A Very Merry Hitman (Holiday With a Hitman #2)

7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

If you were able to believe in Santa Claus for eight years, you can believe in yourself for like five minutes.

Dante took the small glass mug that Sarah, a former hitman, shoved into his hand. Roughly in her sixties, though it was hard to tell for sure, the dark-haired woman was only happy in December. She’d once told him it was because it was the month her ex-husband had died, not because of the holidays.

Either way, it was the only time of year she ever smiled.

“What’s this?” He sniffed it cautiously.

She rolled her eyes. “Christmas punch, dumbass, not poison.”

Poison hadn’t been her forte anyway, garrotes had been. “Smells good.”

“Because it is good. I made it with just the right amounts of champagne, rum, cranberry, cider and just a hint of orange. Perfection,” she said on a happy sigh.

“You’re in a good mood,” he murmured, taking a sip of it, finding it not too sweet. Huh, it actually was good.

“Of course I am. Elli told me you’d be singing tonight and we’re all ready for the show.”

He froze for a moment, then sighed. “I’d forgotten about that,” he muttered before stalking away from her.

Almost everyone from the neighborhood was here at Manuel’s house, the biggest one in their neighborhood of hitmen. At five thousand square feet, with a huge pool and lanai area and big sliding glass doors that opened from both the kitchen and attached living room to the outside, this place had been built with entertaining in mind.

As he made his way through the throng of people in the kitchen, Hudson stepped in front of him. “Hey.”

Dante blinked. “Hey, didn’t know you were coming tonight.” Hudson didn’t live in the neighborhood with the rest of their professional group, but on a boat in one of the local marinas. He said that being tied down in a static place made him anxious, which Dante could understand.

“Lorna threatened to put my balls in a vise if I didn’t.” Hudson gave a dry smile.

“Liar. You’d have come anyway.”

“Well I did hear that you were singing.” Hudson grinned. “And that you’d be wearing a costume.”

“Man, fuck you,” he muttered, glancing around, still trying to find Aileen. He’d been here for half an hour and still hadn’t seen her. She’d still been working in her office when he’d left hours ago and he hadn’t wanted to disturb her. But after what Nessa had said about her date—and hoping that Aileen went on another one—he was on edge. He needed eyes—and more—on Aileen.

Where the hell was she? The place was spread out, but it wasn’t that big and he knew everyone here.

Elliana and Theo appeared out of nowhere, Theo wearing an ugly Christmas sweater and Elliana in a dark green and black sweater with a reindeer carrying TNT.

Theo clapped hands with him and pulled him into a hug.

“Glad to have you back. How was the trip?” Dante asked as he stepped back. He’d missed his friend.

“Good, but I’m glad to be home. I heard you and Elli did a little recon earlier in the week?”

“What recon? What’s going on?” Hudson turned back from watching a trio of women singing karaoke.

“No recon, just Christmas shopping,” Dante said, taking Elliana by the arm. No way was he letting Hudson know what he’d been up to. For a hitman, Hudson was surprisingly chatty. “I’m going to steal your wife for a second. Here.” He shoved the champagne cider stuff into Theo’s hands, then tugged Elliana with him into a quiet-ish corner of the kitchen near a dessert table.

“Look, I was going to tell you after the party. Chill.” Elliana held up her hands before she snagged a small plate and started piling on petit fours.

“Tell me what? And where is Aileen?” he murmured, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

“Oh, I thought that was why… Anyway, I might have found the mugger. I thought that’s what you wanted to talk about. And Aileen is over there,” she said with a chin nod as she added a blondie to her plate.

“Are you serious?” he asked even as he zeroed in on Aileen, saw her talking to Theo and Hudson.

Was Hudson a little too close to her? Dante frowned, then cursed himself. He needed to get over his shit. Aileen had come to him, not Hudson. And jealousy wasn’t going to get him anywhere with her—even if he wanted to create a bubble around her, keep all men at a six-foot radius. At least.

“Yep. He’s just some petty thief. I think we should totally pay him a visit to scare him straight but I feel bad for the guy. His mom died when he was sixteen and he’s paying for his sister’s college.”

Dante scrubbed a hand over his face. “He mugged Aileen.”

“I know, that’s why Theo and I will go with you when you talk to him. To make sure you don’t kill him.”

“I’m not having this conversation now,” he muttered, deciding to end it while he was ahead.

Not saying another word, he stalked across the kitchen toward Aileen, felt that gut punch when she smiled up at him. She was like the sun and he simply wanted to bask in her warmth.

“Elliana wanted to talk to you guys about something,” he said to Theo and Hudson, lying straight to their faces so he could get rid of them.

They both headed off as Dante slid closer to Aileen, inhaled her sweet scent. “ Hey, where’s the nugget?” he asked, wishing he had the right to pull her into his arms, kiss her senseless—give her orgasm after orgasm. But she wanted to keep their arrangement just between them. Meanwhile, he wanted to stake a claim for everyone they knew.

She wore an emerald green sweater dress that hugged her curves in all the right places and brought out her already captivating eyes. Eyes he would happily drown in. “She’s waiting in line to sing karaoke with some of the other kids. My parents are on ‘Nessa watch’ tonight, said they wanted me to let my hair down for the party.”

Sounded about right. “You look amazing,” he murmured, pitching his voice low enough for just her.

Her cheeks flushed pink, and going on instinct, he slid his hand into hers. “Come on, let’s go somewhere quieter.”

Her eyes widened slightly but she fell in step with him as he headed down a hallway, then ducked into what turned out to be a butler’s pantry.

Immediately the noise from the party fell away as he shut the door fully behind them and turned the flimsy lock into place.

“Is everything okay?” she asked even as she hopped up onto one of the countertops and slipped her heels off, moaning in what sounded like relief.

