Devoted: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beneath The Mask Series Book 3)

My cock twitching wakes me up. I groan and rub my… pants?

What the hell?

Relief washes over me as her sweet coconut scent fills my nose. Last night comes flooding back to me. She fell asleep in my arms. I didn’t want to wake her. I must have passed out at some point, too. I was anticipating another nightmare after everything she unpacked last night.

Her arm wraps around my chest. As I slowly slip out from under her, I watch as her full lips slightly part and a deep breath flutters out. She is perfect.

Gently resting her head on the pillow, I tiptoe out of the room.

As I am about to leave, I somehow find myself standing outside my bedroom door. Maybe I could get Maddie and Sienna over to keep her company during the day? Surely being on her own for so long could be making it worse.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, willing away the ache at my temples.

My phone starts vibrating against my chest in my jacket.

“Hello?”

“Mr. Luca Russo, I assume?” A thick, gravelly Italian accent greets me.

“Who’s asking?” My stomach sinks with the options.

“Romano. You wanted my attention. Well, now you have it.”

Fuck. My mind isn’t with it for this. “Did you get my message?”

He laughs on the other end. “Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with?”

“Do you?” I spit back.

“If the Capris want to run guns into New York, we don’t need anyone’s permission.” His voice raises.

Now it’s my turn to laugh. “That’s not how it works here.”

He pauses with a small chuckle. “You’ve got balls, I’ll give you that.”

I roll my eyes.

“Look, what do you want? I’m busy,” I say, as I hear Rosa closing the door to the bathroom.

“I’ll start with getting my guns back. Once I have those, I might have some information that you’d be interested in having.”

I don’t give a shit what he knows. “No deal.”

I end the call. I don’t have time for this right now.

Ripping off my tie the second I walk through the front door, I follow strange noises coming from the living room.

She’s shoveling in popcorn, giggling to herself. At this moment, this is a carefree version of Rosa. My cheeks start to hurt from smiling at her. That weird warm fuzzy feeling stirs up in my chest, making me rub it.

“Are you going to stand and stare all night, or do you want to watch with me?”

She doesn’t look away from the movie as I drop down on the other end of the couch. She side-eyes me and hands over the bowl, but not before taking another huge handful.

“What are we watching?” I mumble around a mouthful.

“Bridesmaids.” She doesn’t elaborate, and we sit in silence for a moment.

“So, it’s about some wedding?” That gets her attention as her head swings around to face me, her jaw hanging open.

“You have not seen Bridesmaids?” she says in disbelief.

I toss one of the buttery morsels at her, aiming for her gaping mouth.

“Hey!” It misses and lands where her shirt flares over her chest.

“I usually just watch boxing videos. Is there a fight in it?” I can’t help but tease, as I stuff a handful in my mouth. Her eyes sparkle with menace as she clambers over and snatches the bowl back. Her hand brushing mine sends jolts of electricity through me.

“I guess you’ll just have to watch and find out.” She settles beside me, with the bowl resting in the gap between her legs.

We sit in comfortable silence. I spend most of the film watching her. The way her face lights up, the way her neck bobs when she drinks. The way she snorts when she laughs too hard.

I reluctantly stand after the film ends. I have to be at the warehouse to meet Carlos, our drug shipment coordinator, tonight.

“Luca?” Her voice halts my footsteps.

“Yes, little one.” I lean against the doorway, watching her cheeks flush. They always do when I call her that.

“I was thinking–” she trails off, her forehead creasing.

“Hmmm?”

She chews on her lower lip. “You know how you end up cuddling me to sleep most nights, anyway?”

I bite the inside of my mouth, liking where this is heading already.

“I do.” It’s a struggle to keep my tone neutral.

“What about if we just slept in the same bed?” She looks down at the empty popcorn bowl and coyly rolls it on her lap.

I suck in a breath, rolling my bottom lip between my teeth as I feel blood rush to my cock.

“Not anything like that. I just like you cuddling me to sleep. You keep my nightmares away.” She shrugs, making a pout with those lips I am so desperate to kiss.

Taking a pause, I want to give her the impression I have to contemplate it. “Yes.”

Her head tips up and her bright smile forms. It’s the one that makes my heart race. “You really don’t mind?”

I shake my head. “Trust me, I don’t mind.”

My cock might have to learn how to behave, and possibly my heart. I’m starting to realize there’s not a damn thing I’d say no to this woman for.

My phone vibrating on the nightstand wakes me. I pull Rosa tighter into me and nuzzle my face into the crook of her neck, taking a deep inhale.

A perfect way to wake up. Well, minus the irritating buzzing next to my head.

I groan and roll over, careful not to disturb the little beauty still snuggled against me. As I move, the cover lifts and I catch a glimpse of her perfect body framing mine. My cock starts to throb, so I snatch my phone up and roll onto my back. Grayson’s name lights up on the screen at–I squint–six am.

“Grayson. Everything okay?” I whisper.

“Yeah, sorry, I–fuck.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. “Try again? It’s early.”

Rosa stirs next to me, and I pull her tighter against me, letting her settle again.

“I think I’m going to propose to Maddie.” His words tumble quickly. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him sound so nervous.

“About time.” A smile forms on my face. He deserves this, they both do. “When? Need any help? I’m a good singer?”

He chuckles. “No, thanks. I don’t know. I had the ring made in London. I’ve been waiting for the right time. I might take her to dinner this weekend.”

“I’ll get some guys on security. Just let me know where and when.” Frankie and Dmitri will keep them safe.

“No, I can handle it. She is already on edge about my lifestyle; I don’t want that ruining our engagement. It’s just one night.”

I roll my eyes. He’s so stubborn sometimes. He can protect himself, without a doubt. It doesn’t mean it sits well with me, especially now Maddie is pregnant.

I hear Maddie calling his name in the background and chuckle. Both of us have been whisper-talking this entire time. He doesn’t have a clue it’s because I have Rosa tucked neatly into my side with her ass pressed up against my hip.

“I gotta go. I’ll speak to you later.”

“Have fun.”

As I toss the phone to the foot of the bed, Rosa rolls over to face me, her features still serene in sleep. I glance down at her and smile that she had a night without a nightmare. Even if it’s another night my cock painfully aches. But it’s worth it to see the glow shining through on her skin.

That perfect smile that makes my heart race.

I wrap my arm back around her and close my eyes. These moments of tranquility don’t happen often for me.