CHAPTER 12
Nirah
“HE LIVES,” SAMANTHA sarcastically smiled at Antonio as she strutted towards us in a white blouse and black pencil skirt. “And he brings the hooker—this is a professional workspace, Mr. De Luca,” she teased, and he heavily sighed.
“Respect my fiancée. I won’t tell you again,” he warned, and she grinned down at me in amusement. “Would you like anything to drink?” he asked me, and I shook my head. “Get her an iced coffee,” he said, and she put her hands on her hips.
“I thought I worked for you?” she asked in annoyance.
“Go,” he demanded.
“Fine,” she almost seethed through her teeth and whipped around, leaving us.
He nodded toward his office, and I walked inside. I trailed my eyes around, hearing a couple of murmurs behind me.
Eventually, Antonio entered and sat down behind his desk while two men occupied the seats across from him. While they spoke business, uttering a few Italian here and there, I got up and looked around his office.
I’ve never been more intrigued by an office before. Are they usually this big and fancy?
Samantha eventually brought my ice coffee, and after what felt like years, Antonio was finally finished.
I smiled as I greeted both men, and he walked back to his seat. I dramatically fell down onto the couch, sighing. “This office thing is boring,” I groaned, staring at the ceiling. “You do this every day?” I asked and heard his chair move back.
“Come here, tesoro ,” he said, and I lazily got up. I walked behind his desk as I looked at the wall to his left. There were three shelves with some frames on them, too.
I squinted my eyes, desperate to see the pictures, and felt him pull me down onto his lap. I focused on the frames for a second until I heard his voice.
“Should I get my men to build you a replica of my office so that you can sit and stare at it 24/7?” he asked, and I shook my head.
“Knowing you, you would,” I smiled.
“What time do you need to be at the club tonight?” he asked as I looked around.
“I was planning on going at eight,” I said, fascinated by this side of his office. Yes. It has sides.
“Then you’re getting lunch with me,” he said, and I nodded. There was momentary silence, and I turned my head to him.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “This office is just so… you .”
“You’re saying that like it’s a bad thing.”
“No, no, it’s not,” I quickly assured him. “Don’t get me wrong, I love you , but it’s just… no forget it,” I shook my head. “It’s cute. Your office is cute,” I smiled.
“Did you just say you love me?” he asked, his voice dripping with amusement.
“Yes,” I nodded until realization hit me.
“Wait no, no, no,” I began, waving my hands in front of me.
“I mean, yes, I love you—no God, I mean I love who you are,” I explained but paused for a second.
“No that’s a lie you’re an egotistical prick, I don’t like who you are—but I do—you’re really great so I guess I do love you then—no—I mean—” I cut myself off and hid my head in my hands.
He chuckled, and I took a deep breath in, not moving my hands in embarrassment. “Please, can we just go?” I mumbled in my hands, and he pulled them away from my face.
“Of course you love me,” he nodded. “What’s not to love?”
“I don’t love you,” I scoffed, getting up from his lap and making my way to the door. I heard his footsteps behind me until he threw his arm over my shoulder. We headed out, and I could bury myself alive to escape my embarrassment.
“That’s not what you just said,” he grinned down at me, and I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m lovable. I get it.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”
* * *
After lunch, I decided to drag Antonio shopping with me, and thankfully, he was not complaining.
A few women smiled their silly little smiles, and I subconsciously tightened my hand around his as I watched them practically drool over him.
I know I said that he could be with other women, but now I didn’t know how much I liked that idea.
His chuckle pulled me out of my head. “What’s so funny?” I asked as we stepped into the building.
“You’re jealous.”
“I’m not… jealous,” I shot back, making him pull me closer to his side.
“Who’s wearing my ring, Nirah?” he asked, and I reluctantly looked up at him.
“Me?”
“Exactly,” he said and threw his arm around my shoulder before kissing my temple. Yeah, yeah.
“I just don’t like how they’re eye-fucking my man,” I murmured, making his hold on me tighten.
He seemed baffled. “Eye-fucking?”
“Yeah,” I glanced up at him. “You do it every time you look at me .”
A bored expression found his face, and I couldn’t help but smile as we continued. Ha. He didn’t even deny it.
After some shopping and slipping in and out of the dressing room, I finally headed to go and pay.
Antonio handed me his card as he looked down at his vibrating cellphone with an irritable expression.
“One-five-zero-three,” he said, and I took the card from him.
