Page 77 of Filthy Little Games

“Well, tonight, I’m taking you out.”

“Out? Out where?”

“I chose some dresses and several pairs of shoes for you. They’re being brought up right now in case you wanted to change...”

“You picked out clothes for me?” I say in surprise. “What about the ones from a few weeks ago?”

“I had a little help from the stylists.”

“Thank you.” I give him a quick kiss on the cheek to show my appreciation, wishing he’d accept more.

“You’re welcome. Now, go get ready. I’ll be waiting for you here in, say, half an hour?”

“Sure,” I agree, since I’ve never been the type to take hours getting ready. What you see is pretty much what you get with me.

Thirty minutes later, I’m dressed in the most gorgeous long golden gown with draping neckline that I’ve ever seen. It matches my strappy heels. My hair is down and natural, flowing over my shoulders. I feel pretty damn good about myself for the first time in years. That is, until I step into the living room where Creed is waiting in a pristine black suit, and he frowns at me.

“What?” I ask him.

“You look stunning, but I think you look even better in my jacket.”

“I love long dresses. They hide all the…imperfections, the baby weight I still haven’t lost in three years...”

“I love every inch of you,micetta mia.”

Love.I know I’m probably reading way too much into that simple statement because it’s how I’m starting to feel about Creed. It’s crazy and doesn’t make sense after only knowing him for such a short time, but there’s been something drawing me to the don from the moment we met. Part of me thinks he may even feel the same.

“Where are we going?” I ask, forcing myself to push aside those ridiculous thoughts.

“To the stairs.”

“The stairs?”

“I should’ve mentioned that we’re staying in the penthouse.”

“Oh.”

“I hope you don’t mind,” he says.

“No, of course not. I’m just glad to spend an evening with you for once.”

We take the narrower stairs next to the elevator up to the building’s rooftop.

It’s not just a flat, mundane rooftop either. The sun is setting in the sky, making the city glow around us. There’s a cozy sitting area and tiny lights draped along the lattice work overtop to provide a soft, romantic vibe. And food, lots and lots of food spread out on a long table.

“We can’t eat all of that,” I tell Creed.

“Sure, we can.” He slips his arm around me, and his fingers tease the bare skin along my upper back. “So? What do you think? Slightly better than staying in and watching old shows?”

“It’s...stunning,” I admit. “You didn’t have to do all this or have someone else do it, but it’s sweet.”

“You deserve to have a life like this, one with peace and freedom. And I want to be the one to give you those things.”

“Thank you.” I turn and cup his face in my palms. Rising to mytoes, I place a soft kiss on his lips. “Thank you for this, and for trying to find Oriana.”

“Oh, I will get her back to you.”

Smiling at his bravado, I add, “I should also thank you for protecting me that night at the club when the bullets started flying and for what you did to Izaiah. If you hadn’t shown up, he would’ve either killed me or I would’ve spent the rest of my life indebted to that family, missing my heart and soul and knowing there wasn’t a single thing I could do to change anything. But you...with one impulsive decision, you changed everything for me while risking everything for yourself.”

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