Page 8 of Mob Boss Daddy

“No, just the three of us. You dine with us, remember?”

I know I should be heading toward the door, but I just can’t seem to make my feet move in any direction. Standing here beside Jessie is the only place I want to be. Rory, who is lingering just inside the door, clears his throat. I take that as my sign that the issue at hand can’t wait any longer.

“See you at dinner, Jess.”

“Yes, Jack.”

Macy yelps as Jessie dives into the pool and swims to her side. And for the first time in my life, I’m pissed at missing something because duty calls.

4

JESSIE

Macy is dried off, changed, and down for her nap, allowing me to figure out what to wear for dinner.

Jack seems to always be in a suit and tie, so I don’t think my usual jeans and shirt will do. I don’t want to look like I’m going to the prom or a wedding but something sophisticated to make a good impression would be nice.

Until now, it seems like I’ve screwed something up every time I speak to Jack. I don’t want to continue that cycle. This time, I want to impress him.

I dig through my bags, tossing what little wardrobe I own onto the bed. The last item I find is the pink and white dress that I wore on my eighteenth birthday. Sister Clara from the orphanage bought it for me as a sort of graduation present. It was the birthday that signified my freedom and the last day I would spend as a ward of the state.

Showered and dressed, I slip back into Macy’s bedroom to find her awake from her nap and sitting on her bed with a book on her lap.

“Hi, Macy. Did you have a good nap?”

She nods and smiles, then puts the book down and hops off the bed. She holds her arms out to me, and I kneel to hug her. I may have taken the job for the money and felt a rush of relief when I found out that room and board were included, but none of that would have mattered if Macy hadn’t turned out to be such a sweet kid.

“Are you ready to go to dinner now?” I ask her.

“Yes, Miss Jessie.” She takes my hand and leads me out to the stairs.

Jack is seated at the head of the dining table and doesn’t notice when we enter the room. He’s staring down at his cell phone, a pinched expression on his face. He shakes his head and runs a hand along his five o’clock shadow.

His shirt is partly unbuttoned, with his sleeves rolled again. I didn’t realize just how mouthwatering rolled sleeves were, but here we are.

Three places are set at the table. Jack and the ones on either side of him.

The table seats twelve but he’s positioned Macy and me in the seats closest to him. Macy climbs onto the chair on his right. Sensing her there, Jack looks up from his phone and winks to acknowledge her. He rises as I approach, looks me up and down, then pulls my chair out for me.

“You look lovely this evening,” he whispers in my ear, making the small hairs on the back of my neck stand.

“Thank you, Jack.”

The amount of food being delivered to the table by the housekeeper causes my head to spin, but Macy and Jack appear oblivious to the size of the feast. I’m used to a whole meal consisting of a bowl of soup, but here, that’s the first course.

“Is everything alright? You’re not eating much.” Jack peers closely at me, worry creasing his forehead.

“Oh, yes. It’s all very good. I’m just not used to this much food. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

“You need to eat. Macy has a lot of energy. But, then, you’re not that old either, are you?”

“No. I guess not. I’ll be twenty-two next month.”

“Yay! We can have a birthday party,” Macy cheers.

“Maybe so,” Jack answers her but keeps his eyes on me. He leans back on the chair and runs a finger along his chin as he stares at me. I feel my skin flush under his scrutiny, and something blooms within me as he leans forward. “I’d like to speak with you once Macy’s in bed. Is that alright?”

“Of course, you’re the boss.”

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