Fix You (The Irish Rogues #3)

Chapter Twenty-One Raphael

A s I sat around the table with my brothers at our weekly board meeting, I found I couldn’t concentrate. Instead of data points, my focus was on Maeve. The silky feel of her hair between my fingers. The smooth feel of her lips against mine. The warm heat of her core. The way she nibbled her bottom lip when she was getting close to coming.

But my thoughts weren’t just sexually driven. My mind was also on her girlish giggle. Her attempts at Italian recipes to please my stomach. The way she fit into my life in New York.

I loved sharing my city with her during my birthday weekend. After our night in Heaven, we’d spent Saturday exploring the city. She’d begged me to take her to all the touristy traps, and of course, I’d obliged.

That night as we prepared for Aida , I couldn’t help feeling a little apprehensive. I don’t know what the hell I’d been thinking when I’d gotten the tickets. Well, I hadn’t been thinking at all since I’d asked my secretary to get them. It was only later that I realized how close to life it was.

Despite the similarities, Maeve loved it. She was engrossed from the moment the curtain came up until it went down. Even during intermission, she rattled about her favorite moments.

Although she cried throughout parts of it, she jumped to her feet at the end to applaud wildly. When I’d asked if she liked it, she’d replied, “I adored it.” Then during our nightcap, she’d continued talking about it.

That had been a month ago. Although we talked and texted daily, if not hourly, it had been too long since I was buried inside her. Sure, we fucked like rabbits on Facetime, it wasn’t the same thing as having my hands and my mouth on her body or burying my cock inside her.

“Rafe?”

Jerking my gaze to Gianni, I replied, “What?”

With a smirk, he replied, “Are you even listening?”

“Of course I am.”

Leo chuckled. “The fuck you are.”

I grunted. “Fine. My mind was elsewhere.”

“Like in Ireland on a gorgeous redhead?” Leo asked.

“Maybe.” At both of their smirks, I rolled my eyes. “I haven’t been inside her since my birthday weekend. That’s a hell of a long time for me to be celibate.”

“I knew there was a reason you’d been such a stronzo ,” Leo joked. My response was to shoot him the bird.

Leaning forward in his chair, Gianni said, “Why don’t you get out of here and go surprise her?”

I cocked my brows at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, why the fuck not?”

“Because you’re supposed to be the voice of reason saying, ‘You’ve got a fiancee, so you shouldn’t be fucking around with another woman, especially one whose brothers will cut your cock off if they find out’.”

Gianni chuckled. “While all of that is true, I would also add that you might as well fuck around while you can. I don’t know Maeve that well, but I seriously doubt she’s going to settle for being your mistress.”

“I wouldn’t demean her like that,” I shot back.

After he eased back in his chair, Leo cocked his head at me. “So what is the plan once you marry Drea?”

The familiar ache of grief entered my chest at the mention of my marriage. Although it pained me to say it, I replied, “I suppose she and I will go our separate ways.”

“Oh, like you were supposed to after your one night together?” Leo challenged with a grin.

“ Testa di cazzo ,” I snapped.

Leo’s dark eyes danced with amusement. “How am I dickhead for pointing out the facts?”

“Because you don’t have to shove my mistakes in my face.” At the implication of my feelings for Maeve being a mistake, I grimaced. “What I meant was you don’t have to call me out like that.”

“The truth hurts.”

“Once again, you’re a fucking testa di cazzo .”

“Yeah and you’re an insufferable bastardo when you’re sexually frustrated,” Leo chuckled.

With a grunt, I glanced between him and Gianni. “Are you sure you two have it under control?”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Like we don’t keep this business afloat.”

With a wink, I replied, “Gianni maybe, but you, never.”

Leo responded by raising his hand in the air and shooting me the bird.

Gianni jerked his chin at the door. “Get out of here and have a much needed fuckfest with your girl.”

Leo nodded. “Give her our thanks for taking the stick out of your ass.”

“Watch it,” I muttered as I rose out of my chair.

When I reached the door, Leo’s voice froze me. “It’s still not too late to end the contract with Caruso.”

Whirling around, I stared at him in surprise. Just as I knew the absolute necessity of the contract, my brothers did as well. That’s why I couldn’t believe Leo had uttered the words.

At what must’ve been the shock written over my face, Leo shook his head. “I know what you’re going to say. That we’re too weak after Father’s assassination to do such a thing. And yeah, we probably are. But this is your life, Rafe.”

More than anything in the world, I wanted to draw him into my arms and thank him for putting my happiness over the family’s position. But I couldn’t do that. I was capo, and I had to lead by example.

