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“Miss. Asiago. Are you ready?” She nodded and went to move but he stopped her, leaned down as he pulled her closer. He missed her. Missed holding her, having her close, yet he couldn’t say that to her and give away such weakness.
He pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth and she closed her eyes and inhaled. She missed him too. He couldn’t wait to get her to the privacy of the SUV.
He pulled back and nodded toward the door. Roman grabbed her things, Ivan took her hand and they all walked out together.
****
It was crazy that his touch alone, the way he kissed the corner of her mouth, delicately, and he wasn’t always delicate, and never in front of the men, and it aroused her, made her heart soar. Was she an idiot? Being affected by such small things like having him close to her, inhaling his cologne, holding his hand, and walking out as a couple? She’d never felt so much before! Never wanted so much ever in her life and that thought made her feel as though this relationship was right. That it was meant to be and she needed to do whatever she could to make him happy. They were both treading on uneasy waters here.
The moment they got into the SUV, she lay her head against his shoulder and sighed. He ran his hand along her thigh and locked gazes with Dante who sat back there with them. Roman was in the front passenger seat and Mirnon drove.
“Tired?” he asked her.
“Yes.”
“Well close your eyes, it will take some time to get to the house.” She sat up and looked at him.
“The house? You’re taking me home?” She asked, and she was shocked that she felt insulted, hurt, that he would just drop her off at her house, yet earlier that was what she thought would be best. For them to slow things down. He must have read her facial expression.
“To my house.” He clarified.
She swallowed. “We should talk about things. About you taking care of your business responsibilities, and me taking care of things at my place.”
“You’ll go back to your house sometime tomorrow. Maybe grab some stuff for the penthouse and the house.” He commanded in that tone of his.
“Ivan, I have responsibilities and commitments in town.”
“You are not working at the café.”
“That isn’t what I mean, and that decision is mine. Was mine not yours.”
“This will work out if you comply with my orders”
“Only if we don’t rush things. I’m not moving in with you.” She said and he gave her a look and she looked at Dante, swallowed hard, feeling a bit uneasy talking to Ivan in front of Dante like this. Yet she knew Dante was his cousin, his main guard and whatever. “I don’t mean that I don’t want to move in with you, I just mean not this soon. Like, I think it will be healthier to have some time apart here and there. You know so you can concentrate on work. Surely you don’t need to be at Gables every night I’m working. I only saw you there on certain nights and rarely all night long.”
“I like it there, and I can keep eyes on you.” He held her gaze and she felt it throughout her body.
“You have people doing that anyway.”
“And they failed tonight when Ched Maloney cornered you in the back hallway.” He firmly pointed out to her. She sw
allowed hard and looked away.
He took her hand and brought it to his lap. “What did he want? What did he say to you?”
“He was being himself.”
“Annabella.” He raised both of his eyebrows up at her unacceptable response.
She released a breath from her lips. “He told me he was worried about me. He made sure I knew that he knew I was the one who saved you and your men from getting shot that night as Berin held a gun to me.”
Ivan looked at Dante. “We knew it would get out. That doesn’t mean anyone is assuming that Annabella knew about the drugs, the deals and who was doing the dirty work. She was caught in the middle.”
“What did you say to him about that?”
“I didn’t. I said nothing about it. I told him I was fine.”
“And he pushed for what? Lucca said he had a hand on you.” Ivan said to her.
