Distance: A Dark Mafia Romance (Beneath The Mask Series Book 1)

A series of aggressive knocks on the door stir me from my afternoon nap. The noise hammers through my ears. I’ve ignored every single one of Keller’s calls since the catastrophe that was last night. Now I’ve had the day to think about it. I’m pissed off, but I know I should have heard him out. I panicked and ran in typical Sienna style, except this time, I have a man that won’t back down.

“Jesus fucking Christ, I’m coming!” I shout, as I throw my legs over the side of the bed and drop myself off the edge with a thump. This best be important or I swear to God.

Not even bothering to get changed from my thin vest top and bright pink shorts that barely cover my ass cheeks, I pad out of Maddie’s room and head towards the irritating noise.

The closer I get, the more the knocking assaults my ears. Shit, am I about to be arrested? No, they’d just smash the bloody door down, wouldn’t they?

“Open up Princess.”

Stifling a yawn with my hands, my head still fuzzy from this abrupt wake up call, I unlock the door and open it a notch to peek through.

Keller stands there, his hair styled the same as last night. There’s a slight darkness pooled under his eyes like he hadn’t slept. His black hoodie hugs his bulging biceps. And those damn gray sweatpants. If I wasn’t so angry, I’d be salivating at them.

“What do you want, Keller?” I snap.

“You gunna let me in or what, Baby?” His husky tone sends electricity straight to my pussy. She clearly hasn’t woken up to get on the same page as my brain yet.

I don’t have the energy to fight with him right now. If the continuous door knocking is any indication, he isn’t going to piss off until I let him in.

Without a word, I swing open the door and gesture for him to come past, holding the door open, and giving him the most sarcastic grin I can muster. He barges straight past me, his eyes rake up and down my body, and the cocky prick licks his lips and waltzes into the living room.

I stomp into the room and stand by the entrance, hands on hips, glaring at him.

“Late night Champ?” Jealousy laces my tone. I can’t help it. I can only blame my Scorpio tendencies.

“Fuck Baby, you are so hot when you’re jealous and angry. ”

I see red. “Are you serious right now, Keller? Who is she?” I spit, not holding back anymore. Physically pressing my feet on the floor to stop myself from going over to him.

“Well Princess, if you’re referring to those articles, a little birdie has told me you’ve been reading, that woman would be my PR manager, Stacey. She needed a lift, so I gave her one. Simple as that.”

I believe him, despite my deep-rooted trust issues, every fiber of my being believes him.

“You wanna talk about why you stormed off before even speaking to me about it? Fuck, I’m no relationship expert here, but I don’t think that’s the way we handle shit like this. You near on have a stalker ex, Sienna. I was losing my mind worrying about you. Luckily Grayson had Maddie’s number and managed to ease my worries. You don’t run from me, there’s no point. I’ll always find you.”

He says this last part as he takes a step towards me, and my heart mends with every move he makes. I back up until I’m met with the wall. His hands slam against it, caging me in against his body, his warm breath beating down on my face.

“I shouldn’t have left. I saw the pictures and my heart shattered. After what happened with Jamie, I feel like I’m just waiting for everything to go up in flames around us.” A single tear rolls down my cheek as I explain.

Maddie clears her throat from behind us, which makes me jump. She offers a quick smile and wave as she maneuvers around, straight into the kitchen, putting the kettle on. She’s trying to look busy, but I know full well she’s spying out of the corner of her eye.

“I have something for you, Princess,” he says as he starts lowering his sweatpants. I gasp in horror, grabbing his hands to stop him, knowing Maddie is only meters away watching. Ushering him to the bedroom, his delicious gray sweatpants still hang below his ass. I had to stop him from giving Maddie the full show of his downstairs. I can hear her chuckling echoing through the apartment.

A mischievous glint in his eyes flutters as he pulls down his boxers as soon as I slam my bedroom door shut.

