Chapter 18
WE’LL ADD IT TO YOUR TAB
LUCIO
I’ve been standing against the back wall, arms folded, watching the ticket counter move at an excruciatingly slow pace.
We’d already spent a few hours applying for a new Social Security card and getting a copy of her birth certificate, so she could get a new license. The DMV is my least favorite place, but it’s unavoidable in Delilah’s current situation.
She waited a few days, hoping her father would at least send her things so she wouldn’t have to replace everything. But the bastard hadn’t returned her purse or her money.
I’m fuming over the entire situation, but Delilah begged me to let her handle things. Me being me, I work in the background, trying to figure out how to get her money back along with all her stuff out of her father’s penthouse.
My phone buzzes from the lawyer I contacted, a regular at Hook & Hustle, asking him to figure out a way to make her whole again, while avoiding court.
“The letter will be delivered today,” Sal says without even so much as a hello.
“Thanks, Sal.” I tick my chin at Delilah as she bounces Lulu in her lap, watching me. “I hope he comes to his senses.”
“I’m fairly certain he’ll want to remain out of the public eye and avoid court.”
“If he has any brains, he’ll do as you asked.”
“He has no legal standing and will lose if we end up in court. But,” he says, drawing the word out and lowering his voice, “you can probably convince him somehow if he drags his feet.”
“Sal, I can’t.” I know where he’s going with this. There’s no way in hell I’m asking Johnny or any of my father’s people to step in and strong-arm Delilah’s father.
Not that he deserves better treatment, but I already promised Delilah I’d let her handle things. And shit would blow up in my face if Johnny used his special methods.
“The guy isn’t going to want to go to court. He has a reputation to uphold, Sal. Just handle that shit.”
“You got it. I’ll contact you as soon as I hear from him or his lawyer.”
“Thanks, Sal,” I say, disconnecting the call because I know Sal isn’t one to say goodbye. Drives me crazy too.
“What’s wrong?” Delilah asks as she walks toward me with Lulu in her arms.
“Nothing, baby,” I tell her as I pull her into my arms and have her lean against me. “Why don’t we go shopping after this? I know you and Lulu could both use some of your own clothes.”
“Lucio.” She peers up at me and shakes her head. “I made forty-three dollars in tips last night. Forty-three. I’m not buying much with that amount of money.”
“I have money.”
She pulls away, sliding Lulu to her hip and staring at me. “I’m not letting you buy me clothes.”
“I know you’re not letting me, but I’m doing it anyway.”
She narrows her eyes, and I ready myself for an argument, which I have no doubt I’ll win. “I can’t let you.”
I tap her nose with my finger and smile. “You’re cute, doll.”
“I’m serious, Lucio,” she says sternly, as if her mom voice has any effect on me.
“While you look hot in my sister’s clothes, I don’t think cutoff shorts, heavy metal T-shirts, and dresses cut so low you can almost breastfeed without actually moving the fabric aside is quite your style.”
She glances down at the worn-out Metallica T-shirt and twists her lips. She knows I’m right. I can see by the look on her face she hates what she’s wearing. “Only if I can pay you back.”
I grab her waist and pull her forward again. “We’ll add it to your tab.”
“Number 156,” a woman calls out.
“That’s me,” Delilah says, handing off Lulu to me before she sprints toward the counter, weaving through the sea of people.
“Does Lulu want some pretty dresses?” I ask the kid like she has the ability to talk back. “I know Mommy does.” Lulu smiles as she reaches up, playing with my lips again.
Delilah pulls out a wad of ones and sets it on the counter next to her paperwork, pushing it toward the woman on the other side. The lady rolls her eyes, throwing all kinds of shade at Delilah, not knowing everything she’s been through in the last few days.
Delilah looks over her shoulder and smiles, but I know the entire situation has to sting. She’s not used to any of this, but she takes it all in stride and doesn’t complain.
A lesser woman would’ve caved and run back to daddy to cash in on her trust fund, but not Delilah.
Maybe it’s her attitude which drew me to her the most. She was a damsel in distress but didn’t let any of it beat her down.
She seemed to pick herself up, brush herself off, and move on without a bit of trouble.
When the woman hands her the driver’s license, Delilah has the biggest smile, thanking the woman like she’d done something grand for her rather than just her job.