Instead, I kept a hardened look on my face. “That will not happen. Just as I will honor my alliance, you should best prepare yourself to face the same thing.”

At his defeated grimace, I turned and walked out the door. As I made my way down on the elevator, I felt like an epic asshole for what I’d said. But it was the truth.

During the drive to the airport, there were two or three times that I debated telling the driver to turn around. Leo’s suggestion, coupled with the crippling burden of the alliance, had me feeling like calling more off than just my trip.

What was I doing stringing Maeve along? Even if we both knew our relationship had an expiration date, I was still a fucking bastard to put her in a position to get her heart broken. Despite her arguing that our affair was her choice, I wondered how much she believed that.

Just as I opened my mouth to finally be a man and tell the driver to turn around, a text from Maeve came through. It was a string of racy pictures of her in a dressing room outfitted in lingerie.

Which ones do you like?

And with my cock pounding against my zipper, I shut my mouth and let my true bastard side take hold.

I spent much of the flight to Dublin sexting with Maeve. Our actions also gave me the knowledge that after her shopping trip for lingerie, she was heading home to spend the rest of the evening studying.

When I got off the elevator on Maeve’s floor, I saw her bodyguard standing outside her doorway. We’d been introduced over Christmas. I was surprised to find him outside rather than inside, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if Maeve preferred it that way.

At the sight of me coming down the hallway, his brows shot into his hairline. “Mr. Neretti, what are you doing here?”

“The bodyguards in our family are ordered not to ask questions,” I responded.

His blue eyes narrowed. “I work for the Kavanaughs, not you.”

“To answer your question, I’m here to see Maeve.”

“No one informed me that Ms. Kavanaugh was expecting a visitor.”

“I’m here to surprise her.”

“Do any of the Kavanaughs know that?”

“No. And we’re going to keep it that way. Understood?”

With a roll of his eyes, Nolan countered, “You’re out of your fucking mind if you think I’m going to lie to my employers for you. I don’t care if you are Mr. Kavanaugh’s brother-in-law.”

While I appreciated this jackasses commitment to Maeve, he was taking it too far. “You’re really pissing me off right now.”

“Likewise.”

Jabbing my finger at him, I said, “Look, I’m going in there to see Maeve, and you’re not fucking stopping me.”

“Wanna bet?”

I threw my head back with a laugh. “If you want to live to continue this job, you’ll get out of my fucking way.”

“Not. happening.”

Without even pausing to think, I threw a right hook at his face. It only momentarily took him off guard for me to land another punch to his stomach. He recovered by head-butting my abdomen and shoving me into the wall.

I started pummeling my fists into his neck to try to get him off me. He whirled us around to slam me into the opposite wall. Sprinting forward, I tackled him to the ground.

“Nolan? Nolan, what are you doing?” Maeve screamed.

The sound of her voice sobered us, and we both ceased throwing hits. I’d been so in the zone I hadn’t even realized Murphy was in the hallway with us, barking and growling at our feet.

When I glanced up at Maeve, her eyes widened. “Rafe?”

“Way to fuck up my surprise, str onzo,” I grunted as I pulled myself up from the floor.

Once I was upright, I tried to catch my breath, but Maeve launched herself at me. “Wait, babe, I need to clean up.”

“I don’t care. I just can’t believe you’re really here!” she cried as she peppered my face with kisses.

“I missed you so much that I had to see you.”

Maeve’s response was to really lay one on me as she ground her pussy against my growing erection. I groaned as my hands went around her waist to cup her perfect ass.

At the sound of a throat clearing, Maeve jerked her mouth from mine. When she looked over at Nolan, a red flush of mortification filled her face. “Um, could you possibly give us some privacy, please?”

“Where would you prefer I go?”

“Downstairs.” Placing her palm on my chest, Maeve said, “I’ll be safe with Rafe.”

“Are you sure about that?” Nolan questioned wryly.

At my growl, Maeve replied, “I’m positive.”

A few moments passed before Nolan replied, “I’ll consent to standing by the elevator, but my instructions are to never leave this floor without you.”

When Maeve hesitated, I asked, “What’s wrong with that?”

Pink once again tinged her cheeks. “The walls are really thin.”

I threw my head back with a laugh. “And you’re afraid he’s going to hear us fucking?”

After biting down on her bottom lip, Maeve said, “You can be really loud.”

“Me? Oh no, my dea del sesso , it’s you who is loud.”

Maeve’s hand came over my mouth. “Don’t call me a sex goddess.”

“Ah, you’ve been working on your Italian.”

“I have.”

Removing her hand, I countered, “It’s the truth.”

Although a pleased smile quirked on her lips, she shook her head. “Just not in front of him,” she said in a whisper.