I grab his hand to stop him. “For fuck’s sake, Keller. Do you really think I’m in the mood for that right now? I’m so pissed off I don’t even want to look at you, let alone fuck you!” I’m trying to keep my eyes from traveling to his cock.

A deep chuckle escapes his lips as he shakes my hand off his forearm with ease, continuing to slip his boxers down, his eyes never breaking contact.

God, no matter how hard I try, this man just turns me on, even if I want to punch him in the jaw at the same time. He stands there in all his glory. A plastic wrap covers the area just above his public bone and I only notice once I stop ogling his cock.

He slowly removes the clear tape surrounding the plastic. This man has an obsession with tattoos, I’m sure.

Taking a step back, my eyes focus on the script of black ink and almost bulge out of their sockets. I cannot believe what I’m seeing. Resting just above his cock, in a beautiful dark font reads “PROPERTY OF SIENNA”. It’s delicate and beautiful, which makes it stand out like a sore thumb against his array of black angry looking tattoos.

“W-why would you do that? You do realize that’s permanent, right? After last night, who knows if we are actually even together anymore!” I say, trying to keep the desire off my face. The man can read me like a book. But I want to mess with him a little.

“Branding myself with your name wasn’t enough?” His brow cocks up as he speaks.

“It’s there in ink. I belong to you. Forever. Be angry all you want, even better. How about you fuck me like you hate me, then I will fuck you like I love you? How does that sound?”

He loves me?

“You don’t love me, Keller.” The words burn my throat as I speak. He feels this too?

“Marry me?” He whispers. My eyes snap up to his. All I am met with is pure adoration in them, making my heart flutter.

“You- w-what?” I stutter. Surely he can’t be serious?

“I’m deadly serious, Sienna. One day, you will be mine forever. The look on your face tells me I have a bit more to do to get you on the same page,” He’s rubbing his jaw while drinking me in.

Am I ready? Could I marry him? I couldn’t imagine living another day without him.

“Move in with me?” he asks. “I want you consuming my entire life, in my head, my heart, and my home. Does that prove how into this I am? You are it for me, Sienna. No one else, not now, never.“

A smile spreads across my face. “Yes,” I reply instantly. No hesitations when it comes to him, I’m ready to dive in head first. Fuck the consequences. I just want him.

A devious grin flashes across his face as he stalks towards me, eating me up with his eyes. “I can’t wait to wake up and eat that delicious pussy for breakfast. Every. Fucking. Day.”

I melt.

Keller swiftly closes the distance between us, scooping me up as I wrap my legs tightly around his torso. His rock-hard cock rubbing against my bundle of nerves and I involuntarily let out a moan as he throws us down on the bed. Capturing my lips with his, he mumbles, “Too many clothes Baby”.

I couldn’t agree more.

I wake up with a start as my phone buzzes next to my head. Holding in a yawn, I pick it up, not wanting to interrupt Keller from his peaceful slumber. Although he looks very uncomfortable in my poxy bed.

My body freezes as I see the name flashing across the screen.

Mom.

With trembling fingers, I slide across to accept the call, taking in a deep breath, bracing myself for the abuse that will no doubt be hurled at me.

“Hi mom.” I whisper.

“Nice to see my daughter whoring it out with a rich boxer in New York. Living the dream whilst I’m here in a pokey flat with no heating. You’ve not even bothered to send me any money for months.” As she rambles in her drunken slurs, I pinch the bridge of my nose and shut my eyes.

“I bet you’re pleased with yourself. You finally trapped a man with money to look after you like the stuck-up princess you are. You are the reason your dad left me; you ruined our lives.”

Tears threaten to spill as I listen.

“Well, good luck keeping that one. He will soon get bored with your shit like the rest of them. You, Sienna are my biggest regret, a waste of space. No one will ever love you, just like me.”

“Shut up.” I finally snap.“You’re my mom, why do you do this to me? Why can’t you just be happy for me? My whole life I’ve looked after us both.”

