Page 9 of Blossom in Shadows

She should have felt fear. I saw the recognition on her face when I told her my name. But as she let me hold her, she fell asleep quickly. There was no fear there, only acceptance.

I had never felt something so pure, so right. I had the best sleep of my life last night and I don’t want whatever is happening between us to end.

As I look up, I take a sip of Hammond Whiskey. I watch as Zinnia’s body moves and my cock strains against my dress pants. All because I know what it feels like to have her body pressed against mine.

It was almost too much this morning when I woke up. I was harder than I’ve ever been in my life and then she wiggled back against me. It was pure fucking torture, but I welcomed it. It meant she was safe and in my arms.

I watched her wake up and stretch her body against mine and I was taken by her beauty again, especially in the soft light filtering in through the windows. She looked like a dark angel, her dark hair fanning out and her body built for sin.

It was hard not to roll her underneath me and bury myself inside of her. When she rolled around and looked at me from underneath her lashes, my heart constricted. Everything in me screamed to take it slow, to not push her too far, to not just take like I did the night before against the wall of her shit apartment.

“Is my door fixed?” Her voice was still heavy with sleep, but it was beautiful all the same. “I have classes to teach today.”

“And you’re starting at Sala tonight,” I reminded her. I hated the idea of her dancing for anyone but me, but the way her face lit up with a smile made pushing down the possessiveness worth it.

She might dance in front of other people, but I would be the only one taking her home. That’s just the way it is going to be, and no one is going to get in my way, not even her. Even if I had to move slower then the primal part of me has been demanding since the moment I saw her.

“I’ll take you home,” the words sounded wrong on my tongue, and I didn’t miss the flash of disappointment in her eyes. “After we eat breakfast.”

She grinned at me and then moved slowly, as she pulled away and stood from the bed. The way she favored her right knee reminded me of her injury and I wanted to growl and rage and thunder, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do that to her.

From the moment I looked into her eyes, I knew she saw herself as broken. She has no idea how beautiful the fissures of her soul are. She has no idea how much stronger they make her.

We ate breakfast and for the first time since Lorenzo claimed my sister, Daisy, I was glad she wasn’t in the house. I knew I would be seeing him in my office soon enough, but I was soaking up spending some time with my woman before I had to take her back to her place.

I was tempted to demand for her to stay with me, but I could also see the steel of her spine, the way she wouldn’t bend to me. If I demanded too much, if I were too possessive, she’d become sand and slip through my fingers. I knew it with the same clarity of knowing that she’s the queen I’ve been needing in my life.

I’ve always been strategic, and this was no different.

By the time I dropped her off and made my way back home to my office, I was hating every mile between us even as I told myself it was the right call. Her door was fixed within an hour last night and made even better than it was before. She was, at least, slightly safer.

When I walked into my office, I was met by Luca, Lorenzo and one of our enforcers, Tazio. They all looked at me oddly and I knew why. I’m never the last one to arrive. Work has been the only thing driving me for a long fucking time, even before Father died and left me in charge.

Luca took one look at me, and a huge smile broke out over his face. He leaned forward, eagerness spilling from him. I was happy to see it after he was reserved and thought of himself as weak for so long because of growing up with a heart condition. “Who is she?”

I blinked at him and was going to deflect, but I knew he would see through it because he found the other part of his soul not long ago. He would recognize it in me. When I looked at Lorenzo, he had a knowing smile on his face as if he could see the shift in me as well.

I scrubbed a hand down my face, “A dancer who auditioned yesterday. She’s friends with Jericho’s woman.”

Luca sat back, his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline as he let out a low whistle. I nodded. Jericho is a deadly man and the fact that he has a woman was a shock to all of us. I’m simply happy he is willing to do some jobs for us again because his skills are unparalleled.

“I need to keep her safe,” I muttered.

Luca sat up a little straighter. “Put Sergio on her.” I arched an eyebrow in question, and he shrugged. “Sergio wants more responsibility. We can find someone else for Sala. He’s trustworthy and this can be a good test for him. He won’t let anything happen to her.”

“That could work. Since she’ll be dancing starting tonight, some of her time will be spent at Sala already. They know him there and he won’t be out of place.”

Lorenzo’s voice was full of surprise, “You’re going to let her dance?”

“She loves to dance.” I sighed, realizing just how much I sounded like a whipped pussy. “I can’t take her dream away from her.”

Lorenzo and Luca looked at me with understanding in their eyes and let it go so we could get down to business. There is always something else on the agenda, always something to be taken care of. If we don’t stay on top of it, our place in the city and the power we have could be questioned. I can’t let that happen.

The day seemed to drag on, but the moment I arrived at Sala, long after the club opened, I saw Zinnia dancing while hanging above the dance floor. I haven’t been able to tear my eyes away from her. She’s glorious.

I’m sure I’m not the only one watching her and if I think about it too much, I’ll go on a rampage. I’ll be taking her home with me tonight, whether she likes it or not. After I’ve watched her move, knowing I’m not the only one who has seen her, I need to show her who she belongs to.

I catch Sergio’s eye and give him a nod before I force myself away from the bar and up to Constantino’s office. Sergio jumped at the chance to watch myReginetta. Luca is right, he’ll keep her safe.

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