Page 55 of Demanding Mob Boss

Chapter 18

CIAN

I put my cell phone down after reading Ronan's text. He plans to question Carmen again, now that she's recovered enough to talk after her impromptu surgery.

I don't want to leave Anna at the office.

It's not reasonable to try to keep her with me all the time. She should not be exposed to mob business. Both for her safety, and for ours. But it feels wrong, leaving her here right now.

I get up and cross my office to her desk. It's been placed at the far end of the newly renovated room. In my fury over what happened to Shea, I destroyed several pieces of furniture and put dents in the walls. Yesterday, one of my uncle's finishing teams came in and fixed it all.

They shifted the couch and armchairs near the window that I use for meetings that I don't want to conduct from behind my desk, to make room for her desk. It sits facing the wall to my right and the angle gives me an uninterrupted view of her. She can't see what I'm working on, or hear my conversations because she's now wearing her new noise cancelling earbuds that also allow her to answer phone calls.

I don't have to tap her shoulder when I reach her. Popping one of her earbuds out, she turns her chair and looks up at me.

She doesn't ask what I want. She just waits. How is the woman so fucking perfect?

Unable to stop myself touching her, I brush her cheek with my finger. "I have a meeting offsite."

"Oh. I…uh…" Her violet gaze reflects her unhappiness. She doesn't want me to leave anymore than I want to leave her.

"You can work in Connor's office, or you can come with me."

"I want to come with you," she says instantly.

"You can't attend my meeting. You'll have to wait for me in another room."

"Will there be people there?" she asks.

"Not if you don't want there to be."

"I probably don't, but I might."

"Then we will wait until we get there for you to decide."

"Okay."

"It's not safe for you to go with me all the time." It has to be said.

"But it is safe today?"

"Yes."

"I want to go then."

I nod. "Grab your jacket."

She'd taken the denim jacket off once she settled at her new desk. The air conditioning is set a little cold in here and her nipples are peaked and pressing against her t-shirt. Her lack of a bra is obvious. No one else gets to see that. Only me.

Tugging on the jacket, she asks, "Where are we going?"

"The Lucky Charm Escort Service."

Pausing with her jacket half on, she frowns. "You have a meeting with an escort?"

"I can't give you details of my meeting, Anna."

She finishes tugging on her jacket and grabs her purse. "I'm ready."

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