La Cosa Nostra, This Thing of Ours (18 page)

"Why would you wa
nt to be with someone like that?  Have you even Googled him? It is covered with accusations of his wife being seen many times with bruises and black eyes." He points to his eye, as if that should be all the clarification I need. 

"First
, it is not full of stuff. There is one article about a girl from over four years ago. Second, it was in a tabloid, the same tabloid that last week said Oprah had an alien baby," I defend Liam and myself.

"But what has he said?"
he pushes me.
He doesn't say anything, he doesn't talk about anything in his past so leave me the fuck alone
, is what I want to yell.

"I have always thought of you as
a good friend, and that's it. If you don't stop this, then I'm sorry we just need to go our separate ways," I sigh loudly. 

"Are you serious?"
he asks, exasperated. "You are going to choose him over me?" He is enraged at the thought. 

"That's not what I said.
I said that you have to lay off him because I'm not going to have this conversation every time I see you." I guess I underestimated his feelings for me. I knew he had them, but this is crazy.

"I'll talk to you later, I'm late."
I put my hand up in frustration and turn jogging the rest of the way to class. 

I'm nervous and anxious
as I climb into Liam's Viper. I am wearing a short black skirt, white button up silk blouse, black stockings, and high heeled pumps. Not the black bra, plus it has a few more buttons buttoned than I had to wear as my uniform. 

"What's that
about?" Liam motions to my outfit after he kisses me hello. He leans on the passenger side door waiting for a response. I just shrug, which makes him chuckle. "Okay, this should be fun." He closes my door and gets in the driver's side. 

"Don't you like it?" I pout sticking out my bottom lip. 

"I fucking love it. I think you look great no matter what you are wearing." He smiles, grabbing my lower lip with his thumb and finger. I bite the tip of his thumb playfully. "God, Petal, you are going to be the death of me." He adjusts himself in his seat. I see he has an erection. My eyebrows go up and down when I see it. "What, you really turn me on." He laughs sliding his hand up my thigh. "Oh God, you even have on the stockings," he growls, feeling the lace at the top.

"Is that bad?" Fuck, I'm getting really turned on now too. 

"Hell no, I can hardly wait to be fucking you in those stockings," he moans, starting the car and shifting it into gear. 

"I bet you've said that to all of The Guard
ian waitresses you've fucked." I don't know why I said it and I regret it the minute it comes out of my mouth. I can't help but think of how many he has slept with wearing these stockings.

"I've never n
oticed the stockings before you," he says, glancing at me for a second. He shifts gears then puts his hand back on my thigh.

"Whatever!" I roll my eyes.

"I'm dead serious, Petal. I was always a tits man before. I didn't notice other things, but with you..." he whistles through his teeth, "with you I notice everything." He shoots me his devilish grin, making me all but orgasm in the seat.

With Liam's crazy driving, we make
it to The Guardian in record time. "Let's make this fast, because I want to get you home," he says, taking my hand and helping me out of the car. Pinning my hand behind my back, he presses me against the car with his hard body. Even through the expensive suit I can feel his muscles up against me. I swear the man doesn't have an ounce of fat on him. 

He te
ases my lips with gentle kisses making me moan quietly. I feel his erection against my belly, he grinds it into me. "You're going to have to walk in front of me." He is chuckling as he kisses the tip of my nose. 

"Well let's go then,"
I say, not wanting to have a wet spot on the back of my dress from how very turned on I am at the moment. 

Liam opens the door for me, bu
t has me walk in front of him. He is just a little off to the side, his hand on the small of my back. 

The first person I notice is Sarah, I wave and the expression on he
r face is priceless. Liam guides me to their VIP table. I am relieved when Salvatore is not there yet. At least I can get a glass of wine in me to help me relax. Liam lets me in the half moon booth first. Monica must not see me because she comes bouncing over with a huge smile on her face. 

It qui
ckly fades when she realizes who is sitting next to Liam. He has his arm around the back of the booth behind me, his hand rubbing my shoulder.

She looks like she is about to start crying when she asks us what we want to drink. 

"I'll have the house white," I answer politely. 

"Diet Coke, thanks." He nods at her and when she
turns to walk away I think I see a tear. 

"So y
ou said you were a tits man, I can see why you liked Monica," I mention nonchalantly, but Liam cocks his head at me. I can tell he is thinking oh boy, here we go. I mean, I'm not tiny in the breast department, but I'm no Monica. That chick has triple D's. "What made you notice me? Because I know it wasn't these babies." I look down at my C cup at best. 

"I don't know," he answers
, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles. "I just know, I noticed you, I felt drawn to you. And you have amazing tits by the way." He grins, leaning over to try and look down my shirt.   

"That's a very good answer, Mr.
Tarseta." I don't know if it is because we are in The Guardian, but it just comes out.

"Pet
al, please don't call me that. You call my father that. You can call me Liam, baby, sweet cheeks, or whatever the hell you want, but just not that please."

"
Sweet cheeks?" I start laughing, which makes him laugh too. That's when Monica brings us our drinks. She sets them down and walks away without a word. I see Matty come around the corner of the VIP section, and that's when I take a very large drink of my wine.