All I wanted was for you to love me, to care for me.

Her evil laugh fills the speaker.

“I gave up everything for you, Sienna,” she spits out in her venomous tone.

“No, you didn’t. You’ve drunk your whole life away. I can’t do this anymore, mom,” I sob. Why can’t she love me? am I really that unlovable?

“Oh, quit feeling sorry for yourself. You’re pathetic. Look, I need money. Your new man is worth a few quid. Send me some over. it’s the least you can do to repay me.”

The bed sinks beneath me as Keller leans over and grabs the phone from my ear, giving me a small smile. Fury burns in his eyes.

“I suggest you stop calling Sienna. You don’t deserve to even have her number. Your daughter is the most incredible woman I have ever met. No thanks to you. I will make it my mission to give her the most incredible life, filled with love and happiness, while you can continue to rot. You won’t be receiving a single dollar from us. If you so much as think about contacting her again, I will take everything you have left away from you. I will break you to the point of no return. Don’t underestimate the lengths I will go to for her. Now if that’s everything, I suggest you fuck off.”

I can’t hide the shock on my face as he cuts the call and throws the phone to the end of my bed. He wraps his muscular arms around me and smothers me into his embrace, his strength creating a calmness within me. It’s almost enough to forget my mom’s disgusting words. Almost.

“Fuck baby, I think I’d rather have no fucking parents than have a mom like that. I am so fucking sorry. You deserve so much better.”

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. All I need is him. He has made me feel more cherished, loved, and protected in these few short weeks than anyone ever has. He is the family I choose. I melt into his embrace and let the tears flow. A warmth radiates in my chest as he cuddles me, whispering sweet reassurances into my ear.

Maybe I don’t need anyone else. Maybe Keller and Maddie are meant to be my family.

After a few minutes, my tears subside. I bring my face to Keller’s and place a soft kiss on his lips.

“Thank you, I’ve spent so many years putting on a brave face, thinking I’m the problem when it’s her. I don’t want to ever be like her. I want to be happy, and you make me so happy, Keller.”

A grin spreads across his face.

“Oh baby, you bring light into my life. Before you, there was literally only darkness. I’ve never had any family, so I don’t know what you’re going through. But don’t ever forget that you have me, Princess.”

“Tell me what your childhood was like?” I ask and he tenses against me.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I’d just like to understand.” I quickly add. He sighs and rests his chin on the top of my head, nestling me tighter into him.

“I can’t lie to you. It was tough, especially the time before I met Luca. I was lost. I was angry. Angry with my birth parents, angry with the world and with myself that I couldn’t find a way to make a family love me enough to keep me. That’s where I got into street fighting. It was the only thing that made me feel alive, and I was fucking good at it. By the time I was fourteen, I was going out of my way to fight. I wanted the pain to make me feel something. ”

He takes in a deep breath as if just remembering his past physically hurts him.

“That’s when I met Luca, a kid so similar to me we had an instant bond. We looked out for each other and unleashed hell in the underground boxing scene. No one wanted us, so we spent most of our nights in abandoned units after running away from our foster homes, stealing what we could to survive. Then finally, Mrs. Russo came into our lives and knocked us into shape. I mean, she was too late to save me from my demons, but she kept me alive. If it weren’t for her and Luca, I would never have gone pro.”

“Oh, Keller,” I sigh, stroking his face with my hand. I can see he’s fighting to hold back the tears.

“I wish life could have been kinder to you. No kid deserves to go through that. You turned it around. I am so proud of you. I mean, look at everything you’ve achieved, Champ. It’s incredible. You are incredible.”

He gives me a sad smile, almost like he doesn’t believe how amazing I truly think he is. I take his face in both of my hands and kiss his nose.

“I mean every word, Keller. There may be darkness, but there is always light. One day, I’ll prove it to you. Maybe we were destined to find one another, to heal our pasts and create something great.”

“I don’t doubt that Baby. Me and you, we’re inevitable.”