Page 20 of The Mafia's Seamstress

"Lucia," he hissed. I smirked. I liked watching him become undone. I could see his control slowly slipping and dammit if it wasn't the hottest thing ever. He finally opened his eyes. Our gazes locked. His fingers slipped underneath the hem of my shirt, lightly grazing my skin. I arched on instinct, needing to feel more of his hands on my bare skin.

He raised an eyebrow in question, again, wanting permission. I nodded eagerly. He began lifting up my shirt and then a phone blared. I jumped back, heart hammering. The phone popped our sexually charged bubble. I was two seconds from tossing that phone into the garbage can.

"Pick it up," I murmured and moved off his lap. Dante stood up, adjusting himself. I shamelessly watched and bit my lip. He felt really fucking good underneath me.

He cursed in Italian. He stared at his phone, taking a deep breath. The ringing phone had spiked my adrenaline and depleted it just as fast.

I made my way to the kitchen to repackage the food. I could faintly hear him from across the room. The words were jumbled, a mix of English and Italian. His shoulders were hitched up and his fist was clenched.

I wondered what was wrong. I looked away, needing a moment to catch my breath. My body was still tingling. I was so close to giving myself over to Dante and I would have. I jumped feeling his arm around my waist. He kissed my cheek.

"We'll finish this later," he murmured. Turning in his grasp I squinted at him.

"This was your one chance," I said. A muscle in his jaw ticked. I smiled inwardly. I was going to leave him wanting more, needing me. The string was slowly being wrapped around him.

"Like I said once you finish and you haven't," he said. He did say that. He placed a kiss on my neck and lightly bit the pulsing vein, sending instant shivers down my spine. “I promise,” he whispered against my skin. He walked out the door once again.

The chess pieces were moving.

The next day was Dante's final fitting. Once I handed over the suit there was nothing keeping us from speaking to each other. I couldn’t let that happen. There were things I needed to know. We stood in the back of the shop. Dante began stripping down and my pulse quickened.

"I'll give you some privacy," I said, turning away. He pulled me flush against him and dragged me into the empty changing room. His lips teased my ear.

"You've seen me half naked before," he mumbled. "And didn't I say once you finish?" he said. I stared into his gray eyes. They were playful, filled with hunger. The invisible string hung loosely around his shoulders. His fingers traced a line from my temples, down the side of my cheek, under my jaw and down my neck.

"Stop thinking," he said, voice gravelly. I bit my bottom lip. He pulled my bottom lip from my teeth. "I want to be the one to do that," he murmured. His warmth wrapped around me like an embrace.

"Dante..." I said softly. He closed his eyes as if savoring the sound of his name on my lips. He pressed me against the wall. My hips bucked on their own accord. One hand tightened on my hip. The other, gripping the back of my neck. My heart was racing. My hands were itching to weave their way through his silky dark hair.

"Don't make me beg, Lucia," he said, waiting. There was a needy edge to his voice. Something in me snapped. I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him against the opposite wall, pressing myself against him. His eyes half closed in a low moan. I gripped his jaw in my hand. His eyes snapped open, hungry. I needed to know how far I could push his control. I needed to know how much of him I owned.

"Maybe that's what I want. Maybe I want to show you what it's like to be at the mercy of someone else and wipe that entitled smirk off your face," I said as my hand dragged roughly down his button shirt. My hand trailed further south, brushing the tent in his pants. Dante took a deep breath, his eyes focused on my lips.

"This is what's going to happen. You're going to try on this damn suit so I can be done with it and maybe I'll consider inviting you over tonight to finish what I started,” I said.

After trying on the suit I made a mental note of the things I needed to fix. Luckily it wasn't much. I felt a pain on the side of my head forming again.

So naturally like any workaholic I ignored it and settled in the chair by the cash register to make my to do list. Dante strolled out from the back of the store. His eyes assessed me as if he knew something was off.

"Just a headache. I'm fine," I said, waving him off. The look in his eyes showed he wanted to say something but instead he held back. His phone rang. Glancing at the screen he pocketed his phone and kissed my cheek in goodbye.

I sighed, being able to breathe. I needed to try to get answers from him tonight. I stared at my phone debating whether or not to call my avô. I shook my head. I wasn’t going to interrupt him.

The suit needed to be done for tomorrow and so I shifted my focus on that. I carried on with my day, sewing, cutting, stabbing myself with a pin every once in a while. The pain in my head however was getting worse and I knew it was too late to take any medicine.

I mentally cursed at myself. This was leading towards a migraine and I should have paid more attention. The consistent headaches and stress were a sign of its impending doom.

I locked up the shop because there was no way I would be able to work through this. I learned that the hard way when I nearly stitched my index finger with the sewing machine. I just needed to get home and lay in bed.

I walked to my car with shaky legs. The brightness from the setting sun felt like nails railing into my head. The sound of cars driving by felt like an elephant stomping inside my skull. I breathed through my nose slowly.

I unlocked my car and someone called out to me. I turned around and the figure walking towards me was standing in front of the sun, blinding me and sending a wave of nausea. Fuck. They had to pick that spot. I leaned against her car.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice asked.

"Yeah, yeah," I replied weakly. Another shot of pain barreled against my skull. I bit my lip to keep myself from crying out in pain. I unknowingly reached for his arm.

“Are you sure Lucia?” the voice asked. I continued to reach for him and felt his arm beneath my hand. I caught a whiff of citrus and cedar. I felt myself relax beneath this person. “Don't worry, I'll take care of you.”

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