He stepped away, and I continued without him.
“Will that be all?” The lady at the counter smiled, and I nodded my head. I slipped Antonio’s card into my purse, paying with my own.
Thereafter, I thanked her, but when I turned in the direction of Antonio, he stood in the distance with his cellphone pressed to his ear as his eyes narrowed in on me. Oopsie. He saw that.
I feigned innocence as I approached him, handing him my bags.
Thankfully, he was on an important call, so there wasn’t any time to scold me.
We entered another two stores until finally, we walked into my favorite one. I handed him the rest of my bags, telling him to sit down on the couch while I looked around, and he did. I grabbed a few things off the racks and walked into the dressing room.
I tried on a pair of tight mini shorts that fit me perfectly. I forced on a little top and soon realized that maybe I shouldn’t suffer for this top.
After admiring myself from different angles, I tried pulling off the top, but I only ended up knocking my elbow against the mirror. “Ow,” I softly groaned, giving up on the top.
I rubbed my elbow as I stared at myself in the mirror. The invisible light bulb above my head went off with a brightening glow. I walked toward the curtains and peeked my head out.
Antonio was seated on the couch with my bags on the floor in front of him.
“You’re strong, right?” I asked, and he looked up from his cell phone. Why struggle when Mr. Muscle is out here doing absolutely nothing. He seemed confused, so I glanced around the shop. “Just get in here,” I whispered, and he got up, slipping his cell phone into his back pocket.
He walked in, and I looked around to make sure no one saw as I closed the curtains behind him.
I walked over to the mirror and lifted my arms up in the air. “Use your muscles and help me out of this,” I said, and he held back a smile. He walked toward me, and I narrowed my eyes at him. “Do—not—laugh,” I warned with a pointed finger.
His eyes traveled down my body, and I felt goosebumps spread over my skin. He put his hands on my waist, turning me to face the mirror.
I sucked in a breath at the sudden contact of his hands on my skin.
I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. His fingers slowly traveled up my waist and to the hem of my shirt.
I closed my eyes as he slowly lifted the top.
He pulled it up and over my head, and I let my arms drop, letting out a heavy sigh of relief.
I looked at myself in the mirror, and I could kick myself for the bra I had decided on. I turned around to face him with a smile. “Thank you,” I playfully snatched the top out of his hand. “I’ll take it,” I nodded and looked up at him, his body extremely close to mine.
“You need help with these, too?” he grinned and placed his hands on my hips.
“I think I can manage just fine,” I interrupted, and his tongue dipped out to wet his bottom lip. My eyes betrayed me by staying on his lips a little too long for my liking. His hands holding my hips made my body react in ways I strongly disapproved of.
My mind immediately raced to the first time I kissed him. His hand came up to my chin as he lifted it, and sparks of electricity shot through my body. He made me look directly at him as his thumb brushed across my bottom lip. Holy, shit.
Suddenly, the temperature in here went up by twenty degrees.
His eyes dropped to my lips, but all I could think of was standing up on my toes to taste his lips just once.
Just once. No, I can’t. I had already kissed him without his consent outside of his hotel building when I was running from Sylvester.
My eyes felt heavy as his hand slowly traveled from my hips, up my waist.
Sucking in a short, quick breath, his thumb slowly traveled over my bottom lip, and I grabbed his hands. Oh, my … This man is turning me on in a dressing room by simply looking at me.
* * *
He opened the passenger door for me, and I slipped inside, letting out an exasperated sigh.
The drive back home was silent—for obvious reasons. I could accept the car because I didn’t have one, and his house was much further to the club, so I needed it. But him thinking that I needed him to pay for everything wasn’t going to slide.
Cesar was already outside and came over as soon as the car stopped. He started unloading the trunk, and as I was about to get out, Antonio grabbed my arm.
“What?” I snapped, pulling away from him.
“You’re mad at me. Why?”
“You’re seriously asking me why I’m mad at you?” My tone was harsher than expected, making a fragment of guilt slip into my head as my gaze met his genuine eyes. “Because I told you not to pay for my things, and you went and did just that.”
“You said not to pay for you things in one store. So I paid for it in a different store.”
“I’m perfectly capable of paying for my own things, Antonio.”
“I know you are.”
“So why did you pay?”
“Because that was part of the agreement. Money and protection.” Maybe he has a point.
“But I’m only here for the protection. Not the money. I’ve made that clear.”