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His hand shot out and captured my chin. He’d moved so fast I barely registered it until his fingers were griping me tight. “If you want to be with me, if you want to be part of my life, then you need to follow the rules. Starting today. You have to start thinking. While we might not be out as a couple yet, there are spies and snitches everywhere. Everywhere. Do you understand me?”
I nodded solemnly. I was touched that he was taking my safety so seriously. In truth, I hadn’t even thought of him, or whether people knew about us when I stepped outside to run. While I had watched Tasa being trailed by a bodyguard most of my life, I had always done my own thing. Another pang of missing her reverberated through me. If she were here, she could’ve guided me through the pitfalls of her world. Instead, I’d have to navigate them on my own. And make mistakes, like the one I’d made today. Embarrassment burned through me. But I was determined to be with Alex, and I’d do whatever he asked of me. I certainly didn’t want to complicate his already demanding life. My goal was to ease him of stress, not increase it.
“Good,” he stated simply before his lips found mine. Dragging me over his lap until I straddled him, his tongue claimed and mated with mine. His erection grew until its hardness prodded my stomach, and I moaned, taking in his reassuring scent as I rubbed my belly against it.
Ending our kiss, he grabbed my ponytail and tugged my head back until we were at eye level. “Since I may not have been clear about the rules, let me define them now. You do not go anywhere outside alone. Ever. If you break that rule, you will be punished.”
“Punished how?”
He groaned. “I’m a creative thinker. I’ll come up with something, little girl.” A twinkle entered his eyes as his hand landed a swat on my butt. “I’ll start with paddling this sweet ass.” His expression grew sober again. “I won’t be the reason you get killed, Nina. I don’t want to let you go, but if you don’t follow my instructions, you won’t leave me with a choice.”
My heartbeat skittered in panic. I’d wanted him for so, so long, and for once, things were going my way. He was in my grasp, and there was no way I was letting him cut me off.
“Either you walk away now or you agree to take the consequences if you violate one of my rules. It’s going to be a big adjustment for you, but this is nonnegotiable. I don’t hide the way I live, and soon everyone will know who you belong to. So Nina, are you mine or not?”
“Yes,” I hurried to respond. “Yes, I’m yours, and I’ll do what you say.”
There it was. My answer. My commitment. Even though I knew more than most what mafia life was like, this was still a huge change. But it was worth it to sit on Alex’s lap and rub my mound against the underside of his cock. Not that this was only about the sex. Fantasies of Alex had populated my head for years. A little freedom in exchange for safety and to belong to this man seemed more than fair to me.
“Hmm,” he hummed, his eyes dipping down to my splayed legs. “I’ve seen you go running over the years. I welcomed your outfits in the past, but I’m not so sure I appreciate them quite so much now. If this is what you wear in the winter, the summer months will drive me insane.”
His finger dipped down the V of my shirt and traced the outline of my sports bra. An Alex-induced languor fell over me, like it always did.
“I get hot when I run, and I sweat,” I explained.
“I have other activities in mind that will make you build up an even better sweat,” he reflected aloud. He leaned forward, nuzzling into my hair. “I’ll make you very sweaty, and then I’ll lick it off. Taste you and consume you.”
My heart pounded against my rib cage as if it were a trapped bird, wings beating against it to be set free. His lips grazed over mine before deepening the kiss when the car’s forward movement stopped.
Ugh. We were home.
“I’m going over to the office and then my mother’s for Sunday dinner. Get your stuff ready and text me. I’ll have Stegan meet you at the door to take your luggage. Then stay with your family for the day and come over for dinner,” he ordered.
I looked at him in horror. “What will your mother think?”
“I’m a grown man, Nina. I don’t give a fuck what my mother thinks.”
My fingers fiddled with his tie before smoothing down the long expanse of his chest, appreciating the fact that I could touch him whenever I had the urge. Appreciating the hard, defined muscles flexing under my hand. “Things are tense in my house right now. Yo-Yo and my mother are at each other’s throats, and I’d rather avoid more drama, if possible. If your mother learns about us, she’ll call my mother right after we leave.”
He expelled a resigned sigh.
“It’d be different if we came out as a couple, but while we’re doing this testing-period thingy…”
His fingers around my waist tightened as if he didn’t like the reminder about our uncertain future, but I wasn’t about to forget and allow myself to fall for him completely. It was bad enough that I was halfway there. It would be a knife to my heart to lose him after years of hopelessly pining away for him, especially when we barely began.
“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. Nodding tightly, he acquiesced with a question, “What do you suggest we tell her?”
“We could avoid dinner, and you can pick me up after you’re done,” I suggested.
“No,” he clipped out. “I’m busy enough as it is. Sunday is the only day I take off, and it’s already been marred with work. Normally, I’d say ‘fuck it,’ but none of us miss Sunday dinner unless we’re on our deathbeds.”
“Why don’t you tell her I’m lonely and helping you find Tasa?”
“Fine,” he agreed. “You know we sit down at seven, so come a little earlier.” He took hold of my butt cheek and licked up the side of my throat. “How sore are you, firefly?” he asked, his tone hoarse with need.
I squirmed a little on his lap, eliciting a groan from him. “Not too bad. You can be quite gentle when you choose to be.”
“What can I say? I’m a man of many talents.”
