Page 10 of Fight Me Daddy

"What do you want with Calix? He's a good boy and you shouldn't be trying to hurt him. How much does his old man owe, huh?" When I stared at her she laughed dryly. "Yeah, I know what you are. Everything about you screams gangster from a mile away." She shook her head. "Why don't you leave him alone?"

I scoffed. "Why don't I make you disappear and then I won't have to look at that sour expression on your face again? That sounds like a much better plan to me."

"Hey!" Calix stormed out of her house, the door banging against its frame. "Sorry, Mrs. Lopez. I'll finish taking a crack at that leaky faucet tomorrow."

Calix jogged down the stairs, his shirt in his hand and his black sweats hanging off of his hips. Sweat rolled down his brown skin and my eyes tracked the movement, my annoyance temporarily forgotten. His long hair was sticking to his skin and it took every ounce of self-control in me not to push it off of his shoulder and take a nice, long lick.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

My thoughts were broken when Calix's hand wrapped around my arm and squeezed. "Come on," he ground out. "My house."

I stared at the man in surprise as he dragged me to his house and up the stairs. Did he know who he was touching like that? Once the door was open, he led me inside and I finally shook him off easily.

"You don't have to be mean to Mrs. Lopez. Why would you threaten a sweet old lady?"

"She was being a pain in my ass. A lot like you," I said as I narrowed my eyes at him. "What have I told you about grabbing me? Do you want to lose one of those precious hands?"

Calix frowned. "I'm just saying you don't have to be a dick to her. She doesn't like you for good reason and we both know it."

I took a step toward Calix and he took one back making me grin. He's scared of me. I could see it, a flicker in his eyes, but apparently, that wasn't enough to make him behave. Or to shut his mouth.

"Move your ass and get ready to go. Didn't I tell you to be ready when I came to retrieve you today?"

"Mrs. Lopez had an emergency and I wanted to help her," he said steadily. "If you can wait twenty minutes, I'll be ready."

I looked him up and down. "Nope, I can't wait. Let's go."

I grabbed his arm and Calix's eyes widened. Turning on my heels, I dragged him through the house opening doors until I found the bathroom. I turned on the shower and shoved him toward it.

"Get undressed or I'll help you with that. And you won't like the way I do it."

Calix turned to me and glared. "Get out."

"What? You don't want me to see you naked?" I asked.

"No, I don't," he said evenly. "So get out or I'm not going to do shit."

I stared at him and felt my jaw tighten. Damn, he makes me want to strangle him. That smart mouth of his was going to get Calix in trouble and it would be no one's fault but his own. I took another step toward him and my hand shot out, wrapping around his throat and squeezing.

"You seem to be under the impression that you have any say when I'm around you. Let me make it clear, you don't. I know I can seem like a light-hearted guy sometimes, laughing with Six and Ama or joking with Nic. But if you keep pushing me, Calix, I will make you know pain in ways you could never even dream of." My hand tightened and he whimpered. That sound shot straight to my cock. "So lose the fucking attitude before I make you lose it. Do you understand?"

He nodded hard, his pulse racing against my palm. My cock stiffened even more and I was half tempted to keep choking him, to pick him up and fuck him on the counter of his dingy little bathroom until he came for me over and over again.

What is wrong with me? Back off, Gabriele.

I released his throat and Calix coughed hard before he yanked away from me sharply, his back colliding with the shower door. He stared at me with wide eyes, but there was still a flicker of defiance in his gaze that I wanted to devour.

"Five minutes. And like I said before, dress better."

Calix didn't respond. Instead, he nodded his head and started stripping off his sweats. My throat tightened as I took in the sight of his muscled back. I forced myself to walk out of the bathroom or I really would jump him and that wasn't at all what I was supposed to be doing.

I closed the door behind me and leaned against it. Reaching up, I rubbed my eyelids and blew out a long, slow breath. Ever since the night I laid eyes on Calix, I had been drawn to him, curious. But it was getting so much worse now.

I pushed off of the door and let myself out to the front porch. Digging into my pocket, I pulled out a cigarette and popped it into my mouth before lighting it. Smoke curled into the air as I stared at the quickly darkening sky.

"Come on, Gabriele. Hold it together."

I was losing my mind.Every single thought was becoming consumed with images of Calix. No matter how much I tried to block him out, there he was again.

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