Page 22 of Stranded with My Mafia Boss

My jaw clenched. The bitch had abandoned her children and now lived a life of luxury. Unacceptable.

What was the best way to strip her of everything? Decisions, decisions…

"Keep an eye on them," I said. "I'll decide how best to handle this situation once I’ve had time to consider."

I hung up and a yawn overtook me. It was time to return to the vixen in my bed.

Katie had kicked off the covers and then pulled them partially back onto her at some point. Naked, her hair a wild tangle of fire around her face, she looked well-fucked and utterly mine. A possessive warmth spread through me at the sight.

I stripped and pulled her into my arms, the scent of her soothing me into sleep.

Katie

I wokebeside Damien in the pale light of dawn, chased out of sleep by an uneasy dream. Listening to his even breathing soothed my anxiety a little. His scent was subtle and intoxicating. But I couldn’t get back to sleep, even though I was still tired.

Heat radiating from Damien’s body, and I relaxed into it. He’d been warm and affectionate all yesterday. Even now, one of his arms was flung over me possessively.

Maybe a glass of water and checking my phone would help. I slipped from under his arm and pulled on a robe, moving silently to the door. He didn’t stir, and I slipped out.

No more news from Connor, so I messaged him.

Is everything ok?

Waiting for his answer, I sipped water in the kitchen. Snow was falling again, tapping the windows gently.

Connor didn’t answer. Since it was early, I waited to text again. I’d try in an hour and find out how Max’s night had gone. Flare-ups tired Max out, so I didn’t want to chance waking him up if he were resting.

Curiosity got the best of me now that the cabin was warm again. To pass the time, I explored the first floor of the expansive cabin, marveling at the opulence surrounding me.

In the study, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves lined the walls, filled with leather-bound volumes that gleamed in the light. I ran my fingers along their spines, tracing the delicate gold lettering, and wondered if Damien had read any of them.

He'd been a mystery to me outside of work, but now I wanted to know everything about him.

What should I do? Damien’s life was dangerous, and I couldn’t expose Max to that any more than I already had. There was a difference between working for Damien and sleeping with him. An enormous difference

Uncertainty and worry for Max gnawed at me as I continued exploring the cabin, unease nibbling at the back of my mind. I wandered to the back side of the cabin, where I’d never been. I assumed this was storage and garage since it’s where Damien brought the wood from. There was a door at the very back.

I pushed the heavy door open, and the muted scent of gasoline and oil hit my nose. Flipping on the lights, an unexpected sight greeted me. A pristine garage with advanced, sleek snowmobiles that look like they’d been plucked straight from the pages of a luxury magazine parked on one side and an extensive woodpile on the other.

My eyes widened. We could have left at any time today. Or yesterday. He hadn’t told me about them at all, robbing me of the choice to try to get to town and paved roads.

A rustle behind me made me jump. "Damien?"

He leaned against the doorway, his piercing blue eyes unreadable.

"Trouble sleeping?" His voice was still low and gravelly with sleep. He didn’t sound mad, but it wasn’t his place to be angry right now. It was mine.

"Why didn't you tell me about these?" I asked, gesturing toward the snowmobiles, my anger bubbling beneath the surface. "We could have used them to escape being snowed in."

"Escape?" He raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you want,cara mia? To run away from me?"

"Don’t deflect," I said. "I don't understand why you didn’t give me the option. What if Max gets worse?"

He stepped closer, face and voice colder than the ice outside. "What if I told you there was a reason for my silence? A reason that involved you? An opportunity for both of us?"

My breath caught in my throat. He’d deliberately neglected to tell me. Hidden the information, which was as bad as lying to me. The sting of betrayal burned through my chest, and I struggled to swallow the lump forming in my throat. "You wanted to keep me here just to sleep with me?"

He hesitated for a moment, his gaze searching mine before he finally nodded. "Yes, I did."

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