Dr. Jekyll. Mr. Hyde, I groan internally.

  “I don’t like games,” I remind her.

  “And, I don’t like gold diggers trying to get into your wallet,” she replies.

  “I’m– I’m not like that. I swear. I’m not,” Mia blurts.

  “I know,” Felicity laughs. “Nico, let me take her shopping for the garden swing, while you go do boss stuff.”

  “No,” I state, shaking my head.

  “I promised I was done playing games. I even apologized. That should count for something,” Felicity argues.

  Her being around Mia isn’t an issue now that she’s promised to behave and explained her rudeness. Her not taking Mia to get a swing has nothing to do with Felicity. I’m just a greedy bastard and don’t want to let Mia out of my sight.

  “Has nothing to do with you,” I explain. Felicity looks at me then Mia then back at me. She smiles ear-to-ear.

  “You can come with us. I’ll drive her in my car and you can ride behind us in one of those,” she offers her half-ass compromise, pointing at the S.U.V.’s.

  “No. We can all ride together. Or–”

  “Nico, she’s never been in a Lambo. Are you going to take that away from her?” Felicity bats her eyelashes and smiles innocent-like. Mia giggles and I fight the urge to laugh at my sister’s stupid antics.

  “I’ll leave it up to Mia, but I am coming with you to the store.”

  Felicity and I both look at Mia, who looks frightened.

  “Relax,” I say calmly, rubbing her back. “Zero pressure. If you want to ride in her car, that’s fine, but I highly recommend a seatbelt,” I grin.

  “Hey! I’m a better driver than you!” Felicity protests. Mia covers her own mouth with her hand and giggles. “There’s a reason others drive him around, Mia.”

  “Now you’re just talking shit,” I laugh.

  “Can I ride with Felicity there and back with you?” Mia offers. She would really make a great politician. She knows just how to pacify people and not offend anyone.

  “Anything you want, Beautiful,” I smile and walk her over to the passenger door. Felicity releases her arm, walks around the car, and climbs in, but not before sticking her tongue out at me.

  “Thank you,” Mia says as I open the door.

  “You’re welcome but don’t say I didn’t try to warn you,” I chuckle.

  “Make sure my tombstone says something nice,” she teases and slides into the car. I bend down, making eye contact with Felicity.

  “Speed limit. No road rage. Deliver her to me in one piece,” I instruct. Felicity rolls her eyes and huffs.

  “Says the guy who drives like he’s blind,” she mutters.

  “When’s the last time someone willingly rode with you as a passenger?” I tease. “Mia, make sure you wear your seatbelt.”

  I grab her seatbelt and reach across her slowly. I can feel her warm rushed breath against my neck. My hands tighten around the seatbelt and I take in a sharp breath. Even the way she breathes turns me on.

  I’m royally fucked, I groan to myself and click the buckle into place.

  As I back out of the car, I look at Mia. Her teeth and biting her bottom lip. Her cheeks are bright red. She looks absolutely breathtaking and if my sister wasn’t a foot away, I’d show her just how sexy I find her.

  “See you there,” I say, forcing myself away from her. I shut the door gently and take a step back.

  “You’ve got it bad, Boss,” Basque chuckles.

  He is absolutely correct. Somehow in less than twenty-four hours, she’s consumed my thoughts and gotten me wrapped around her finger. I’ve seen men turn to mush with women they’ve met. I just never thought I’d be one of those suckers. Mia Caldwell makes me one and I have no complaints.

  Men are going to be begging her for the chance to be with her. She won’t be on the market long in the city of Chicago. I can’t have that. I need her to be mine. Now I just have to figure out a way to make Mia Caldwell mine.

  “Daydreaming again?” Basque whispers with a hint of teasing in his voice.

  “Fuck you,” I groan. “Let’s go. I’ve got work to do.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Mia

  After two hours and four different lawn and garden stores, we are finally on our way back to Nico’s house. I’m exhausted for some reason. Back home, I do more work; however, shopping in the city is draining. Traffic is ridiculous too.

