of my breasts. He stops at my lower stomach and gently presses. I feel the pressure in my clit.

  “Can I ask you something?” he says.

  I bite my lip, and blink once for ‘yes.’ Mateo looks into my eyes, his upper lip curling.

  “You still get as wet as you used to?” he asks, inching his hand down lower. “I remember sliding my hand between your legs, and your panties would be soaked through.” He brings his knee up between my legs, wedging it against my clit, putting me on the brink of coming. “You’re not going to tell me, huh? I’ll just have to see for myself.”

  Both of his hands flutter to the center of my waist. He quickly unbuttons my pants, then pushes them down, just below my pantie line. The dark, swirling heat in my belly won’t let me even think about telling him to stop. But inside, I’m freaking out.

  Are you seriously going to fuck Mateo right now?

  This isn’t me. I’d never dream of doing something like this with another guy. But Mateo always did bring out the adventurous side in me. He could play my body like a fiddle, knowing just how to work me up so I’d do whatever he wanted. He presses his lips against mine. They are soft, warm, and taste like him.

  Fuck it, I think, and kiss him passionately.

  Mateo clasps my hips, pinning me against the wall with his body. I reach up and tangle my hands in his thick hair. I give a little pull, and he grunts against my lips.

  “There she is,” Mateo says.

  He leaves a trail of kisses down my neck. When he gets to my chest, he pulls my shirt apart, ripping off a few buttons. My tits heave over the top of my black bra, nearly spilling out. Mateo lifts my shirt, and leaves wet kisses on my bare belly. He grabs my pants and starts yanking them down. I writhe against the wall, riding the wave of ecstasy.

  Mateo grabs the strings of my panties, and twists them around his thumb. I gaze down at his chiseled face as he kisses right at my pubic bone. He pulls my panties down, and stares at the soft mound of hair between my legs. A smile plays on his lips, and he flits his eyes up to my face. He dips a finger between my folds, and drags it up my clit. His fingertip slips easily over my soft flesh, and I know I’m fucking soaked.

  “Just like old times,” Mateo says.

  He pulls his fingers away, then pauses to admire my body. He licks his lips, then moves forward, like he’s going to plunge his m
outh between my legs. I purse my mouth to keep from whimpering. I want him so badly it hurts.

  Suddenly, the pants around my knees start to vibrate. I realize it’s my phone, and don’t give it a second thought. I want to ignore it, but Mateo won’t. He grins up at my me, then pulls the phone out of my back pocket.

  “Who could this be?” His voice is tinged with jealousy.

  “No one important,” I say in desperation.

  The phone lights up Mateo’s face when he looks at it.

  “The Molly has landed,” Mateo reads out.

  “That’s just Tyler,” I say with a sigh.

  I’m eager for Mateo to get back to what he was doing, but he’s staring in shock at my phone. He jumps up to his feet. His eyes are wide with panic.

  “Did Tyler get the Molly here?” he asks frantically.

  “Yeah. He has a contact here.”

  Mateo steps away from me, taking his body heat and leaving me cold. I feel a sting of disappointment, and reluctantly put my clothes back together. I don’t understand why Mateo’s freaking out about this. He thrusts the phone at me.

  “Tell him not to take it,” Mateo demands.

  “What? Why do you care?”

  “Just tell him,” Mateo yells.

  “Fine,” I say, typing out the text. Tyler responds immediately. “It says, ‘too late, bitch.’”

  “Fuck,” Mateo says, grabbing on to his hair.

  “What the hell is going on?”

  “The drugs they sell here are no good. They’ve been fucking people up, putting them in comas.”

  All the blood in my body rushes to my feet. My fingers go rigid, and I drop my phone on the ground. Mateo grabs my hand, pulling me out of the closet. I can barely feel my feet moving beneath me as we squeeze through the crowd to Jenna and Tyler. Jenna jumps up excitedly when she sees me. She holds up a small yellow pill for me to see.

  “I waited for you,” Jenna says, proudly, then nods to Tyler. “He didn’t.”

  Tyler shrugs. He’s swaying with the music, his eyes closed. Jenna glances at Mateo.

  “Hey, Mateo,” she says with casual coolness, then winks at me. She takes my hand, and drops my pill into my palm. “Bottoms up.”

  Jenna starts to bring her pill to her lips, when Mateo smacks her hand away. The pill flies out of her hand, hurtling a few feet away and getting lost underfoot of the crowd.

  “What the hell?” Jenna yells.

  “Jenna, we can’t take these drugs,” I say. “They’re dangerous.”

  “It’s not Molly,” Mateo explains. “It’s just a bunch of dangerous shit. Meth, crack, gasoline, kitchen cleaners.”

  Tyler clasps his hands to his mouth, gasping sharply, then starts fanning his face.

  “What’s going to happen to me?” he whines. “Am I going to die?”

  Tyler looks pleadingly to Mateo as if the hot mobster is his last hope.

  “It’s okay,” Mateo says, calmly. “It’s not too late. Come on, buddy. Let’s get you to the bathroom. You ever made yourself throw up before?”

  Tyler blinks in terror as he stands from his seat.

  “I’ll go with you,” I say.

  Mateo grabs my shoulder, stopping me. “The men’s restroom in this place isn’t a safe for a woman. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of your friend.”

  I don’t know what to say. One minute, I’m about to have dirty sex with this guy in a broom closet, the next, he’s saving my friend’s life.

  “Mateo. Thank you.”

  Mateo squeezes my hands quickly. “Any time.”

  The two of them disappear into the crowd. I’m shaking as I sit down next to Jenna. There’s a few shots on the table. I grab a random one and drink it down. It burns like hell. While I’m trying to gather my whits, I feel Jenna staring at me. I turn to her, and she erupts in a smile.

