Detonate: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beneath The Mask Series Book 2)
Detonate: Chapter 19

Since the night at the club a couple of weeks ago, a day hasn’t gone by where I haven’t seen Maddie. We are both busy with work. At times, I have to slip out of bed at midnight to oversee Luca’s shipments. He can’t risk anymore being stolen. So far, so good. Between me and Frankie, we make a good team.

She didn’t stay over last night by the time I wrapped up training the new recruits at The Kings Gym with Keller. I was fucked. All I wanted to do was snuggle on the sofa with her. Who am I turning into?

Maddie was going for dinner with Sienna after work and went back to her apartment after. I almost drove over there. I didn’t want to sleep on my own. For the first time in seven years, I can finally sleep a full night when I’m with her.

Like hell am I going another night without her, so I decided to surprise her by turning up at her studio after work. Well, I thought she’d be finished by 6pm, but it turned out models needed make-up any damn time of the day. So I sat there, watching her work her magic for over an hour.

Evie kept me entertained with a round of twenty fucking questions. We covered my age, childhood, how many people I’d killed in the special forces, my dating history. That made Maddie’s head spin around pretty quick.

Now finally, I have her to myself.

Maddie puts her feet up on the couch, flicking through the TV, whilst I pull out a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. It’s like the most natural thing in the world.

Just having her in my space brings the place to life. I pour out two glasses and make my way back over to her. Her hair is pulled up into a ball on the top of her head. Not a scrap of make-up on her face. Quite honestly, she is stunning. She gives me a bright smile, holding out her hand to take the wine from me. I take the seat next to her and bring the glass to my lips.

She takes a sip, closing her eyes and letting out a moan as she swallows. She has no idea just how perfect she is.

“God, I needed this,” she groans, taking another sip. I join her. The sweet liquid almost makes my mouth itch. I’m more of a scotch man. The only sweet thing I need in my life is Maddie. Well, with the exception of my kryptonite—chocolate milkshake.

“Rough day?” I ask, placing my glass on the coffee table.

“Just so busy. Evie double-booked me, so I had to squeeze two models in back-to-back.” She rolls her eyes and puts her glass on the table. I place her legs on my lap and start massaging the bridge of her feet.

“Mmmm, that feels so nice,” she groans, tipping her head back against the armrest.

“Have you always wanted to be a make-up artist?” I don’t know the little things. In the last seven years, I’ve ever wanted to know anything about anyone really.

With Maddie, I replace myself always looking for more on her. Last night, I researched her star sign after seeing her Aquarius tattoo. I’ve never read a horoscope in my life, yet there I was, at 1am, checking if an Aquarius and Taurus was compatible.

I got mixed results.

“Ummm, not really. I studied sociology at Columbia with Sienna. Because my parents wanted me to go there since that’s where they met. I picked the subject that looked the least dull. But I practiced make-up on all of our roommates. As soon as I left, I decided that’s what I wanted to do. Plus, there was good money in it. I worked at a salon first, which was great. But then Keller gave me the chance to open up my own studio, I haven’t looked back. I love the freedom. I can take a nap when I want. I can take days off. I answer to no one but myself.”

Her face lights up as she speaks.

“What about you? What made you want to join Luca? Was being a famous boxing trainer not enough?”

“It’s all I’ve ever known. And I fucking love it. I’m damn good at it. If I can help Luca, I feel like I’m being useful. Boxing is great, but we’ve done that now. I suppose it doesn’t quench my thirst as much as I thought it would. Everything changed the day I saved Sienna. It was the first time since leaving the forces I felt like myself again.”

Not to mention the same day her kiss brought me back to life.

She smiles sadly, then clambers onto my lap, resting her head on my thigh.

“If I’d never have left her that day, this all might never have happened.”

“It wasn’t your fault, baby. I’m glad you left. What if you were there and he hurt you? Jamie was unhinged.”

She nods against my thigh.

“Plus, it all worked out okay in the end. I mean, look at us. You would never have kissed me otherwise.”

It’s true, though.

That day changed our lives in more ways than one. We shattered the barrier between us.

“True, nothing like a good kidnapping to bring a couple together.” She smirks.

“How every love story should start.”

She hums and nuzzles her head against my thigh.

“How do you fancy a proper first date tomorrow night?”

She pushes herself off me to face me with a smile.

“I’d love that.”

She wiggles her butt and unhooks her legs, swinging her right leg over to straddle me.

She rolls her hips just slightly, sending all the blood straight to my cock.

“I was trying to deepen our emotional connection,” I rasp out, reciting a line I’d read in my horoscope research.

