Page 77 of Diamond Don

In hindsight, however, I should’ve expected it. After all, I know better than anyone that Kat makes a great first impression.

At first, I’m content to wait for her in the kitchen, where my maddening house guest seems to stop invariably first thing in the morning. I figure we can have breakfast together, and I can tell her all about the invite as we eat.

After an hour with no sign of her, I grow restless. I decide that I might as well get some work done while I wait for her to wake up. So I head to my office. Soon, I’m forced to admit it’s a pointless waste of time. I’m useless this morning. After rereading the same paragraph four times—only to realize I’m still unable to recall a single word from it—I give up.

Frustrated, I rub a hand over my eyes. I’m dangerously unfocused, and it doesn’t take any genius to guess why.

I can’t stop thinking about her and the hours we spent together yesterday. About that side of her I hadn’t seen before.

I give up, getting up from my chair and exit my office.

Exasperated with my foolishness, I make my way to where she is, unable to resist her gravitational pull over me, while the sound of her breathless laugh in the plane yesterday echoes in my mind.

As quietly as possible, I slowly inch the bedroom door open, peeking through the gap like a hormone-crazed teenager.

I don’t immediately spot Kat—just a giant, fluffy, white mass of blankets on the large bed. After entering the chamber, I silently approach the linen cloud. Finally, I see her. She’s stretched out under the covers, her lush lips are slightly open as her glossy dark hair fans around her face, over the pillows, like a halo.

My beautiful, dark angel.

I take the chair next to the bed, where I sat a few nights ago when she had that nightmare.

I can’t help but feel like a bit of a creep, watching her from a darkened corner of the room as she sleeps, blissfully unaware of my presence. But this embarrassing feeling isn’t enough to keep me away. Kat is just too addictive, and her pull over me is too irresistible. As it is, I can barely stop myself from joining her under the soft sheets.

I lose track of time as I unhurriedly take inventory of every visible inch of her. The sunlight filtering through the large windows caresses her hair, granting it a coppery glow. I’m so mesmerized by the sight that I almost don’t notice it when she starts to wake up.

Kat groans lightly, eyes still closed, languidly stretching her lush body. I grow uncomfortably hard, but somehow I find the herculean strength to stay on my damned chair. After lazily blinking her big, blue eyes, Kat sighs, and I want to groan. I don’t—but I must’ve made some type of noise because she turns to face me.

“Do you always watch over all your enslaved women as they sleep, or am I just that special?” she asks me in a raspy voice that has me grasping the chair’s arms to keep myself in my place.

I feel appropriately chastised until her face breaks into a deliciously mischievous grin, her eyes glittering with amusement.

No one should be this beautiful.

“I was just making sure you were still alive. I was a little concerned, considering you’ve been asleep for the past twelve hours,” I say, making a big show of checking my watch.

Kat rolls her eyes, still smiling.

“I’d never dream of inconveniencing my demanding overlord with my sudden demise. I wouldn’t want you to go out of your way to find another minion to boss around.” She brushes her hair over her shoulder.

“I appreciate that. Really. It’s so hard to find good help these days.”

“And don’t you forget it. I expect a very large bonus once I deliver my end of the bargain,” she says without missing a beat, her voice dropping an octave.

“I believe that could be arranged,” I assure her in the same tone. Kat smiles at me again while holding my gaze. A private, sultry smile this time.

“So,” she says, clearing her throat. “What brings you here this morning?”

“We’ve received an invitation. Patrick McGuire would be honored to welcome us to his newly renovated summer home for his birthday celebration. You must’ve made a lasting impression on the man.” Even to my own ears, I sound bitterly jealous.

“A win is a win, right?”

I nod. “It could mean an overnight stay, so you should pack a bag.”

“This is a great opportunity for us,” she says, almost vibrating with excitement. “He’ll be comfortable on his home turf, so we should be able to make some progress with him.”

A homicidal rage threatens to overtake me as I think about Kat “making progress” with McGuire.

“I agree,” I say instead. “I bet he wants to get a closer look at you and taunt me while he’s at it. He hasn’t invited me to his birthday bash in years, not since Maxim and Erin’s indiscretion. It delights him to make a big production out of inviting the heads of all Seven Families but me. As if I give a shit about his fucking party.”

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