  “So, what happened with Mateo?” she asks.

  I stare at her in shock. “Are you really asking about that? Our friend is puking for his life.”

  Jenna narrows her eyes. “Stop trying to change the subject.” She looks down at my chest, and her eyes widen. “What happened to your shirt?”

  I flash back to what went down in the broom closet, and the hot desire flames up again. Redness spreads down my neck and across my chest. Jenna crosses her arms self righteously.

  “I knew it. I knew something would still be there,” she says.

  “Shut up,” I say, swatting her thigh. “He just wanted to hook up. That’s all. Thank God we were interrupted. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “You were interrupted? I told Tyler not to text you.” Jenna looks towards the bathroom. “It was kind of hot how Mateo ran in here and saved our lives. Jesus, Lily. I forgot how hot he is. Like, I remember him being gorgeous, but-“ She shakes her head, her voice trailing off.

  I shift in my seat. It makes me uncomfortable to hear people talking about Mateo’s good looks. It makes me doubt even more that he’d ever be interested in me. But none of that matters. Once Tyler is better, I’m getting the fuck out of here, and never thinking about Mateo again.

  “So, you’re going to fuck him, right?” Jenna asks.

  “What? No.”

  “But you were so close. Lily, you’re so uptight. I think you need to get laid.”

  “I can’t. I shouldn’t.”

  Jenna sighs, looking up at the ceiling. “It looks like the Molly is a bust. You might as well have fun tonight.” She looks behind me, then takes a sharp breath. “Look, there he is.”

  My spine turns into a rigid rod. I grab another shot and drink it down. Mateo saunters up to the table.

  “Where’s Tyler?” I ask. “Is he okay?”

  “He’s fine.” Mateo sits at the table with us. “I found a nice quiet room in the back. He’s drinking water, resting.”

  I clasp my chest, sighing with relief.

  “Thank you so much,” Jenna says, reaching out and grabbing Mateo’s arm. “Good looking out.”

  “It’s nothing,” Mateo says, swatting the air. “We’re old friends, right?” His eyes land on me. I feel his gaze pierce into my soul.

  Jenna looks between the both of us. I feel her egging me on telepathically.

  “Let me buy you a drink,” Jenna says. “You saved our sweet Tyler.”

  Mateo starts to protest, but Jenna’s not hearing it.

  “A round for the table. On me,” she says. Before she walks away, she flashes me an encouraging look.

  I’m left alone with Mateo. He’s staring at me, and I feel like he’s undressing me with his eyes. There’s a tingle up my spine. I start to think that Jenna has a point. Maybe I should have fun tonight, be reckless, just this once.

  I silently tell myself to get it together, then force myself to look at Mateo.

  “I can’t thank you enough.”

  Mateo shrugs, leaning back in his chair. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s my job, you know, to protect the people around here.” He cocks his head, his gaze intensifying. “If I remember correctly, you had a real problem with that.”

  The tone of his voice slams into me dully. I can’t believe he’d dredge up old drama after just having his hands all over my body.

  “Don’t worry, Lily,” Mateo says. “Water under the bridge, right? Who gives a fuck about the past? All I care about is getting you back in the broom closet to finish what we started.”

  He gives me his most infuriating, smarmy smile. It’s like he’s saying he always gets what he wants from me, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’d forgotten what he’s really like, cockily confident, and with good reason to be. But, unfortunately for him, I’m not the naive girl he used to know.

  “That’s it?” I ask, my voice dripping with attitude.

  Mateo drops his gaze down with a chuckle. “Yeah, Lily, that’s it. I thought that’s what we both were after. Just a hookup.”

  He slides his arm across the table. The tips of his fingers just barely touch the outside of my arm, but
it’s enough to send a violent shiver up my spine. Mateo smiles at my reaction. I yank my arm away and fold my hands in my lap.

  “If that’s all you’re after, then let’s go back there right now.” I raise my eyebrow, challengingly.

  Mateo’s expression hardens, then dissolves into a grin. “We have drinks coming,” he says.

  Right on cue, Jenna arrives carrying three shots. While she’s passing them out, Mateo leans towards me and mouths, “soon.”

  I stare at the shot in front of me. I haven’t drank this heavily in months, and I’m really feeling the shots I’ve already taken. Obviously, my inhibitions have eroded. I should stop now before I really do something stupid.

  Mateo lifts his shot, and gives me a challenging look. “Cheers.”

  Every bit of my good sense flies out the window. I lift the shot, and throw it down my throat. Mateo slams his empty glass on the table.

  “So, what’s going on with you?” he asks. “What brings you back?”

  I press my tongue hard against the roof of my mouth, trying to keep the shot down.

  “I’m visiting my parents,” I say with a cough.

  “Where you live?”

  “Brooklyn.”

  Mateo studies my face, making this feel like an interrogation.

  “What about you, Jenna?” he asks. “You visiting too?”

  Jenna shakes her head, swinging her hair. “No. I moved back in with my parents.”

  Mateo turns his dark eyes back on me. “You working? Or still mooching off of Mom and Dad.”

  I bite the inside of my cheek, determined not to show him how much this comment affects me. I shake my head slowly.

  “Nope. I work at a marketing agency in Manhattan.”

  Jenna kicks me sharply under the table. I don’t look at her.

  “What about you?” I ask.

  Mateo shrugs. “You know.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I say with a laugh. That last shot hit me right in the head, and I’m feeling particularly bold. “You’re doing the same stuff you were doing in high school.”

  Mateo scoffs, but I can tell he’s amused. He used to love when I’d antagonize him. I figure you don’t get too many naysayers when everyone’s afraid of you. I never feared Mateo. I knew him. I trusted him. And it looks like I still do.