Page 15 of Red

“I can leave the room?” Was he testing her again?

“You didn’t touch your breakfast. Take the tray downstairs to the kitchen. They’ll make you something warm.”

“I’m not really hungry,” she said. “But I would like to go for a walk.”

He stared at her for a long moment then shook his head. “Sorry, no walk. Eat something.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead and headed for the door, pausing after the second step before pushing forward and leaving her alone again.

She touched her forehead, the spot where his lips had met her skin.

What the hell was that?

Chapter 6

He’d kissed her.

Fuck.

It had only been a peck, a quick brush of his lips across her forehead, but it had happened so naturally, so easily. He hadn’t thought about it, merely acted. And he didn’t do that.

As he made his way downstairs, his cock pressed against the zipper of his jeans, reminding him of the spanking. How beautifully her ass bounced beneath his hand. How sweet her cries were, and how gorgeous she appeared with her puffy eyes and tearstained cheeks. He’d meant to punish, to teach her her place, but ended up waking something in himself he’d promised would lie dormant through this ordeal.

Nico met him at the bottom of the stairs.

“He’s in the office, helping himself to your brandy.” Nico pointed to the closed door.

“Did he say what he wanted?”

Mr. Bertucci, a previous associate of their uncle’s, didn’t visit for personal reasons. There was no relationship between the Rawling and Bertucci families. And Erik would keep it that way. The business practices of his uncle and some of the old families turned his stomach. He would not lead his brothers into that world.

“Of course not.” Nico eyeballed the stairwell. “Everything okay up there?”

Erik ran his fingers through his hair and nodded. “She’s fine, getting dressed. She can go anywhere in the house, but she may not go outside.” Erik pointed a finger at him. “I’m not fucking around, Nico. Don’t let her go out.”

“Got it. I’ll babysit her while you’re in your meeting.” Nico grinned.

Erik stepped closer. “You don’t touch her, understand? If she needs something, you get it for her, but that’s it. And make sure she stays inside and away from my office. I don’t want Bertucci getting any ideas.”

Nico dropped his smile, finally getting the picture about Melinda. “You’d better go.”

Erik glanced up the stairs. He didn’t like this. Having Bertucci in the house while she was roaming free was a risk.

“I’ll watch for her,” Nico promised.

There were few people in the world in whom Erik would place all of his trust. His brothers were high on the short list.

Erik gave a curt nod and went into his office.

Bertucci stood at the front window, staring out into the street. After their uncle passed away some of the inheritance was released to Erik, mostly because it put him in a better position to carry through with the rest of the requirements. Living in the house had been allowed while he was actively working on collecting the unpaid debts. If he refused, or was unsuccessful, he and his brothers would be turned out.

“Mr. Bertucci.” Erik extended his hand.

The crotchety old man turned from the window. He glanced at Erik’s hand and frowned. “Erik Rawling.” His name was given in two short bursts of air, like he dropped them into the room. Bertucci shook Erik’s hand. “I’m used to your uncle coming through that door when I visit. I was sorry to hear of his passing.”

Erik tensed. Although nothing was ever confirmed and would never be fully investigated, Erik knew well enough Bertucci’s hand in his uncle and cousin’s death. Loyalty to family kept him from outright condoning the actions of the members of the old families, but they’d done the right thing. His uncle had been a canker sore on society.

He’d betrayed an oath given to the other families. And in their circles, the sin of a broken word often came with fatal consequences. From what Erik could gather, his uncle had not only gone against the heads of the other families, he’d outright attacked a protected man.

“Thank you.” Erik gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk and took his seat. As a child, he’d played in this office with his cousin when his mother would permit a visit. Now, he sat in the chair he’d once climbed as though it were a mountain, staring down one of the most powerful men in town.

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