Precious Legacy (The Notorious Legacy #1)

Chapter 16

SIXTEEN

I see Alanis before she sees me, a whirlwind of rage emanating from her as she storms out of her parents’ place. It's hard to miss her, especially when she looks like she’s ready to tear through anything in her path. Her features are creased as she focuses on something on her phone screen.

“Presh!” I call out to her.

She lifts her intense gaze from her phone for just a second, long enough to stop in front of me. Her brows only relax slightly, her shoulders drooping. Without hesitating, she stalks forward and presses her forehead to my chest, exhaling loudly.

"What's wrong?" I ask, surprised when she slides her arms around me. It’s unlike her to initiate this type of contact since she’s always so angry, but I’m definitely not complaining.

On instinct, I wrap my own arms around her, pulling her tightly into my chest. It's the first time she's willingly fallen into my arms like this, and I’m momentarily stunned when she sighs like this is the one thing she needed.

"I hate them," she mumbles against my shirt.

"Who?"

"My family. I don't know why I thought they'd be okay with it. My dad only ever cares about business."

Slowly, I piece together the broken sentences along with her mood. "You told them?" I ask softly. Moments like these are rare between Alanis and I; she never allows anyone to see her vulnerability, least of all me. Which is why I have to tread carefully, because the last thing I want to do is upset her further.

"No," she grumbles, pushing away from me. "But I almost did. I was so close to telling them until Dad pretty much said I would be an enemy if I did anything like that."

"He doesn't mean it,” I soothe, but even I can hear the lie. I know what this kind of life expects from us, especially the offspring that are earmarked to follow in the footsteps of our fathers.

"He does. You all think that, you’re just not saying it.”

I have no words for her that will make her feel better. There’s no mistaking what her dad’s stance is on it, either and I completely understand. The whole syndicate would be at risk, Alanis would be at risk. There are so many factors to consider, and while I don’t doubt for one minute that she’s thought this through, I can understand her father’s disapproval.

"You should go," she urges when my silence answers her. "Dinner is almost ready." She pushes past me, but I refuse to let her go so easily.

Gripping her hand, I pull her back to me and she huffs. "Come back in there with me. We can talk to them together."

“And say what?” she scoffs. “Nothing you can say will convince my dad, or brother, that what I’m about to do will be good for the family. Hell, I’m not even convinced.”

“Then why do you want to do it?” I question, because she must have a good reason to want to go against her father’s wishes. Families like ours don’t just decide to work for an enemy without one. She’s taking her decision to leave the family business to extremes. Changing her name is one thing, but this…

“Forget it, Roman.” She sighs heavily. “I just want to go home."

"Where's your bike?"

"At home. I was just gonna order an Uber." She waves her phone in the air, the screen lighting up with the app. But I don’t like the idea of her being alone, least of all in a taxi—especially with the Russians no doubt lingering.

"Take my car," I say, pulling out my keys. “I’ll get a ride back with Varo."

Alanis smirks, one brow arching in question as she takes them from me. “You trust me?”

Even though I know she’s asking for a completely different reason, I don’t think she realizes how loaded that question really is. Cupping her face, I close the remaining distance between us and run my nose along hers.

Her breath stutters, her eyes closing as she tilts her head up expectantly.

“Don’t ask stupid questions, Presh.” I seal my lips over hers, stealing a kiss that has her melting against my body. Her mouth moves with mine, parting so I can slide my tongue against hers as her arms coil around my neck.

For all the stubbornness and defiance Alanis harbors, there’s no denying what we have. I know it. She knows it. She’ll keep fighting it because that’s what she does, but deep down, she’ll always be mine.

Eventually, we pull away from one another, a gentle smile gracing her swollen lips as I twine our fingers together. “You sure you don’t want to go back in? I can be pretty convincing.”

She shoves me away playfully, rolling her eyes. “And prove to everyone what a disappointment I am? No thanks.” She pushes past me, swinging my car keys around her finger while she waves me off with the other hand. “Enjoy your boys meeting.”

I can’t help but smile as I watch her leave, memorizing that hypnotic ass and conjuring up all the things I’m going to do to it when I come to collect my car later. I’d be lying if I said lending it wasn’t creating an opportunity to see her. Since the last time we spoke was interrupted by Milo Kyrovsky and his demands to meet his bosses, there’s still some making up to do between Alanis and I.

As soon as she’s speeding away in my Aston Martin, I ascend the steps to the Bonannos. The smell of roast chicken and steaming vegetables hits my senses as soon as I walk in. The sound of hushed voices carries from the dining room before footsteps rush towards me.

“Lani?” comes Mrs. Bonanno’s worried voice. As soon as her eyes land on me, hope dissolves from them, her shoulders slouching before she paints on a polite smile. “Roman,” she greets breathlessly.

“Mrs. Bonanno,” I nod back.

“What have I told you!” she scolds softly, stepping towards me and pulling me into a hug. “It’s so good to see you.”

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised with her embrace when we consider each other as family. Still, politeness goes a long way, and since she’s the mother of my girl, I should make an effort. “You too, Cassie,” I smile.