“The only thing I want deeper is your cock. Inside me.”

Who am I to deny my woman anything?

I haven’t had my dinner anyway. And she’s my favorite meal of the day.

As I slip off my white t-shirt over my head, her eyes roam over my body, and fuck, the way she looks like she wants to eat me, turns me the fuck on.

She follows my lead, seductively unbuttoning her black shirt. My eyes stay pinned on her tits as a lacy red bra peeks out from the gap. She shrugs the shirt off her shoulders. My hands settle on her bare waist. Just above her leather skirt.

“Fuck, Sunshine. Do you have any idea how sexy you are? I’m obsessed.”

The flush on her cheeks deepens, and I trail my index finger along her warm skin just below her collarbones.

“I need a taste, Maddie.”

My fingers squeeze her throat. My other hand slips under her skirt, brushing against her bare pussy.

I pull her in, so our noses touch. “Don’t tell me you’ve been walking around New York with no panties,” I growl.

“You’ll replace them in your car. It was meant to be a little surprise for you.”

“I want the whole collection. What color were they?”

“Red. To match my bra.”

When I swipe her bottom lip with my thumb, she moans against my touch.

“So fucking responsive.”

Moving my attention to the exposed skin on the side of her neck, I bite down. When I slide a hand to cup her tit, she starts to grind her bare pussy against me.

A little whimper leaves her lips. Foreplay was never really my thing. Well, neither was kissing. With Maddie, everything is so different. I want to draw it out, watch her body writhe as she fights an orgasm.

Eating her out has become my new favorite pastime.

“Are you ready to ride my face, Sunshine?”

“Damn right,” she purrs.

“I want these lips first,” I say, grabbing the back of her head and thrusting her face into mine, capturing her lips.

“Every inch of you is delicious.” Lifting her up by the waist, I settle her back down on the couch next to me and sink to my knees on the floor. She looks down at me, her legs wide open, her eyes twinkling. I position myself between her legs, gripping onto her thighs, pulling her pussy toward my face. I pull her skirt up so she’s fully on display, glistening and ready for me.

Her fingers run through my hair and she pulls me in. My greedy girl. She hooks her smooth legs around my shoulders and my lips cover her throbbing heat. Her sweetness bursts all over my tongue. Her back arches as I lick all the way up to her clit, biting down on it and pressing down on her stomach at the same time.

“Oh my god!”

Buzzing interrupts our moment. I try to ignore it as I lap her up, her hips rolling to meet my rhythm. She lifts her hips off the sofa, and I cup her ass, biting and sucking like a man starved.

That fucking irritating vibrating starts again. She doesn’t seem to notice, so I carry on. There is nothing sexier than having her riding my face like this and smothering me.

As soon as the phone buzzes again, I growl, “For fuck’s sake.” Her body sags as I move back and then lean over to grab the phone.

“Mom” flashes up on the screen. Maddie eyes me suspiciously, her cheeks flushed bright red. I hold out the phone to her. “Fucking answer this before I smash it to pieces.” With shaky hands, she brings the phone to her ear, her breathing erratic. All the while, she doesn’t take her hungry eyes off me.

“Hi, Mom.”

I sink back on my heels. She tries to close her legs, but I grab her knees, pushing them as far apart as they’ll go. Her eyes widen in horror.

“I’m fine, I just jogged up the stairs to my apartment.”

I give her a smirk before repositioning my face between her legs and so slowly lick all the way up her slit.

She squeezes her eyes shut, biting her lip.

“I can’t, I’m busy Saturday night.”

I reward her by sliding two fingers inside her whilst sucking on her clit.

“No, it’s not a date.”

I hum against her pussy, reminding her it fucking is.

“No, it’s no one special and I’m not bringing him to Sunday lunch.”

Her words stop me. Turns out that’s the one way she could ever turn me off. I look up at her, and she gives me an apologetic smile.

What the fuck.

Why does this feel like being punched in the gut? I’m not her dirty little secret. I’m done hiding from the world. I don’t even hear the rest of her conversation as my mind reels.

She’s still rambling away. I remove my fingers and move away from her, then stand.

I’d be so fucking proud to bring her home to my parents if I had that kind of relationship with them. Hell, I’ve not seen my parents in seven years. We talk on the phone occasionally. After I left Chicago, I left them behind too. They are both retired and spend their time travelling the world. I was always a hinderance to them, hence why they rushed me off to the Army at the first sign of trouble.I’d even thought about reaching out to them to see if they’d be home soon to meet her.

How fucking wrong I was.