Page 22 of Stolen Kisses
“Where’s his father?”
A dark looked filled her eyes and she just stared at me, showing she wasn’t going to answer. Maybe she didn’t know who the father was, that wouldn’t surprise me. Or, maybe she didn’t want to talk about it.
“Not here.”
I looked at her hand and didn’t see a ring. “You still with him?” I already knew the answer. She was back in Chicago at what seemed like her aunt’s place and she had that look of trouble.
“No, I’m not.”
“Is that why you came back to Chicago?”
“Maybe?” She was being secretive. When I released her she gave me a little smile.
I glanced over at Vira’s place and pressed down hard on my back teeth. Vira’s house and the brothel were only separated by an alleyway. Even now as I looked up, I saw men going into the fucking brothel. When I was younger it fascinated me. Years older now and it made me feel some element of protection for someone I cared about.
“You can’t stay here with your boy.” My gaze snapped back to her.
“I can take care of myself Dante, and my boy.”
“Really? Was the other night part of the plan to do that?” Now that I’d seen where she was staying, I knew she must have needed money. I had a job going. It could have been that she wanted to talk to the owner about it. She’d left once she found out it was me.
Part of me knew why. It was for the same reason it felt like she couldn’t be around me for too long. Her guilt over Christina.
Her lips parted and she seemed to be contemplating an answer.
“Was it the job, if you need money tell me. Fuck … forget the job, pack a bag now and come stay with me.” I meant it too. I absolutely did. The thought of her in Vira’s house made me sick.
Maria laughed. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m fine. Like I said I can take care of myself, and my boy.”
“Alright, well I’m sure you won’t mind if I check in on you and Flynn from time to time.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
I leaned in and smiled. “I wasn’t asking.”
Something clearly wasn’t right here. Something she wasn’t saying. Much as I would have loved to indulge on her as a distraction, I couldn’t just do that. She was Maria and she was so much more than a distraction.
She backed away from me and looked to Flynn. “Flynn, come on let’s get some lunch.”
Flynn stopped playing and ran to her. She glanced at me quickly before walking away and I just watched her go.
She was Maria, and I should have gotten over her by now.
Seeing her again just reminded me that I had never stopped wanting her.
Chapter 7
Maria
* * *
The worst thing I could do right now is have a man on my mind.
It was the absolute worst and no way was I going to give in to any kind of temptation, no matter how intense that particular temptation was, or irresistible the man might be.
Come to taste me …
I couldn’t remember Dante being so forward. He wasn’t the sort to be timid, no way, that wasn’t him, but he’d changed. He’d changed big time and became that man of power I would have swooned over when I was younger. The thing was, unknown to him, I swooned over him anyway.
