Page 60 of A New Days Don

My lips quirk, and she narrows her eyes on me before snapping, “You think it’s a joke?”

A full-on grin pulls at my lips, and her breath hitches, that pulse in her neck beating a little wilder than it was a minute ago, “No, I don’t think it’s a joke, but I do think you aren’t giving yourself enough credit, seeing as you are here, in La Dolce Vita, and seem quite comfortable.”

Mila blinks a couple of times. Her dark black lashes swooping over the cerulean sea of her eyes, “I, uh, I suppose I am.”

She meets my gaze with the world’s smallest smile as if this moment is her greatest victory, and I fucking love that I am here for it. She returns to her ice cream, the realization dawning on her all at once, and she can’t hold back the smile as she devours the rest of her cone. Once she finishes her gelato, I catch her glancing over to me, watching me carefully as I take a bite of mine.

I prepare another spoonful, but instead of putting it in my mouth, I hold it out to her with a smirk, “Come here, pretty girl.”

Her dazzling eyes look from me to the spoonful, tempting her to try a bite. When she leans forward and opens her mouth, I place the spoon gently on her tongue, allowing her to slip it off with her lips. She closes her eyes for a moment, as if savouring the flavour before releasing the sweetest little sound that makes my blood heat with desire at the same time my chest swells with the pleasure of feeding her.

I quickly grab another scoop and hold it out for her. She gives me a sheepish smile, shaking her head.

“Don’t get shy on me now,” I muse, “We both know you want the rest of my gelato.”

As much as I love Amaretto gelato, I love watching her enjoy this moment more. I’m not ready for this to be done.

She still hesitates, so I add, “You want to tell the kids I forced you to enjoy the last bite of gelato on our first date.”

I try to keep my tone as teasing as possible with a sly wink, though in my mind, they are more like a prayer than anything else. Mila gasps, her eyes widening as if she is scandalized by my suggestion, and I wiggle my brows at her as laughter, my laughter, fills the air around us.

Mila quickly leans forward and takes the last bite, silencing my laughter as her closed lips form a tantalizing smile.

“This is a friend date.” She clarifies as she wipes her lips with her napkin.

“Sure,” I tease her, and her eyes flare with defiance that makes my cock stiffen.

“I barely know you. I don’t date strangers.” Mila huffs, and I lean back into the white painted wrought iron chair I am sitting in.

“Ask away, sweetheart.” I gesture, and Mila’s gears begin to turn behind her eyes.

I already know the question that is about to spill from her lips before she even asks it. The same question she has been trying to get me to answer since we exited the parking garage.

“What did you mean by nobody else will ever have me?” Blue, innocent eyes peer into my soul, trying to uncover all the dirty secrets I have kept buried from her. I keep that part of me locked up tight, refusing to let her read any malevolent side of me. She will never have to worry about it harming her. Ever.

“After our meeting with Jazzy, it was clear others have hurt you. Nobody else will ever hurt you again.” The lie falls from my lips easily as I stay close to the truth. It may not have been what I meant by those words, but Jazzy did make her situation clear, and I will die before anyone so much as thinks of hurting her.

Her eyes bore into mine, her guard slipping, and showing me the emotions roiling beneath the surface, “You can’t promise that.”

It’s a barely there whisper. Something I shouldn’t have been able to hear, and I don’t even think she realized she said it out loud, but my fists clench at the vulnerability. Mila has been building herself up for the last six years to the woman she is today, yet despite how capable and fierce she is, she still feels this fear.

Rage and desperation pulse close to the surface, heating my veins and fueling the fire of need to burn down and kill every last man in this city until I am certain I have destroyed the man who haunts her nightmares. The man who keeps her looking over her shoulder in fear that he will jump out of the shadows.

“Yes, I can, and I will.” I don’t mention how I plan to keep her safe as I stand from my seat, “I’ve got you, Mila.”

And I’m never letting you go.

Chapter 24

Mila

It has been a week since Massimo showed up at my door and insisted on taking me on a date at one in the morning for gelato—some of the best gelato I have ever had. That entire night felt like a fever dream. I’m not sure if it even happened or if I made it up. The only thing I do know is that Massimo has been more present since.

He calls me nightly, as if he can see how uneasy I am trying to fall asleep and talks to me until I drift off into a dreamless sleep—as if the nightmares are powerless against our nightly call. Whenever I wake, I almost swear I can smell his faint scent of leather and mint in the air, but that would be impossible considering there is no way his scent can diffuse through the phone into my room. I don’t mind the way my brain plays that trick on me.

For the first time in my life, the heaviness of the world around me doesn’t feel so tumultuous. There is a soft buzz of excitement consistently burning deep within me, and the little burn of arousal that goes with it is addicting. He’s different and appreciates me for who I am. I like him… I may even be falling for him. It feels too good to be true, but I won’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Miss Lewis?” Kaden’s grey eyes meet mine, and the strain around them lightens, “How have you been?”