Page 9 of Paying the Mafia Don

“Tickle fight,” I hear their laughter before I enter the suite. Cassie’s giggles are the best part of my day. When my Ya-ya stayed with Cassie, there were quiet story times and sedate baths. But in a mere three and a half weeks, all that has changed. Valentina blew through our quiet castle like a Chicago winter storm. Breathing life into everything she touched, especially my daughter. My dick twitches to remind me that she’s blown life into me as well. Literally. Sex has never been so fucking good. I hurry home like a besotted fool at the end of my day because of the two females in it. One warms my heart, the other my bed. No, she doesn’t warm it. She sets the damn thing on fire.

They haven’t noticed that I’m home yet. I watch their play as my wife dashes from my daughter’s tickling fingers. “No way,” Valentina protests. “You cheat.”

“I do not.” Cassie denies through her laughter. Her laugh, just the sound of it, makes every penny of those three hundred thousand dollars worth it. I’d add a million times more for the smile that lights up her dark eyes. A smile that Valentina has put there. Joy. Happiness. My heart aches because I wasn’t the one to put it there. Although, I guess, in a way, I did. It might be my fault that her biological mother isn’t here, but damn, did she get a helluva an upgrade.

“Yes, you do.” Val counters. “You’re a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

Valentina’s laughter and Cassie’s high-pitched squeals fill the room. Until they notice me leaning on the doorjamb. I watch Valentina’s eyes widen. She stops laughing and self-consciously pulls at her shirt. “Leo, I didn’t realize you were home.” She tugs her shirt again. “We were just playing.”

“So I see.” I move into the room. “Cassandra, aren’t you supposed to be getting ready to go? You know your grandparents, and Ya-ya won’t like it if we’re late.”

“I was just getting her out of the tub. We went swimming earlier.”

My eyes sweep her body, taking in the too-short shorts and the thin t-shirt that covers her red bikini top. A muscle tics in my jaw before I can stop it. “Who did you go swimming with?”

“Justin went—”

I stand up, pushing myself off the entryway. “Just Justin?”

Her eyes narrow at this reminder of my rules. “No.” She whips at me. “Justin and Carlo were there for security.” I relax my fists, although my stomach is farther behind in uncoiling the knots that formed at the thought of them ogling my wife. “Cora and Lyra also joined us to hang out for a bit before we all go to dinner. They thought I could use some adult time since you’re never here.”

She delivers that little scratch with a look that needles me to respond to her complaint. I ignore it. She knew I wasn’t husband material. Instead, I reply, “I give you plenty of adult time. But let me know if you need more.”

Her lips round and part. Her breath stutters when my eyes lock on them as we both remember what happened the last time we made love.

“Baba?”

My daughter’s voice snaps me out of my trance. I turn to her, and she’s grinning at me. “Daddy, why are you smiling like that? You look funny.”

“Do I?” I kneel to hug her, and she wraps her little arms around my neck. I lean my forehead against hers, inhaling her clean, lavender soap smell. “I’m not smiling. I’m just happy to see you.”

“Both of you.” I startle Valentina when I stand and pull her into my other side. Instead of kissing her cheek, I growl in her ear. “I’d be even happier if I hadn’t discovered you’ve been prancing around half-naked and dripping wet in front of my men.”

She draws back and hisses, but I’ve already turned back to Cassandra. “Cassie, sweetheart, go find your Titas and let them help you into your new dress. Valentina and I need to take a shower and get ready, or we’ll be the reason why we’re all late for dinner.”

I glance at Valentina. She’s biting her lip, but her eyes are spitting sparks at me. I smirk in return. “Okay, Baba.” She rushes away, and I wait for the sound of the door clicking shut.

“I am perfectly capable of showering alone.”

“Okhi, you are. But I’m not.” She spins on her heels to run, but I grab her wrist and pull her to me. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I thought you said you wanted to shower.”

“I do.”

“I meant alone.”

“I meant with you.

“But, your daughter—”

“Will be occupied with her aunts for at least another thirty minutes. Plenty of time to fuck you in the shower.”

Her mouth opens, but nothing comes out. Her skin is still sun-warmed from the outdoors. “You’ll ruin my hair,” she tries next. It’s already ruined from parading around half-naked outside. Showing other men, what belongs to me.”

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