Page 19 of Rescued By the Mafia

“All right.”

Iris fought the urge to sigh. She didn’t honestly know what to do with herself at that point, so she surrendered to expectations and led the way down the hall to the back exit. It was a short hall, not all that wide, and she wasn’t prepared when her stoic escort caught her arm and physically pulled her away from the door. He made no effort to be gentle as he manhandled her around until she was somehow behind him, her free elbow scraping against the wall in the process. The wall was smooth, fortunately, but it still hurt.

“I need to go through first, ma’am,” he said, talking over her sharp gasp.

Iris pulled her arms close, gingerly rubbing her fingers along her sore elbow, and winced. Isn’t he supposed to be protecting me? Had she misunderstood?

She was surprised by the sight of the SUV already waiting in front of the door and her arms slackened enough for her purse to slide from her shoulder.

Her escort stepped to the side and pulled open the back driver’s side door, revealing Dante himself sitting on the far side of the inviting interior. His cool, almost glowing, blue eyes shifted to her with a hint of a smile on his lips before she had even caught her breath. “There’s my snapdragon.”

Something like relief sparked in her chest and Iris felt her mouth part on a soundless gasp.

Her barbaric escort motioned into the SUV and opened his mouth. “Ma’am.”

Iris flicked a glance at him. She had to pass him to get into the SUV, but Dante was inside the SUV, and she still believed Dante was safe. He hadn’t done anything to show her otherwise. So Iris pinched her purse under her arm and rushed forward, determinedly not acknowledging the large male looming over the open passenger door at her side, until she had climbed into the SUV and pulled her feet safely inside.

Dante reached over and slipped his hand beneath her chin, guiding her gaze back to his. “What’s wrong?”

The tension rushed from her like a popped balloon and Iris let her purse fall to the seat at her hip. “I don’t … think he likes me.”

Dante scowled. “Who, Snapdragon?”

Her eyes darted toward the front of the vehicle as her day’s escort tucked himself into the front passenger seat with a silent grace that belied his size. Then she looked up at Dante again.

Dante stroked his thumb down the length of her jaw. “Is there a particular reason?”

Seeking more of his warmth, Iris boldly shifted closer to him as the SUV eased forward. She reached around herself, fingers searching for the sore spot on her elbow, and winced again when she found it.

Dante adjusted to curl his arm around Iris and gently lifted her sore arm, angling his head instead of forcing her body to twist on the seat. His thumb massaged the skin just beneath the most tender spot, and though she braced herself for the pain, it never truly flared. He exhaled harshly, pulled his hand away from her elbow, and raised his eyes toward the front of the vehicle. “Change of plans. We’re stopping by the facility on Passaic.”

“Got it, Boss,” the man in the driver’s seat replied.

Iris frowned, wondering at the reaction.

Dante shifted his attention back to her, his fingers pressing in a slow massage over her wrist. “Focus on me, Snapdragon,” he said quietly.

The tension in her chest eased. “I didn’t expect you to pick me up.” Her words came out in a whisper, though she wasn’t sure why. But she was practically in his lap and with the way he was holding her, she had to crane her neck to try seeing anything else of her surroundings. It was easy to sink into the moment of warmth he was offering.

Something like amusement lit his eyes. “Did you forget we had plans?”

“Plans?” Her memory of most of what had happened since he’d effectively moved her into his home and introduced her to his mother was still a blur. He’d shown her around, he’d made the marriage declaration, and then there had been that heady kiss in his bedroom she still got flustered thinking about. Dinner had been somewhere between awkward and wonderful, and she felt certain they’d talked a little before she had retired to the room he’d given her to put away her new wardrobe and try to sleep, but Dante had a habit of talking and touching her at the same time. And that was very distracting.

Dante brought his lips close to her ear and vibrated with a short chuckle. “Yes. Plans.” He caught her earlobe with his teeth and the breath rushed from her lungs before he straightened enough to find her gaze again. “The bank, remember? I’m putting your money concerns to rest before sundown.”

Iris sucked in a breath. The bank. They had talked about money, a couple of times. Most recently that morning, over breakfast, right before his brother had shown up and speed-walked her through a bunch of security stuff she only prayed she remembered. “You were serious about that?”

Dante lifted her hand to his lips without looking away. He trailed slow kisses across her knuckles and down her palm, before lingering over her pulse point. “Completely serious,” he finally said, his words tickling across her lightly moistened skin. “As I am about you, and about us. All of this is serious, Iris, and I’ve meant every word.” He slid his fingers up to thread with hers. “Though I will confess, letting you sleep in your own room last night was torture.”

A laugh bubbled out of her, short and unexpected, and Iris bent forward until her forehead pressed against his shoulder. Her lungs filled with his scent as she composed herself and she realized startlingly that she’d already become familiar with it. In less than twenty-four hours, not even half that spent under his roof, the scent of him had ingrained itself into her somehow.

Iris shifted closer, half clinging to him, her upper body pressed to his, and let her eyes close.

She didn’t realize the SUV had stopped already until someone cleared their throat from the front seat.

Dante released a breath and gave her hip a squeeze. “Come on. I’m not letting you hide in the car on this one.”

She lifted her head, confused again, but obligingly followed him after he slid from his seat. She realized she’d forgotten all about her escort for the day until she saw him standing about a foot or so behind Dante, like a statue, and the sight of him still there made her sidle closer to Dante’s side.

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