Breaking Bones (Mariani Crime Family Series Book 2) (24 page)

I watched her glow with passion and power, realizing I was seeing her for the first time. Beyond the sarcastic, struggling orphan girl who almost died trying to escape reality, she was this woman—this perfect, enchanting, passionate woman, and I loved every damaged inch of her. Like the rest of the crowd, I gobbled up the sight and sound of her, like an addict shooting up after a long dry spell. She entered my veins and lingered, soothing, calming, enchanting. The song ended too soon, leaving me wanting. I peeled my gaze from her and sought out Noah. He paused his wild clapping to give me two thumbs up.

He loved her. Everyone in the restaurant did. She got a standing ovation. It was exactly what I’d wanted, what Ariana wanted, what we all wanted. So why did I feel so apprehensive about it?

Ariana handed the pianist back his microphone, but he only accepted it long enough to ask the crowd if they wanted to hear more. Enthusiastic cheering encouraged Ariana and the pianist to put their heads together and come up with two more songs. She performed them just as perfectly as she did the first.

The kitchen held our food back until Ariana thanked the crowd and the pianist and rejoined our table. She sat and sipped her cocktail, looking unaffected by what had just happened.

“Stop it right now,” Markie said, laughing. “I know you’re freaking out inside. That sounded amazing, Ari. You nailed it. You made that song your b.”

Ariana laughed. “My bitch? You can say it, Sis. We’re all adults here.” She tipped up her cocktail again, this time draining it. “I don’t know how you guys made that happen, but thank you. Seriously. Talk about an incredible birthday.”

I glanced back to where Noah had been standing, expecting him to descend on the table and make her night a hell of a lot better, but he was gone.

“I need another drink. A shot,” she announced, flagging down a waiter. When he reached our table, she ordered four Kicks-in–the-Crotch.

Before the waiter could leave, I stopped him and said, “I don’t know what she ordered, but if anyone comes at my junk, we’re gonna have an issue.”

Color drained from the waiter’s face.

“Don’t worry, he’s joking.” Ariana said, smacking me. “Simmer down, Bones, you’ll scare the poor man.”

Markie scanned the drink menu. “That’s not on here. How do you even know about it?”

Ariana’s smile morphed into a grimace. “You probably don’t want to know.”

“You’re right. But at least tell me what’s in it.”

“I don’t know. It’s purple and yummy, and it’s my birthday, so do it and like it.”

Angel shrugged. “It’s a good thing we took a cab. But you know Markie can’t drink right now, right? Not with the medicine they have her on.”

Ariana scrunched up her face. “Crap. I forgot about that. Oh well, I’ll drink hers. And I was trying to help you get lucky, Angel. So much for that idea.”

Markie turned bright red, and I had to cough to hide my laugh.

The waiter headed off to get our drinks and I continued to search the crowd for Noah. Still no sign of him. I pulled out my phone and saw I’d missed a text, telling me he had to leave to get to a meeting, but would call me later.

We were in the middle of dinner when the shots arrived. I wasn’t a drinker. As an enforcer—and Angel’s twenty-four-seven bodyguard—I couldn’t afford to have my senses dulled. Sure, I indulged in the occasional beer, but hard alcohol was off-limits.

“One shot on a friend’s birthday won’t kill you,” Ariana said, nudging my leg with hers. The lusty way she watched me spoke of a lot more than friendship, though.

Feeling my pants tighten, I accepted the shot and held it in the air.

Angel and Ariana joined me with their own shots, and Markie raised her glass of water.

“To Ari,” I said. “May you rock every stage you step on and make this town your bitch.”

“Happy birthday,” Angel and Markie added.

Then we all tipped our drinks back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ariana

I
SANG, AND the crowd cheered! Feeling on top of the world, I floated back to the table—back to the people who’d somehow made it happen—trying to play it cool. The crowd smiled at me, complimenting my performance as I walked past them, and each one made my heart soar. By the time I made it back to the table, I had to force myself to sit so I didn’t run around the room, high-fiving everyone and screaming like I’d just won the Super Bowl.

They freaking love me!

And man it felt good. I thanked Angel, Bones, and Markie, for whatever they’d done to make it all happen. I could have asked for details, but I was afraid knowing would take away the magic of the night. So instead, I ordered us all shots, determined to settle my nerves and maybe conjure up enough courage to throw myself at Bones again. The way he was looking at me was practically searing off my clothes anyway. Emboldened by the alcohol, I gave those looks right back.

We ate, had dessert, and stood to leave. Bones dropped a hundred-dollar bill on the table. I looked from it to him and arched an eyebrow.

“That’s not gonna cover the bill, Bones. I can pitch in.” I opened my purse and reached for my wallet.

Bones chuckled. “That’s the tip.”

That was the tip? Da-am, I needed to pick up an application for this place. “But what about the bill?” I asked, searching the table. Sure, I’d been drinking, but I wasn’t drunk enough to miss the bill. Especially because I intended to pay my share.

“Don’t worry about it,” Bones said, draping an arm over my shoulder and turning me toward the exit.

Before I could argue with him, Angel literally swept Markie off her feet. My sister didn’t say a word, just snuggled closer to him. She must have really been exhausted.

“I’m gonna get a cab,” Bones said, hurrying to get in front of Angel.

“You okay?” I asked Markie.

“Oh yeah, I’m… I can’t believe how much this has taken out of me. I feel like such a wimp. I don’t want to ruin your birthday though.”

