Page 34 of Primo DeLuca

Chapter Thirteen

Nevah

Earlier.

I rolled over, shaking the haze of sleep with ease while encircled in the quiet warmth of expensive bedding. An explosive sex scene hadn’t occurred between Primo and me last night, but oddly, a sense of satisfaction coursed through me like we had sealed the deal.

The memories were vivid and sweet, and Primo was so intoxicatingly male that it was difficult to believe I’d fallen asleep on him. His smooth, spicy scent lingered on the sheets and on me like the invisible particles had found a way to seep into my skin.

My first instinct was to reach out for him, although I had caught a glimpse of him tiptoeing out of the room earlier. He was danger personified based on what little I knew about him, but the way he treated me, like I was the most precious thing he’d ever had in his life, had me wanting to glue myself to the man.

The realization that he was also partially responsible for blowing up my life screamed a noisy reminder like a siren going off in my head. On the one hand, he’d saved me, and on the other hand, he’d trapped me. This gorgeous house and all these gorgeous things surrounding me made this a beautiful prison.

The way his cousins had so easily dragged me off the streets, and the pep talks they gave me about their family’s enemy was enough to scare me straight. Common sense also kept me in place since I had no desire to face whoever was out there gunning for Primo.

I was thirty and although I’d had trouble nailing down a decent man, I still desperately wanted what I’d never had growing up—a family. Since my dreams of marrying and having kids hadn’t happened yet, I had to be cautious, especially in this world where death loitered on every corner.

After forcing my body from the cushiony comfort of the mattress, I rolled to the edge of the large California king bed and tossed my legs over the side. The smooth fabric of the large rug the bed sat atop tickled my toes and brushed smooth strokes to the bottoms of my feet.

Why couldn’t he have been a painter or even a lawyer? Primo was a ranking member of a crime family, a made man, and a secret hitman on the side. It was best to keep reminding myself of those highlights before I foolishly gave myself permission to do the one thing I had no business doing—falling for him.

Jesus!

I stood and began my trek across the room, admiring the clean splendor of my surroundings while I approached the bathroom. After relieving myself and a quick hand wash, I used the toiletries I found last night, brushing my teeth and freshening up. The massaging spray of the dual shower heads had lured me back in and given me a touch of heaven.

I moisturized and wrapped myself in a towel before entering the bedroom on a mission to find something to wear. The knowledge that I was without clothes was another reminder of how quickly my life had been turned upside down. I’d have to find something in his closet until I washed and dried the clothes I’d worn to the club last night.

When I flipped the lights on inside Primo’s closet, the sight of it stopped me in my tracks. The neatness. The suits. Many expensive ones. All of them black. The only differences were in the shades of black and the patterns of the material.

“What is his fascination with black?”

My fingers brushed a dark blue long-sleeved button-up before taking it down. I picked up a silver and black pin-striped tie from his tie-rack that I used for a belt and made myself a shirt dress.

I was shit-out-of-luck in the underwear department.

Now what?

I roamed the room, being nosy, and discovered his note taped to the door informing me to make myself at home. I snooped the rest of the house including the three other bedrooms. None were as well equipped as the room Primo and I were occupying.

Once in the kitchen, I found the refrigerator fully stocked and proceeded to make myself some scrambled eggs, fruit, and toast with black coffee after I figured out how to work the coffee maker and insert the K-cup.

After I was done with breakfast and cleaning the kitchen, I washed my clothes, hung my blouse to air dry, and tossed the rest in the dryer. I was used to waking up to a set schedule of work and daily tasks, so this silence was threatening to strangle me. Like now, I would have been at the hospital making my rounds.

Hours later, after occupying myself with lunch, I binged on Netflix. Periodically, I paused the show to peek whenever I heard a sound outside, hoping it was Primo.

Before I could panic about my phone being missing, I found it along with the disposable Primo had given me sitting on one of the two end tables next to the couch. The first thing I saw on my phone was a text from Tracy letting me know that she and Maya had made it home safe and sound. I texted her back.

“Good, now would you please advise our girl to take a class, on class like I’ve been suggesting?”

The phone pinged before I could set it down.

“Class is overrated. Same time next week? We gotta find you a man.”

I paused, my fingers lingering above my keys, unsure how to respond. If she only knew.

Before I could feed her a bullshit line, a key jiggling in the door’s lock sounded.

Primo!

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