Rivaled Love

Chapter 4

The water felt warm against her skin and she sighed in contentment as the steam from the hot shower eased her aching muscles. She'd left the living room as Christian demanded fuming at his audacity. She hated a man who thought he could boss her around. However, she'd never encountered a man that she wanted to be dominated by, until Christian that is.

Ana groaned and laid her forehead against the ceramic tile. Why is he the exception? Getting involved with him meant endangering many more lives than just the two of them. There wasn't any way that she would be accepted back into Jose's good graces now that she had sold out. She would miss the little family that she did have in his crew, but she knew Christian was her ticket out. Even if they never became more than friends his protection would give her the ability to live a happy life. She couldn't see him putting her to work the way Jose did.

She reached over and shut the water off shivering as the cold air brushed over her skin. The warm towel she grabbed felt amazing against her body and she hummed in delight. She had no clothes and figured she'd just have to use her only pair again unless Christian had some female clothing lying around. The thought made her stomach flip, she didn't want to think about any woman being in his bed.

She pulled on her shirt and slowly opened the bathroom door. He had an en-suite so she felt fine with what she was wearing as long as he wasn't in the room. She walked towards his dresser and smiled wryly as she opened his top drawer. Christian seemed like a man who lived with OCD if his colored coated underwear were anything to go by. She bit her lip to keep herself from laughing as she pulled out a pair and slipped them on. There was no way in hell she was going to put her dirty ones back on and no way in hell she'd wear another woman's.

Snapping the Hugo Boss band against her flat stomach Ana climbed onto his bed and slid under his covers. They were dark gray and made of the finest silk she'd ever felt. She couldn't help but sigh as the covers slid over her skin, it felt like heaven. She briefly wondered what it would feel like to have a man next to her, holding her, keeping her warm and safe. Her chest constricted when she realized that she didn't just want any man but she wanted Christian.

She frowned as she heard a knock on the door and she glared as he opened it before she could give him the okay. She was under the covers, but she could've been naked for all he knew. Well, that might've been an interesting twist. He gave her an odd look as she coughed to cover her embarrassment. There was more to her attraction than just his looks. She'd seen bits and pieces of the man he truly was under his steel mask and she found herself wishing she could see that person a little bit more. But she knew that the chances of her getting to know the real man underneath his mobster persona was slim.

His eyes darted around the room as he closed the door behind him. Ana found herself growing tense at his perceptiveness. It seemed that he was always looking for something, always on high alert assessing every situation. It made her chest hurt to think that he'd never had a chance to live a real life, a free life. He was born into the Mafia and ever since he was a kid this is what he was expected to be. She could understand that. She was born into her own fucked up world with her crack head father and her flighty mother. She was expected to be a nobody, A person that was going to be another statistic, a low life. It made her sick to think that so far that's exactly what she had been.

"You showered?" His voice was gruff and she found herself squeezing her legs at the heat she felt pooling between them.

"Y-Yeah, that's okay?" She smiled as he nodded his head and took a seat across from her. She'd noticed that he didn't even attempt to sit on the bed. It was strange for her to be around someone like him. Someone with so much power, who had the ability to make men twice his size cower in fear, and yet treated her with such respect even though she was the enemy. She guessed now that didn't matter anymore seeing as though she was in his protection.

"You're such a gentleman," She teased him as she crossed her legs Indian style. He quirked his eyebrow before barking out a loud laugh.

"Bambina, if I did what I truly wanted to do to you, I don't think gentleman would be the word used to describe me." Her breath caught in her throat at the look in his eyes. She could see that he wanted her the same way she wanted him. They were both grown adults and she didn't see why they couldn't indulge in some fun. After all, the only man she'd ever been with was Jose and he'd put a big do not touch sign on her ass at the age of eighteen. No one dared to go near hear cause they knew the repercussions for such an offense. She never found herself craving any mans touch, let alone Jose's, not the way she was craving Christian's.

"Well, why don't you show me then?" She whispered. His eyes blazed with intensity as they raked over her body.