“I’d say your secret is safe with me, but then he’s about to hear you.”

With a squeal of horror, Maeve started dragging me to the apartment door. Just before she could push me inside, she paused. Whirling around, she drew her shoulders back and abandoned me to walk over to Nolan.

He watched her with an expression of horror and apprehension. “Promise me that you won’t mention Rafe to my brothers.”

Grimacing, he argued, “Ms. Kavanaugh–”

She shook her head. “I mean it, Nolan. They’re not to know.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I know it’s a terrible thing to impose on you. But I ask you to remember me over the last year and then remember me today. Is the change in my happiness not worth keeping silent for?”

Even though I’d been majorly pissed at him, I had to give the fucker his due. He cared about Maeve beyond just being a target to protect. Since he appeared old enough to be her father, it was evident he possessed a fatherly devotion to her, which also did him credit that he wasn’t thinking about her sexually. I would’ve had to end him if he had.

As he jerked a hand through his brown hair, he exhaled a defeated breath. I knew then there was no way he could tell Maeve no. “Fine. I won’t say anything.” At Maeve’s squeal of happiness, he shook his head. “But if they ask, I won’t lie to them.”

Although her expression sobered slightly, Maeve nodded. “That’s fair.”

Nolan turned his attention from Maeve to me. “I assume you’re armed.”

“Always.”

“Then I’ll be downstairs guarding the elevator.”

Maeve rushed forward to throw her arms around his neck. “Thanks, Nolan.”

“You’re welcome, miss.”

After he pulled away from her, he gave me a disgusted look before he turned and started down the hallway. I scooped up Murphy from the ground and called Nolan’s name.

When he turned around, I said, “Take him with you.”

To my surprise, he didn’t argue with me. Instead, he reached in his jacket pocket for Murphy’s leash. After taking him from me, he walked back down the hallway.

Even before the elevator door was closed, Maeve jumped up into my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. “Mmm, I’ve missed you so much,” she purred, as she brought my cock to life again rubbing against me.

“I’ve missed you more, Tesoro .”

With a sexy smirk, she asked, “Me or my pussy?”

My eyes bulged at her audacity. “Maeve Kavanaugh, when did you get such a filthy mouth?”

“When you filled it with your cock and came down my throat,” she teased.

“Fucking hell,” I growled at the image her words created as I carried her inside the apartment. After kicking the door shut with my foot, I rushed her through the foyer into the kitchen. I hoisted her up onto the kitchen counter. “I can’t even wait for the bed to be inside you.”

“Me either,” she panted.

My hands went straight for her breasts, cupping and squeezing them in my hands. Maeve grasped the hem of her T-shirt and quickly ripped it over her head before tossing it to the ground. My greedy hands jerked her bra straps down, freeing her breasts. I slid my tongue over my lips before leaning over to close my mouth over one of her rock-hard nipples.

“Mm, yes, Rafe,” Maeve muttered as she pinched her eyes shut.

My teeth grazed her nipple while my other hand came between her thighs. Through her leggings, I rubbed the heel of my hand against her pussy. Maeve threw her head back with a moan.

Arching her hips, she tried getting more friction. When it wasn’t enough, she murmured, “Rafe, please.”

I answered her plea by grabbing the waistband of her leggings and jerking them down her thighs. After Maeve widened her legs for me, my hand dove into her soaked panties. When myfingers touched her clit, she once again cried out.

I sucked one of her nipples into my mouth before thrusting one finger deep inside her. “Hmm, yes, more,” Maeve pleaded.

I obliged by adding a second finger. Biting down on her lip, she rocked against my hand. When I pulled my fingers out of her, she mewled in frustration. “I want to fuck you with my tongue,” I grunted in reply.

“Fuck yes,” she panted.

I gave her a cocky grin before dipping my head. After my tongue traced in and out of her folds, I thrust it inside her. Her moan echoed through the apartment, and I gave thanks that Nolan had gone downstairs.

“You’re so good at this,” she cried out.

I chuckled against her center. She began lifting her hips to work against my tongue. Sweat broke out along my forehead as I pushed her limits of pleasure.

“I’m close—oh, so close,” she panted as she worked her hips even faster as my tongue swirled and plunged deep inside her honey-drenched walls. When I crooked my finger inside her, Maeve started to tense. “No, no, don’t make it stop.”

When I glanced up at her between her legs, it sent a shiver through Maeve. “As much as I want to draw this out, my cock is going to explode if you don’t come.”

Maeve laughed. “If you put it that way, I guess I can wait and come with you inside me.”

“Thank fuck,” I muttered before giving her one long, final lick up her center.

