Page 42 of Claiming His Mafia Princess

“Come to bed.” I say again, because she didn’t seem to hear me.

“That’s probably a good idea.” She says, glancing up at me as though she has no idea who I am. Her eyes are drifting, lost in a storm out at sea.

I smile and wrap my fingers between hers. “I’ve made hot chocolate. It’s on the bedside table.” I say, pulling her up the stairs towards the bedroom. She follows me without talking. Her silence is heavy, and I feel my heart breaking for her.

I feel as though her entire view of who her father is has shifted, and she now has to process this new reality.

When she is dressed, she climbs into bed. I pull the blankets up over her body and tuck her in, leaving just her arms out.

Handing her the hot chocolate, I sit on the edge of the bed next to her.

She sips at to as I brush my fingers across her cheek.

“I don’t think he stopped to think about the choice he was making.” I say, trying to find some way to comfort her. “I don’t think it was done out of - what I mean is - I think he loves you deeply, Lila. He was scared, and he made a really stupid mistake. Your brothers are furious with him. I can see it.”

She looks up at me, her eyes narrowed as she listens.

A soft sigh falls from her lips, her breath drifts towards me, smelling like hot chocolate.

“I think I understand that - but - isn’t that part of the problem. He never even stopped to think about me. I don’t even think he saw me as his daughter when he made that choice. I was just a tool. A pawn to be used in his negotiation. Anything and everything was worth risking just to keep himself out of jail. And I saw what happened when his friend went to jail. He was there for six months before he paid his way out. And during those six months he had a private cell, with a tv and internet and good food. Visitors any time he wanted - “ She sighs again.

“I don’t really want to think about it anymore. It hurts too much.”

I nod. “What can I do for you, then? How can I make you feel better, baby girl?”

She looks up at me again, her eyes sparkling with tears. “I hate the thought that someone who I thought loved me would do that to me. Do I not understand love? Has anyone ever loved me if my father can -” Her throat closes over her words and she wipes the back of her hand across her face.

I reach out and use the pad of my thumb to brush away her tears. Then I bring my thumb up to my lips, licking them off, tasting the salt from her body.

Her lips part as she watches me, her demeanor shifting. She runs her tongue over her lips, and I can see by the way she is looking at me she is no longer thinking about those things.

I pull the blankets off her and take the mug out of her hands.

I crawl onto the bed, kneeling over her.

“I would burn in the fire of a thousand suns to keep you safe.” I whisper. “I want you to know what true love is, don’t ever leave me.”

Her eyes grow wider.

I push my hand beneath her hoodie. My hoodie. The one she keeps stealing from me to sleep in because she says it is the most comfortable.

“I love it when you don’t wear panties.” I growl, letting my fingers tease across her skin.

She reaches up and pulls my jersey over my head, leaving me topless above her.

Her fingers trace my birth mark, contouring the edges. This time I don’t feel ashamed. I don’t feel as though I need or want to hide from her.

Beneath her touch, I feel beautiful. It’s in the way she looks at me. The expression in her eyes is warm and loving.

She looks at me as though she has love for me.

Does she just not know it yet? She’s never told me she feels anything like that for me.

I lean down, pressing my lips against hers as I lay my body over hers.

I feel our heart beats sink, beating in time to a rhythm that only we know.

Her hands run over my back, slowly, drifting as though we have all the time in the world to explore each other.

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