Chapter 17 #2
A bright stream of light cuts through the curtain and jostles me from a deep sleep.
As my eyes flutter open and greet the stark white ceiling above, I reach for the gun I keep tucked underneath my neighboring pillow.
When my hand can’t find the familiar cold metal, I sit up and everything from last night comes crashing in.
But before I can process the fact that I’m still in Leo DeLuca’s lair, I realize that I’m also half naked.
I yank the silky sheet to my chest and curse under my breath. That fucker undressed me.
Before I can spiral with anger, I take an inventory of my surroundings.
I’m in a large, modern bedroom that matches the living space I briefly explored last night. Depressing shades of grey and black swirl around me with small hints of red that remind me of the color of blood.
Overall, the space has no character, which matches the rest of Leo’s place and his personality.
Thankfully, I spot my clothing slung neatly over what can only be described as a cuck chair sitting in the corner. I don’t waste any time wrapping the sheet around me and hopping out of the bed to get dressed.
My gun is also waiting there for me, shining brightly in the early morning light. Feeling the cold metal press against my skin is almost enough to calm me down.
And then I hear a drawn-out squeak that sounds like someone just turned off a shower. Apparently, I was too busy judging the color scheme in the room to hear the water running.
I shake my head and focus on getting dressed before I’m forced to deal with the man that’s at the top of my shit list.
Of course, in his typical Leo fashion, the door swings open right as I drop the sheet. I scramble to cover myself up, and he chuckles as he leans against the door frame, still damp from his shower and wearing nothing but a towel.
“No need to cover up,” he says, a wicked smile perched on his lips. “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
I narrow my eyes and reach for a clever rebuttal, but then my gaze drops to his firm and glistening torso.
I bite the inside of my cheek, taking in his broad, olive colored chest. But that’s not the part that pulls me in—the surprising collection of ink on his chest does.
It’s so out of character for a man like him.
“If you keep eye fucking me like that, we’re going to have a repeat of our little session at the gym yesterday,” he growls, pushing off from the door and walking closer.
I shake my head and push my hormones back into the Pandora’s Box they slipped out of. “Did you undress me last night?”
He stops, my words thankfully cooling off his pursuit. “Like I said, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
“That’s not the point. I—” And then my eyes land on the crumpled area of bedding right next to where I was laying. “We slept together? Oh, God, you didn’t—we didn’t—"
“Relax,” Leo replies boredly and walks toward a dresser. “Nothing happened. But when it does, you’ll be fully conscious and barely able to walk the next day.”
I groan, throwing my sheet to the ground before angrily thrusting on my clothes. I keep my focus pointed away from the unfairly attractive man to my right until I hear a whoosh fill the air and my body goes still.
Don’t look.
Don’t look.
Don’t look.
And then my traitorous eyes betray me, and I’m greeted with a toned ass that looks solid enough to bounce a quarter off.
He chuckles, and I know I’ve been caught…again.
Why do I have to be attracted to the devil’s spawn?
I sigh and pull on my jacket. “I’m leaving,” I announce, walking past him. Before I can make it to the door, his hand shoots out and grabs me, pulling my body into his chest.
Thankfully, Leo had the decency to put on pants, but his torso is still completely bare and just as firm as I thought it would be.
“Let me go, asshole,” I seethe, replacing my apparent sexual frustration with another, more digestible kind.
“You can’t go back to your place,” he says, his eyes searching mine as I try to ignore the dark scents of oak and citrus pulling me in. I stumble forward and catch myself, placing both palms against his smooth chest.
I take a deep breath and look up, ignoring the fact that his lips are close to mine. So close that I contemplate leaning in just to see if he’ll meet me halfway.
Wiping that thought from my mind, I say, “And why not? You’ve already tricked me into crawling into your bed, and I can promise you, it won’t happen again.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he whispers, his hot breath curling around my chin like invisible smoke. “As much as I enjoy having you here, I can’t let you go back to your place because someone broke in last night.”
His words instantly cool the mood, so I step away without any resistance on his part. “What? How do you know?” I ask, panic sinking in. “And if you tell me you put cameras in there, I swear to—”
“I’m going to have to stop you there,” Leo says, grabbing a freshly pressed white shirt and dragging it on. “I had Michael do a drive-by this morning, and he found your door busted open.”
“Do you think it was Caruso’s men?” I ask, crossing my arms. “Fuck, do you think he knows who I am?”
Leo shakes his head, grabbing a tie and snaking it around his collar. He expertly folds the fabric over until he gets a perfect knot within seconds. I’m not going to lie…it is kind of sexy.
“I don’t know, but I’m going over there to see if we can figure it out. You’re going to stay here until I get some answers.”
“Like hell I am,” I shout, stomping my foot. “I’m going with you.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Leo says, the playful crease of his lips nowhere to be found. “I won’t let you get hurt.”
It’s not like he hasn’t made similar comments before, but today it feels different.
“I’ll stay with you the entire time,” I offer. “But I have to meet Keith at the station later, so let’s make it snappy.”
Leo narrows his gaze and takes a step forward, engulfing me in his warmth once again. He reaches out and grips my chin, making a very unladylike and non-badass squeal slip from my lips. “I said you’re staying here. What don’t you get about that?”
I slap away his hand and step back, jutting out my finger. “What don’t you get about me not taking orders from you. And don’t play the blackmail card. I’m over it.”
His jaw tightens, but he keeps his distance. “Whoever did it might still be watching the place. It’s too risky.”
“Well, it’s a good thing I have you,” I answer, batting my eyelashes. “If you’re so confident I’m safe with you, then prove it.”
We stand there staring at each other. No one says anything until Leo finally lets out an exasperated breath.
“Fine,” he grunts. “You can come with me, but if you try to pull your disappearing bullshit, then I’ll personally hunt you down and tie you up to that chair in the corner,” he says, pointing to the infamous cuck chair.
I don’t know why excitement stirs inside me, but I smile and cock an eyebrow. “Promise?”
Leo lets out a low chuckle under his breath. “Careful what you suggest, Emilia. If I ever tie you up, I can promise I’m not letting go.”