  “That was a nightmare,” Nico mutters. I look at him. He has his eyes closed and his head leaned back against the headrest. He looks miserable.

  “I concur,” I giggle.

  He laughs, opens his eyes, and looks at me.

  “I didn’t think picking out a swing would be so fu- so tiring,” he groans. “I don’t think I’ll ever go shopping again.”

  “Don’t blame you,” I laugh. “I think Felicity was really having fun though.”

  “At our expense.” He rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

  I think he is right. The more pitiful Nico looked, the happier Felicity seemed. Almost like a sibling revenge game.

  “You two seem close,” I smile.

  “Who? The spoiled princess and me?” I nod in response. “We get along well enough. We have our moments where we want to kill each other, but overall, we get along.”

  He shrugs off his words nonchalantly but he isn’t fooling anyone. I know that he thinks the world of his little sister. Spoiled princess or not.

  “Have you made a decision?” Nico asks, catching me off guard.

  “Decision?”

  “What job you want to have when you work for me.”

  “Oh,” I whisper.

  I had forgotten all about the arrangement and me being a key witness. How could I have so carelessly forgotten about the reason Nico and I crossed paths? It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours.

  “I’m not saying you have to work. I’m okay with you just being at the house so don’t feel pressured,” he replies in a rush. “I just thought that maybe you had wanted a job. Completely up to you. Just let me know.”

  He looks out the window, avoiding eye contact with me. I’ve come to realize when he’s feeling uneasy about something. It’s cute seeing such a powerful man nervous.

  “Do you really think I’d tell?” I ask softly. He faces me and shakes his head.

  “No. I’m pretty sure I can trust you.”

  “Trust,” I repeat, smiling and blushing. “You can trust me. I know two wrongs don’t make a right but I understand that sometimes bad people need to be taught a lesson. It isn’t how we do things back home; however, I’m not in Minnesota anymore.”

  I giggle nervously at the end of my sentence. It reminds me of the phrase from The Wizard of Oz. I can really relate to Dorothy right now. I feel like I’ve been tossed around in a tornado and thrown into a whole new world.

  “I’m not one for society’s rules, Mia,” Nico says, looking me in the eyes. “I know there’s a way women like to be courted or whatever you want to call it.”

  Courted? That’s such an old-fashioned word, I muse to myself.

  “I typically wouldn’t ask a woman out after she’s witnessed… seen stuff she shouldn’t have, but I’m not one to pass up on a good thing either.”

  My heart starts to pound like a drum as the realization of his words strikes me. He is asking me out. This isn’t about me staying at his house as a witness. He actually wants me to stay as his girlfriend?

  Things like this don’t happen to small-town girls like me. At least, not in real life. They only happen in books, in movies, and on t.v.

  “I’m not saying I believe in love at first sight or whatever it’s called these days,” he clarifies.

  His words are both refreshing and disappointing. I’m not one for love at first sight either but it would be nice to have that effect on him. To know that he saw me and his whole world came to a screeching halt. Guess that stuff only happens in the entertainment world.

  “I just think you’re beautiful and after spending some time with you, I know I’d like to continue that,” he says and then looks out the window again.

  A grin tugs at my lips. His shyness really is adorable. What woman could feel disappointed after making the man she likes turn into a little schoolboy?

  “I think it’s cute when you get bashful,” I tease. The driver and the guy in the passenger seat start to laugh, but quickly stop, when Nico faces forward glaring.

  “Sorry, Boss,” they say as though they were just yelled at by their parents.

  “We can continue this at home,” Nico says, looking at me. “That okay?”

  “I understand.”

  It’s the truth. I know that he has a reputation to uphold. He doesn’t want his guys to see him as a big softy. I can respect that, even though I really want to know everything that is running through his mind.

  ***

  I stare at the clock on the bedroom wall. It’s been five hours and twenty-six minutes since I made it back to Nico’s house. He had to rush off to an important meeting. He apologized a million times before kissing me gently, which left me starstruck, and then off he went. I’ve tried everything to distract my mind. I ate dinner, took a shower, called my parents, scrolled social media, walked the garden, and a million other things. Nothing was helping. I wanted to see Nico. Even if we didn’t get to finish our conversation that we started in the car.

