Chapter 20
TWENTY
Sable
Diego Medina’s menacing smile haunted me from the moment we met. I should have trusted my instincts the second he offered to help me. Now I feared that I had set something in motion that I couldn’t stop.
I tried to focus on filing the contracts that Angela had given me this morning. I wanted to make a good impression on her, but my mind wasn’t on my new job. Impending doom cluttered my thoughts.
Milo lived in a cruel world where violent things happened. I tried to believe that he was somehow immune to those harsh realities, but I couldn’t find a way to convince myself that he was safe from Diego.
Chance hurried into Milo’s office. “Sable,” he said. “What happened at the club the other night?”
“What do you mean?” I set the files I had been working on down on the desk.
“With Diego Medina. ”
“How do you even know who he is?”
“I hear people talk, and I heard that Milo provoked him. People on social media are saying they fought over you.” He sat on the edge of the desk. “Do you know how stupid that is?”
“Do you know how stupid it is for you to sit on Milo’s desk?” I tugged him off. “Stop doing things to aggravate him.”
“How did you get mixed up with Diego?” He threw his hands in the air. “This is why you can’t be around Milo. He’s going to get you killed.”
“They were not fighting over me.” I shut the sleek, white cabinet drawer. “Diego got a little aggressive and Milo intervened, but I had no idea who he was and he didn’t know who I was. It was a misunderstanding.”
“Sable,” he sighed. “You’ve more than worked off your debt. It’s time we close this chapter of our lives. I’ve saved up some money in the last few weeks. You probably have too. Shit, we could sell some of the clothes, shoes, and bags Milo bought you. We can get out of here.”
“I don’t want to get out of here.” I gripped the back of the chair in front of the desk. “I’ve tried to tell you that.”
“I don’t want to argue with you, but you aren’t seeing things for what they are.”
I didn’t want to have this conversation with my brother, but I had to get him to understand that my relationship with Milo was more than just saving Chance’s ass from Bello.
“I’m sure he tells you you’re pretty, and I know he buys you expensive stuff, but the man is a cold-blooded killer.”
“Do you really think I’m that shallow?” I ran my fingers along the leather of the chair. “Like I would be with Milo for his money? Do I have to remind you that I’m the one who put myself in this line of fire that you think is so dangerous for you?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I appreciate what you did, but now we have to get out of here.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I said. “I get it if you don’t want to work the legitimate job he gave you. The one he pays you generously for so you don’t have to work for men like Bello. Has Milo asked you to do anything illegal?”
Chance let out a frustrated breath.
“I didn’t think so, but can you say the same for the other men you’ve dealt with in the past?”
“You’re in too deep already,” he said. “We have to quit while we’re ahead. Milo’s top priority is running the Accetti territory. This family isn’t afraid to get in the middle of a bloodbath in order to stay in control.”
“What Milo does with his family is his business.”
“That’s what I’m saying. His family comes first. You end up a casualty in his war. You could fall prey to a man like Diego. Milo will sacrifice whatever he has to for his family.”
“He would never sacrifice me.” I picked up the files from the desk. “I don’t know where any of this is coming from.”
“You have to trust me.” He grabbed my arm. “Something big is going to happen, and you can’t be here when it does.”
“Where are you getting this information?” I asked.
“What? No, I don’t have proof. It’s just a gut feeling.”
“Well, I’m not gambling on your gut feeling.” I yanked out of his hold and went back to filing. “I have work to do.”
“It’s always been you and me.”
“Don’t.” I pointed at him. “Making me feel guilty isn’t going to work. Everything I’ve done is for you, including giving myself to Milo.”
“Don’t you get how twisted that is?”
“It could have been a lot worse, but instead, Milo has respected me and given both of us a life we were struggling to find. I trust Milo with my life. This is where I want to be.”
“You’re a fool,” Chance said.
“He’s who I want, and that’s the end of this discussion.”
I turned back to the cabinet, trying to calm the rage building inside me. As crazy as my brother made me, and despite the anxiety he had caused me over the years, we always supported one another. I had done everything I could to keep him safe from the time he was a baby.
“Why can’t you be happy for me?” I asked. “Can’t you understand that I have feelings for him?”
“Sable,” he said. “Don’t be mad, but you have to?—”
Milo stormed into the office. “Why aren’t you working?”
Milo’s irritated voice caused me to drop the files. “Oh.” I bent down and scooped them up. “I was just doing some filing and…”
“Not you.” Milo looked at Chance.
“I’m on a break,” Chance said. “I came up to visit Sable. I didn’t know I needed your permission to see my sister.”
“Chance.” I raised my voice. “Didn’t you hear anything I said?”
“I heard you.” Chance glared at Milo. “I just didn’t like what you said.”
Milo ignored Chance, and when he stared at me, his jaw tightened. “You’re upset.”
“I’m fine,” I mumbled.
“No, you’re not,” Chance said. “That’s what I’m trying to tell you.”
“I don’t care what the two of you were talking about.” Milo stepped toward Chance. “But I do care about her feelings and the way she is treated. If you can’t respect her choices, then keep your opinions to yourself.”
“Milo, it’s okay.” I touched his shoulder. “Chance and I are having a disagreement, but we’re fine.”
“You don’t like me?” Milo pushed Chance against the desk. “Good.”
Chance clenched his fists by his sides as he lost his balance.
“You want to hit me, kid?” Milo tapped his jaw. “Go ahead. I’ll give you the first one, but I promise you won’t get up after I hit you back.”
“Stop it.” I got in between them. “If you care about my feelings, you won’t fight with my brother.” I looked at Chance. “And you’ll stop provoking Milo.”
