Page 67 of Dark Mafia Heir

It's a woman. She’s blonde, with shiny straight hair, skinny with long legs, and smoky eyes. There are barely any clothes on her body, except for the gothic lingerie-like contraption that narrowly covers her breasts and glides down to the valley between her thighs.

She’s looking—no, glaringat me. As quick as a flash, she walks past some guy and disappears.

“Are you listening to me?”

Antonio’s voice reels me back. “I’m sorry you lost me for a minute there. What was that?”

“Is there a problem?” He tries to look over his shoulder, tracing my line of sight with narrowed eyes. “Someone irritating you?”

“No, no, everything’s good. I’m fine. Just those crazy youths doing more weird stuff there.”

That’s what comes out of my mouth, but my pulse is racing with uncertainty for a different reason. The mysterious woman managed to leave an impression that had nothing to do with the effects of a strip tease.

“Sure?”

I manage a smile at Antonio. The concern in his eyes is a big distraction, and soon enough, I forget the stripper with the killer eyes.

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Something about sharing this moment with him reminds me of the first time we met, at the club, when he was the pretend gentleman.

Only now, it feels better, more real, and intimate. Like a promise of something that might just stand the test of time.

Antonio kissesme on the cheeks, standing up to leave after he receives a phone call. There’s a grave expression on his face after the call ends. For a week now, I have had the feeling that there is something else going on. Something serious enough to rattle Antionio. But he doesn’t tell me, and I don’t ask because it’s clear he doesn’t want me involved.

He has a meeting to attend and will have to leave me shortly.

Shortly,he says. Yet, it sounds like I’ll have to wait for an eternity until he returns. When he pulls away, like a force of magnets, I rise on my feet, too. When did I become this clingy?

“Promise you won’t stay too long.”

Antonio’s gaze softens, and he wraps me in his arm, dragging me close enough to suffocate me with all that manly cologne. “Gattina,” he murmurs under his breath and utters a string of Italian. “If I could take you with me, I would.”

I breathe him in before pulling back. “You haven’t promised.”

A sigh leaves him before his lips come crashing down on mine. Automatically, my eyes flutter shut, and I allow myself to fall deep into the maddening desire that overshadows reasoning.

When my fingers curl into his shirt, he has to let go.

“I promise.” He sticks his hand in his pocket and pulls out a phone. “I thought you should have this.”

My jaw falls open as I take the phone from him. “Wait, is this my phone? You’re trusting me with this?”

His lips curl with a smile. “Yes. Don’t get any ideas, though. I won’t let you off if you do. Here…” He takes the phone from me and types in his number. “Call me if you’re bored or need anything.”

My attempt to fight back my smile is useless. It just breaks through me effortlessly. I can’t believe he’s starting to trust me. “Thank you.”

He presses a kiss to my forehead. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Watching his back as he retreats, there’s a painful tug on my chest, and I collapse on the sofa with an annoyed huff. This man had officially turned my brain cells to scrambled eggs, because how is it possible that, one minute, I hate him, and next second, there’s a possibility that I may or may not be able to live without him?

The hands on the clock are ticking, I’m sinking deeper into the arms of boredom, and there are no signs of him. Even the juvenile party appears to have dulled considerably. Most of them are worn out, while a few others, hurdle at a corner, grunting and cackling as they engage in—I’d honestly rather not say.

“Ma’am.”

My eyes snap away from the wasted youths and turn towards the intruder. It’s one of the security guards, and I glance at what he’s holding. A tall glass full of what appears to be wine.

“The boss asked us to give you this. A small entertainment to keep yourself busy before he returns.”

---