Tilly : A Valentino Heir Novella (Valentino Heirs Book 3)

Chapter 4

My fingers clench around my silverware. The sounds coming out of Tilly’s mouth should be fucking illegal. I glare at Rafe. Wondering how hard it’d be to saw his ears off with a butter knife. He shakes his head and laughs as his eyes flick from the knife in my hand to the scowl on my face.

“So, what you two kids get up to last night?” he asks, directing the question at Tilly.

“Nothing.” Her cheeks pinken and she averts her gaze. “Antonio helped me out of a bind and let me use the guest room.”

“The guest room, huh?” he parrots. “And what bind?”

“None of your fucking business,” I grunt at him.

“I was arrested.” Tilly shrugs. “The thing is, before someone decided to rush in and save the day, those cops had no idea who I was. It seems now they do, which is why my family is currently blowing up my phone.”

“How’d they find out?” I ask.

Tilly shakes her head. “No idea, but Dante says I was charged. So something in the system must’ve sent out a red flag.”

“For what?” Rafe lifts a questioning brow.

“You weren’t charged,” I tell her.

“Maybe.” Tilly chews on her bottom lip. “Either way, my parents know why I was brought in, and to say they’re fuming is an understatement.”

I look at her. “You think they’d really believe that load of BS?”

Tilly snorts. “Not likely. But it’s still not a good look… to have the mayor’s daughter arrested, for anything, let alone… well, you know…” She lifts a single shoulder, clearly too embarrassed to say the word aloud.

“What the fuck did you get arrested for?” Rafe asks again.

“None of your fucking business,” I repeat. A little more forcefully this time.

Tilly doesn’t give him an answer either. I don’t think this is something she wants made public knowledge, and I’m not about to tell anyone her secrets.

As soon as she drops her cutlery onto her plate, I push to my feet. “You finished?”

“Uh, yes. Thank you for breakfast. It was really good.” She smiles up at me. Her expression so fucking innocent.

“Come on. I’ll take you home,” I say. And wait for her to stand.

“It was, uh, nice seeing you, Rafe.” She dips her chin at him as she moves closer to me.

“You too, Tilly. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon,” he says.

Placing my hand on her lower back, I lead Tilly into the garage. Again, she doesn’t blink an eye at the range of luxury vehicles we pass before I guide her over to the Cullinan. It’s one of my newest cars, but also the one she’s going to be the most comfortable inside. I open the passenger door for her but don’t move back like I should. Tilly squeezes past me, her body pressing up against mine. Her breath hitches and again her cheeks turn fucking pink.

It’s becoming my new favorite color. That shade of pink.

I close the door and shake my head. I can’t afford to think about her like that. I take my time walking around the back of the car. I need to get my shit under control. I need my dick to get on board with the fact that we can’t have this girl. Ever.

“You want me to talk to your father? Tell him the whole thing was a misunderstanding?” I ask as I slide into the driver’s seat.

“What? No. Do not do that,” she says, her eyes suddenly wide. “It’s fine. I’ve got it under control.”

“Even if they do try something, you know your mother and uncle will have those charges thrown out quicker than the ink can dry on the paperwork.”

“I know. I’m not worried about that.” Tilly’s eyes are focused straight ahead as she appears to do everything in her power to not look at me.

“What are you worried about then?”

“It’s stupid.”

“You’ve met Emillio. I’ve spent my life around stupid. And you are the furthest thing from it,” I tell her.

She turns and smiles at me, like I’ve just hung the fucking moon for her. Fuck, that’s a dangerous smile. “What if people find out? My reputation will be ruined…”

“Anyone who knows you wouldn’t believe it, and anyone who does believe it ain’t worth your time, Matilda.”

“You’re right.”

I pull up to her apartment building a short ride later, more than a little thankful when she doesn’t ask how I know where she lives in the first place. She opens the door and I call out her name, waiting for her to turn around and look at me.

“Don’t come to Sin again. It’s not a place for girls like you,” I tell her.

Hurt shines in her eyes. I can’t focus on that, though. Not right now. Right now, I need to keep this girl away from me. Away from my fucking club. She doesn’t respond as she quietly shuts the door and walks into her building.

“Why the fuck are your feet on my desk?” I shove at Emillio’s legs as I round the corner before dropping my ass into my office chair. I came straight to the club after dropping Tilly off.

“Ouch! What the hell is your problem?” he groans.

“Right now? You,” I grunt as I fire up my computer.

“Me? Nah, I think your problem comes more in the form of a five-foot-nothing Italian princess.” He grins.

I don’t bother dignifying his taunt with a response. “I need Murphy’s schedule. I want to know when he’s working his next shift.”

“Why?”

“Because I fucking said so. That’s why.” I glare at Emilio.

“Okay, jeez. No need to get your panties in a twist, bro.” He holds up his hands before dropping them to his own laptop. “Don’t forget we’ve got that meetup with Hernando.”

“I’m aware.”

Hernando has been trying to do business with us for months now. He has the cash and wants product. I’m just not sure it’s the type of product I want a psychopath getting his hands on.

“So… we’re not going to talk about the fact you had a Valentino holed up in the house all night?” Emillio hums while lifting a single brow in my direction.

“No, we’re not.” I don’t need to talk about or remember how much sleep I lost because the woman I’ve been obsessing over for years was in the room right next to mine. So close and so fucking off-limits.

“Good, because as much as I’m willing to go to war for you, bro. A war against the Vs is bad for our health. And we both know Romeo will want to fucking kill you if you touch his princess.”

“I haven’t fucking touched her,” I grind out, not that it’s any of his fucking business.

“Ah, but you want to touch her—a whole fucking lot—and therein lies the problem.” Emillio shakes his head.

I don’t confirm or deny the fact that I want Matilda Valentino. I don’t need to. Everyone in my close-knit circle is more than aware of my longtime fascination with my very real version of forbidden fruit.