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"Hm?" I turn back to her, and Daisy reaches for me, her hand cupping my cheek and pulling me close. When she kisses me, it's not the frantic, hungry, eager kisses we've shared before. This one is slow and gentle, her lips brushing across mine with sweetness. She's new at this, but her earnestness makes it all the better. I groan, grabbing her and kissing her back, but she pulls away, laughing, and slides out of bed. "That's for teasing me earlier."
* * *
We eat a quick meal of fresh fruit and toast before heading out the door. Ashton is up too but has no new news on the Carlo situation. Just to be safe, I wait until Daisy is distracted and slip my pistol into the holster hidden under my suit coat. Just in case.
The coffee shop, like Il Fiore, is in the city proper and it takes some time to get there. I don't mind, considering I get to spend all these moments with Daisy, but she seems uneasy.
"Tell me what's wrong."
Surprised, she turns around from where she was looking out the window. "Oh! I…um…I guess I just feel bad about quitting my barista job and basically abandoning my apartment for these last few days. It feels like I just got up and left my entire life."
I take a deep breath, reaching out and taking her hand in mine. "Sweet girl, your entire life was in danger. You did the right thing."
She hums thoughtfully. "I will have to start all over."
No, you won't, I think, because you're mine, and there's no way in hell you're going back to living in that apartment alone. But I can't tell her that out loud without spooking her, so I just stay silent, stroking her knuckles with my thumb to comfort her.
"Okay, Dom. We're here." Daisy straightens her spine, clearly trying to psych herself up. "How do I look?"
I rake my gaze over her. "Beautiful. Sexy. Irresistable."
Daisy rolls her eyes, blushing, and pushes open the door. The little bell on the inside chimes, announcing our entrance, and the man behind the counter looks up. His eyes narrow in on me, and Daisy quickly steps forward, her hands raised.
"Before you say anything, Jack, I need to introduce you to Dominic. Dom, this is Jack, my manager."
I nod once, but Jack doesn't even look at me, his gaze flicking back to Daisy.
"You disappear for days without a word, and then you stroll back in here to what? Get a latte? You really left us in a lurch, Daisy."
"Jack, I'm sorry. I got wrapped up with Carlo and?—"
Jack snorts. "Looks like you’re doing fine, though. Got you a sugar daddy, huh? You know, if you just wanted to be a kept woman, I would have been up for the job.”
It goes so silent that it’s almost suffocating. Fury, red and scalding, rises inside of me. Surely this asshole didn’t just say what I think he said? When I speak, it’s low and dangerous. “Only because we’re in public, I’ll give you one fucking opportunity to take that shit back.”
The manager rolls his eyes. “What are you going to do, meathead?”
I’m over the counter before he can take another breath, knocking over a stack of cardboard cups before I grab the prick by the collar of his shirt. I shake him hard. "No one speaks to her like that. Adjust your tone and apologize or you’re going to be digging your own grave within the next fucking hour.”
Jack yelps before his mouth snaps shut, and the other barista behind the counter watches the entire interaction with wide eyes. I can feel the shock rolling off Daisy, but it doesn't faze me. Everyone on this planet will respect my woman or suffer the consequences. Even the two other customers, a man sitting alone and a woman who was previously on the phone, are silent.
Finally, the manager finds his words again, even if they are strangled by the hold I have on him. "Ah… You know what? No hard feelings, Daisy. Feel free to go to the back and get your things. You were…a perfect employee?”
"I'll go," I snap, dropping Jack, angry even imagining Daisy in some cramped office with this asshole. "I want to see the security footage from the night of the break-in, anyway."
"I'll…uh…order for us then." Daisy tries to sound upbeat, but there's no hiding the tension she's feeling. "What do you want?"
"Surprise me." Glancing out the storefront window to confirm that our security detail is still there, I feel safe enough leaving Daisy for a minute. Something tells me she'll be traumatized having to watch the footage of her near-attack from the other night.
Jack's office is tiny, and I'm pretty sure if I stand sideways, I'll hit both walls. Daisy has spent time in this closet? It's degrading.
"Play the footage from the night Daisy left."
"Yes, sir," Jack stutters, navigating his computer and pulling up the security footage. It shows the front of the cafe, including the front door, the registers, and the first couple of tables.
"Back it up thirty minutes."
"Right."
