Page 15 of The Don

All it does it makes him smirk even more and as he spins on his heels and heads to the door, I’m a little disarmed at the genuine smile he directs to Eve and says politely, “Thank you.”

I watch as he presses a bundle of dollar bills into her hands and only the heightened color in her cheeks reveals how much she likes him. Well, that makes two of us because that one simple act has canceled out some of the irritation I have toward him as I recognize a man who is struggling hard to contain the good side in him. It gives me a brief glimpse of a man I like a lot more than the one who sat before me and tore my life apart with barbed words and devastating insight.

Stopping only to hug my new friend, I step into the sunlight and love the heat from the sun warming my already heated blood. It has an almost healing quality, and I turn my face to it, breathing deeply and trying to consume the light in an otherwise very dark situation.

We reach the second car and I slide in next to Leo, the door slamming behind me cutting reality out and as the car moves away from the aircraft, I stare pointedly out of the window, knowing his attention is fixed firmly on my legs.

“You’re angry.” His husky voice reaches me, and I shrug.

“I feel nothing.”

His low chuckle annoys me even further, and I almost jump out of my skin when his finger slides down the side of my face before resting on my chin, turning my face to his.

He is so close I swear my breath freezes as his lips hover dangerously close to mine and he whispers, “We are in love, remember? You must play your part because my stepmother will immediately know if we are faking it.”

“But we are – faking it.”

I flutter my lashes as he grazes his lips against mine and says huskily, “You’ve faked it before. You’re a pro, remember.”

My eyes fill with tears as he reminds me what scum I am, and I’m surprised when he wipes them away with a gentle touch and stares at me with concern.

“I don’t judge you, Chastity. You are very much like me. We do what we must to survive.”

I am frozen with no power to move if I wanted to as he continues to stroke my cheek softly and whispers, “Relax, baby. I’m with you all the way on this and after all, it’s in my own interests to make this a success.”

I’m surprised when he leans in and touches his lips to mine and just experiencing the soft approach disarms me in a heartbeat. As he gently sucks my lower lip into his mouth and bites down gently, I shift toward him, desperate for more of his delicious attention. His hand snakes behind my head and bunches my hair in his hand, and he holds my head firmly in place as he kisses me softly and seductively, savoring every second of it.

For some reason, I like it and kiss him back, giving into the moment and dropping my guard a little. It’s as if we are genuine lovers, as he treats me like a rare piece of china and handles me with a light touch. It’s intoxicating and I want more of it and when he pulls away, a huge wave of disappointment threatens to drown me. Once again, he strokes my face as he stares into my eyes and I am mesmerized as he whispers, “I will treat you like my queen. Just don’t make the mistake of falling in love with me.”

It makes me smile and my eyes flash with amusement as I whisper, “Ditto, baby.”

He smiles against my lips and just like that, the black cloud lifts and we reach an understanding. As we seal the deal with another scorching kiss, I am more in control of the situation, reminding myself that in only a few days’ time, this will be merely a happy memory, or I will know nothing at all.

CHAPTER10

LEO

Ihad to be brutal on the plane, but it was more for my own benefit than hers. This is an important moment in my family’s life and may well be the ending of it. Chastity is a contract, nothing more, and despite my attraction to her, I can’t develop any feelings on the back of that.

So, more for my own benefit, I laid it out bare and hated the way my harsh words brought tears to her eyes. Like me, affection isn’t something she expects and unlike me, she experienced it once when she was loved by her parents. I don’t know what that feels like and so I’m not going to chase something I’ve never had, preferring instead to lock my heart away for my own self-preservation. Unlike my brothers, who have found their own peace with the women they stumbled upon as they walked the same path. Not me though. My role is to save this family and then sit at the head of it. No distractions needed except the odd amazing fuck along the way.

Chastity and I will fuck. I know that already and it will be an act of physical need rather than an emotional one. There is too much sexual chemistry between us to ignore and like every woman before her, Chastity will be paid off and sent on her way when the job is done.

So, I pull back and return to my side of the car and reach for her hand, for God only knows what reason. As her fingers wrap around mine, I take a moment to enjoy the unexpected. It’s as if we are of the same mind and have made a pact. We are in this together and I wasn’t kidding. Iwillhave her back because we have one common goal, the life of Carlos Matasso.

As we sweep through the familiar gates of home, my heart drops. I hate this place with a passion because it holds nothing but bitter memories. Every twist and turn we make reminds me of a violent act that happened on that spot, and the place is riddled with twisted nightmares and broken souls.

As the cars stop at the front entrance, my men spill from them and face the ones who stayed behind to be controlled by Diana and Mario. Now he is dead I doubt they hold her in the same regard and so we receive no resistance as I stride up to the open door, dragging Chastity behind me, holding on so tight it physically hurts.

Mrs. English, our long-suffering housekeeper, greets us and the tears in her eyes chip away a little of the ice wrapped around my heart. She almost bows as she says reverently, “Don Ortega.”

Just those simple two words crush my soul and yet strengthen it at the same time. When my father died, I was the heir apparent, but as it turns out, he tossed that title to another.

“Not yet, Mrs. English, but I’m working on it.” I drop her a wink and she nods, saying hopefully, “Then I wish you luck, sir.”

“Where is my stepmother?” I hate the taste of that word on my tongue, and Mrs. English shakes her head and points to the terrace.

“She’s expecting you, sir.”

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