  The sound of someone knocking on my bedroom door nearly scares me to death. I clutch my sleep shirt and make my way across the room.

  “Yes?” I call out.

  “Did I wake you?” Nico asks.

  I can’t get the door open fast enough. Nico is standing there with just his slacks and button-up shirt. The jacket and tie are nowhere in sight. He looks very stressed.

  “What’s wrong?’ I ask, hugging him. He wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head.

  “Nothing now,” he says, squeezing me gently. “Everything is fine now.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure,” he nods. “I was worried it was too late and you’d be asleep. I wanted to come back sooner but I couldn’t. I’m really sorry, Mia.”

  He rubs my back and holds me tighter. His warmth wraps around me like a blanket on a cold winter night. I feel all my worry and stress wash away. They are replaced with the feeling of comfort, protection, and love.

  Even if he doesn’t believe in love at first sight, he sure knows how to make a girl feel special.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Nico

  “Can I come in? Or did you want to come over to my room?” I ask, pulling away just enough so I can look at her face.

  “I’m okay with either,” she whispers.

  I pick her up and cradle her in my arms. She giggles as she wraps her arms around my neck.

  “I’ll give you a tour of my room,” I smile. “Need anything from your room? I’m kidnapping you for the night.”

  “Oh,” she blushes and buries her face in the crook of my neck. “You might want to put me down so I can grab my phone and turn off the lights. I’m pretty heavy.”

  I frown at her but she can’t see me. How the hell can she think she weighs a lot? She’s the perfect size with the right amount of curves.

  “Mia, look at me,” I say. She slowly unburies her face and looks at me. “Don’t insult perfection again. Understood?”

  I meant my words to sound sweet but they came out coated in masculinity and ego. They came out as an order instead of a request. She isn’t one of my men. She’s free to do as she pleases. Who the fuck am I to tell he what to do? She’s–

  “That was sexy as hell,” she moans.

  My dick jumps to life like I’ve been shocked. My hold on her tightens. I can feel the beast inside me rattling its cage.

  I take several slow breaths to remain in control. I want to lose control though. I want to toss her on the bed and fuck her into oblivion. Being a gentleman with her is harder than I thought it would be.

  “Mia,” I warn faintly.

  “Nico,” she retorts, sexy-like.

  “Fuck this,” I growl, carrying her inside her room. “Where the hell is your phone?”

  “On the bed,” she giggles, holding onto my neck.

  I quickly walk over to the bed to where her phone is. I lower her just enough to where she can reach it. She grabs it and we’re on our way out the door.

  “Lights,” I say. She laughs and quickly turns off the lights. “Shut the door as we leave, I don’t want anyone seeing your room.”

  “Yes, Sir.” She dramatically salutes me and closes the door behind us.

  “You’re really asking to be punished, Miss Caldwell,” I inform her. She sucks in a sharp breath and looks at me.

  “I do believe I need to be punished, Mr. Santoro,” she grins.

  “Fuck.”

  I storm through the hallway to my room. Once we are inside, I kick the door closed. I carry her over to the bed, remove my shoes, and with her still in my arms, I crawl into the center of the bed. I lay her down gently. Her arms are still around my neck and she’s smiling up at me.

  “You’re beautiful,” I say without hesitation.

  “Thank you,” she replies bashfully. Her eyes lower and she blushes.

  “Always going to blush when I compliment you?” She shrugs slightly in response. “Look at me, Beautiful.”

  She raises her gaze to mine and I kiss her softly. It isn’t punishment per se, but it is torture. A gentle kiss isn’t what I want to do; however, it is what I know she deserves.

  “Are you always going to be so gentle with me?” she teases.

  “Fuck,” I moan under my breath.

  “I’m not a delicate little flower, Mr. Santoro.”

  She traces her finger down the side of my neck slowly. Every part of me comes alive to her touch. I grip the silk comforter beneath her to gain control because my need to have her has increased tenfold.

