8. Collins
EIGHT
COLLINS
The movie and carbs were exactly what I needed.
Suspected the same for Rocca. Once I got her off to bed with the promise to do this again sometime, I went to the basement where the wine cellar was located.
Thank you, Kyle, for the information. The room wasn’t overly huge.
There were enough bottles there to supply a small army with one a piece, again, not much in the grand scheme of things, but enough I had a choice of fine wines.
I went with a bottle that cost about a week’s worth of salary for me.
The Burgundy was one of the sweetest I’d ever had the pleasure of tasting, even if it’d been a single time at a Christmas party two years ago.
On my way back upstairs, I couldn’t help but think about Miceli and Brooke.
God, even her name made me want to barf.
She was trying to get a rise out of me by clinging to him.
I knew her kind. I’d been around them all of my life.
They didn’t care about the man. They—she—cared more about the money in the bank than anything else.
Therein lie the rub for me.
She wasn’t good enough for Miceli.
Obviously, that was the jealousy talking.
I envied her position for sure. Women like her went into marrying people like Miceli, using their pussy to convince the guy they didn’t need a prenup.
A few years later, they’d divorce, and they’d get half of everything rich men like Miceli had.
She, in my estimates, was a serial marrier.
By the time she turned sixty—if she made it that far—she’d have half a billion dollars sitting in some bank account offshore, surrounded by pool boys while sipping mimosas on some sandy-white beach.
It was disgusting and unfair.
“There you are.” Robbie’s appearance startled me, causing me to jump. “Oh shit. Sorry.”
I’d been so caught up in my distaste for Brooke, I’d zoned out. “It’s okay. Caught me day dreaming. I should be the one saying sorry.”
“Did you just steal a bottle of the boss’ wine?” A crooked grin spread across his face as he narrowed his gorgeous hazel eyes at me.
“I won’t tell if you don’t,” I whispered, leaning in close.
“Tell what?” He stepped closer. “I saw nothing.”
“Exactly.” I laughed, skirting around him to go back to where I’d been sitting on the couch.
He chuckled, trailing after me. “You’re up to no good, aren’t you, Collins? What am I really here for?”
I wondered if I said sex, what he’d do? Miceli made his decisions, right?
I could make mine. Not like we were an exclusive couple or anything of the sort.
We hadn’t even been on a date. I’d chalk the kiss and fondling up to pent up sexual frustration.
Nothing more. Nothing less. “Depends on what you’re offering.
” I turned the flat screen back on and scrolled through to a music channel.
“Collins,” he groaned. “Boss gave us instructions.”
Like a bucket of cold water being dumped over my head, all thoughts of doing anything remotely fun with Robbie disappeared. “What?”
“We’re supposed to guard the house. Protect Rocca, you, and your brother Lucas, along with Mrs. P.” He frowned. “I don’t know what you had planned in that pretty little head of yours, but I won’t risk your safety.”
I sagged a little. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” Fine.
He wanted to protect us, he could. Maybe I’d go to a bar in the city and hook up with someone.
I was tired of being treated with kid gloves.
Disregarded like I didn’t mean a damn thing at all.
Thank you for that complex, Miceli. Not like I don’t have enough on my plate.
“Don’t be like that,” Robbie said, sitting down next to me. “You’re cute. Quiet. A bit on edge. Like you’re watching everything. Hypervigilant.” He snapped his fingers. “That’s the word. Most of all, I can see how lonely you are.”
“I’m not lonely,” I groused. “Why would I be lonely? I have my brother. This job. Rocca is a great kid. I’m not lonely.” I hated he could figure me out without truly knowing me at all.
“Bullshit.” He grabbed a beer from a bag I hadn’t seen on the floor and twisted off the cap before taking a deep swallow of the contents.
“It’s written all over your face. Look, I won’t pry.
That said, I could see the way you looked at our boss.
Having Brooke here...” He sneered her name.
Well, good, at least I wasn’t the only one who didn’t like her. “She’s a viper. Be careful.”
“Oh, trust me, I’ve already seen her fangs.” I kicked myself for not getting a glass or a bottle opener when I came out of the basement. “Shit, give me a second.”
