Page 47 of Inherting the Mafia

It was just as fancy.

Tony led me over to the couch by the fireplace and helped me sit down. He knelt down on the floor in front of me before glancing at the butler. "Did someone find a first aid kit? And we'll also need a bowl of hot water and some clean rags."

"A clean change of clothes wouldn't hurt either," I pointed out. "Something for tonight and something for tomorrow." I grimaced as I glanced down at my dirty and torn suit. "These have about had it."

"I'll see to it immediately, sir," the butler replied.

"Thank you," Tony called out as the man left, closing the door behind him. "Let's get some of this off of you."

I stared down at Tony as he pulled my shoes off and then my socks. He was being incredibly gentle, which kind of surprised me. Over the last twenty-four hours, I'd seen the strength in this man, the fierceness. I'd even seen him kill a man and threaten another one.

Gentle was at odds with that behavior.

"You handled yourself pretty well out there tonight," I told him. "You've got some skills." I hadn't expected him to be able to handle himself. I had been quite surprised when he had.

"Oh yeah? Are my skills good enough to be a mafia boss?"

"They could, but they could also get you killed."

Tony's frown was instant, curving down the corners of his lips. "Aren't you just a ray of sunshine?"

Would this man ever be serious?

"Look—"

"No, you look," Tony snapped. "I get that the mafia life is not for the faint of heart. Truly I do. But I refuse to pretend to be something I'm not."

"This isn't about the gay thing, Tony." Well, it wasn't all about the gay thing. "You don't seem to be taking any of this seriously."

"I take it plenty seriously," Tony replied. "I also think it's stupid as shit."

Tony continued to help me undress while he talked, still being gentle. He unbuttoned my shirt and carefully slid it down my back and off my arms.

He did leave me in my pants.

Couldn't decide if I was grateful for that or not.

"Thank you."

"For what?" When Tony lifted his head to look at me, our faces were inches apart. I could feel his warm breath blowing across my face.

My breath caught when his gaze lowered to my lips.

Chapter Thirteen

~ Anthony ~

This was a really stupid idea.

Epically stupid.

I never claimed to be smart.

With a roll of my body, I pushed us backward toward the bed, tumbling us both onto the mattress and rolling us until I landed on top of the dark-haired man.

Vito's dark eyes blazed with want and need as he laid there as if waiting to see what I was going to do next.

I didn't want to disappoint him.

---