"Relax,
" Liam says, putting his hand on my knee and giving it a squeeze. 

"
Well look what the cat dragged in," Matty pipes off, giving his nephew a slap on the back before sitting across from us. "I would ask where you've been the past three weeks, but I can see what has been occupying your time." He gives me a once over. "Harper, thought you weren't looking to land a rich man?"  He has a drink in his hands, and I wonder if he has had a few already. "If I knew you were up for grabs, I would have snatched you up first." He laughs, swallowing the rest of his drink and slamming the glass on the table.

"Matt, watch it,
" Liam warns. I feel him tensing up beside me. I put my hand on his leg to calm him down.

"What
, Liam, afraid she might leave you for the better Tarseta?" He motions for Monica to bring him another drink.

"You're fucking wasted right now." Liam puts his hand on top of
mine that is still on his leg. This was a very bad idea coming here. Just when I think it can't get any worse, Salvatore shows up.

"Sal, just in time.
I don't know if you ever formally met Harper, I think you knew her as bimbo." Matty gets up, letting his brother sit. Salvatore is much older than Matty, white hair, and heavier. 

"Matt, shut the fuck up now before I shut you up."
  Liam grates between his teeth to not cause a scene. 

"When you think
you're man enough, little nephew, you know where to find me," he says, but stumbles as he turns around to leave. I chuckle under my breath. He's so sloshed he probably won't even remember what he said tomorrow. 

"Liam, what is going on?
" Salvatore speaks with an Italian accent. He has both hands on the table as he stares down his son, barely taking notice of me.

"Your brother is drunk off his
ass," Liam says, tensing up even more. 

"Mr.
Tarseta, it's nice to meet you. I'm Harper Troy," I butt in and reach over the table to shake his hand. He takes my hand hesitantly. 

"Nice t
o meet you, also." As if my hand has sharp objects on it, Sal lets go so fast you'd think I had cut him.
Oh this was a great idea
.

"Dad
, I brought Harper here tonight because I wanted you to meet her. She's my girlfriend, so you will be seeing more of her," Liam explains.

"Jesus
, son, didn't you learn your lesson the last time?" Sal scoffs his disapproval. He won't even look at me, he just shoots daggers at his son. 

"I'm sorry
, Petal, this was a horrible idea. Are you ready to go?" Liam turns to me with ‘I'm sorry’ in his eyes, but I can tell he is seconds away from losing his temper. 

"Yes
, sweet cheeks, I can think of some stuff we can do." I wink at him, and I feel the tension in his body release almost immediately. He throws back his head in a deep laugh, takes my hand, and guides me out of the booth. 

"Dad
, when you are ready to be respectful to my girl let me know, until then you won't see me," Liam says to his father in an even tone. 

"Liam,
don't be an idiot. I don't know if we can recover from another fuck up. I'm afraid this time there's no coming back," Sal spits at his son. I have no idea what he is talking about, and right now I don't care. All I want to do is get my man out of this toxic place. 

"Come on
, baby," I whisper, putting my arm around his waist breaking his stare down with his father. It does the trick because he leads me out of the club without another word to anyone. 

Chapter 20

We are in the car for a good five minutes before Liam speaks. 

"I know you said you needed to go home tonight, but will
you please stay with me tonight?" His hand on the gear shift, he doesn't glance at me at all. 

"Yes
, baby," I answer. Reaching over, I run my fingers through the back of his hair.

"God
, I love you," he breathes, still not looking at me, which is fine because he is zooming in and out of traffic like a lunatic. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken you there. I was hoping they would be gentlemen, especially when they saw you."

"I don't know what is going on with your dad and uncle, and I believe you will tell me
about your past when you're ready, but you don't have to apologize for the actions of other men." I speak what I truly believe.

"I don't deserve you
, Petal," Liam murmurs, so soft I almost don't hear him.

We speed o
nto the car ramp and he parks in his spot. He gets out and comes around to open my door. We are silent as we get into the elevator.  He is holding on to my hand tight.

He doesn't let go of the
tight grip on my hand until we are in the apartment. He pushes me up against the wall, his lips are on mine hard. His tongue forces my mouth open with such need. 

"Liam, baby," I moan
when he moves to my neck.  He pulls my head back so he has better access to my throat. Kissing his way around my neck he moves my shirt aside to get to more skin. 

His lips are everyw
here frantically moving to every spot of bare skin. Before I even know what is happening, he has pulled my shirt open with one swift move, buttons flying everywhere. I gasp as he brings his eyes to mine. The need and hunger in them is so intense. I swallow hard as he looks like he is going to devour me. He moves hungrily to the swell of my breasts licking and kissing, his fingers pull down the cups of my white lacy bra. 

"You are so
beautiful, God I will never get tired of looking at you," he growls and stands back, his eyes move over my body. He shrugs out of his suit jacket, tugging at his tie to remove it. I am breathing heavily, my chest rising and falling from the weight of his stare. Unbuttoning the sleeves first, then the first couple buttons at his neck, he grabs his shirt at the back and pulls it over his head. His muscles ripple as he throws the shirt aside then drops to his knees in front of me.