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I nodded. It was a solution for the time being but not something that would be in place forever. It was enough, though, and I could move on when I was ready and had things lined up to help me disappear the way I should have before.
“You’re sure about your decision to take over one of the branches of the Five Families?”
His hand slid from my knee, and I missed the heat of it. “Yes. Finding out I have another sister and getting to know her isn’t an opportunity I want to turn my back on. And this life… it’s not so different than how I’ve lived before. In college, I was involved in illegal fights to pay for tuition. With my business, I leverage information and power to get what I want.”
“Most of that was under the radar. You’ll be in the Mafia, officially. How will that affect your business?” I knew he had a partner after going on his company bio, and he’d told me who John was, but I’d been interrupted and had forgotten to do a deeper search later.
“I’ve talked to John, and we’re figuring out how to balance my responsibilities there. The company name will stay the same—O’Connor and Savino Financial Services—and that will mask any Mafia ties. It’ll work out.” He paused, and the fine hairs on my neck stood on end as he seemed to look inside me. “We’re not so different, you and I.”
“How do you figure?” I remembered that bar and his hotel room. We were night and day in terms of security and wealth. He had it. I didn’t.
“I grew up in a shitty area in San Bernardino, and I didn’t always know where I would get my next meal or if it was safe to go home. The worst times were when I woke to situations beyond my control. I recognize the fighter in you because it’s the same in me.”
I shivered at the intensity radiating from him, an invisible thread connecting us through his words. I couldn’t deny how he made me feel or how I wanted so much more with him. Attraction sizzled between us. Things were about to get complicated—not that they weren’t already.
Not ready for my life to get any crazier, I stood and sidestepped the intimate space where we talked. “Thank you for reassuring me. It’s late, and I should get back to my room.”
He towered over me when he gained his feet, filling the room with his large presence. I faltered before moving toward the door with determined steps. I’d already compromised my job once by accidentally sleeping with the boss—a Mafia boss. No need to jeopardize things again.
My hand grazed the doorknob before Luc grasped my arm and turned me to face him. His focus fixated on my mouth, and my breath hitched at the palpable desire I saw in his taut features and dilated pupils. Frozen with a conflicting need to see what happened next and also to flee before something did, I waited. In slow increments, he closed the distance between us. Then his firm lips brushed across mine in a gentle caress.
When my lips parted on a sigh, he slanted his mouth over mine, deepening the kiss. Sparks flew between us, and I leaned into him as desire exploded. All thoughts about what a bad idea it was fled. All I could do was experience the magic of how he made me feel.
My hand fell away from the doorknob and slid along his chest, the muscles rippling beneath my fingers as he shifted. His hand rested on my hip, and when he drew me closer and I felt the hard press of him against my stomach, reality slammed into me. My hands went flat against his chest, and I applied pressure. He released me.
My lips tingled, and I fought against pressing my fingers to them. We stood there, facing each other, until I said the one thing I didn’t mean: “We can’t.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
LUC
My morning run didn’t help block the feeling of Summer in my arms as I’d hoped it would. There was no denying it—I wanted more from her, but being with her wasn’t a smart decision. She was technically my employee.
Not only that, but she brought out all my protective instincts. Not even John, my longtime friend and business partner, provoked such a need to defend. The almost compulsive protectiveness I felt for her wasn’t something I’d experienced with anyone except maybe my sister, Breanna. But with Summer, it was next level, and I wasn’t sure I liked it.
I flicked the light on in the bathroom then peeled off my sweaty clothes before getting into the shower. With my hands flat on the tiles, I braced myself against the wall and let the water rain down on me. The heat and steam worked their magic to loosen the tight muscles in my back. After Summer left my room last night, I hadn’t been able to sleep. I had a choice to make: go all in with her or let her go.
I slammed my open palm against the wall. There was no choice—I want her.And not just once. I want all of her, days and nights.
I grabbed the body wash and lathered up. I washed my hair then rinsed before shutting the water off and stepping out. I got a towel and quickly dried myself then threw on pants and a button-down shirt before leaving my suite and heading toward the kitchen. The smell of breakfast cooking caused my stomach to growl, and I quickened my pace.
When I rounded the corner, it was to the sight of Summer sitting at the kitchen island, dishing eggs onto a plate from one of the domed cloches that covered several platters of food. “Morning.”
She turned at the sound of my voice, a small smile curving her lips. “Morning.”
I grabbed a plate and piled it high with eggs, bacon, and fruit before sitting next to her. A comfortable silence settled between us as we ate.
“Do you want a cup of coffee?”
I swallowed the first bite. “Yes.” I watched her hips sway as she went to the Nespresso machine and put in a pod. She got one for me then herself. When I had mine in front of me, I turned to her. “What do you know about the Mafia family that’s after you?”
She paused with the mug halfway to her lips then set it down and crossed one leg over the other as she leaned against the chair’s back. “Not a ton. Mostly stuff from what I’ve read on the internet. The Amatos are one of three New York Mafia families. From what I understand, they don’t work together as the Chicago syndicate does.”
“So we have only one group to contend with.” That eased some of the worry I had for her safety. The other bosses would back me. I would make sure of it. There was no way the Amato branch could take on the Five Families. It would be suicide to try.
“I didn’t think Ben was very high up, but he must have enough rank if he has the authority to reach out to the Chicago bosses.” Her fingers tightened around the mug. “The Amato boss is Leo. Guido, his son, is the underboss. There are two other crime families, but I didn’t pay as much attention to them, other than looking up their names.”
Max and Lil came into the kitchen behind Summer, obviously catching what she’d said. I nodded to acknowledge them as they went straight to the coffee before joining us. “The Amato family is a stain on the Mafia,” Max said. “They’re no one.”
