Page 18 of The Mafia's Omega Queen

It’s a moment like this that I wish we were on better terms. This would be the perfect spot to kiss her for the first time, but we just aren’t there. There’s a chance that we may never be, but I’ll deal with that when we get there.

For now, I can only hope I don’t fuck up this impromptu date.

Even if she doesn’t know it’s a date.

This is totally a date.

Holy shit. Vincenzo has taken me on a date in his own backyard.

Crazier things have happened, right?

Yeah, I didn't think so either.

But there's no denying how perfect the atmosphere is for a little getting-to-know-you session. After all, there are worse people I could be here with.

And those gray sweatpants he’s sporting definitely make the view much more appealing. They don’t hide anything he’s packing. I almost swallowed my tongue when he first came into my room. He couldn’t tell, but my gaze was stuck on his dick imprint, completely blocking out everything he was saying. That image is shuttered in my mind for future use if none of the guys are around to give me an orgasm.

Granted, I shouldn't be giving him the time of day, or thinking about his cock, but some things Andre said really hit home. And since the moment he left to go about his duties, they've been at the forefront of my mind.

The biggest one is that there's been this… I don't even know how to describe it. Pull, maybe? Toward him. Hell, I wanted to claim the asshole the moment that cunt walked into my room on my first day here. That has to mean something in the grand scheme of things. I just wish I knew what it was.

It would make all this so much easier. But if life were supposed to be easy, it wouldn't be worth living it.

Vinny kicks off the shoes on his feet, then steps onto the blanket, slowly dropping to his knees. He treats me as if I'm something precious to him as he lays me down in the center of a mound of pillows, moving them around to make me comfortable.

"Is this okay? Do you need any more cushions? I can move them around if you need me to."

"It’s perfect, thank you." A boyish grin lights up his face, the harsh lines from his usual scowl disappearing.

It's really sweet to see this side of him and completely unexpected.

But I'm no closer to figuring out what to do in the Vinny department. There hasn't been time to really sit down with my guys and talk to them, nor has Vinny actually expressed interest in this going any further than whatever this is.

Gah. This shit is confusing.

A picnic basket materializes in Vinny's hands, and he tosses me a blinding smile as he pops it open with a flourish. I giggle, absolutely amazed at this side of the man that's always been so damn sour toward everyone.

If Dad were here, I'd totally bet him twenty bucks that Vinny's been inhabited by an alien.

Vinny pulls out a bottle of water and twists the cap off before handing it to me, then digs around the basket, brandishing a Tupperware container. I raise a brow as he peeks inside. This fucker is keeping me in suspense. Jerk.

"Andre packed a lot of your favorites, so I hope you’re hungry," he murmurs, finally removing the lid.

I let out a squeal of happiness the moment I see BLT's-a-plenty stacked in the container with a mound of bacon on the side.

After all, bacon. Is. Life.

Vinny grabs a plate from the basket, placing two triangles of amazingness on top, followed by at least ten strips of bacon. My mouth waters, seriously in danger of drooling down my chin. At this rate, there’s a good chance this man will make me fall for him if he continues to ply me with the greasy goodness.

Passing it over, I dive right in, my eyes closing and a groan slipping from my lips as the flavors all meld together. Andre knows how to make the best food, but this is by far my favorite. After finishing my first bite, my gaze snags on Vinny, who watches me in rapt fascination with heat burning in the depth of his hazel eyes. He quickly clears his throat and looks away, the trees around us suddenly captivating.

It doesn’t take long for both of us to finish our lunch, each of us lost in our own minds and not much to say to each other. This whole thing just screams awkward, but I have no clue how to break the silence we find ourselves in. I had hoped that he would, at some point, explain his motives for what went down between us, or tell me about him. Something. But he hasn’t given me jack shit.

Maybe I was wrong to hope for something more. Maybe he’s just doing this out of duty. An apology without more of the actual words. He apologized once, but that conversation ended before it really got started.

Not able to stand the tense silence anymore, I finally break it. Asking the one thing that’s been at the forefront of my mind since he asked me to come out. “Why?” He looks startled, but I continue. “Why did you really ask me out here, Vinny? It’s beautiful, and I’ve been dying to get out of the house, but it almost feels…forced. Like you’re not even sure yourself why you’re doing this.”

“Shit,” he hisses, scrubbing his hands over his face. He drops them and pins me with a look. “I’m fucking this all up because I don’t have any clue what I’m doing.” My brows raise, wanting him to elaborate. “I know I’ve fucked up, royally, and I plan to make it up to you, but I’m hoping you’llletmecourtyou.” His words at the end come out all mashed together, completely confusing me.

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