Page 14 of Captured By the Mafia Boss
She shakes her head, but not in a way that says disbelief. More distaste.
It takes everything in me to walk away, back to the kitchen to finish preparing food for us. The stew is simple ingredients from the freezer and the garden. Living here before my brother’s death made me self-sufficient. And though I haven’t returned as often as I’d like, I’ve kept it up to scratch.
Olivia eyes the food warily when I place it before her.
“It’s not poisoned. That’s not my style.”
There is only one risky item in that kitchen, and it’s the large chef’s knife I used to chop up the vegetables. I cleaned it and slid it into its hiding spot when Olivia’s back was turned. No point in putting temptation in her hand. I guess she believes what I said about Trudy, but that doesn’t mean she won’t use any weapon she can find against me.
She seems to declare a ceasefire and compliments my food as she eats. If “not bad” is a compliment, which I think it is.
She’s too beautiful and vulnerable and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and keep her safe and with me. Ravage her too. I want everything from this girl. And compared to me, she is a girl. I should be ashamed of not being able to control my lust for a fresh-faced ingenue. Forty years of almost perfect discipline, andthen I meet Olivia and I’ve never felt the same since. I haven’t desired anyone like I do her.
It’s dark outside now. The pure velvet black of the Cornish hills, strewn with sparkles. It’s far from the dirty yellow of the city.
I’ve missed it, and being here, and being home with my Lia—
Fuck. She’s not mine. I have to remember that.
But my heart can’t. Being here with Lia by my side, however unwillingly, fills my heart to bursting.
She’s as lovely as the night, and as underrated. That chestnut brown hair, the rich colour of polished wood falling over her face. Those big blue eyes.
“What are we going to do?” She pushes her bowl away, empty.
I consider saying, “Get married, have as many children as you like and live here together, forever”.
“I’m leaving tomorrow morning. You’re staying here until I return.”
“That is not happening.”
“It is. When the threat is eliminated, I’ll let you go.” Ihaveto release my girl. I’m too old for her. Too dark. Too dirtied by all the things I’ve done.
“You’d leave me?” Her fingers trail down the open neck of my shirt she’s wearing.
Interesting. Seduction? I didn’t think Olivia would go in for that again. Yes, she tried it earlier, but she already succeeded, and it didn’t get her out.
“I’ll send you back to your life. And I’ll return to Camden.” Without her. My heart tugs painfully at the prospect.
“Who is this imaginary threat, then?”
“Henry.”
“The dead one or the one I was engaged to?” She clearly doesn’t believe me.
“The one who is angry you decided to leave, when he believed you were his by rights.”
“Henry doesn’t know where I am.”
“He did. And I found you.” I care a lot more than Henry and have resources he can only dream of. But he’s not without his ways.
“That was because I was following you.”
Her confession stills me. For a moment my stupid heart thinks she might have trailed me because she felt the same tug of connection between us as I do. Then I come to my senses.
“You were stalking me like a tigress follows a bison.”
Her smile is feral, her lips pink and her nipples pebbled through the fabric of my shirt.
