Page 10 of Sin & Secrets

“Rocco,” I correct her.

Her gaze narrows. “Rocco. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression…”

“Don’t do that.”

“Don’t interrupt me,” she snaps, her eyes igniting with something that makes my heart race. “I am only interested in maintaining a professional relationship with you. As my employer, you must understand that.”

If I wasn’t so in awe of her, I might have been blindsided by her flash of confidence.

But I realize that the fire within her is what makes her so irresistible. I saw it when she was on stage, baring her soul. She has been defiantly holding my gaze during our conversation as well, and I find myself lapping it up.

“Then I will respect your wishes,” I concede. “Although it is a shame you’ll never know the kind of protectionIcould offer you. It’s notoriously unparalleled.”

She crosses her arms. “Care to enlighten me?”

I chuckle darkly. “It’s not the kind of topic discussed with polite company.”

“Luckily, I’m not polite. At all.”

My eyes roam her defiant face, hungry to speak up her attention. “Well, first, we’d have to take this conversation somewhere far more private. I wouldn’t want an audience for all the things I would do to you. At least, not the first time.”

To my delight, her pupils begin to dilate at my words. “You aren’t serious.”

“Deadly,” I take a sip of whiskey. “I could hardly protect you without staking my claim. It wouldn’t do for you to have another man’s name on those perfect lips of yours.”

Something dark takes over her expression. “I suppose you’d be wanting my lips around your cock before you even lifted a finger to protect me.”

“On the contrary, I’m sure we could find many ways to occupy my fingers.”

I don’t miss the way her eyes dart to my hand, my finger still circling the rim of my glass. Slowly, I lift it to my mouth and try not to groan as her dark eyes follow the movement.

My cock begins to strain in my pants as her tongue darts out to moisten her bottom lip.

“Rocco, I…”

“Cas!”

We both jump at the sound of Claudio Lazzaro’s drawl. I’m not sure I’ve ever hated a man more in my life.

“Lazzaro, Miss Cassandra here was just delighting me with her company.” I don’t bother offering him a smile. “It seems you’ve been holding out on me.”

Something in Lazzaro’s jaw jumps in response. “Cas only started a week ago, sir.”

“Yet it seems you’ve both known each other a while?”

Cas clears her throat. “Did you need something, darling?”

I want to vomit as the pet name does wonders to the tension in Lazzaro’s shoulders. Most of the club’s patrons have disappeared while we were talking, and the staff have packed away most of the bar. I wonder if they’d notice if I punched him in the face?

“I need you around back,” he says to Cas. He offers no more explanation.

“Right.”

I look back at Cas, immediately noting the way she stares emotionlessly down at her hands. Her entire demeanor seems to have changed in an instant.

Where was the confident woman I was speaking to only a moment before? The woman who could match my flirtations beat for a beat while taking me down a peg in the process?

“It seems I’ve occupied enough of your time,” I announce as we both stand.

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