He loved me. The words had rolled out of his filthy mouth with no trouble, with no hesitation. Payton had been absolutely right. I loved Joseph, mistakes and all.
“I love you, too,” I said. “Even if you pay too much for a ridiculous status symbol.”
His thumb brushed on my cheek as he leaned in, then froze. “I want to kiss you, but I should remind you I have mono.”
A smile broke on my face. “I don’t fucking care.”
His lips met mine, urgent and desperate. I gasped against his kiss, my body sighing with relief to have him back. He was okay. He was kissing me, and I could not get enough. Sparks showered down from his mouth pressed against mine, claiming me as his.
“Such language,” he whispered.
“You’re a terrible influence on me.”
His expression said he wasn’t sorry about that. “I won’t keep anything from you again. Do you forgive me, baby girl?”
My hands slipped into his hair, tugging
him back to me. “You know I can’t say no. You’ve got me addicted.”
“We’re both addicted, and I plan to keep it that way. Now get in my fucking bed so I can sleep with you.”
Whether he meant sex or just sleeping didn’t matter. I followed his order gladly.
FOUR MONTHS LATER
JOSEPH
This was going to be the most awkward dinner of my life.
Eight months ago I would have sold my Porsche for the opportunity to have dinner with Anthony Rosso. Now I wished he wasn’t here. His glare from across the table wordlessly repeated, “You will never be good enough for my daughter.”
Yeah, I was aware. But she loved me anyway.
Noemi had forgiven me, both my big and little mistakes. Each day we were together was another day she chose to be in defiance of her father. She shrugged off his hypocritical judgment, and it was impressive.
Rosso glanced at his phone on the tabletop, and a hint of excitement glinted in his eyes. “She’s here.”
We rose as Claudia made her way through the restaurant to the table, a bright smile on her lips. Like all the women who had worked for me, she was young and beautiful. As she planted a kiss on Rosso’s cheek, I wondered who around us at the restaurant instantly labeled her a gold-digger based on the age difference and the fact that he was the richest man in Chicago.
They’d be wrong, though. Claudia had plenty of money. Not just his, from their time together at the club, but from her day job as an attorney. She’d been a junior assistant at the corporate law firm I often used when I discovered her years ago.
“This is my daughter, Noemi,” Rosso said.
Claudia extended a hand across the table and shook Noemi’s. “Claudia. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Noemi had a pleasant look on her face. I could tell she felt awkward, but she did a great job masking it. “Yeah, you, too.”
Rosso wouldn’t introduce me. Not because Claudia and I already knew each other, he wouldn’t do it because it would require him to acknowledge my presence, or my attachment to his daughter.
“Hey, Joseph.” Claudia’s tone was light and casual.
“Good to see you.”
She turned to Rosso. “Did you order some wine, Tony?”
He nodded and held out her chair, which she slipped into. Once we were all seated, tension gripped the table. It wasn’t just uncomfortable, it was fucking painful.
“What a relief,” Claudia said abruptly. “I was worried this was going to be horribly awkward.”