"I can't." She frowned at his words and threw the sheets off her body. Sliding off the bed, she smirked as his eyes took notice of her choice of underwear. He groaned closing his eyes and she walked over with as much confidence as she could muster. Softly pushing his shoulders back, she straddled his lap, gasping at the bulge she felt through his sweatpants.

"Fuck." He hissed and grabbed her waist tightly. Ana put her hands around his neck, staring at his half lidded expression. There wasn't a thing she wanted more than him right now. A part of her felt outraged that she was so willing to be with a man she barely knew, but another a part of her, a stronger part, could care less because it just felt so right.

"Show me." She leaned in planting a soft kiss under his ear.

"God, Anastasia stop." The grip on her waist tightened and he stood, carrying her back over to the bed. She felt his rejection hit her hard as he placed her back on the mattress. What the hell had she been thinking? His eyes softened as her cheeks flushed and she looked away as she felt the sting of tears coming on. She had never openly petitioned a man before and to be knocked down by him of all people was a big blow to her pride.

"Stop, It's not that." His words were rough, but the hand that wiped away the lone tear on her cheek was more than gentle. She looked up and saw sincerity in his gaze. She felt her shoulders relax as he sat down beside her.

"I want you, God do I fucking want you." He sighed closing his eyes. "But I can't have you right now. I need to focus on my men and keeping you safe. " He didn't have to finish the statement for her to understand what he meant. He had a job to do and her being anything more than a friend would distract him from that job. Her heart sank at her thoughts, but she refused to let it show. She'd deal with the pain of his rejection alone.

She nodded her head and got back under the covers. She wasn't sure what he came in for but she wasn't going to spend any more time talking about her lack of self control.

So fucking stupid!

It was clear by the look on her face that his chances of explaining what he meant were slim. God, when she walked over to him in nothing but a shirt and his damn underwear on he had near lost it then and there. Then when she sat on his already hard dick, he nearly took her right where he sat but he stopped himself. Elliot had stormed out pissed after their talk and he knew he had a job to do first. Anastasia had spun his world around in the matter of 24 hours and its more than hard getting his head back on straight.

The frown that marred her beauty squeezed his heart and he would do anything to put a smile on her face. The attraction was undeniable and clearly from her little show she wanted him just as much, but he didn't come up here for that, he came up here to ask some questions. His priority was still to find Johnny. However, he wasn't sure how long that would last with Anastasia in the picture.

The last thing he had expected when he came upstairs was to see her half naked. He had wanted to talk to her as soon as he got upstairs, but he had needed a break, time to himself as he was so pissed off at his brother's behavior. It was funny how no one had ever challenged him except his brother and now he had this petite brunette that loved challenging him at every corner.

"So what did you want?" Anastasia asked as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. He recognized that position as a defensive one and he sighed. It seemed as if they would be taking five steps back after their one step forward this morning.

" I need to know what your role is with the Ladornes'. How can I protect you when I don't even know what I'm protecting you from?" Christian said, struggling to keep his voice leveled. He was frustrated with the girl in front of him. Her advance on him had done nothing but fuel the flame he had for her to a level he didn't know was possible. If he thought he was going to have a hard time keeping his hands to himself before, he knew now there was no doubt about it. All he would have to think about was her beautiful tan legs straddling his lap.

"I can't tell you that right now." She whispered, turning her face away. He felt his throat tighten and his anger rise. There was a lot that he was putting on the line for her and she wasn't even willing to provide him with what he needed.

There were many scenarios running through his head and yet he couldn't figure out who she was. He hadn't heard of anyone by the name of Anastasia running with Jose's crowd. He knew a lot about them, not everything, but a lot. It was possible that she was a member and he had overlooked her, but he seriously doubted it. There was also the possibility that she was considered royalty to their gang. That meant that she was born into it. Her father was a member and she was considered a fucking princess in their world. That thought made his blood run cold. He wasn't sure how severe things would get if she was the daughter of one of their men. Anybody who was a part of this lifestyle knew that a man's daughter was off limits. But then there was the chance that she wasn't a daughter, but someones better half. That, although a tough situation, was a better one for him and his men. He could handle any punk who thought they had some sort of claim over her.