  “Mia,” I growl.

  “I’m just saying,” she replies, tracing her finger down to the collar of my shirt. She drops her other hand to my collar and nimbly undoes the top button. Slowly, one by one, she unbuttons my shirt. She holds my shirt open, looking over my chest and stomach.

  “Even yummier than I imagined,” she grins. “Take this off.”

  Without hesitation, I sit up and remove my shirt. I toss it to the floor.

  “Take yours off so I don’t rip it off,” I tell her.

  “You’re the boss,” she smirks and then sits up. She lifts her tank top over her head and throws it onto the floor. She lowers her head to the pillow. Her breasts are all I can stare at. They’re perfect. Not too small but more than a mouthful.

  “Do I look okay?” she asks nervously, covering her stomach with her arms.

  “None of that,” I growl, grabbing her wrists and pinning her arms over her head. “Don’t cover up what’s mine.”

  “Claiming me already?” She grins, looking at me.

  “Claim was a poor choice of wording, but yes, you’re mine, Mia Caldwell.” I release one of her wrists and stroke the side of her face. “You just have to tell me if you’re okay with being with the city’s bad boy. Do you think you can handle that?”

  Her facial expression is hard to read. I’m not sure if I’ve crossed a line too late to return from or if she’s contemplating what I’m offering her. It’d be a simple question for most but I feel like I’m on pins and needles. Like she’s holding my life in her hands. Never have I been more nervous in all of my life.

  “So… what all does claiming entail? I mean, before I accept this job,” she asks in a serious tone but there’s playfulness in her eyes, washing away all of my fear.

  “Well, being claimed by the Taurus–” She gives me a funny look. “I’m a Taurus. I was trying to make my claiming statement less awkward and more funny. Guess I failed,” I chuckle. She shakes her head and laughs.

  “Not why I gave you the look,” she tells me.

  “Oh?” My eyebrow raises and now I’m looking at her in confusion.

  “I’m also a Taurus,” she smiles brightly. “So if claiming people is a Taurus thing then I guess I better claim you.”

  What are the odds of us both being a Taurus?

  Out of nowhere, Mia sits up, wraps her arms around my neck, and kisses me. Not a gentle kiss either. Her kiss is full of passion. I grab the back of her neck and kiss her how I’ve been wanting to kiss her.

  Our kiss is raw, fierce, and overpowering. My mind is a whirlwind. So many emotions rush through me. The need to bury myself deep inside her, the desire to worship her body, and the want to show her just how far I’ll go to protect her. All three of those thoughts consume me.

  “Tell me,” I whisper, breaking the kiss. “Tell me your answer, Mia.”

  “Yes,” she pants. “Claim me.”

  “Fuck,” I moan. “Strip. I want to see all of you.”

  I climb off the bed and undress fully. Mia watches me intensely. She looks like she’s ready to pounce on me.

  “Strip and then you can have your way with me, Beautiful,” I grin.

  She quickly wiggles out of her sleep shorts, making me chuckle at her eagerness.

  “Better?” she asks.

  I crawl onto the bed and take her in fully from head to toe. She looks good enough to eat. Light-golden skin, luscious tits, curvy waist, and a smooth pussy.

  “I’m going to devour you,” I inform her, bringing my gaze back up to her eyes.

  “You can devour me later. Right now, I want you to fuck me.”

  I open my mouth to protest because I want to taste her, but her hand gripping my cock shuts me up. She strokes it slowly. Her eyes never leave mine.

  “Pretty, pretty please,” she smirks.

  “You never have to beg, Beautiful. It’s yours.”

  She takes a deep breath and moans. Her grip on my dick tightens and her strokes quicken. I cup her pussy with my hand. She trembles at the touch.

  “Nico?” she moans.

  “Yes, Beautiful?” I ask, pressing a finger inside her wetness. Her head falls back, she closes her eyes, and moans. “What is it you need? Tell me.”

  “You. I need you. Please,” she replies, lifting her hips and moving my fingers deeper inside her.

 

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