Page 58 of Sexting the Don

I savor the sight of her nude body curled up in front of me, every curve and line illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Her skin is smooth and flushed from our lovemaking, a rosy hue that spreads across her cheeks and down her neck.

Her breasts rise and fall with her steady breaths, and I can’t help but admire the way they fit perfectly in my hands, the way they respond to my touch.

My eyes trace down to her hips, full and inviting, leading to her long, toned legs that are curled up beneath her.

“Enzo,” she says softly, drawing my attention back to her face. Her eyes are wary and guarded, and I know she’s not ready tofully let me in. Not yet.

“Mandy,” I begin, choosing my words carefully. “I want you to come back. You and your mom. Come back to the house with me. It’s safer there. I’ll pay to break the lease here; I don’t care.”

She shakes her head, a determined set to her jaw. “I’m not ready for that. I need some space, some time to figure things out.”

I can see the resolve in her eyes, and I know pushing her will only make things worse.

“All right,” I concede. “But I insist on sending the car for you and your mother. It’ll be here tomorrow. I don’t want you driving around unprotected.”

She sighs. “We don’t need a car. We’ve got public transportation, and both of our jobs are close to the apartment.”

I lean forward, cupping her face in my hands. “Let me do this. It’s one small thing I can do to help keep you safe.”

She looks into my eyes as if sensing she’s going to have to surrender something. After a long moment, she nods reluctantly.

“Fine. But just the car. Nothing else.”

I take a deep breath, looking at her.

“Why did you leave so abruptly?” I ask.

She shifts uncomfortably, avoiding my gaze. “I just needed some independence,” she says, her tone evasive. “I didn’t want to be a burden to you.”

I narrow my eyes slightly, sensing there’s more to her story. “You know you’re never a burden to me.”

She sighs, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the sheet. “It’s just … I needed to do this for myself. To prove that I can take care of things on my own.”

Her words are vague, and I can tell something more is going on.

“I get that. But if something’s going on, you can tell me. You don’t have to do this alone.”

She forces a smile, her eyes betraying the worry she’s holding back. “I appreciate that. Really, I do. But I need to handle this my way.”

“This place isn’t safe,” I say, a hint of frustration creeping into my voice. “It was easy as hell for me to track you down, to get in here.”

“You’re a little different than most men, Enzo,” she replies. “Sometimes it seems like you’ve got this whole city under your watch.”

“True,” I admit. “But if I can find you, so can others; it’s just a matter of time and persistence. Does Jimmy know where you are?”

She shakes her head, her expression growing serious. “No, as far as I know, he doesn’t. And there’s not a goddamn chance in hell I’m going to let him find out.”

A text buzzes her phone in the other room, and she gets up to answer it. My eyes are drawn to her as she walks away, the sway of her hips mesmerizing. Her ass is a perfect, tantalizing curve, and I find myself captivated by the sight.

She picks up her phone, her brow furrowing as she reads the message. I don’t know who it’s from, but the tension in her shoulders tells me it’s important. She types a quick reply andthen turns back to me, her expression guarded once more.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“It’s a text from my mom,” she says. “She’s on her way back.”

I nod, understanding this is my cue to leave. “Got it.”

Mandy looks at me, her eyes softening. “It’s not like she’d be upset to see you. She already loves you.”

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