Page 123 of Tempting My Mafia Monster

We stared at each other as he leaned back on his hands.

“The temperature’s nice,” I lied. “You should join me.”

“Can’t swim.”

My eyes widened. Shit. Of course. He’d been living in a bunker for over twenty years. “Did you not learn as a child?”

He rolled his lips, his gaze flicking down to my tits and then back up to my eyes. “I preferred to play in the mud.”

I smiled. I could imagine it. Maddox on his family’s farm, caked in mud from chasing animals.

“I think I met your mam,” he said, changing the subject. I paused. Oh shit, I couldn’t imagine how that had gone. “Cecilia?”

“Si,” I answered, dipping down in the water to my shoulders. “What did she… I mean, how was she...”

“She’s a special woman.” The sincerity in his voice tightened my throat with emotion. He’d seen beyond her dementia. “She was kind.” He rubbed the back of his neck, almost awkwardly. “I like her. And I don’t like anyone.”

“Do you like me?” The moment the question left my lips, I wanted to dive beneath the water and never resurface. How needy was that? “You don’t have to answer.” I looked away. “I just… you liked me before… a lot. I just don’t know if—”

“I know I did.”

My eyes snapped back to him.

“I don’t remember everything.” He stared at the rippling water between us. “But I remember enough to know it was real.”

He remembered things? How much? And what did that mean?

“And now?” I whispered.

The night stretched around us. When he finally looked at me, his expression held something almost tortured.

“I know I’m no good for you. And I’m trying to stay away.”

My breath caught.

“Shouldn’t I get to decide what’s good for me?”

A slight smirk tugged at his lips. “No. You make terrible decisions.”

I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms across my chest. He raised a dark eyebrow as if to indicate the situation we were in right now.

“I do not. The decisions I make aren’t impulsive. I think through everything I do. In fact, I’m always certain about every decision I make.”

“Malachi? Were you certain about him?” His jaw clenched, and so did his fists. So that’s what this was about? Was he jealous? I tried to hide my smile.

“At the time, yes. And fine, I’ll admit it wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made.”

He turned his head away, staring at the fence; the muscle in his jaw popped repeatedly.

“I don’t regret it…”

His head snapped back, eyes blazing. I’d awoken the monster. Hello, baby.

“...because it led me to you.”

He shook his head. “See… Bad decisions. Sneaking in here tonight dressed like that is another one.”

“And why’s that a bad decision?”