Page 21 of Protecting Charity

My phone vibrated continually, drawing me from the interrogation at hand until I gave in and responded. Thirty messages between the two pricks. All about Charity and bringing me up to speed on the affairs of today. Apparently, Charity has been a busy girl. The last two texts from Nico were telling me to bring my skills. They desperately needed them. Fine. I was hungry, anyway.

“You’re in luck tonight, Kandy; something has come up. If I find you anywhere near the precinct or Agent Harding again, if I catch a whiff that you might be speaking to him or I even think that you are, I’ll cut out your tongue and send it to your mother. Are we clear?”

She immediately nodded her head and stood from her chair, ready to leave and be in the sanctuary of her safe space. With me, there was no safe space for those who jeopardized those that I cared about. There would be no place she could go where I couldn’t get to her.

“Vito, make sure she gets home.”

“Oh, I’m fine, I can find my—”

“I insist.” Vito took her by the elbow and escorted her out the back door to where I assume she parked her car.

When the back of her fake blonde head disappeared, I raided the kitchen for ingredients and packed them into a cloth bag, then climbed into my black Mercedes.

It was quiet, aside from the TV, when I walked in. Charity was sleeping on the couch with her head in Max’s lap and her legs draped over Nico’s. She looked peaceful, and it caused my chest to clench. I shook my head at both of them, getting nothing but sly grins in return. Would she be mad if I slapped it off their faces?

“Hurry. We’re hungry,” Nico whispered.

“Fuck you,” I uttered quietly.

I dropped the bag in the kitchen and looked at the disaster that tried to call itself food. What did this poor girl do to a simple dish? I tossed it all in the bin, put the water on to boil, and then prepared the fresh pasta, pepper, and cheese. It was a simple meal that didn’t take too long but tasted delicious. I rememberedNonnaused to make it, and I would devour it and ask for seconds.

Once their movie ended, Charity stretched, then opened her emerald green eyes. When they drifted down to me, she flashed a smile then sauntered into the kitchen to lean on the counter beside me.

“Dinner is almost ready.” I poured her a glass of wine, determining that, after a day like she had, she’d need it.

“Thank you. I’m so hungry I could eat a cactus.”

She sipped her wine and smirked over her glass. She knew the correct saying. Her grin proved she said it purely for reactionary purposes.

I placed my palm on her waist and gave her what she wanted. “Horse, Charity.”

Pink tinged her cheeks, and she took another sip. “So, I hear we are going on a date in two days.”

“Is that so?” I asked, raising my brows.

What’s gotten into her? She was being openly flirtatious and blushing so hard her cheeks looked slapped. Her forward behavior made me want to take her into the back room and make her other cheeks red with my palm. To feel her hot breath on my skin as she took me deep and watched me with those thick fuck-me-lashes.

“Yep. Two-thousand-dollar plates, expensive champagne, and flashy dresses. Can’t wait.”

I noted her sarcasm. She hated those extravagant things. Finding her in a dress was more preposterous than finding the fucking gold at the end of a rainbow. Although, I guess I’m going to luck out and see her in one.

“Do you even have a dress, Charity?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me. I need to go shopping.”

Another thing she hated to do. “How about we go tomorrow and pick one out? My treat.” I resumed my cooking and pulled the pasta from the water.

“You sure? What if I embarrass you in front of everyone?”

“Then, I’ll take you to the dressing rooms and teach you a lesson.” A wide smile grew across my face.

“Careful, Luca. I might just do it on purpose now.” She wriggled her brows, and I chuckled.

I dropped what I was doing and gently gripped her throat, my thumb caressing her delicate jawline. What was it about her that made me want to do bad things to her and see how she’d walk away from it all? She had this wildness about her that made me believe she would accept all the dark I could offer her, and she’d beg me for more. “I think you should be the careful one.” I dropped my hand from her throat and ran it lazily between her breasts, then coming to rest at her hip bone.

“What’s going on in here?” Max broke the trance we were in, and I stepped away from her to finish up the food.

“Dinner is ready.”

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