Page 57 of Conquered

“If we can’t believe in the system then there will eventually be anarchy.”

He smirked. “What makes you think anarchy hasn’t existed for centuries hidden behind a veil so the normal folk can live their lives in peace? Otherwise, panic would set in, much like the catastrophe movies you’ve undoubtedly seen.”

Maybe we were both jaded.

“And your other brother?”

“Creed is the CEO of our family’s corporation and considered a Don.”

“Mafia.” I heard the surprise in my voice.

His grin widened. “Does that really shock you so much? With all the gossip generated at the university, I would have thought everyone knew we were actually little green men.”

He made me laugh in earnest and I walked closer. “People do love to talk,” I admitted.

“Yes, they do, which is why I wasn’t friends with many of my associates. I simply didn’t want to be tortured with questions that mean nothing to me. However, it’s okay for you to ask whatever you’d like. But I’m going to do the same. The intimacy I was talking about before isn’t just nurtured with foreplay or sex but with opening and expanding the mind with frank and often uncomfortable conversations.”

“Does that mean there are no taboo subjects?” He’d said much the same in class over the months, which had drawn me to him even more.

“As long as you can handle the answers then no subject will be off limits.” He had a wry smile on his face as he grabbed a couple of buns, splitting them open and placing them on the grill.

I wanted to tell him I could handle anything, but I wasn’t certain I was ready for him to burst my enjoyable bubble at this point.

“O-kay. How about something easy. Do you enjoy cooking?”

The way he shook his head was a quiet way of admonishing me. “I do. It relaxes me. Often the worst beasts in society have a normal hobby. Cheese?” he asked.

“Yes, two pieces, please.” He was chastising me for believing anything I’d read about him.

As he added the slices to the burger itself, he pointed toward another appliance. “I hand cut steak fries if you’ll get them out of the oven for me. Watch yourself and don’t get burned.”

I noticed an oven mitt and when I passed by him, I gathered a whiff of his aftershave and for a few seconds felt lightheaded. I did as he asked, the aroma of the fries reminding me I hadn’t eaten for several hours, barely nibbling on a muffin that morning, I’d been so nervous.

“Is that what you really want to know, Sara? Why I’m out here making burgers, curious as to why I’d engage in something so mundane? Or is there a question that is burning within you, one that you must ask me before you can place your trust in me?”

After placing the tray on a towel on the counter, I turned toward him, gripping the edge of the granite surface with one hand. “Okay. If nothing is off limits to ask then I need to know if the things I’ve heard about your family are true.”

He said nothing for a few seconds, placing the burgers on plates and adding fries to both. I was holding my breath as he took them to the table. He’d already adorned it with various condiments and silverware. “Sit down, Sara.”

I knew it wasn’t a request but an order.

I did as he commanded, sitting exactly where he’d pointed while he selected the head of the table, yanking off the apron just before sitting down. In the colorful but subtle lights, I was able to bask in his glorious physique without being caught. The tee shirt was tight, the shorts highlighting the same thick bulge between his legs and my God, did he have some muscular thighs.

However, what attracted me the most as being able to see more of the tattoo, even though the limited light made it difficult to clearly see incredible details.

The music continued to play, blaring out over unseen speakers as we both prepared our burgers. Only when I’d added ketchup over my fries did he grab a remote, turning down the music so we could talk.

“Eat before it gets cold,” he further instructed.

The moment I took a bite, I moaned in pleasure from the taste. Whatever spices he’d used had been perfect, the burger itself cooked to exactly the way I liked it. I savored bite after bite, almost forgetting about the questions. I even shoved several fries into my mouth, not even worrying about eating like a lady.

“I can see you’re enjoying the food I made,” he said with just as much amusement in his tone as I’d heard before.

Without thinking, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand like my brothers did before noticing he was watching my every move. I grabbed a napkin, finally placing the very sloppy burger back onto the plate. When I licked the juice off two fingers, he took a deep breath, taking a huge bite of his burger, consuming almost half at once.

He was a sexy eater, or maybe everything about him aroused me. “Very much, even if they’re very messy.” When I noticed he had a dollop of mayonnaise on the side of his face, I didn’t think about what message I was sending before reaching over, rolling the tip of my finger through the deliciousness, and sliding it into my mouth.

“Yes,” he growled, the sound sending another shower of current through every muscle.

---