Page 24 of Shades of Loyalty
While my daughter gets all excited about the cute Bluey pajamas she borrowed from Daniel’s nephew and the fact that she can use the bathtub, I sigh.
Fuck. Whatever just happened to me, whatever was wrong with me to even begin thinking about him on top of me—it should never happen again. He might be attractive and just my type, but it can’t be him.
The only reason he’s attractive to me is because I haven’t had any male attention for years now. At least, that is what I tell myself.
If I believe myself? More or less. But if it’s the truth, I’ll find out about it soon. Let’s hope it’s just some harmless physical attraction.
“Can you help me, mommy?” she asks with those big, adorable eyes. All filthy thoughts immediately wash from my mind, I smile at her and help her undress before we both go into the bathroom with all the things Daniel provided for us.
I’m just glad that he at least acts like a nice guy. I don’t know much about the mafia, but I’d guess not all of them are as nice as he is.
And, about Daniel… For some reason, I want to find out more about his true personality. That cold mafia boss aura he had this morning changing into that proud dad look? I know there’s more behind that.
God, he can’t do this to my brain.
I’m supposed to be worried. Scared. Not attracted at all. Not… Whatever it is that I’m feeling whenever he watches every curve of my body.
Chapter Ten
Daniel
I lean against the door frame, watching them cuddle in my bed. I let them sleep here and use the bathroom after the difficult day they've had. We’ve all had it rough.
I’m still a little unsure of letting them sleep in my room. I don’t think Jennifer would try to find something shady, but what can I say?
After all, I found her sniffing around in my desk files earlier.
It's like I’m stuck in a dilemma. I want to show her that she can trust me, though I don’t even trust her myself.
Besides that, I am pretty fucking sure that either Jennifer or her daughter are currently sleeping on the pillow which I got a gun under. Just in case.
What an honest and nice man I am. Fuck, I understand why she wouldn’t fucking trust me. I wouldn’t trust myself, either.
Besides, this woman—she had to witness something so terrible, something no one should ever have to see. And I can’t judge her for wanting to leave this place, for wanting to keep her daughter safe. For not trusting me.
But I also know how safe this place is going to be for them. I mean, no one knows about them. None of our rivals even have an inkling that they exist. That they’re under my protection.
Besides, our main building isn’t known to anyone. Our mansion is built like a normal home.
All mafia-related shit only goes on underneath. We’ve got a whole tunnel system under our usual family rooms. It’s foolproof.
The police tried to fuck us over once because some idiot told them what’s going on here. Luckily, all they had to do was step into my nephew’s room while he was playing with his cars and look into those innocent eyes to believe me. That we’re just anormal family.The case was dropped immediately.
No one knew who tried to fuck us over. And honestly? I don’t know either.
We found no evidence on any of the men who are working in this building. I figured it was someone from the outside who found out, but then again, no one ever came near our building again after that happened.
So I stopped caring and almost forgot about it again within a month or so.
Regardless of how dangerous it is here for her; I have to keep them with me for a while. Just a little longer, so Jennifer can calm down, process what happened. I mean, it is obvious—I can’t just let her go.
She can’t work through this trauma on her own. And the second she goes to see a professional who doesn’t work for us, we’re fucked. Poor thing. She’s going to be traumatized once she realizes what happened this morning. And fuck, nobody can know what happened.
Nobody except the Caruso Mafia.
Everyone who works for us knows we can’t have women or children involved in our business. We keep them with us, yes, but most importantly, we keep themsafe.
Besides, none of our rivals have ever tried to harm a woman or child in our family. They simply know better.
