Page 32 of Rescued By the Mafia

The truth was, she hadn’t seen much of anything.

Sighing, Iris scrolled down her contacts to Dante’s number. He was at work and she didn’t want to bother him over something ridiculous, but she was also embarrassed that she hadn’t done what he’d asked when she’d had ample opportunity. So she opted to text. Just a simple inquiry about the location of the file.

She’d barely set her phone back in her lap when it pinged with an incoming message. A response from Dante. Top right drawer in my office desk. Remember the code?

Her heart beat a little faster at the immediate reply and she caught herself smiling at the screen. It took her several seconds to realize she needed to actually think about the question he’d asked. Undoubtedly the code he had mentioned had been part of the information Mikey had bombarded her with her first morning at the house—had that only been the day before? Iris forced herself to focus on the fast-paced conversation, and found her answer.

She typed out a reply to put Dante’s mind at ease. Yes. Thank you. Then she took her phone and started down another hall, finding herself more concerned with whether or not she remembered the way to Dante’s home office. That proved only mildly difficult, for which she thanked her recent desperate flight across multiple states with no navigation. Once she put the code in—and it took—she slipped into the office and moved to the desk.

The file folder was precisely where he’d said, so she pulled it out and let herself settle into Dante’s office chair. He had a very nice office chair. Sitting in it gave her a silly kind of thrill and she smiled to herself. Feeling impulsive, Iris set the folder on the desk and lifted her phone, taking a selfie and being sure to get enough of the high-backed chair that he would recognize it. She cropped the picture a tiny bit, not wanting to accidentally send something stupid out into cyberspace, and texted the picture to Dante. I really am feeling feisty today.

But she also very much needed to be a grownup and look inside the folder she kept finding excuses to delay.

Iris set her phone down and picked up the folder again, tossing it open before she could chicken out. On top were the copied papers they’d signed the day before, and beneath that was the statement she’d been avoiding. It took her a moment to find the number that mattered, and when she did, it was a good thing she was sitting down.

People really had that much money in real life?

Her gaze flicked back to the signed paper she’d set aside, then again to the impossible number. Her mouth went dry. I-I’m a billionaire….

ten

Adjusting

Chapter Ten

“I see we’ve progressed to exchanging sexy pics in the middle of the day,” Dante said when Iris answered the phone. “Or are you trying to kill me?”

Laughter warmed her chest and Iris set down the bank statement, letting herself recline in his office chair. “It wasn’t a sexy pic,” she said. “Just a selfie.”

Dante clicked his tongue. “It was a picture of you, in my space, and smiling. So unless that smile was meant for another man, it qualifies.”

“Another—” She swallowed the inappropriate laugh. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“If I thought you would, you wouldn’t have access to that room.” The declaration was simple, and strangely reassuring. Then he said, “But you should know, I’ve officially added fucking you in that chair to my list of life goals.”

Heat bloomed inside her and Iris squirmed. The chair was nice, even sturdy for an office chair, but would it hold up to something like that? She had no idea. She licked her lips. “Well, I … have those kinds of goals, too.” The heat in her core rushed up her face, despite that she was technically alone. She couldn’t believe she’d just blurted that!

The amusement was undeniable in his voice when he spoke again. “Now that is a list I’d love to hear in detail. Preferably while talking in person, so I can watch the color bloom across those beautifully structured cheeks.”

Oh, she’d stepped in it now.

“Unfortunately, I can’t indulge in the direction where that leads just yet. I’m expected to actually show up for a meeting sometime in the next half hour. But don’t think I’m letting you off the hook on this.”

Iris felt a little of the embarrassed tension seep from her shoulders. “I hope I didn’t cause you a problem.”

“Only the best kind.” Something in his voice made her honestly suspect he was teasing. Then, as if to clarify, his voice lost the softness and he said, “I always have time for you, Snapdragon.”

Because she was his priority. The words hung in the air between them, as if he were reaching into her memory and pulling them forward himself.

Iris smiled. “I looked in the folder finally,” she said. “So I guess today I’ll make a decision about the craft store, too.”

He chuckled. “Good. But remember, if you enjoy it, it still holds value.” He paused for a beat. “I have to go. Call or text me if you need anything else.”

“I will.”

Iris gathered up the papers, put the folder back in the drawer where she’d found it, and dragged herself out of the office. She was a little curious, but it was an obviously organized space and she didn’t want to cross a line while the relationship they were building was so new. It was enough for her, for now, that she knew she had access. No secret rooms.

Not that Paul’s secret room was the worst thing about him or their relationship, in hindsight.

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