37. Chapter 37
Jasmine
Would mattress shopping be a million times more fun if Dario were with me? Absolutely, but then I wouldn’t have been able to stop at the store that sells plus-sized lingerie, so I could pick up a little something to show appreciation for allowing me to stay with him last night.
Is that even something that warrants a thank you?
Are Dario and I together now? Should I expect the two of us to be staying the night at each other’s places?
There’s nobody else I want to share my body or my days with, but I know he has a history with women and wonder if now that he’s had me in his bed, will he mark me off as a completed conquest and move on to the next girl?
I remember the way he looked down at me this morning as he slid his cock inside me, deep and full of passion, as though he was claiming me. A smile pulls at my lips, knowing things feel different between us than with anyone from my past. Hopefully, Dario feels that, too.
My body tenses as a chime alerts the entire store to my presence. Multiple pairs of eyes land on me as I walk through the door, and I feel like I’m the fat girl changing after gym class in a sea of ideal bodies all over again. A petite woman comes up to me with a smile on her face.
“Good morning. Welcome to Belle Noir. How may I help you today?”
I swallow down my nerves and hold my chin slightly higher, reminding myself that I’m confident in my curves. “Hi, I was told I might find something in my size here.”
The tiny brunette beams at me. “We absolutely do! We proudly carry the Arabella Reign collection, which is inclusive of all sizes. I am certain we will be able to find not only something that fits, but something that will make you feel sexy and confident.”
I smile at her and nod, knowing that’s exactly what I’m seeking out.
After setting me up in a fitting room, the woman I’ve come to know as Grace steps away and allows me to change.
It’s clear she loves her job, with the way she gave me the backstory of how an actual princess designs the gorgeous lingerie I’m about to try on, and the way she held fabric up to my face, declaring whether it would make me glow or mute my tones.
Once undressed, I reach out for the first piece, a royal blue, lacy one-piece.
When I glance at myself in the mirror, I don’t immediately cover my stomach as I’ve come to do for many years.
My eyes don’t fixate on the flab under my arms. I see the beauty in my curves.
I smile at how the fabric captures every feature perfectly.
I see myself the way I know Dario sees me.
After trying on the remaining pieces and getting help from Grace for a strappy number I didn’t even know how to put on, I narrowed things down and left with a bag bursting with clothes I never imagined myself wearing but am eager to put on.
Smiling at the driver Dario insisted I use today, I nod as he holds the door open for me to the black, armored vehicle. I don’t know that I’ll ever get used to the lifestyle Dario has provided this week, but there’s a sense of serenity in the security he gives me.
When I first met Dario, I knew he would be trouble. There was no doubt he was the most handsome man I’d ever met, but that wicked grin of his had fuckboy written all over it. Then he opened his mouth, and things got exponentially worse.
Slowly, my defenses crumbled as Dario showed me his protective side. The way he always seemed to be exactly where I needed him or always knew to say exactly what I needed to hear was something I didn’t realize I craved.
And speaking of cravings, it’s embarrassing how much I want the man. His devilish tongue makes me weak, and now that I’ve given in to him, there’s not a day that goes by that he isn’t licking, sucking, or fucking me.
I shake out all the naughty thoughts creeping inside my head, and as I do, my eyes land on a mattress store a few doors down.
While I have thoroughly enjoyed living the life of luxury Dario has provided me with this past week, I know returning to my place is inevitable.
It’s been a week since I found Todd in my condo, and while he still somehow manages to evade the Caruso family, I know they will find him eventually, and I’ll be forced to return home.
And if I’m leaving the incredible bed where Dario has been doing unspeakable things to me, then there’s no way I’m not upgrading that fucking awful mattress that came with my place.
Placing the bags into the back of the vehicle, I turn to the driver, Tank, who I’m pretty sure is actually on Dario’s security detail. This man is huge. “Hey Tank, I need to stop by one more store. It’s only a few doors down, so I’ll walk. I shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”
The man gives me a nod but doesn’t speak. It makes me wonder if he and Luca are friends. The two could grumpily sit there grunting at one another in conversation. With that thought, I smile to myself and make my way down the sidewalk.
Pushing my way through the creaky door, I enter Matarazzo Mattresses. I would have expected the smell of fresh cotton to fill my senses as I step inside, but instead, the air is sterile.
The overhead fixtures hum incessantly, giving off a harsh glare, reflecting off the several mattresses in the showroom that are still cocooned in cloudy plastic. It’s the only noise in the space, save for an air conditioning unit trying to combat the harsh heat outside.
Scanning over the space, I note I’m the only one inside.
There isn’t even a single employee in sight among the row of beds lined up in military precision.
I’m disheartened as I see each one has a tiny easel with a sign that says “do not sit.” How am I supposed to find a mattress that works for me if I’m not allowed to test it out?
I circle the store before I make my way back to the exit, a sense of foreboding washing over me with each step. As I reach the door, a deep voice calls out.
“Hi there. Is there anything I can help you with today?”
“Oh, I’m just looking, thanks,” I call from over my shoulder.
“You should hear about the specials we have going on.” The man who must have been hiding in the shadows, because I could have sworn I was the only one in this place, says. He is now directly beside me, and I’m clutching my chest because holy shit, where did he come from?
I plaster a fake smile on my face and shake my head. “That’s okay. I’m only looking today.”
The man cocks his head, studying me. He’s wearing a black tracksuit that hangs off his lanky frame. My eyes cut down to the combat boots he’s wearing—how did he manage to sneak up on me with those on his feet? More importantly, who wears boots with a tracksuit?
“Do I know you?” he asks, taking another step in my direction.
My gaze glides back up his pencil-thin body, noting his brown eyes and sallow cheeks, along with the thin, scarce mustache hovering over his upper lip. “I don’t think so.”
I take another step toward the door and track how he moves with me. “Are you sure? I could have sworn I’ve seen you somewhere before.”
His question has me on edge, but I think back to the name of the store and realize he’s Italian. Perhaps he’s part of Dario’s family? A distant cousin, maybe? Like one that is bred with weasels or something?
“Umm, I don’t think so,” I repeat and take another step, making my way to the door.
The man steps in front of me, blocking the exit. “I guess you just have one of those faces, you know?”
I give him another fake smile, small this time, and attempt to step around him, but he moves with me.
“I take it you came in looking for a mattress?” he asks, continuing when I don’t answer.
“I don’t tell everyone this, but we have an overstock room in the back where we put our heavily discounted ones. ”
My eyes look out the window in search of the man who was positioned as my driver today but looks more like a bodyguard. He’s leaned up against the car, scrolling on his phone. I try to get him to look up at me, attempting to use telekinetic powers I don’t possess.
“You can even test the ones in that room out,” the man continues, and this time I look at him. He shrugs. “Our boss doesn’t like the kids coming in and jumping all over the beds in here.”
“Perhaps another day.” I take another step toward the door, masking the groan I nearly make with the clearing of my throat as the man continues to follow me.
He touches my shoulder, causing me to jump. “Shit, sorry. I’m not trying to come on too strong or scare you. It’s just…” He blows out a breath. “I could really use the commission. The truth is, I’m kind of in a bad way, and it’s all my fault, but, well, you’d really be helping me out.”
I sigh and glance at my phone to check the time, finding a message from Dario.
Dario
Where are you?
“I’m sorry, but I really need to go,” I say as I look back up at the man blocking my exit.
The man reaches behind him and pulls something from his back. “Actually, Jasmine Baker,” he says as he digs a gun into my side. “I think you need to stay.”