After easing her down from the counter, Maeve’s legs wobbled, and she almost pitched forward into the floor. My arms came around her waist to steady her. I then started moving her towards the living room where the couch and chairs were.

When we finally bumped into the couch, I turned her around before easing her over the armrest onto her stomach. While her torso lay across the cushion, Maeve’s gorgeous ass stuck up in the air with her legs dangling above the floor.

When I sent a stinging smack against one of the perfect globes, she cried out and moved her hips against the arm of the couch for friction. After I spanked her other cheek, I said, “No one but me gives you pleasure, Tesoro .”

“Then get inside me,” she ordered.

“My pleasure.”

After quickly grabbing a condom out of my pants pocket, I suited up and then lined my cock up at her entrance. With one harsh thrust, I buried myself balls deep inside her.

“Fuck, Maeve,” I groaned.

Neither of us knew how to take it slow, so instead, I pounded into her. My fingers dug into her hips as I used them for leverage to bring her harder back against me, sending my dick deeper and deeper inside her.

Between my thrusts and the friction from the couch arm, Maeve came with a shriek. “Yes, Rafe, yes!” she cried as her walls clamped around me.

Gritting my teeth, I began slamming harder and harder into her. Leaning over her back, my breath fanned against her ear. “Are you okay?”

“Mm, don’t stop,” she panted.

“Fuck yeah,” I murmured as I continued pounding into her.

Placing her palms on the cushion, Maeve pushed herself back against me in time to meet my thrusts. After a few moments, she started climbing to another orgasm. “Feels. So. Good.”

My reply came in the form of deep grunts and groans. It wasn’t long before the combination of our exertions caused her to come again. As she tensed, my motions sped up as I grew close to the edge. With her walls still milking my cock, I came with a shout, barking out her name as I collapsed over on her back.

I remained lying against her back, until she wiggled under me. “Babe, I’m starting to lose feeling in my feet.”

“Fuck, Maeve, I’m sorry.”

When I moved, she rolled over to flop down on the couch. With a satiated grin, she stared up at me. “Best. Surprise. Ever.”

With a chuckle, I slid off the condom and started back to the kitchen to toss it in the trash. “You owe it all to Gianni. He’s the one who suggested I come over,” I said.

“I’ll have to make more Mince Pies for you to take back with you to show my thanks,” she called.

With a grunt, I tossed the condom and then came back to the living room. “I’m not sure I like the idea of you feeding my brother.”

“Seriously, Rafe?” she questioned, as I flopped down on the couch beside her.

“What can I say? I’m a jealous bastard.”

As she snuggled against me, Maeve replied, “You’re the only Neretti brother who I want.”

“But as an Italian, it means something when you feed someone.”

She swirled her fingers across the ink on one of my tattoos. “He only gets to eat my food. You get to eat my pussy.”

With a growl, I pulled her into my lap. “Mm, you and that filthy mouth.”

A gasp of pleasure escaped her lips as I drew my teeth up her throat. “You’ve been a bad influence,” she protested breathlessly.

“Have I now?”

“But in a good way,” she replied with a wink.

“I’ll take it.”

As I gazed around the apartment, I took in Maeve’s home. Like the Kavanaugh mansion, Maeve had an appreciation for antiques. But there was nothing austere about her home. It was cozy and welcoming. I”d seen bits and pieces of it during our Facetimes.

“What were you doing today before I swept in to surprise you?”

“Studying. I have a test in macroeconomics tomorrow.”

“Sounds boring as hell.”

She playfully elbowed me. “I happen to love all aspects of economics.”

“And I love that nerdy brain of yours that’s filled with facts and figures.”

“That sounds more like it,” she replied. Tilting her head at me, she asked, “Are you hungry?”

“A little. I had a bite on the jet.”

“I’ve got some things here I could cook, or I could take you to one of my favorite restaurants.”

“ Tesoro , I have no intention of wearing clothes while I’m here.

She frowned. “But I wanted to show you around Dublin like you did with me and New York.”

“Unless we can do it naked, I’m not interested.”

“Rafe!” she protested but then giggled in spite of herself.

“How about for every fuck you get to show me one landmark?” I teasingly asked.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully. “How about for every orgasm you give me I get to show you a landmark?”

“And how did this become just about your pleasure?”

A beautiful smile lit up Maeve’s face. “Because I can get more landmarks this way.” She swiveled her hips against mine. “Besides, you like giving me pleasure, don’t you?”

“Hmm, I certainly fucking do.”

“I think I’ll take you to my favorite Thai place for dinner.”

“That sounds almost as delicious as eating you.”

“You can always have your dessert first,” she replied.

“I think I will,” I replied with a shark-like grin.