Page 3 of Secret Baby for the Mafia Don

My cheek stings, but the discomfort is a badge of honor for me. Elio will probably never tell me that I matter to him with his words, but his use of my body for such vicious pleasure tells a story that is just as poignant as declarations of love.

“Hurry up,” he says to me as he walks back into the bedroom. He’s pulling his shirt over his head. “We have a reservation at eight.” He bends down, grabs my dress off the floor, and tosses it at me without a backward glance.

I watch him leave the room looking at his phone.

I contemplate lounging in bed for a few minutes longer, but I don’t want to risk Elio’s ire if he finds that I have disobeyed him.

I rise from the bed and go into the bathroom where I carefully tie up my hair on top of my head. I rinse off in the shower, then towel off standing in front of the mirror.

I check my reflection and sigh. I will need to put a little bit of makeup on to cover up the redness from his slap.

With my makeup sorted out, I once again slip the dress over my body. I give the mirror a cat-in-the-cream grin as I decide I won’t put on any underwear.

Maybe, if I’m lucky, Elio will fuck me in the car tonight during the drive to the restaurant. I’ve discovered that I find having sex in public places exciting, but Elio rarely indulges me.

He says that it isn’t safe for him to be distracted when we are away from home and that it’s never safe out there for someone in his line of work.

I know he’s right, but the reckless part of me doesn’t care.

Satisfied with my appearance, I leave the bedroom and walk toward the kitchen. I don’t see Elio, so I keep walking toward the front of the house.

I notice that the door to the balcony is open, and then I see Elio leaning against the railing with his back to me. I start to sneak up on him, eager to surprise him, but his words bring me to a sudden halt.

“I’m not bringing her with me. As soon as we are married and she’s pregnant, I’m out of here. I have work to do, and she’s just going to be in my way.”

Chapter Two

Kate

I glance behind me as I hurry toward the nondescript little beach cottage.

I haven’t done anything stupid that should cause me to think that anyone would be following me. I know that what I am about to do is going to have lasting repercussions, however, both for me and for those I love.

As my mind forms the word, “love”, I feel my heart pinch in my chest. I don’t know that I will ever believe in love again.

I pound on the door of the cottage with my fist, wincing at the jolt of pain that shoots down into my elbow. I look around again nervously, tapping my foot.

“Come on, Marco,” I mutter. “Hurry up.”

I raise my hand to bang on the door again, when suddenly, it swings open.

Marco Rodriguez stands in the open doorway, a confused look on his face. His dark brows are drawn down over his brown eyes as he regards me with confusion.

“Kate?” he says questioningly. He looks past me as if to confirm that I am alone. “What are you doing here?’

“I need a favor, por favor,” I say. “Let me in.”

He lifts a brow at my tone. “A favor? What kind of favor would you need from me?”

“Just open the door and let me in so I can explain,” I snap at him.

He scowls a little at this, but he steps aside so that I can walk into his little beach house. The place is cute, although it’s clear that a bachelor lives in it.

Everything inside is a neutral color, and the walls are empty and bare. I march over to the couch and plunk down onto it, grateful that the cushions are soft, even if the color is bland.

“Okay, what’s up?” Marco says to me. “I haven’t seen you in a couple of years now. You haven’t been very social with any of us since you started dating Elio La Rosa.”

I wince as the name of my fiancé is spoken in the silent room. I hate having to come to Marco, an old friend, with my heart on my sleeve.

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