She looked surprised as I shut the door and left the light off. It smelled like bleach and soap, and I guessed it was a laundry room. I pushed her against the wall and kissed her, grabbing her wrists roughly and pinning them up above her head. She sucked in a gasping breath and kissed me back, taking my lower lip between her teeth and biting gently. I kissed her neck and felt her breasts against my chest.
“You could’ve gotten us killed back there,” I said, voice soft, lips against her ear.
“We’re still here.”
“I like when you decide to get a little risky. But don’t be reckless.”
She struggled against me, but I held her there. “What do you know about reckless?”
“I know this is a game that we might not walk away from, and you just dove in head first.”
“I’m trying to get us out of this mess,” she whispered. “I hope you’re trying to do the same.”
I kissed her, bit her lip right back, then let her go. She took a few breaths, glaring at me in the dark gloom, before turning and storming back into the hallway.
I glanced back. Washing machines lined the one wall. I smiled a little to myself then followed her at a distance, heart racing, cock half-hard.
17
Amber
I found Mona the next day in one of the many lounges that littered the mansion. She sat curled up in front of a space heater with a book open on her lap and a pen behind her ear. She wore sweats, her hair was up in a tangled bun, and big dark circles hung below her eyes.
She looked up when I stepped into the room and smiled. “Hey, you. I was wondering when you’d find me.”
“Sorry it took so long. There are a ton of little sitting places in here, did you know that?”
She laughed. “Twelve. I counted once.”
“That’s insane.”
“I know.” She shut the book and drummed her fingers on the cover.
“What are you reading?”
“It’s a spy novel. One of those, like, classic cold war things.”
“I didn’t know you liked spies.”
“I don’t, honestly. It’s a bunch of men doing very manly things, and all the women are secretaries and typists and crap like that. But it’s still kind of fun.”
I drifted over and sat down in a chair across from her. “How’s Vincent?”
“He’s okay,” she said. “He’s surrounded by his capos right now and I couldn’t breathe with all them crammed in that little room, so I got the hell out.”
“But he’ll be fine?”
“Definitely. He’s got the best doctor in the city. Young guy, real smart.” She stretched out her legs. “I’m sorry about yesterday, calling you out there then sending you away like that. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“It’s really fine.”
“You and Ren seem thick as thieves, though.”
“Funny way of saying it.”
She grinned. “Did that on purpose.”
I looked away from her, over toward the wall. The room had a very cozy decor, with lots of wood, a thick gray rug, simple photographs on the walls, and lots of books crammed onto shelves. I found it hard to believe a mobster wanted a room like this one, but then again, there were eleven other sitting rooms to choose from, so it made sense that at least one would be a little bit more warm and inviting, and it seemed like exactly the kind of place Mona would choose.
“I’m not sure what to feel about him,” I admitted.
“You keep saying that.”
“I know, and it’s the truth.”
“There has to be a reason you’re sticking around.”
I snorted. “Your husband’s the reason.” I regretted it as soon as I said it.
But it didn’t seem to faze her. “I’m sure that’s partly true, but there’s more.”
I stood up suddenly and paced away. I picked up a book at random, flipped through some pages, then put it back. “How do you stand all this?” I asked finally. “Being with a guy like Vincent.”
“It’s not easy.”
“Then why do it?”
“Why do anything?” she asked, shrugging. “If it were easy, it wouldn’t be worth a damn. Do you know anything easy worth doing?”
“Lots of easy things are worth doing.”
“No, not really. Easy things are easy for a reason. Anyone can do them, and if anyone can do them, it has no meaning. Hard things are important, and hard things make it so that only certain people get to taste how sweet it can be.”
“So I should be with Ren because it’s hard?”
“You should be with Ren because you like him.” She watched me, smiling a little. “Being with violent men like him, it takes something from you.”
“Is that why you look so tired?”
She laughed. “I look tired because I slept in a hospital chair last night. But I take your point. Violent men have violent ends, and if you want to love a violent man then your love is going to end in violence. You can’t avoid that, as much as you want to.”