Page 20 of The Mafia Princess

She smiled. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet because I want to see the bruises, and I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“You’re right. You don’t need to see them. They are already healing.”

“You don’t get a choice.”

Aryanna lifted her chin. “The hell I don’t.”

He grinned. Here’s the spirit he had a glimpse of before. “Listen, for some reason, my father put you with me, and until we learn what it’s about, you’re under my protection.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, I know so. Now, we can do this the easy or the hard way.”

He bit the inside of his cheek when she growled. He walked to her and tilted her head up to the light. He carefully pressed on the bruise on her cheek, watching her for any signs of pain but got none.

“Lay on the bed so I can see your ribs.”

She balked and shook her head.

“I’m just going to look at your stomach. We can use the blanket to cover you up if that would help.”

He could tell she was nervous, but she lay on the bed. He pulled the blanket up to her waist.

“Okay, now pull your dress up,” he said.

She wiggled but managed to pull the dress up and tuck it under her breasts.

He saw right away where the man had kicked her. The bruise was dark and in the shape of the top of the shoe.

“How bad does this hurt, baby?”

“Hardly at all now. It’s just when I move a certain way,” she said.

“I remember. I often got punched in the ribs as a kid.”

“Why?”

“The boys I played with were a bit rough.”

“What did your mother do?”

“I never had one. My father told me she was a one-night fling, and she dropped me off to him when I was a few days old and said goodbye. He can’t even remember the woman’s name. He never married for some reason but has a companion that has lived with him for several years.”

“Were you sad?” she asked.

“No. I didn’t miss what I never had. How about you?”

“My mother was killed about six years ago.”

“I’m sorry, Lass.”

“Thank you. I really miss her.”

Remington didn’t think she realized he’d been sitting by her hip on the mattress with his hand spanning her waist until he ran his fingers down to her belly button. She gasped, and her gaze went to him.

“It’s all right, Anna. I’m done looking.”

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