Surprise Baby for the Don (Dark Daddies #2)

Chapter 14

14

Mateo

I ’m floating somewhere in space, my body so spent that I can’t imagine reinhabiting it, trying to move it. But a constant buzzing keeps trying to pull me back to earth, to force me into my tired body, to pry my eyes open. The only bright spot is the warm body pressed against me. Even in my semi-conscious state, I know that waking up means finding Ginny next to me, completely naked and tempting me into another round.

I reluctantly open one eye as the buzzing continues, and I feel her moving away from me. That just won’t do. Blearily, I reach out for her, pulling her tighter against me. She giggles and presses her lips against my forehead.

“I have to go, Mateo,” she whispers, her voice light and happy.

“No,” I groan. “You’re not allowed to leave this bed. That is an order.”

She giggles again, wiggling away from me, and I’m forced to relinquish my grasp on her. Even in my sleepy irritation, I can’t stop the smile that spreads over my face as I remember how we ended up here. There was the impromptu moment in my old apartment as I took her virginity against a goddamn wall. It was wild and animalistic, and not nearly special enough for her first time. I might consider it my greatest conquest though.

But she was desperate for me after, unable to stop touching me even after I’d undone her twice, the second time with just my tongue. We’d rushed to get dressed, to get back to the house so we could have a more proper experience in my bed.

There was no hesitation or shyness the second time. She’d stripped down to her underwear within seconds of me closing my bedroom door, and I quickly followed her lead, moving to the bed where she was on all fours, staring at me with a hunger in her eyes.

She took me in her hands as I got close enough, stroking gently until I was sure I would come in her grip like a prepubescent teenager. I forced my breathing to slow and my mind to focus as she’d taken me into her mouth, expertly unraveling me and swallowing each drop of pleasure I gave her.

She’d been a virgin when the night began, but there was no doubting she was a natural. We made out lazily, letting our hands roam over each other, discover each other while I recovered. She was incredibly patient, and I used the time to find as many spots as I could to drive her wild without bringing her to the point of collapse. By the time I slipped inside of her the second time, she was screaming my name, begging me to fuck her to oblivion. There was a sense of satisfaction of introducing her to a new world of pleasure and getting her addicted to what I could offer.

We passed out sometime in the extremely early hours of the morning wrapped around each other, fully sated and spent.

Now, I hear her moving around my room, cursing softly as she stubs her toe against the bed. There’s a rustling noise, and I can tell she’s getting dressed. I sit up lazily, watching her with some regret as she covers her perfect body.

“It’s my father,” she explains quietly, a hint of reluctance in her voice. “He needs my help.”

“What time is it?” I grumble, too grouchy to deal with Rex’s antics. I’ve never hated him more than I do in this moment.

“It’s two-thirty,” she whispers, humor in her voice. “Go back to sleep.”

I raise an eyebrow, mildly irritated by the interruption but too curious not to ask.

“What does he need help with at two-thirty in the damn morning?” I don’t entirely hide the edge in my voice.

She sighs, slipping her phone back into her bag. “It’s his sleep apnea machine. It’s old and keeps acting up,” she explains, and I can’t help but feel sorry for her. “I usually fix it for him. He’s not the best at taking care of things.”

Everything I know about Rex tells me this is classic behavior. I’m not sure how he’s survived these last few days without Ginny at all. In the back of my mind, part of me is raging to get her away from him forever, to show her what it’s like to be the one being taken care of for once.

“Let me buy him a new one,” I offer immediately. The idea of her needing to drop everything to take care of him, especially when it’s something I could fix in a heartbeat, is irksome. “Better yet, I’ll send someone over with the best one on the market by tomorrow.”

She laughs softly, shaking her head. “Thank you, but I can pay for it with my own money,” she protests. “Besides, that won’t help him very much tonight. It’s not like I can just pop over to the medical supply store and get him a new CPAP at two-thirty in the morning. He could literally stop breathing without it.”

I find it hard to care about Rex dying. It sounds to me like a great solution to several of my problems. In fact, if he keeled over in the next five minutes, I could drag Ginny back to bed and find a few creative ways to comfort her.

But when she looks up at me, her eyes both gentle and resolute, I know I have to let her go. I can’t argue with the way she’s looking at me, so I settle for a begrudging nod.

“Fine,” I grumble. “I’ll have my driver take you.”

She smiles, brushing her fingers against mine, and I know I’m caught.

“Thank you,” she says as she slips out of the room.

I’m falling for her. It’s come so suddenly, but I can’t say it’s a total surprise. I was basically a goner the first time she stepped into my office, daring me with her quiet resolution. Once the dirty business of her father’s debt is handled, I’m going to insist she stays with me on a more permanent basis. I’ll have her redecorate the entire metropolitan area of Chicago if I need to. It hasn’t even been a full week and I already can’t stand the idea of her being away from me.

I try to shake off the feeling, knowing I’m getting far too wrapped up in someone I’d planned to keep at a safe distance. But when I fall asleep, it’s her face that lingers, and I imagine she’s still curled up next to me.

I’m jolted awake by a commotion in the driveway. Groggily, I swing my legs over the side of the bed, blinking against the harsh light filtering through the window. I hear a familiar voice cursing, followed by Bats’s gruff command to keep moving. By the time I reach the hallway, Bats is hauling none other than Rex St. Croix into my living room, his arms twisted behind his back.

“What the hell is going on?” I demand, running a hand over my face to dispel the last remnants of sleep.

Bats tightens his grip on Rex, who’s squirming, a faint sheen of sweat glistening on his forehead. He’s paler than normal, looking more afraid than I’ve ever seen him. It takes a moment for my mind to catch up. What the hell is he doing here? Didn’t Ginny go to his apartment just a few hours ago?

My blood starts to boil.

“Caught him at the casino with wads of cash,” Bats explains, his tone steady and matter-of-fact. “Had a little too much fun, it seems.”

My heart pounds loud in my ears and I swear I can see red. I cross my arms, looking Rex over, no patience or empathy left for this pathetic excuse for a man.

“And where, Rex,” I ask, my voice cold, “did you get that kind of money?”

Rex’s eyes dart to the floor, his shoulders slumping.

“It was just lying around,” he mumbles, barely audible, and something inside me snaps. I know damn well where that money came from. It’s the money I gave Ginny yesterday.

Ginny worked hard for that money; she actually earned it. I doubt Rex St. Croix has ever earned anything in his life. And he had the nerve to take it from his own daughter, to toss it away on a few rounds at the tables.

I close the distance between us, grabbing Rex by the collar and lifting him off his feet, his eyes wide with fear.

“Does Ginny know you took her money?” I growl, my voice low and dangerous.

“No, she doesn’t,” he stammers, squirming in my grip. “I thought I could make more of it. Just a few hands, that’s all.”

I let him go, disgusted, and he stumbles back, barely catching himself.

“What the fuck did I tell you would happen if I caught you gambling again?” I ask him quietly, my voice dangerous. It’s taking everything in me not to tear him a new asshole, but I know that appearing quiet and calm will scare him a lot more.

For his part, he’s smart enough not to say anything, to shoot back some shitty excuse. He swallows hard and looks down at his shoes, at least having the good sense to look ashamed. When I’m done with him, he’ll feel a lot more than that, but first I need to check on Ginny and make sure she’s okay. She’ll be devastated.

I turn to Bats.

“Tie him up,” I order, my tone clipped. “But don’t hurt him. I’ll be back soon.”

Leaving Bats to deal with him, I head for my phone, the rage simmering beneath the surface as I dial Ginny’s number.