“You just missed Lani,” she states as she walks me to the dining room. I keep my mouth shut about our encounter outside. Despite Cassie’s friendly demeanor, I can feel the tension radiating from her, which means the argument earlier must have been bad.

Varo and his dad are already seated at the dining table, deep in conversation that stops abruptly when I step into the room. I meet Varo’s gaze first, his green eyes acknowledging me briefly. I take a seat opposite my best friend, greeting his dad with a firm handshake.

It’s startling how many of Axel’s features the twins have inherited. While they both have Cassie’s green eyes, their dark hair and complexion are all their father’s. Varo more so, especially when he wears the same scowl as his dad.

“We were just discussing the Russian problem,” Varo explains, taking a sip of his water.

“Shouldn’t we speak to Haldon?”

“The Gambinos have agreed to let us take the lead on this,” Axel replies, steepling his fingers in front of him. It’s something I’ve come to recognize he does when he’s got a plan. He’s always been logical in his thinking, always remaining one step ahead. In hindsight, we probably should’ve come to him first before meeting with the Russians the other night, but Varo leads his family now. He’s the one who makes the decisions for the Bonanno name.

“So what’re you thinking?” I ask.

“The Russians want free rein, right?” Axel clarifies. “Which of course, you’re not going to give them. But you can make them think they have it.”

“How?” Varo frowns.

“You need a mole.”

A snort of derision escapes me as I fold my arms across my chest. “You think someone in the Bratva is going to work against the Federovs?”

“They’re not the only Russians in the city, Roman.” He smirks, and I realize I should know better than to question Axel. He knows his shit; nothing gets past him. “Your Uncle knows people, trustworthy people that would like to see the Federovs removed from power.”

I look to Varo who’s just as intrigued as I am. “Trustworthy and the Russians just don’t go together,” I scoff.

“And there’s no way we can manipulate this to our advantage,” Varo says with a shake of his head. “The Federovs aren’t just going to employ anyone, and there’s no chance of us hiring someone to infiltrate their organization.”

His dad smiles, and all the logic in his plan seeps into that one look. “You may find there’s already someone in there.”

“Who?” I ask.

“That’s your Uncle’s job. I only know so much, but I do know that there’s a power struggle going on within the family.” Axel picks up his whiskey and finishes it in one gulp.

“The brothers?” I clarify because even I noticed the subtle power dynamic between them. They both look to be in charge, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Konstantin is the one pulling the strings and Vadim doesn’t like it one bit.

Axel nods silently.

“How do we get rid of both of them. If we get rid of one, who’s to say the other brother won’t be worse?” Varo suggests, glancing between me and his father.

He makes a good point. We’re constantly battling others who want to see the Five Families fall. We’re always going to face enemies hungry for power, greedy to grab at what this city can offer them. It’s hard enough to get close to them without the security. Even I know they didn’t come alone the other night. They had just as many men on standby as we did.

“You boys still have so much to learn,” Axel chuckles, and while It’s a light-hearted joke, the intonation is dark. He turns his attention on me, his eyes darkening. “Have your Uncle seek out the mole. I can guarantee there will be one.”

My brows furrow in question as I dart my gaze back to my best friend, but he’s none the wiser. “How do you know that?”

“Because,” Axel shrugs. “There’s one in every family.”

“ Y ou wanna come in?” I ask Varo as we pull up outside Alanis’ apartment to see my car parked at the curb. I already know the answer before it comes, but he can’t blame me for wanting him to make amends with his sister.

“Nah,” he says, shaking his head. “I’ll leave you to deal with her.”

“You’re an ass, you know that?” I push open the passenger door of his Mercedes, the glow of the street lamps cascading over the car. It’s only seven in the evening, but it’s been a long enough day that I’m ready to sink into bed. Or Alanis—they’re both appealing right now.

“Yup!” Varo laughs. “And I’ve had to deal with her mood swings for long enough. It’s your turn.”

I guess I deserve that after spending the last five years in a different state. Though I don’t think it can be used as an excuse for much longer, I’ll be happy to cheer up his sister.

Pushing out the car, I say goodbye and head to Alanis’ apartment. When I reach the door, I can hear music; ‘Monster’ by Red Velvet playing loudly inside. While I prefer to let out my anger on a punching bag, Alanis always plays music when she’s in a mood, especially loud music.

Since there’s no way she’ll hear me knock—which would be the polite thing to do— I run my hand along the top of the door frame, searching for the key I left here last time. I pride myself on there being no secrets between Alanis and I, but this one I can afford to keep. My finger runs over and over along the small wooden ledge, searching for the damn key. I’m sure I left it here. No, I know I left it here. After my last visit, I stole her spare so I didn’t have to spend time picking her lock again—because that shit takes effort—and left it above the door.

Just in case I’m mistaken, I bend down and flip up the door mat. Clearly, I’m not as clever or as quiet as I thought, because the door swings open and Alanis is standing in tiny black shorts and a sports bra, holding the very key I was searching for.

“Looking for this?” she accuses with one hand on her hip and amusement painted across her features.