He wanted to make her moan under very different circumstances.

Moving slowly, he leaned down and caged her in with his hands, was grateful when she spread her legs to make room for him. He was over being subtle now that she’d told him what she wanted. And they were alone, so no one to see.

He wasn’t breaking any dumb rules.

“Should we be doing this?” she whispered even as she slid her hands up his chest, settled them nervously on his shoulders.

“Absolutely we should,” he murmured as he dipped his head to hers, capturing her mouth in a gentle kiss when he really wanted to devour her. She already consumed most of his waking thoughts, and he wanted to consume her. With orgasms.

He needed to do things slow for her—but not so slow that she got too into her thoughts and decided to pull away from him. Because he knew her, probably better than she realized.

Her fingers tightened on his shoulders and she pulled him to her instead of pushing away. Good, because he couldn’t bear if she pushed him away.

Her kisses were sweet and tentative at first, but when she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer, he nearly lost it. This was a big deal for Aileen, who’d been in her shell for years. She’d always worn armor where almost everyone was concerned, but she’d started letting him in years ago, letting him be a part of her life.

She moved her hips against him, made little moaning sounds every time his hard length rubbed against her unfortunately covered clit.

Moving slowly, wanting to give her plenty of time to tell him to stop, he slid his hand down her sides then over her thighs before he pushed her dress up to her waist.

She bit his bottom lip as he toyed with the edge of her silky underwear, wondering if he’d lost his mind. He should have waited until they were at her house. Or his.

But screw it. After years of wanting her, she was in his arms now and he wasn’t going to ruin this shot for them.

“Is this okay?” he murmured against her mouth even as he slowly cupped her mound. He knew it had been at least eleven years since she’d been intimate with someone so he wanted to be sure.

She sucked in a breath, her eyes dilated as she looked up at him. “Definitely.”

“I want you to come on my fingers.”

Her cheeks flamed red now, but she still nodded, her breathing unsteady.

“Is that okay?” he asked, pushing a little. “I want you to say it.” After everything she’d been through, he wanted to hear her consent. Wanted to make sure they were on the same page the entire time, because he’d rather cut off a part of himself before he ever hurt or scared her. Even unintentionally.

“Yes, make me come. I need this.” Her words were a bare whisper, but yep, he’d take it .

He kissed her again, claiming her mouth as he teased his finger between her slick folds. Ready for her to realize that this was too fast, he was prepared to pull back if so.

But she spread wider for him, rolling her hips, urging him on, so he slid his finger all the way inside her.

“Dante,” she groaned against his mouth.

Hearing her say his name like that, with such need, had him harder than he’d ever been. But he focused on her even as he shifted uncomfortably, and began moving his finger inside her in slow thrusts. “Are you still good?”

“Oh my god, Dante! Yes. Please,” she moaned out the last word.

She tightened around him with each explorative push, but when he teased her clit, he felt that reaction.

“Oh, god.” She jerked against him, her inner walls now clenching almost convulsively around his finger with each tease of her clit, and she was so damn wet.

“Not god, Dante will do just fine.” He nipped her bottom lip as he continued pleasuring her.

She let out a strangled laugh-moan. “Faster please. Please .”

“You never have to beg me, baby. Never.” He slid another finger inside her even as he cupped her breast through her dress. What he wouldn’t give to have her stretched out under him, completely naked. Soon . “I’ll make you come anytime, anywhere.”

The material of her bra had to be flimsy because he could feel her hard nipple, pinched, then rolled it oh so gently—and set her off.

Maybe it was the onslaught of pleasure, but she jerked against him as she let out a cry of surprise, coming against his fingers in a climax that seemed to stretch on forever.

Yet it wasn’t long enough.

Her hips rolled against his hand, her slickness coating his fingers as her inner walls tightened over and over around them.

As she came down from her high, she blinked up at him, her eyes still a little hazy and wild. “That was amazing,” she whispered.

“It was just an appetizer.” He claimed her mouth in a slow, lazy kiss even though he was harder than he’d ever been in his life. Because this was Aileen, the only woman for him. “After the party, we can do whatever we want, all night long.”

Blinking a little dazedly, she nodded. “All night—”

The door rattled, then suddenly flew open.

Cranky, retired Sarah stood there, eyes wide, mouth open like a stupid fish as she stared at the two of them.

“Shut the door,” Dante snarled even as he began tugging Aileen’s dress down. He hadn’t even gotten to taste her yet. And he knew he’d locked that door. Damn it.

Even as Sarah muttered an apology and started to shut the door, Aileen hopped down and raced after her, leaving her shoes behind as she straightened her dress.

“Shit,” Dante muttered to the empty room as he picked up her heels. He couldn’t run after her with his dick as hard as it was. No hiding his reaction now.

As he started thinking of anything that would get rid of his erection, Aileen ducked back into the room, slightly out of breath. “It’s okay, I talked to her and she’s not going to tell anyone. Also, apparently this lock doesn’t work,” she said dryly.

Dante didn’t care if Sarah blasted it from the speakers or sang it in a karaoke version, and it hurt more than he wanted to examine that Aileen didn’t want anyone to know about them.

At least she wasn’t pulling away or acting as if she regretted things. After sliding on her heels, she wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “That was amazing. Thank you.”

“You’re amazing.”

She smiled up at him as if he’d hung the moon, and okay, fine, if she didn’t want people to know, he could live with it if she kept looking at him like this.

“You’re definitely coming over later tonight,” she said as she stepped out of his embrace. “And I’m going to take care of you,” she added, a wicked glint in those green eyes.

Oh, hell, his erection was back. “You go first,” he rasped out. “I’m going to need a minute.” Or an hour.

In a bath of ice.