Page 28 of Spring Break with a Mafia Prince

My lips twitched as I bit back my thoughts for now. “Do I want to hear the rest?”

“Brat,” he muttered, kissing my temple. “There were debts. The house, not the one here. You own that outright, I believe. But the one where your father lives year round, and your school fees. The business buyout allowed for enough cash flow to cover those debts, and get the bank off your father’s back. It’s why he came here in the first place.” Falcon groaned as he stretched, and I knew that wasn't all of it.

“Go on, tell me the rest,” I sighed. “I should have known more about it all.”

His knuckles grazed my jawline as he pulled me back to rest against him. “You should have been able to rely on your father to look after you, not the other way around, Bella,” he said quietly. “What I've spent the last few hours negotiating should make that easier on you both. I hope. My father is a hard man when there is something he wants on the table.”

I closed my eyes. “What did he want?”

“You.”

“Huh?”

“That’s what your father came here to offer the night we met. Obliquely,” Falcon added. “He offered the business for sale and parked you right in my path, hoping I’d see you and want you.Packaged you up all nice and pretty, like bait.” He grimaced. “I remember thinking the same damn thing that night. I should have made the connection.”

“I—” I stared at him. “I’m so sorry. That’s so far from okay. I am—” A sickness roiled in my stomach. “Falcon, I am so sorry. I’ll leave. That’s— he manipulated you. Hell, that meansIdid too. I won’t— we can’t?—”

“Whoa, girl.” He caught me as I scrambled off the bed, swinging us around until we knotted together in Falcon-Bella pretzel. “Don’t you run off on me. I just spent hours explaining to my father that you’re my Untouchable. Don’t–”

“That I’m awhat?” A choked sort of giggle exploded from me as he broke through my panicked haze. “Sorry, but that sounds like a terrible type of gangster movie.”

He smiled ruefully. “It was one, and it was cool. I’ll show you sometime. I trust you. It—that scared me at first, I’ll admit. But you’re different. If you want me to let you go, walk away, I'll do it. But I don’t want to.” His expression cleared when I shook my head as he rearranged me on his lap, swinging my legs over his until I straddled him, staring him in the face. His body tensed beneath mine as he cupped my nape, his fingers massaging the muscle there. “Being Untouchable means I told my father I want you—no one else. I can’t claim anyone else, Bella. I get one chance at this, and I’m claiming you. I won’t let anyone hurt or touch you, especially not him.” His lip curled as he dragged me closer.

Suddenly I was all too aware of my dress hiked around my thighs, the press of him as he gripped one of my hips and squeezed.

A soft, strangled sound made it out of my throat. “I don’t understand.”

He laughed, leaning in to press his forehead to mine. “I don’t half understand why I'm doing this, either. But you’re mine,Bella. In all the ways that count in my world. What probably should have been a fling just turned into something a whole lot more.”

I frowned. “Is this the equivalent of proposing to me?” A huff left me. “We just met.”

He studied me for a moment. “If you like.”

My mouth fell open. “I— you can’t do that. Falcon. I don't have to Google you to know you’re wealthy as hell, especially if you just bought half of my father’s business.”

“I can, actually, but if you don’t want me, my offer remains. It always will. My protection stands in this world, even if we aren’t together. And I did buy it. Your father’s business. All of it. I just reallocated shares so you got the majority instead of my father.”

“Oh.” my head processed that for a while and couldn’t find a flaw in his logic, though I’d check everything over later. “Uh, thanks… This is overwhelming and I need time to understand it. Plus, a lawyer. My own.”

“Agreed. We can do that back home.”

“Home?” I stared into his dark eyes, lost yet again.

“I’m taking you back to Rippton with me. Not a word on that,” he warned. “I have a crazy roommate with an even crazier fuck buddy he pines about. How much more imperfect can the world be?”

I shrugged. “Sounds perfect to me. Just find a lawyer we can both talk to—together—so I can understand everything you’ve just done, the contracts, and what the future looks like.”

“What?” Falcon stared at me.

I leaned in, brushing my lips to the corner of his mouth. “That’s usually my line,” I whispered.

He swallowed. “You’re coming back to Rippton with me?”

“Is that the only part you heard, Mister Mafia Prince?”

“After everything else I figured you’d fight that part.”

“I want to be wherever you are,” I said simply. “Especially if my father is safe and has made a weird little friend.”

Falcon laughed hard and loud. “Oh fuck, Bella. I have never heard anyone describe the Don as a ‘weird little friend’ before. He’s going to fucking love you.”

“Does it matter?” I searched his eyes. “It can be terrifying, I’m sure.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across mine. “Can I?”

I nodded, letting my eyes fall shut as he kissed me long and slow. His hands slid into my hair, massaging gently as I sighed. At some point, we ended up stretched out on top of his bed covers, making out like teens. I had no idea how long that lasted but my lips tingled when he removed my dress—again—and sank deep inside me, giving me time to get used to the feel of him, going slow for my aching, sore body.

And when I cried out his name he drove his hips harder, faster until the world blurred and only he remained.

The mafia prince I fell for one spring break.