I narrow my eyes at her and she looks suitably ashamed. “Why did you do that?” I hiss.
“I was high,” she hisses back. “And stupid.”
I give her a warning look and unmute the phone.
“She says she told some of her friends about them. So it could be any number of people.”
He curses again. “That daughter of mine,” he mutters. “It was a mistake, Enzo. I thought I could give her some freedom. She’s had a guard beside her her whole life. I thought I could set her up next door, let her be protected at a distance.”
I know where this is going. And even though I agree with him, even though there’s no fucking way I’ll let her out of my presence after this, I dread what he’s going to say next.
“Send her home,” he says.
That was not what I was expecting.
“Send her home?”
“No,” Mia breathes, her eyes wide. She’s on her feet. “Give me the phone!”
I shake my head at her.
“Are you sure that’s wise, Piero? She just started class.”
“And someone wants to hurt her!”
“I’ll keep her with me. I’ll keep her by my side at all times.”
Her beautiful eyes widen even further and she covers her mouth. Piero mutters to himself.
“Porca miseria. I want her safe, Enzo. Cared for. Protected.”
I hold her gaze as I respond, “We both want that, sir.” I repeat it for her benefit. “For her to be safe, cared for, and protected.”
Her eyes soften. She reaches for my hands and entwines my fingers with hers. I bring our folded hands to my lips and kiss them.
“I’ll compromise. Yes. This one time, I’ll compromise,” he says. “She can stay, but only if you keep her with you. By your side. You tell Mia she will stay in your apartment in the spare bedroom until further notice. I want you under the same roof, so I know she’s safe.”
It’s exactly what I want and exactly what will kill me. My body tightens as I hear the order.
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you, Enzo. I owe you much, my friend, for doing this.”
If he had any fucking idea.
“Put Mia on the line, Enzo.”
“Yes, sir.”
I mute the call. “He wants to talk to you.”
She nods. “What did he say?” she asks in a little voice. “Do I have to go back?”
I shake my head. “No, cara. He wants you here with me.”
She blinks, then flushes pink. Swallowing hard, she takes the phone. “Papa.”
My mind spins as she talks to him. I can do this. Christ, of course I can. I can keep her here and take care of her. Watch over her. I’ll make her report to me and give her the structure she needs, the discipline and attention.
I just can’t fuck her. Period. End of story. Full stop.
A few minutes later, she hangs up the phone and gives me a sheepish smile.
“Papa’s orders.”
I groan. “The Don has spoken.”
For some reason, she’s amused by that. She starts with a nervous giggle, then covers her mouth and her shoulders shake. She bursts out laughing as if she’s held it in all day and only now gets the release she needs. The next thing I know, she’s lying on the couch, her arms above her head, laughing so hard tears stream down her cheeks.
“Not that funny,” I mutter.
“But it is,” she sputters. “‘The don has spoken,’ like he’s issued a death sentence when you fucking know we can have a lot of fun with this.”
I growl. “There will be no fun. No fun at all.”
She howls with laughter. “No laughing. No joy. And definitely no sex.”
“Fuck, woman,” I growl, then the next thing I know, I’ve got her wrapped up in my arm. Mia’s safe. She’s safe, and she’s with me.
Mia Russo is mine.
“No fucking,” I say, this time with mock sternness. “And this is as close as we get.”
“Right,” she says, “got it.”
“You’ll be fully clothed, at all times.”
“Even showering? Okay.”
I give her a playful smack on the ass.
She groans, “Okay, so, no smacking my ass.”
“Yeah, no, that isn’t a rule. I’ll still put you right over my knee when you’re a naughty little girl in need of a spanking.”
She frowns. “And how does that work? Platonic discipline?”
“Um. Yes. Or something.”
“So you can spank me, even though it turns me on, but we can’t go beyond that.”
“No getting turned on if I spank you. Better yet, behave yourself and don’t earn the spanking.”
“Are you serious?”
For the first time all day, I grin at her. “No.”
I can’t have it both ways, I know that now. We’re too into each other, too deeply attracted. I can keep her safe from whatever danger lurks out there. I’ll keep her by my side, under my watchful care.
But I can’t keep her safe from me.Chapter 11Mia
I’m giving Enzo another chance. Second chances don’t come along very often in my world. So far, three days in, it's paying off. I've been going to classes and doing my homework like a good girl and staying with Enzo in his apartment. Not in his bed though, that's too risky, he says. He's probably right.