"You don't have a choice." Christian snapped. " If you want my protection you'll tell me." He saw her eyes flash and knew his ultimatum would put a strain on anything they wanted together, but if he was going to bring her into his house with his men around they needed to see that she trusted him.

"Fine." She muttered. " I'm Jose's girl, woman, whatever you want to call it." Anastasia's eyes were hard and he could tell that she was waiting for his next move. All he could think about though was the fact that he had his archenemy's woman in his bed. What was worse than that was that not only was this Jose's girl, but he wanted her with a passion that was way more than lust and he sure as hell wasn't going to stop until he knew she was his and only his.

"What are we going to do about the girl?" His men sat around the table waiting for his response. His talk with Anastasia had done nothing to solidify his thoughts. Christian was caught between a rock and a hard place. On one end he knew he needed to find Johnny and on the other he needed to keep Anastasia safe. Jose was a man who went after what he wanted and didn't stop until one side caved. Now that he had her there was no way they wouldn't feel the repercussions for it.

"She stays." Elliot's eyes widened at his answer. His own swept over the room as the tension thickened. It was common knowledge that everyone felt she was useless. Christian hadn't told anyone what he was told two nights ago. If they knew she was Jose's woman he wouldn't only be protecting her from the Ladrones but also his men. That was a divide he couldn't risk within his circle.

"For what? She's useless to us." Jack's voice traveled across the table and he gritted his teeth in annoyance. If there was one person who loved to challenge him it was Jack fucking Hyde.

"Who's in charge Jack?" The men around them quieted as they looked between them. It wasn't the first time he and Jack had gone head to head. It was a constant issue that always ended with Jack on his ass. If it wasn't for the son he had at home Christian would have offed him a long time ago. The problem was Jack's son was a three old boy with autism. Even Christian wasn't that much of a bastard.

Jack's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched in anger. Christian leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. It was all a power play when it came to surviving the Mafia. He was in charge and if his men needed a reminder to keep in line he'd gladly give one.

"What? Speak up cause I can't fucking hear you." His raucous voice reverberated off the walls. The tension in the room was thick enough to taste and a sound from upstairs reminded him that their brunette guest was awake.

"You are." Jack muttered.

"You are what?" He prompted.

"You are, sir." Jack spat, his hands clenching the arms of his chair. His anger was like a dangerous flood pooling in his eyes and Christian knew this was far from over. He looked at his watch and was shocked to see that it was noon. With a nod and a wave of his hand the table was dismissed. He watched as his men filed out of the room and grabbed Elliot's arm before he could leave.

"I need you to take care of Jack tonight. Rough him up but don't kill him, get Ethan to do it with you the kid needs thicker skin." Christian raised his eyebrows at Elliot's grunted response. "Also get the men ready, we're doing a raid."

He saw and ignored Elliot's questioning glance. Anastasia had given him a list of Jose's spots and one stood out amongst the group. He knew about all except this one and he intended to find out what he held there. The last thing he needed were any more of his men questioning his actions. All they needed was to set up and be ready for his call. He was tired of them thinking he needed their approval first. It seemed like the people in his own camp were confused as to who was above who.

"You're not going to tell me anything else?" Elliot admonished. "You're just going to sit there and say we're going on a fucking raid and not mention who, what, when and where? What the fuck has gotten into you Chris." The buzzing in his head got louder as his brother went on. He slammed his hand down on the table and stood towering over him.

"Get it through your fucking head that you have to answer to me, not the other way around!" He yelled pushing him against the chair behind him. " Get your shit together is. that. clear?"

"Crystal, asshole." Elliot grunted against the weight his hands were putting on top of his chest. Christian released him with a last shove and clenched his jaw as his brother shoved past him. He ran his finger through his hair and tried to catch his breath. The only thing he hoped to get out of this was Anastasia and even then he couldn't say why he needed her so desperately. What worried him the most was the divide he was trying to prevent seemed to be happening right before his eyes.

I thought I updated last week imagine my surprise when I logged on and saw that I didn't I have been swamped with work so I am sorry for that mistake.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Tell me your thoughts about our couple and their situation. I want to hear from you guys ! To everyone who has reviewed I love it and I try to reply to them all seriously I love talking to you all you guys are great.