Page 10 of Enforcer Book Boyfriend

“Good. So, where are we headed tonight?”

My gaze slid over to her. “I think it’s time you meet some people.” Unlocking my phone, I dialed Conall. “Conall, I need to come see you. One of the Ricci’s stopped at my table while I was out tonight. I don’t think they’ve forgotten that we’re connected to the Lucarelli’s. You know they have it in for us after we workedwith them on that Providence issue. And I had Grace with me when he came up to me. I need to come see you and Tatiana. We’re on the way.” He agreed, and we hung up.

“Conall? Were you just on the phone with Conall O’Shea?” Grace’s shocked voice called out.

As I pulled away from the curb, I nodded. “Yes. He’s my boss.”

“Oh fuck. Everyone knows who he is. So, you really do work for the Irish mafia?”

Now she was panicking? Not when the guy approached us at dinner and I almost blew his fucking head off? Not then, but now? “Come on, Grace. I thought this is what you wanted?”

Grace took a deep breath, her eyes locking with mine. “It is. I just…I guess it’s hitting me now. The reality of it all.” She shook her head, a rueful smile playing on her lips. “I’m not backing out, Dillon. I’m in this with you, all the way.”

I reached over, my hand finding hers, our fingers intertwining. Her skin was soft against my calloused palm, a reminder of the different worlds we came from. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Grace. I promise you that, sweetheart.”

She squeezed my hand, her touch sending a jolt through me. “I know. I trust you.”

Those three words hit me harder than any punch ever could. Trust. It was a foreign concept in my line of work, but coming from her, it felt like a lifeline. One I wasn’t sure I deserved.

We pulled up to the sprawling estate, the iron gates parting like the jaws of a beast. I killed the engine, the sudden silence deafening.

“Gracie,” I started, but she was already opening the door, stepping out into the night with a determination that caught me off guard. My feisty little minx.

I was right behind her as we approached the house. As soon as her foot hit the first step, Conall O’Shea, head of our family, opened the front door. “Dillon,” he greeted, his eyes flicking to Grace. “And you must be the woman he’s been talking about.”

Grace met his gaze unflinchingly. “Grace,” she introduced herself, her voice steady. “It’s a p-pl-pleasure to meet you.”

Tatiana appeared behind Conall, a smile on her face but her eyes focused on assessing the woman by my side. “Hey Dillon,” she leaned in to give me a quick hug. Standing back, she glanced at Grace. “If he brought you here to us, then this must be serious. Come on in. Let’s grab a glass of wine and then let’s figure out who we need to teach a lesson to.”

I watched as Grace froze for a millisecond before she took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold. She wanted the fantasy of having a boyfriend in the mafia. Things had just gotten very fucking real. All I could do was hope she was ready.

SIX

Dillon

Finally back at Grace’s apartment after meeting with Conall and Tatiana, I breathed a sigh of relief. While we were there, I could see the connection building between Grace and Tatiana. Even for a cynical guy like me, it made me want to smile. If this thing between the two of us was going to last, it was important to me that she be accepted by my family, but especially by Conall.

Since Tatiana had not been born into this life, she was someone who had to accept Conall for who he was and the life we had. It felt good that she was someone who could help Grace with her adjustment.

She turned to me, those piercing eyes catching mine, locking me in place. “Dillon. About this thing between us…”

I cut her off before she could finish. “Don’t. Don’t start doubting now, Grace. I’m in this thing with you. All the way.” My voice was hard, edged with the kind of determination that had kept me alive in this life of blood and betrayal.

She studied me, weighing my words, searching for any hint of hesitation. I gave her none.

“Dillon, I can handle myself. You don’t need to play the hero.”

“Who said anything about playing?” I moved closer, closing the gap between us. “This isn’t some damn fairy tale, Grace. There are no heroes here. Just survivors. And I’ll be damned if I let anyone take you from me.”

Her breath hitched, and I could see the storm brewing behind those eyes. But there was something else there too—something like steel. She was tough as nails, my Grace. I was glad as fuck to see it. It still boggled my mind that we had foundeach other on a damn dating site catering to women’s fantasies about their ideal boyfriend. Even Tatiana had heard about it, which made Conall growl under his breath and ask her how the hell she knew about the site. It was funny to see one of the most dangerous men in Massachusetts jealous of an imaginary man. Everyone knew his wife would never leave him. “I meant what I said to you when we started this. I want you in my life. We’re in this together and I will protect you, even from yourself. There’s some shit brewing that Conall and I need to handle. I just want you safe.”

“Fine,” she finally said, her voice low but fierce. “But don’t get hurt or I’ll kill you. I just found you and I can’t… I can’t lose you.”

“I promise you, baby. I’ll be fine. I will do everything I can to come back to you. Now, enough talk about business. I need you, Gracie,” I growled, my voice low, barely holding the storm within.

She met my gaze, her own eyes darkening with the same hunger that clawed at my insides. With a swift movement, I closed the distance, my hands finding her waist, pulling her against me. Our lips crashed together in a collision of raw desire, all lingering doubts consumed by the blaze of our kiss.

Our bodies melded together in a frenzy of need and our clothes were ripped away with reckless abandon. Her soft moans filled the room as I explored every inch of her body with my hands and mouth. My teeth nipped at her neck while my fingers traced circles on her soft inner thigh, teasing her until she was writhing beneath me. She weighed almost nothing to me as I walked us back to her bedroom.

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