“Maybe,” I answer, straightening up and stepping over the threshold.

She peers up at me, green eyes narrowed in challenge as I snatch the key from her and pocket it. Since she knows, I might as well keep the thing. Her lush lips curl up in a smile as she backs away, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“I expected better,” she remarks as she moves backwards into the room.

“Oh yeah?” I stalk forward like a predator, until my body is pressed against hers, caging her against the back of the couch.

Wrapping my hand around her throat, I lean down and inhale her sweet scent. “And what were you expecting, exactly?”

Without me even needing her to clarify, she slides her bare leg around my waist. The glint of desire that flickers in her eyes is unmistakable, and when she peels off her sports bra, the message is clear.

I hoped there’d be a little fight when I arrived because that’s our usual greeting for one another. But after the day she’s had, I think she’s done with contradicting herself. And I’m not complaining. Now that we seem to be on the same page, I’m happy to play up to her expectations.

My gaze drops to her perky tits, her taut nipples just begging to be sucked. I follow the delicious plane of her flat stomach, stopping at the hem of her shorts, and Alanis raises a brow in challenge. That’s all I need before I grip her by the backs of her thighs and slam my lips onto hers.

A soft mewl sounds from her as I drown in her kiss. She tastes like vodka and chocolate, an intoxicating combination that has me harder than ever. If I wasn’t already eager for her, I would be now.

Carrying her to her bedroom, I drop her onto the mattress and crawl over her body. “I’ve missed you,” I admit as I lean down and nip at her bottom lip.

“Yeah?” she whispers with devilish intent. “Prove it.” The devious smile that follows her words is all the temptation I can take.

Hooking my fingers into her shorts, I make quick work of stripping her down until she’s bearing everything to me. I waste no time in peeling my own clothes off before towering over her. I can hear her breaths filled with anticipation as I line my cock up against her slick pussy, coaxing a gentle moan that has me wavering on the verge of self control.

“Roman!” she gasps, but it’s not in protest. It’s such a beautiful sound, hearing my name fall from her lips. A sound that has my cock aching and my tether of self-control snapping. She grabs a handful of my hair, grinding her hips up to meet my own.

With one harsh thrust, I spear into her cunt, savoring every delicious moment. Her walls are tight, strangling my cock. In reality, I’ve got five years to make up for, not just this past week. I have no issues with remaining on my knees for this goddess, because it means she’s mine, but when I sink back into her on each punch of my hips, this is where I want to be.

Grabbing a handful of hair, I slam my lips onto hers. Pain ripples over my skin from where she digs her nails into my back, but it’s a pain I revel in because it makes me feel alive. It reminds me that this is real and not a figment of my imagination.

A desperate moan leaves her lips as I pull out of her, gripping her by the hips and flipping her over. “Tell me you missed me too, Presh.”

Her breathless laugh fills the silence, a light giggle of sated pleasure that soon turns into a breathtaking moan as I thrust inside her with one punch of my hips. I sink my teeth into the fleshy part of her shoulder and revel in the way her walls clench around my cock.

“No!”

There’s the fight I’ve missed.

I drive my hips into her again, harder than before, eliciting a whimper. “Tell me you miss me,” I command as I slide back out, only to slam home again, my words sliding past her ear.

“No,” she smirks against the pillow before bucking her hips back against me.

In one move, she has me rolling over, her body moving over mine until she impales herself on my cock. It’s a power move, one that I fucking enjoy because I get to see her lose herself.

Gripping her hips, I watch as she rolls them over me. My fingers dig into her flesh, and I’m mesmerized by the way her body moves. She rides me like she was born to. There’s no mistaking the connection between us, the history that tethers us together.

Every grind of her hips sends waves of pleasure through my body. Every moan of hers has me desperate for release. She leans down and captures my mouth, our tongues sliding against one another’s.

I use the new angle to thrust upwards, driving into her cunt harder and harder. There’s nothing but the sound of slapping flesh and the groans of our mutual pleasure to spur me on. Alanis throws her head back as her walls tighten around me, gripping my dick so hard that I see stars. Sweat slickens her body, limned by the glow of the street lamps outside her window. She looks even more beautiful as she rolls her hips, her back arching as she chases her release.

“Fuck!” I grunt as my balls tighten and a wave of pleasure ripples through me.

Alanis screams out, throwing her head forward as she grips my shoulders. Her nails dig into my flesh, so hard that I’m sure there will be marks when we’re done. The only thing is, I’m not done. I’ll never be done with Presh. She’s my addiction, my poison. She’s the fire that threatens to set my world alight, and I’d let her. I’d let every flame lick a path on my skin, scorch me until I was ash.

My release hits me like a freight train and the world around me explodes. I groan out as I paint her insides, marking her as mine before my body goes slack.

Alanis collapses on my chest, the rush of her choked breaths whipping across my hot skin and soothing me.

“Tell me you missed me,” I demand again as I run my palms over her silky skin.

She hums against my chest, her body shuddering when I stroke a finger down her spine. The silence swallows up my request, and for a second, I let the doubt of her empty response settle in my mind.

“I missed you too, Ro.”