Page 22 of The Mafia's Property

“I love it!”

He grinned even wider and took a sit beside me. “So. What were you two talking about?”

I pause mid-sip. “He was showing me how to use the blender. I must have acted a little too dumb for his tastes, I think.”

Nico laughed. “Don’t mind him.” He pulled my stool closer to his and planted a soft kiss on my mouth. It was flitting and lasted seconds, but Nico has the ability to turn my brain into cotton candy with only a touch of the lips and a brush of the tongue. The man was a fantastic kisser. “You’re mine,” he whispered. When he let go of me, I felt breathless and light, as if I was floating on air.

“My brother can be an ass sometimes, but once you get to know him, you’ll see he’s not that bad.”

I don’t know how much of that I could believe. Rico was waiting for me to slip and fall on my face so he can point and laugh and tell his brother what a mistake he made in choosing me. “Was he ever like that with other, the other property?”

Nico grabbed my glass and took a sip of my drink. “We always agree on who we want. It’s a mutual decision. Until you.”

“Oh. What’s so…”

“Unique about you?” Nico shrugged. “Nothing really. You are what I want at the moment and for my purposes. Shouldn’t that be enough? Like I said, you’re mine and mine only.”

“So what you’re saying is that if, if Enrico were to come to me, I should refuse him?” If that was the case, then it means I didn’t have to follow any of Enrico’s orders.

“Are you developing feelings for my brother?”

“No,” I said a little too quickly, “I was just thinking about the contract. It said I’m supposed to obey both of you. That you’re both my owners.”

Nico frowned, pondering the question and then dismissing it, “Technically, he’s also your owner and you have to do what he says, but he barely pays any attention to you anyway, so there’s nothing to worry about. “

Famous last words. Nico was a little too trusting of his brother, but if I was to tell him what happened between Enrico and me, he might confront Enrico and who knows what he might say? “She’s inexperienced. Ditch the bitch.” No. I’m not going to say anything.

“Finish up and let’s get more food in you before I go to work. There’s a—” His phone rang, cutting off whatever he was about to say. I don’t need to hear the person on the other end to know it’s his brother calling. The call was curt. After he’s done, he threw the phone on the counter and said, “Looks like you’re not staying. You’re coming with me.”

♣

I don’t know what I expected the offices of a Mafia ran casino to look like, but I didn’t expect regular looking offices. Regular looking offices that were modern and professional. Nico and I garner the attention of everyone around us from the moment we enter the lobby of the office section all the way down the line of glass cubes we passed as we made our way to the c-suite. Just like the other day, today he had also dictated my clothing choices, which were a blue skirt and yellow blouse paired with white blazer and stilettos so high I would have wobbled if I weren’t so used to working in shoes like these. The outfit, barring the stilettos, was professional enough if you ignore the length of the tiny skirt.

“Do you often come here?” I asked as we passed by a glass cube with what I assumed was a meeting of six people who all stop what they were doing and peered at us. “Not really, but I do.”

“Then why everyone is looking at you like you’re a rare animal?”

He chuckled. “They’re looking at you and wondering how a guy like me got to be with a woman as beautiful as you.”

Subconsciously, I toyed with the bracelet they gave me as I followed Nico. We reached the CEO’s office and found Enrico amid signing some documents. He smiled when he saw his brother, but it quickly faltered when he saw me. Glad to know his feelings have not changed since morning. He probably didn’t want me here and I anticipate the conversation that’s about to ensue and yet, I am surprised when he said, “I thought you were going to refuse to bring her. Glad you didn’t.”

“Hey. You asked.” Nico went over to the desk and took a seat. There was another chair next to him and I didn’t think hovering behind them was appropriate. I took the other chair.

Nico’s gaze darted around the office. Even though it has a small coffee table in one corner and office sofas in another, plus the giant desk itself, it felt spacious and airy. You could see the entire main floor of the casino from the window. “Looks like you’ve already invaded the place without me.”

“Dante wants me to get started as soon as possible. He will host a high roller this week and wanted at least one of us to be on top of things before the person came. And besides,” Enrico leaned back in the chair, looking every bit the man of the show. “Early bird and all.”

Nico clasped his hands behind his head. “You can take the top job. Work has never been my thing.”

“I didn’t say you wouldn’t be working alongside me. Dante had his people look for a desk for you. You’ll be working here.”

“Fuck.” Nico muttered. “Why did you want her to come, anyway?” Hearing people talk about you as if you were not in the room was something I was used to in my line of work, but it felt odd when they did it. I wanted to jump in and say, “hey! I’m here.” Enrico didn’t even do as little as spare a glance at me while he talked.

“It’s for her protection,” Enrico said. “There has been an issue regarding her security.”

Nico leaned forward. “An issue?”

“Someone is coming after her,” Enrico said. “Well, not her in particular, but our property. She has to be protected.” He opened the laptop on his desk and swiveled it so the screen was facing us. On it was a full screen image of a mugshot of a man in his forties. Dark hair peppered with white. A little pudgy around the face and beady eyes. No one I had ever seen and him. The man I was working with. This guy looked downright scary, and he was after me!

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