“I’ll respect you,” Milo said. “But your brother better start learning that he’s either on my side or in my fucking way.” He motioned to the door. “Get back to work.”
When Chance rushed out of the office and slammed the door, my heart hurt. I didn’t want to sacrifice my relationship with my brother in order to have one with the man I couldn’t stop falling for.
“I don’t know how much more I can tolerate,” Milo said. “No one disrespects me that way.”
“Milo.” I set the files on the desk.
“Don’t.” He turned and pointed at me. “I can’t handle excuses right now. I have too much on my plate.”
“I’m not going to defend him,” I said. “But I understand where he’s coming from. He’s trying to protect me too.”
“That sounds like you’re defending him, and he doesn’t need to protect you from me.”
“Let me finish.” I straightened his tie, getting close enough to breathe in his woodsy scent. “I explained to him that I don’t need him to protect me from you. I’m where I want to be and he has to accept that.”
“I like where this is going.” He draped his arms over my shoulders. “Continue.”
“You’ve been nothing but good to us.” I stretched up on my toes and kissed his jaw. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for us. I told him he has to let me make my own choices.”
“I’ll let you handle him as long as he doesn’t get out of line.” He stroked my hair. “I have too much going on, and things are about to get busier.”
“You’re tense.” I traced my fingers along his neck. “I’ve never seen the stress in your face before.”
“I carry my burdens well, but my brother could be in trouble.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I need to go to Marchello and see for myself that he’s okay.”
“I thought he was away for a reason.”
“He is, but I can still get to him, and so can our enemies.”
“Where is Marchello?” I didn’t like the idea of Milo leaving, but I couldn’t stop him.
“He was in Greece, but I had him moved. Going to him might be risky because I could expose him to Diego.” He released me and went to his desk. “If I don’t check on him, I won’t be able to focus.”
“If going to Marchello is what you need to do, you should do it.” I gazed down at the floor. “If your brother needs you…”
“Come with me.” He extended his hand as he sat down. “We can get away for a few days. ”
“Really?” I joined him on the other side of the desk. “Will Marchello and his wife mind?”
“Not at all,” he said. “I’m sure they’re ready for some company. If I know them, and I do, they’re ready to kill one another.”
A getaway with Milo sounded like a dream. The opportunity to meet his brother and Lissia would give me a chance to get to know him better.
“I would love to go.” How could I? I had never traveled before. “But I don’t think I can.”
“Of course you can.” He tugged me into his lap. “I know your boss.”
“I don’t have a passport.” I ran my hand along his stubble. “I’m sure you can’t fix that problem.”
“Sweetheart, I’m the family fixer.” He took my hand and kissed the inside of my wrist. “I can fix anything, but in this particular case, you don’t need one.”
“Why not?”
“Because Marchello is in Puerto Rico.” He swiped my hair to the side and kissed my neck. “Will you come with me?”
“I’ve never been on a plane before.” When I shifted in his lap, his erection pushed into my stomach. “The thought makes me nervous.”
“What doesn’t make you nervous?” He hiked my skirt up, revealing my black panties. “I can think of some things we can do to pass the time on the flight.”
“Like what?” I raised my bottom when he jerked the lace down my legs, leaving me exposed to him.
“We’ll get creative.” He smashed his mouth against mine, producing a forceful kiss. “You remember when you said I was tense?”
“Yes.” I slid my hand down his chest and to his belt .
“Make me less stressed.” He leaned back in his chair and let me unbuckle his belt and undo his pants. “On your knees.”
I slithered down his body and knelt in front of him. Licking my lips, I slid my hand inside his pants and squeezed his length in my firm grip. He twisted his fingers in my hair and yanked on it when I moved my wrist back and forth.
“Eyes here.” He pointed to his soulful stare. “I want you to see the pleasure on my face.”
Pride took over when he bit his sexy lip and his eyes rolled in ecstasy. As I pleased him, I lost myself in his stunning cheekbones and kissable mouth. His vibrant blue eyes drew me in, keeping my gaze trained on his.
“Sable,” he breathed out.
I leaned forward and swirled my tongue around the tip of his head, tasting the saltiness that gathered there.
“Fuck,” he moaned. “I’m torn between letting you finish or ramming my cock inside your pussy.”
His filthy words fueled my desire to make him come in my mouth. I licked down his length and to his balls, tracing my tongue along them and sucking them into my mouth.
“Hell!” He gathered my hair into a ponytail and yanked on it as I pumped his shaft harder. “I’m not conflicted anymore, goddess, make me come just like that.”
As I used my hand and mouth in perfect unison, his legs quivered against my sides.
With one last hard tug of my hair, he sunk into his chair and mumbled something in Italian.
I wrapped my lips around his length just in time to catch his warm release.
I grasped his base tight as I drained him, swallowing everything he gave me.
He released my hair, and then caressed my cheek on his way to cup my chin .
“Feel better?” I smiled.
“You always make me feel better.” He guided me back into his lap. “I knew I’d like having you as my assistant.”
“I don’t get much work done when you’re around.” I cuddled into him, resting my head on his chest.
“Well, I can’t exactly fire you, considering I know why you don’t get much work done.” He rubbed my back. “I do have to get back to work.”
“Are you sure you want me to go with you to Puerto Rico?” Being with him was all I wanted, but I didn’t want to intrude on his time with Marchello.
“I always want you with me.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m not going to leave you behind. Not now.”
When he strengthened his hold on me, I sensed his mood shift. His muscles tensed and his breathing wasn’t as steady.
I wouldn’t press him. If he wanted me with him, I would go. No questions asked. Besides, I might not like the answers.