“You won’t,” Angel reassured her. “They can drop us off and go back out.”

Nobody even suggested Markie and Angel leave without us. I’d never seen Angel outside of the condo without Bones attached at his hip. A cab stopped. We all climbed in and headed toward home.

“If you’re not feeling well, I can stay,” I suggested as we stopped in front of the building.

Angel stiffened. “I’ll take care of her,” he said. Then he got out and went around to open her door.

“I’ll be right back,” Bones said, following them.

Moments later he returned and slid in beside me, squeezing my hand. “This party is far from over,” he promised. Then he gave the cabbie directions to our next destination.

We were deposited in front of a nightclub with a line wrapped around the building. Bones paid the driver and then joined me at the curb.

“Check out that line,” I whined.

He chuckled, grabbed my hand, and tugged me straight for the two muscle-bound bouncers guarding the door. “Hey, Aaron, how’s the fam?” he asked.

“Bones, hey, they’re good. How are you man?” the blond answered, doing some sort of handshake before tugging Bones in for a quick hug.

“Good. Stayin’ busy. This is Ariana. Ari, my friend Aaron.”

Then Aaron seemed to realize Bones’s other hand was attached to mine. His eyes widened in surprise for a second before he recovered and offered me his hand. “Good to meet you, Ariana. You two get in out of the cold. Max is workin’ the bar tonight, so be careful of the drinks.”

Bones laughed.

Before I got a chance to ask what that meant, we were ushered through the door. Bones wrapped his arm around me and tugged me through the throng of people where he found Max and gave him a hard time before ordering our drinks.

“Do you know everyone?” I asked.

Bones cupped his ear, signaling he couldn’t hear me over the music.

I leaned against him so I could yell in his ear, at the same time he turned. Our lips collided. Before I could even process what was happening, he wrapped his arms around me, settling his hands on my lower back. We made out for a moment before he slowly pulled his lips away and rested his forehead against mine.

His eyes squeezed closed and the masculine scent of him encircled me, wrapping me in a cocoon of his scent: body wash, gun oil, and alcohol. Time stopped as we stood there, breathing in the same air. The moment felt strangely intimate and personal, surrounded by bodies bumping into us as they tried to get to the bar.

“I’m sorry,” Bones breathed. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Yes, you should have.”

In fact, I could think of several more things he should be doing. I thrust my pelvis against his, feeling the hard length of him through my dress and his pants.

He groaned. “You’re killin’ me, Ari.”

“I don’t know. Feels like you’re enjoying it.”

His eyes popped open, and I got a glimpse of the beast lurking within. He was passionate and intense, and his heated stare threatened to boil me alive. I held his gaze as his hand slid up my back until his fingers combed through my hair. “You’re so gorgeous.” His gaze flickered down my neck, following the line of my breastbone down to my cleavage, before returning to my face. “You make me want to lose control.”

A shiver went through my body. “Control is overrated.” I licked my lips, thrusting against him again.

Bones’s eyes widened and both of his hands landed on my hips, forcing me still. “Stop that.”

I felt a smile tugging at my lips as my hips fought against his hands. “Make me.”

Some drunk asshole bumped into Bones, jarring him out of our moment. Bones looked around and when his eyes landed back on me, he’d regained control. Disappointed but unwilling to give up, I snatched my drink off the bar and drained it. Bones watched me, his smirk firmly in place. Holding his gaze, I slowly ran my hand below my mouth, wiping away the condensation the outside of the glass had left on my lip.

Bones’s composure cracked again.

Come on. Come out and play with me,
I silently pleaded. Aloud, I nodded toward his drink and said, “Your turn.”

He cocked his head, considering me as he lifted the beer to his lips. I put a finger on the bottom of it and helped him along. His empty bottle landed beside my glass.

“Good, now dance with me.”

“I don’t—”

“You do. It’s my birthday, and I want to dance.”

His mouth hung open for a moment before he shut it and shook his head, no doubt appalled that I would use my special day to get whatever I wanted from him.

Believe it, buddy.

He led me to the dance floor and held me at arm’s length. I stepped in, turning until my butt pressed against his crotch. I grinded against him for the rest of the song. When the next song started, he held my body still and—through gritted teeth—said, “We gotta get out of here.”

About time.

Satisfied and bubbling over with anticipation of finally getting what I really wanted for my birthday, I let him tug me out of the club and into a cab. We were on our way home and headed for bliss, when he got the phone call.

Bones glanced at the screen and grinned at me as he answered. “Hey Noah. Yeah, it’s a great time. What did you think?”

I tried to listen in, but he must have lowered his receiver volume after the call with his mom.

As Bones listened, his smile stretched further across his face. “I told you she was good.” He chuckled. “Yeah, she’s a knockout.”

I felt my cheeks heat up under Bones’s stare. But then his smile started to fade. I searched his face for clues as to why, but saw nothing.

“Yeah, I get it. Sounds good. I’ll pass along the information and let you know,” he said before hanging up and pocketing his phone. His jaw tightened.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing.” He smiled. “It’s all good. Great news.”

I couldn’t tell which of us he was trying to convince. “What is?”

The cab pulled up to the curb.

“I’ll tell you inside,” Bones said, paying the cabbie.

We hurried upstairs, and I went straight to my room to check on Markie. She wasn’t there, so Bones tapped on Angel’s door. Markie had fallen asleep watching another movie. I leaned past Bones to see my sister passed out in her pajama shorts and top, a peaceful smile spread across her face.