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Lowering myself beneath the thick, luxurious bubbles until only my nose and up are visible, I can’t help but blow a stream of frustration through the foam. Tobias is right, of course. This is wonderful, and exactly what I need to forget my horrible day at work, firing, and then the exciting but intimidating hours of moving in with someone who is basically a stranger for a week or so.
I know the stuff I’m doing would be crazy by anyone's standards, but the scrumptious meal eaten on the lap of a hunk like Tobias, followed by a bath in a suite I’m sure would rival any presidential suite, is confirming that I made the right decision. At least for the moment.
I almost asked him to stay with me again when he showed me to my room. It's a beautiful bedroom and lounge area, with a four-poster bed and an en suite bathroom, complete with a whirlpool bathtub big enough for two.
Tobias’s designer has decorated this suite in shades of teal and cream, vibrant but relaxing, and the essential oil-infused bubble bath that had been left on the side of the tub for me was just the cherry on top. It’s hard for me to believe that anyone can live in luxury like this all the time, but I’m more than happy to take advantage of it while I still have the chance.
And then there’s Tobias. He’s so addicting, and when I’m with him, I feel so safe and cared for, and it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I want his hands all over me and to pursue these feelings of lust that I’ve never had before, but at the same time, I want to give him complete control of my life because I know he’ll make sure everything is perfect.
The embers that had been lit when he came to visit me at the diner every day have officially become a wildfire, and there’s no way for me to extinguish them now. I don’t think there will be any relief until I’ve had him inside of me—even the thought makes my core ache from emptiness. The desire is completely foreign to me. I’m afraid he’ll be frustrated when he finds out that I’m a virgin or that, even worse, he might laugh.
Gosh, he’s so much different than Ricky. It’s almost funny. I hardly think of Ricky anymore, and I certainly don’t think about him when I’m with Tobias. Tobias, Ricky’s dad. Ugh, I can’t dwell on that little hangup or I’m going to overthink it. I’m learning that when it comes to me and Tobias, it’s better to just go with the flow. Fate is leading me by the hand, and I just need to close my eyes and follow along.
Sighing, I let the hot bath water help my sore muscles unwind, getting more sleepy by the minute. Tonight will be a rest night, even if I was down and ready for it to be more. Tobias is getting ready for bed somewhere else in the house, so I guess I should be doing the same.
6
TOBIAS
Sleep is impossible, knowing that Teagan is under my roof. Fuck, I should have just followed her to her room when she offered. It’s what we both want.
But it isn’t what she needs. And I have to put her first.
Going to the mini bar in my room, I pour two fingers of whiskey and stroll out to the terrace. With nothing better to do, I take out my phone, checking my emails and messages. I’m not surprised Ricky hasn’t said anything about his new job opportunity that he can never know I orchestrated. Smug little shit. He’s probably waiting to rub it in my face when he becomes a success. Too bad that will never happen.
I go ahead and send out an email to my acquisitions manager and tell him to cancel the purchase of the diner. Accidentally getting Teagan fired by purposely beating the shit out of her manager saved me a little bit of money, but the obvious benefit is that she’s happily under my roof for what she thinks is a short stay. Little does she know it’s going to be forever.
Minutes tick by into hours, and it’s past midnight when I get a text from Ian, asking me to call him if I’m still up. Frowning, I hit the contact picture at the top of the screen. Is it possible that Ricky has fucked things up this badly already?
"Tobias," Ian says grimly when the call connects. "I don’t suppose there’s any way you weren’t the man who beat the shit out of some diner manager in Chicago this morning, right?"
This surprises me. News doesn’t usually travel this fast. "Yeah, it was me. So what?"
Ian curses, holding the phone away from his mouth to do so before coming back on the line. "You didn’t hear this from me, but that wasn’t just any diner, and that wasn’t just any low-level manager. It was a money laundering operation for The Delvecchio Cartel and that guy was a cousin of Paulie Delvecchio. You’re on security camera and you’re pretty recognizable, my friend."
A coldness settles in my stomach, but I refuse to get caught up in this mess. The Delvecchio Cartel. I’ve done a few jobs for them in the past, but they tend towards more subtle machinations, so we aren’t well acquainted. Apparently, acquainted enough for them to recognize me over camera footage, though. Fuck. "I’ll pay them off. How much do they want, do you think?"
"I don’t know, Tobias. I’m retired too, remember? I’m only able to tell you this because my kid took over the family business, and I don’t mean the custom gun business." I hear him blow out a breath. "You better get on top of this before it gets on top of you, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, unfortunately, I know what you’re saying." I clench and unclench my free hand, mind racing. "Any intel on them that might give me an upper hand? Or any contracts?"
"Nah, man, I don’t have any numbers. All I can tell ya is that Paulie Delvecchio is a prideful motherfucker. He might want more from you than money if you catch my drift. A lot of people can write a big check, but not a lot of people have the reputation that you have. Just be prepared for something like that."
I’m mad as hell, but none of this is Ian’s fault. He’s doing me a big favor by even giving me a heads-up. "Okay. I’ll take care of it. Thanks, Ian."
"Anytime, Tobias. By the way, your son fell for everything hook, line, and sinker." He chuckles. "So at least he’s out of your hair."
"Yeah, at least there’s that." I think about Teagan, not Ricky, though. Sleeping just a few rooms away, so innocent and trusting, and now there’s this wild card of a situation rearing its head. I have to protect her. Even if it means picking back up the job I had hoped to leave in the past.
I wouldn’t have guessed that I have an eye for women’s fashion, but seeing Teagan in the dress I picked out for her makes me reconsider.
Hot damn, she’s perfect, and I couldn’t have picked a better color to complement her glowing complexion and honey-blond hair. It's a shimmering pale blush short enough to leave her gorgeous legs mostly bare. She stands here in the middle of the room with the fabric hugging her curves, her head slightly tilted up as if waiting for my approval. My gaze follows her neck down to the slight V-cut of the dress, a smile pulling up the corner of my mouth as my whole body responds to how stunning she is.
"Is this where you've been all day? Picking out an outfit for me?" she asks playfully.
"Ha. No. I just called a personal shopper and gave them enough information to figure it out. She sent me back a few options and I picked this one. And I think I did a damn good job because you look so fucking sexy, Teagan."
I close the gap between us and press my lips to hers, my hands finding her hips, pulling her to me as I deepen the kiss.
