The Dictator (Banker 2)

His eyes narrowed. “And then I said yes, and you plotted against me? My answer should have stayed no.” He took a drink from his beer. “Learned my lesson.”

“I just worry about our baby. I don’t know them, but I already love them so much. I just want to do the right thing for them. I don’t want them to grow up in the same situation I did. I don’t want them to be scarred by greed and corruption. All I’ve ever wanted was a simple life. Having you as a banker and a crime lord doesn’t fit into that category. I don’t want them to be exposed to that lifestyle. I just…I wanted better for them.”

Cato didn’t seem to take offense to that. He pushed the beer aside and rested his hands together on the surface. “There’s nothing I can do about that. That’s their legacy—and we can’t hide it from them either. The best thing we can do is teach them to be smart, grateful, and humble. That’s what parents are for, right?”

He spoke about me like I would be there to teach those life lessons, and that was the biggest relief of all. Maybe this time apart was exactly what Cato needed to get his head on straight, to understand that his threats were vile and unfair.

His eyes trailed over my neck and to the features of my face, like he was taking in my appearance for the first time. “You look so damn beautiful. I’ve seen pictures of you every day, but they don’t do you justice.”

I couldn’t stop the slight smile from spreading across my lips. I couldn’t stop the warmth from entering my heart either. “You look good too.”

“I’ve been working out more than usual…since I had nothing else to do.”

“Well, it shows.” And I couldn’t wait to make a more thorough observation.

He glanced at the stairs at the end of the hallway. “Talk to Landon about everything. I’ll be back to pick you up tomorrow afternoon. Be ready—because I’m taking you with me even if you aren’t.” He rose from the chair.

I walked him to the front door, even though it was only a few steps. “Alright.”

He turned around and faced me, his arms by his sides.

I couldn’t believe I was looking into his face, and I couldn’t believe it was the gentle side I’d missed for so long. It wasn’t the cruel dictator who’d punished me. It wasn’t the tyrant who’d whipped me with his belt. It was the man I adored…the one I hadn’t stopped thinking about. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

His hands moved to my lower back, and he pulled me against his chest before he kissed me. So soft. So gentle. His hand moved into my hair, and he fisted the strands as he kissed me good. It was the same embrace we’d had on our last night together, like we were picking up where we left off.

My hands moved underneath his shirt, and I immediately noticed the difference in his abs. They were even harder than before, hills of steel. I breathed into his mouth and felt my fingers tremble.

He ended the kiss sooner than I wanted and turned away. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Landon asked as he set the box of clothes on the counter.

“Yes.” My relationship with Cato didn’t make a lot of sense. Maybe I was magnetically pulled to him because of the baby we’d made together. Or maybe I would feel this way whether we were having a baby or not.

“Do you even have a choice?”

“I think so. He didn’t seem…like his asshole self.”

“I’ve never met that side of him before.”

“It exists. It’s just…rare.”

Landon continued to watch me, observing me and judging me with his green eyes.

“He said he wouldn’t hurt you. You don’t have to worry about him.”

“I figured. I probably would have been dragged out of bed otherwise.”

“I’m sorry about all of this. The house, everything you bought…”

“It’s not a big deal, Siena. I have a lot of money from the family business. It’s tucked away in various places, so it’s not like this house put me out much. I just wanted something humble so no one would suspect we were here.”

“Well, your plan backfired.”

“How did he find us?”

I shrugged. “He didn’t say. But he said he knew I was here the entire time.”

“Then why didn’t he come get you sooner?”

“I haven’t had the chance to ask him.”

He crossed his arms over his chest then came closer to me. “I’ll sell the house and move back to Florence. France isn’t my cup of tea. The women here are beautiful, but they talk too much.”

“All women talk too much.”

“You don’t.”

“Ask Cato that,” I said with a chuckle.

“So, what’s going to happen now? You’re going to move back in with him, and then what? Is it going to be different?”