Page 52 of Vicious Heir

She wriggles from my grip. Her cheeks are flushed and she’s smiling as she kisses me lightly. “I’ll be right back.” Awkwardly, she pulls on her panties, then hurries off to the powder room.

I stand there breathing hard. Fuck, what was that? Right then, with her in my arms?

My whole life has been about the Famiglia. I came of age under my father, learned how to be a man from his Capos, learned how to kill and steal from his soldiers, learned how to lead from the Don himself. The Famiglia is everything. Without it, I’m less than a worm.

And yet for one brief moment, a piece of me would’ve given all that up if it meant being in her arms.

That’s pure madness.

I’m dressed by the time she comes back. I can tell she’s a little disappointed. I sit at the table, composing myself. I need distance between the two of us. I need to be able to think.

“I know you miss your friend,” I say as she pulls her pants back on.

She shrugs a little. “It’s not your fault.”

“I was thinking. We could hire her.”

She pauses and looks back at me, frowning. “Really? You’d do that?”

“Donatella’s been saying she could use some help around the house. That would free her up to focus more on my father. Kennedy would do basic cleaning and cooking. It wouldn’t be glamorous.”

For some reason, she stares down at the floor and doesn’t look happy. I thought this would have eased her mind a little bit, having her friend around.

But she shakes her head.

“No, that’s okay.”

“Are you sure?”

“Honestly, I think it’s better this way. I mean, if she doesn’t work for me.” She hugs herself, not meeting my gaze. “Thanks for the offer, though. That’s really generous.”

“Tell me if you change your mind.”

“I just need a friendship that doesn’t have anything to do with my family, you know what I mean? And if she works for me again…” Lucy sounds a little panicked, which surprises me.

But I can understand what she’s saying. It’s hard to be real friends with an employee. Sometimes money and status only complicate life. Maybe she’s right, and it’s better this way.

“In the future, follow the rules.” I stand and look away. “It’s for your safety and for my peace of mind.”

“You really care that much?”

I don’t respond. What can I say?

Yes, Lucy, I’m fucking obsessed with you.

Instead, I leave the room, afraid that if I don’t, I’ll never want to be apart from her. And that’s a weakness I can’t afford.

Chapter 18

Lucy

Ihave trouble sleeping that night.

I’ve always had my own room. Even when I was a little girl. Space wasn’t an issue at the Willing-Morris house. But now I’m sharing a bed with a massive beast of a man, and I can feel him beside me. His warmth and his breathing. It’s disturbing and arousing.

Also, my ass hurts from the beating it took.

A nice beating, but still.

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