Page 39 of Claiming His Mafia Princess

She scrunches her nose and sniffs the air carefully.

“It smells like—”

The chef walks in and places a glass dish of seared salmon with crispy baby potatoes and lemon slices. Then another plate of caramelized vegetable, cut long and thin and finally, corn on the cob coated in butter and salt.

She stares at all of it with her jaw dropped open.

“It’s—” she stammers over her words.

“It’s your favorite meal.” I finish for her.

“But—how did you know—everything, even the corn, how did you—”

I grin as she stares at me in disbelief.

“I asked your brother, baby girl. I wanted to surprise you.”

She grins, ear to ear, her entire face shining.

“That’s so sweet of you.” Her hand is on my thigh again as I dish up for her. I expect her to pick up her knife and her fork, but she doesn’t. She just picks up the fork and starts eating, her other hand still on my thigh, burning heated fire into my skin, sending shivers of delight through my body.

After dinner we are sitting in the living room, her wrapped in my arms, as we watch some cooking show that she seems to enjoy. I’m not paying too much attention because I can’t seem to drag my eyes off her.

Every time she glances at me she asks, ‘are you watching?’ And I say I am, even though I’m not.

She is too beautiful. She is too perfect.

Do I even deserve something this special?

My phone vibrates against the coffee table, and she leans forward to pick it up for me. She hands it to me then snuggles back into my arm.

I slide to unlock the screen and navigate to my notifications.

My heart stops.

“It’s a message from your father, Dalila.” I say, not wanting to ruin our peaceful evening.

She sits up and stares at me with wide eyes.

“What did he say?”

“He wants to meet up and talk.”

Chapter Nineteen

DALILA

“He wants to talk?” My throat feels tight and my mouth is dry.

“Yes. Do you want to?” Nevio asks me, letting me decide.

“We kind of have to. We need to know what is going on. I have — I want to ask him so many questions — but, it won’t change what he did.” I sigh, a heavy ache building in my heart at the thought of my father.

“I will arrange for them to come to the house tomorrow.” Nevio says, running his hand over my back reassuringly. “If you change your mind, we can cancel. And don’t worry about any of it, baby girl, no matter what happens - I will always be here for you. I will always take care of you. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Lila.”

I like it when he calls me Lila.

I like it more when he says I’m his baby girl.

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