“You forgot the bottle opener.” Robbie laughed. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s in the second drawer on the right side of the kitchen island. That’s where I’ve seen Mrs. P put it away,” Robbie said from the other room.
“Thanks.” Opening the drawer, it was right where he said it would be. “You’re one smart cookie.”
“Or a stupid one.” His footfalls were soft on the floor as he approached. “I need to apologize. I think I overstepped my bounds with you. I said some shitty stuff. Will you forgive me?”
I snickered. “Telling me the truth isn’t over stepping bounds, Robbie. It’s the harsh dose of reality I need sometimes.”
He shook his head, coming around the counter to stand in front of me. “I shouldn’t be doing this.”
Before I could ask what, his lips were pressed to mine, his tongue invading my mouth.
Surprise lit through me, yet my poor, attention deprived body soaked up every ounce he gave me.
I whimpered into the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck.
Maybe I wasn’t attracted to what’s his name, after all.
Perhaps I just wanted a little company of the male persuasion.
When Robbie pulled back, he pressed his forehead to mine and exhaled. “You’re fucking amazing and dangerous.”
“Same could be said about you.” I stared up at him. “Should we try this again in the other room?”
He nodded. “I’d like that.”
Me too.
I couldn’t tell you how long we sat on the couch, making out, laughing at stupid stories.
I wish I could’ve indulged in mine with him, but telling him what college I went to or where I came from would fuck me over in the long run, so I lied.
I did the one thing Miceli asked that I never do.
Pushing the thought out of my mind, I poured the last of the Burgundy into my glass, then frowned. Had I really drunk the entire bottle?
“Yeah, you did. I didn’t help you,” Robbie said with a snigger. “I can’t get drunk while on the job. Even if I am off duty. So, that’s on you.”
Well. Shit. I giggled, taking a swallow of the rest of the bottle, knowing full well tomorrow I’d feel the aftereffects.
Tonight, I wanted to drown my sorrows and destroy how pathetic I was being.
“It’s fantastic.” Dry with a soft hint of sweet.
The flavor also held notes of tartness I liked.
I was a sweet and sour freak. Warheads were my favorite type of candy as a kid along with Sour Patch Kids .
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
I hummed. “What would you say to a night of free sex?” I murmured from over the rim of my glass. “I know what you said about protecting us, however, your dick has been pressing into my hip for a little over an hour now and well, if that isn’t the biggest invitation ever, I don’t know what is.”
Robbie kissed me again, plucking the glass from between my fingers and placing it on the table in front of us.
He fixed our position, so I straddled his lap, pushing me closer to his hard body.
I guess I didn’t want Miceli. I just wanted the dick attached to him.
I could fully admit that now. Robbie’s fingers caressed my sides, slipping under the hem of my shirt.
Heat bloomed where he touched me. I moaned into his kiss, enjoying the way we fit together.
Miceli? Miceli who?
“What the fuck is going on here?” Miceli’s booming voice startled us apart. “Did you drink a bottle of my expensive wine?” His ire rubbed me the wrong way. How dare he say anything?
“I spent the evening entertaining your daughter,” I said, crawling off of Robbie’s lap, feeling every bit of the false bravado the bottle of wine afforded me at the moment. “Which, I shouldn’t have to remind you, is upstairs, sleeping and doesn’t need to hear yelling.”
“Collins,” Robbie whispered, “don’t do this. Mr. Daidone, it’s not what it seems.”
I glanced over my shoulder. “Stop apologizing, Robbie.” Snapping my attention back to the person in front of me, I waggled my finger at him.
“I am on my downtime, after working all day being a tutor with your daughter. I have seen to feeding everyone on the property, including Mrs. Petry, if she wanted some of our food. I watched a movie and talked to Rocca, something you don’t seem to be interested in doing with your daughter.
So, you don’t get to tell me what I should or shouldn’t be doing once I’m off the clock.
” Oh yeah, I went hard. Stupid, really. I couldn’t afford to lose this job, but on the flip side, damn it all to hell!
If Miceli was going to choose a trollip like Brooke who would use him for his money and his dick, he couldn’t say shit about who I was with either.
“Boss, I didn’t explain the rules very well to Collins before she invited me over for drinks. This is my fault, not hers,” Robbie pleaded on my behalf.