AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Come on." My own temper flares to life, and for a second, I forget that the man sitting across from me is probably one of the most dangerous men in the entire country.
Dominic's hand closes over mine, and the shock of his touch makes my body go hot and cold all at once.
"Pushy, are we? You're going to do as I say, little one," he growls, his eyes burning into mine.
"Why?" I snap, too stubborn and headstrong to let it go. "Because it's not safe?"
Dominic's eyes gleam. He hasn't let go of my hand, and I can feel him tracing slow circles over the back of it, a surprisingly gentle gesture for such a big, stern man.
"Because I said so, Daisy."
I scoff, and Dominic chuckles, taking his hand away, and a tiny thrill goes through me at the loss.
"Eat, Daisy. Please."
I grumble but do as he says, helping myself to some breakfast. Elena brings a fresh pot of coffee out, but then leaves Dominic and me alone, just like Ashton did.
"I wanted to talk to you about my son. If I'm going to protect you, I need to know how serious things were between you two. He's much harder to get in contact with than I anticipated."
"Not serious at all," I tell him quickly, for some reason wanting Dominic to know that things were never intense with his son. "Carlo pursued me, not the other way around. We went out a few times, but it was always just fun. Never...romantic, really. But he was possessive anyway."
Dominic frowns, a small line appearing between his brows. "Possessive?"
"Yeah, um...he never got mad, but he would always tell me he didn't like it when I went out with friends or if I worked late shifts. He didn't like for me to work at all actually, but he couldn't really do anything about it." I squirm in my seat, hating to be the center of such an intense and serious conversation. Especially with this man. It feels wrong. "He would just give me this look when I would tell him I was busy or something."
"Hm." Dominic mulls this over, and he looks like he wants to say something but is having trouble figuring out the exact words. Finally, he sighs heavily and sets his coffee cup down. "We've been dancing around this, but you're a smart girl, Daisy. I'm sure you've picked up that the history of my family, and in turn, Carlo's family, isn't all above board. We've done...I've done some terrible things, but that was just part of the job."
I think I know where he's going, but I don't want to assume. "The job?"
"We're mafia, Daisy."
My mind is reeling. Mafia. This insanely rich, sexy older man is part of the mob.
"I've been trying for over a decade now to separate the Falcone name from everything. I'm tired of it all. But Carlo was the opposite. He wanted all the blood and glory and the money that came along with it. Now he's missing and I have to clean up his mess yet again." Dominic leans back, his plate cleared, and he takes a long sip of coffee. "I won't put you in the position to be used as leverage against us, Daisy. That's why you have to stay here. Understood?"
"But wouldn't I be safer with you?" I'm scrambling at this point. "I mean I'm sure your security is great, but I mean...look at you!" I wave my hands to indicate his hulking body, the width of his shoulders, and the way his suit fits perfectly, tailored to him. "You're...intimidating. And..." my voice goes quiet. "I feel safe when I'm with you."
It's the right thing to say, apparently. The flattery followed by the confession about how safe he makes me feel has Dominic closing his eyes and blowing out a long breath. "It's hard to deny you anything, little one, you know that?"
I sit up a little straighter, hopeful. "It is? Does that mean...?"
"You'll come to the restaurant with me. But you are absolutely forbidden to be in the dining room or the open kitchen. You can be in the back with the pastry chef or up in my office. No exceptions."
"Yay!" I can't help but squeal, and Dominic laughs.
"You're very cute, Daisy. I'll give you that."
My cheeks heat, and I grin, standing up and reaching for his empty plate. "At least let me wash these dishes since you've been so generous."
"I pay Elena a very, very handsome salary for that, Daisy. She'll do them."
"Oh. Okay."
"Now…" He stands, suddenly looming over me, and my breath catches. “Since you’re so insistent, I hope you’re ready for a full day.”
How has he gotten even hotter?
"We'll leave in twenty minutes. Is there anything you need before we go?"