“Lookie what I got,” she says, swaying her hips as she approaches. By the way she’s acting, you’d think she won the lottery, not had her identification replaced.
“Let’s go try that bad boy out,” I tell her and slide my arm around her shoulders as we make our way to the door.
“Try it out?” I can see the confusion in her eyes, and I know she wants clarification, but I’m not going to give any.
“We’ve got a big day ahead of us,” I say, leaving it at that. Delilah doesn’t press me for more as she takes Lulu back into her arms and we walk outside. “First stop, the biggest department store in Chicago.”
“Lucio,” she says. I can hear the warning in her voice. “I don’t need new clothes. These are fine.”
“If you’re a teenage girl from the nineties maybe, but not a grown-ass woman and a mom.”
She narrows her eyes while she glances up at me as I open the door for her. “Do not put me in mom clothes. So help me God, I’ll…”
“You’ll what, sweetheart?” I tease.
The last thing I want on her body is a bunch of frumpy clothes, but she deserves to have nice things.
“We won’t go crazy, but I’d like to see you in some grownup clothes, showing off that banging body, but in a classy way.”
She leans over, placing Lulu in the Jeep while I check out her tight little ass. “I thought you liked the dress I wore the other night.”
“I did, but not so much with you wearing the flimsy thing without me around.”
“Jealous?” She smiles as she turns around.
“Greedy.” I shut the door before pressing her against the side of my sister’s Jeep. I grab her waist, digging my fingers into her skin. “I don’t share, sweetheart.”
She places her hand on my chest, curling her fingers into my shirt, and smirks. “I don’t either, baby.”
“What about this one?” she asks when she walks out of the dressing room and twirls in a circle as the skirt lifts, showing off her lace panties.
“Not for work,” I tell her quickly, and Lulu claps her hands, mesmerized by the way the fabric moves, “but it has a lot of other possibilities.”
My ass is numb from sitting in the tiny chair inside the dressing room area for the last hour, but the smile on Delilah’s face is entirely worth the pain.
“I love the fabric.” She runs her hand over her bottom, smoothing the material. “Wanna feel?” She grins.
“You’re torturing me today.” If I feel the fabric, I’ll touch her ass. If I touch her ass, it won’t lead anywhere good but probably a trip down to the police precinct because I won’t be able to stop myself. “I’m good. Just take that fine ass back into the dressing room and put something else on.”
She sways her hips as she walks, laughing at the way I adjust myself in the seat. “You sure you don’t want to touch it?” She shakes her ass before turning around to face me. “Just a little?” she teases, raising an eyebrow along with the front of the skirt.
I cover Lulu’s eyes, and her hands immediately go to my fingers, trying to pry them free. “The kid, Delilah.”
Delilah practically cackles as my gaze heats, and I know I’m going to make her pay for this. I hate shopping, but with her, it’s a mix of pleasure and pain.
“You have five more minutes, and we’re out of here,” I tell her, done with the fashion show and ready to get her home.
“Patience is a virtue.” She smiles, slowly closing the door and staring at me with a sexy smirk on her face through the crack.
“So is generosity, baby.” I watch under the door as the skirt drops to the floor. “And you’re about to understand how generous I can be.”
“I said I don’t want you to buy me clothes.” She slides on her shorts, and the dressing room door opens again. “I never asked for this.” She grabs a hefty stack of hangers with all the items I liked, and I can see this bothers her.
“I’m not talking about clothes.”
“You want me to pay you back in sexual favors?” She fakes disgust, but I know she’s going to love every inch of what I’m going to give her.
I grab her chin between my fingers and move my lips within an inch of hers. “No, sweetheart, I’m going to be the one doing the pleasing.”
Her blue eyes sparkle as she tips her head up, staring at me with so much need I can feel the heat coming off her in waves. “I like your style, Mr. Gallo.”
“Baby, you haven’t seen nothing yet.” I pull on her bottom lip with my teeth.
Lulu smacks my arm and lets out a little grunt, reminding us both she’s there.
“Let’s go home,” I tell her. “The kid needs a nap, and I need some Delilah.”
“Fuck,” she groans as she pulls away. “Between work, Lulu, and you, I get nothing done.”
“Baby, we’re all you need doing.” I swat her ass as we exit the dressing room, already pulling out my wallet because I can’t waste another minute. All I want to do is to be on top of her, touching her, consuming her.