"Exactly." I turn to him, "That’s the point. They are probably not hiding at all, which makes it even more difficult to find out who they were."
"You wouldn’t think the Mafia would be that clever."
I chuckle, "You’d be surprised. The Mafia no longer conforms to the stereotypes of men you see on screen. Their businesses are no longer limited to those that are illegal. In fact, many of them run their corporations like any average CEO would, employ people who probably don’t even know the background of their employers, or that the work they do helps hide the illegal origins of the capital that built the company, and oftentimes, continues to build the company."
"You have a thorough knowledge, then, of the inner workings of their organization."
"They happen to be a peculiar fascination of mine," I prop my hands on my hips, "especially after—"
His eyebrows draw down, "After?"
"After the Seven contracted me to find out everything possible about the men behind the incident, of course."
"Of course." His lips firm. "Not that you’ve made much progress—"
I open my mouth and he raises his hand. "Not that I fault you for that, either. It’s a tough case to crack. I get it. Not something that’s easy for someone like you to handle."
"What the—?" I open and shut my mouth. "You’re joking, right?"
He yawns, then gets to his feet. "Just calling it as it is, babe. It’s understandable though."
"It is?"
He nods. "You being a woman and this being a man’s business, after all. It can be a little too complex, not to mention, dangerous, for you to track down the Mafia."
"Of all the chauvinistic things to say—"
"Save it." He scratches his jaw. "In fact, it’s probably good you haven’t managed to find them."
My heart begins to race; adrenaline laces my blood. Just when I thought we were actually having a proper conversation, he had to go and say something that completely wrecked whatever truce we had found. "And why is that?" I ask.
"You’d have only gotten yourself into trouble, and then guess who’d have needed to come after you and save you?"
"Not you." I draw myself up to my full height. "In fact, let’s forget we ever had a deal. After what you just said, you’d be the last person I’d choose to be the father of my child."
He clicks his tongue, "Not so fast. You are posing as my fake wife when we head over to meet my family, and I am holding you to that."
"And what if I didn’t want to do that? What if… I refuse?"
He closes the distance between us, and the heat of his body thrums around me, and coils between my legs. He glares down at me with those burning blue eyes of his and I shiver. "I don’t take kindly to a people reneging on their agreements." He peels back his lips and his teeth glint against his dark skin. For the first time, a sliver of fear licks at my nerves. I am alone with him, on his island, and no one knows we are together. Even my employees think I am away on vacation. As do my friends. I wouldn’t be missed for a long time. By the time anyone got concerned, it would be too late. By then, he’d have, no doubt, carried out whatever plan it is he has in mind.
"What are you planning to do?" My voice cracks, and I clear my throat.Don’t show him how afraid you are. Don’t.I tip up my chin and his lips kick up.
"Isn’t that clear?"
"No."
"Before we leave here, I am going to have you begging me to bury my dick in your pretty little pussy, to bring you to fulfillment and put you out of your misery. You are going to plead with me to fill you up with my cum, to ensure that I’ve impregnated you with my child. You are going to beseech me to complete what I started."
"No." I firm my lips.
"Yup." He reaches out, scoops up something from my chin and sucks on his finger. A thrill suffuses my skin. Damn it, and after he’d insulted me... Why the hell do I find his filthy words and his actions meant to subjugate me, so…so…much of a turn on?
"I don’t give in easily," I warn
His grin widens. "Neither do I."
"So, this is it, then? A stalemate?"