Page 42 of Forced Bratva Prisoner

“No,” I say, finally, shocking myself.

“He hasn’t hurt you at all?”

“No. He’s annoyed me. Been a complete pain in the ass. But he hasn’t hurt me.”

Chiara chuckles. “I think all men can be a pain in the ass sometimes.”

“Some can be far worse,” I mumble, thinking about my father.

For a while we are both quiet. Chiara takes a little side plate and picks up one of the croissants, eating and watching the grey clouds roll past.

I sit processing what I’ve just realized.

It confuses me.

Leon is a mob boss, a mafia boss, just like my father. Aren’t they all the same? He’s supposed to be cruel, calculated and cold. My father is a manipulative man, using people, hurting people, not giving a shit what kind of pain or scarring he inflicts on people.

Leon hasn’t been any of that. Not towards me.

I feel my brows knit as thoughts spin in my head. I run through our interactions from beginning to end, over and over, but there is nothing in the way that Leon has treated me that reminds me of my father. Absolutely nothing.

In fact, quite the opposite. Leon has been protective and gentle with me.

Why?

Chiara puts her empty plate back down on the table. “That was delicious. You should have one.”

She pulls me out of my thoughts and back into the moment, and oddly I am feeling lighter, happier, more relaxed.

“Penny makes a great breakfast croissant,” I agree, picking one of them up.

“What are you doing later this week? I wanted to go to the mall, maybe Thursday. I can see if I can convince Leon to let you come with me?”

“I’d love that. It would be nice to get out and walk around a bit.”

Chiara and I chat for the rest of the morning, about silly things and nothing at all, really. I wonder if this is what it feels like to have a friend. I’ve always had Marie. She was the closest thing I had to a friend and a mother, but I’ve never known what it was like to have a real girlfriend.

“Hi, Chiara,” Leon’s voice comes from behind us. Chiara tilts her head back and waves at him.

“Hello. How’s your day going?” she asks cheerfully.

“It’s going good,” he replies, his eyes on me.

The ice blue gaze has me shifting in my seat and wanting to look away, but I can’t.

Chiara stands up. “I can’t believe the time. We talked so long, I didn’t even realize. I have to get home to the kids.” She leans over and give me a giant hug. “Thanks for breakfast and a great morning,” she says. Then she turns to Leon. “I want to take Sasha shopping later this week.” She raises her brows at him.

“I’ll think about it,” he says dryly.

“Good. Let me know.” She picks up her handbag and waves at both of us, then disappears through the doors.

Leon comes to stand in front of me.

“Shopping?” His cold eyes pierce into me.

Chapter 13 - Leon

My body is tense and stiff as I try and control every single physical urge that is rushing through me. I want her. I want to take her right now, but I can see that for some reason, she is not comfortable. She’s backed away from me, and the look in her eyes is one of horror.

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