Chapter Nine Jennifer
Chapter Nine
Jennifer
“So…” he starts, “I’ll show you where you’ll stay for tonight.”
“For now,” I add, but he doesn’t seem amused by my words. It doesn’t surprise me, though. He wants us to stay.
Something which isn’t in my plans. It seriously throws me off guard.
He walks straight past me and Mary, heading in another direction this time. I have no idea how big this house is, but it’s big enough to have more than three families living here, including my daughter and me.
Mary stays quiet as we follow Daniel, her eyes wandering everywhere.
The house seems normal for the most part. I couldn’t even tell that there’s a mafia boss living here if I wouldn’t have known beforehand, but the decorations, the paintings on the walls, and the expensive furniture make it clear this house belongs to rich people. And, in fact, it does.
“I told Vicky to get you two some food. I’m sure our chef already prepared something,” he explains. “Also, in the future, we’ll all eat together in the dining hall. You know, breakfast, lunch, dinner… You can eat with us.”
I nod, although he can’t see it anyway. The dining hall is huge. In a normal family, I’d expect them to host family dinners.
I kind of doubt they would do that, though.
Vicky and Daniel’s mom seemed nice, especially when talking to Mary. So I’m guessing the women in this house show their feelings.
“There you go, you can stay in this room for the night.” I thank him quietly as he opens the door and leads us inside.
He explains further, “I didn’t have the chance to have someone prepare a room for you two yet. But I was thinking…” Silence fills the small bedroom for a moment.
The only sound audible comes from Mary as she shifts from one foot to another. She can never stay still for long, but I’m used to that. She’s the energetic type of kid.
“For tonight, the both of you stay here. But in the future, Mary, you could stay in a room with my nephew?” he smiles at her again. Like before, his smile is genuine and sweet.
Fuck, he looks at her like a proud dad… A dad she never had. I don’t know if it excites me, worries me, or breaks my heart. Perhaps it’s all the above. Or maybe I’m just having PMS.
Mary nods excitedly and looks up at me. “Mommy, please, can I—”
“Of course, you can.” I agree immediately. That is, if Daniel’s nephew is around the same age, and if he’s nice to her.
And the most important part—if she’s safe there. It’s my only condition. She’s allowed to do anything as long as she’s safe.
Daniel smiles at us. His eyes move towards me, and I can feel him observing my body.
“Well, then. Get settled and take a shower if needed. The bathroom is right there,” he explains, “There are a few clothes on the bed that you can sleep in.”
“What about our other things?” I ask. I didn’t provide for my daughter just so he could take us somewhere without our things and act like some rich asshole who buys anything he wants within moments.
“I’ll make sure to have them here by tomorrow morning. I just—”
“You need our address, I get that,” I sigh.
“Nope, already got that,” he replies with a subtle nod.
Now, what? How did he even…
I push the thought away for now, knowing exactly what I’d do the second I find out how he managed to get my address.
I’ll gladly be mad at him and call him a dirty, nasty asshole for finding my information like that—but not in front of my daughter. Not now. My girl shouldn’t hear these words.
“Okay, fine then.” I nod.
“Get ready for bed, girls,” he firmly says. “You both had a long day. Especially you,” he looks at me.
His eyes wander towards my body once more, making me feel… weird. Watched? Desired? Scared?
For fuck’s sake, I can’t even tell. It doesn’t even make me feel bad, which is exactly the weird part which makes me worry. It’s more like it turns me on. But fuck, I’m just straight-up confused and sleep-deprived.
Or perhaps, I am ovulating.
How dare you even think of him like that, brain? I keep trying my best to stop my thoughts, but I can’t help it.
He’s hot, let’s face it. Shoulder-length dark, curly hair, brown eyes, a subtle beard… If I hadn’t met him standing in front of a dying man, maybe I’d ask him out on a date. But this is different. He’s dangerous.
Dangerously attractive.
He bites his lower lip softly while his eyes stay focused on my chest. And while he thinks I may not notice, I do… Fuck. This isn’t good.
“Do you have a bathtub?” Mary’s voice suddenly startles both of us, immediately killing off any sexual tension which has been building between us.
Fuck. I can’t think of him like that. Not after what happened this morning.
“Uh, I actually do, yes…” Daniel mumbles, his mind probably filled with filthy thoughts.
“You can use it as many times as you want, towels are in the bathroom,” are the last words he says before he leaves the bedroom in a hurry and leaves us alone.
While my daughter gets all excited about the cute Bluey pajamas she borrowed from Daniel’s nephew and the fact that she can use the bathtub, I sigh.
Fuck. Whatever just happened to me, whatever was wrong with me to even begin thinking about him on top of me—it should never happen again. He might be attractive and just my type, but it can’t be him.
The only reason he’s attractive to me is because I haven’t had any male attention for years now. At least, that is what I tell myself.
If I believe myself? More or less. But if it’s the truth, I’ll find out about it soon. Let’s hope it’s just some harmless physical attraction.
“Can you help me, mommy?” she asks with those big, adorable eyes. All filthy thoughts immediately wash from my mind, I smile at her and help her undress before we both go into the bathroom with all the things Daniel provided for us.
I’m just glad that he at least acts like a nice guy. I don’t know much about the mafia, but I’d guess not all of them are as nice as he is.
And, about Daniel… For some reason, I want to find out more about his true personality. That cold mafia boss aura he had this morning changing into that proud dad look? I know there’s more behind that.
God, he can’t do this to my brain.
I’m supposed to be worried. Scared. Not attracted at all. Not… Whatever it is that I’m feeling whenever he watches every curve of my body.