Possessive Boss

“I know you hoped he’d give up on this.”

“He made his decision.” He gives me a long look. “But he said something else that was strange.”

“Yeah?”

“He knows that Aimee saw us kissing.”

I go totally still. “What?”

“She told him. I guess she likes to talk.”

“Is that… a problem?”

“Yes,” I admit. “It could be. If he starts a rumor about the two of us, that could be bad. Not just for this investigation, but for the company.”

“What do we do?”

“Nothing,” he says and walks into my living room. He looks down at my coffee table and sits on the edge of the couch. “Unless you want me to leave and never look back.”

“No,” I say, following him. I hover for a second before sitting down next to him. I’m suddenly really aware of my shabby apartment, all my inexpensive furniture, all my secondhand art. His expensive suit makes everything pale in comparison.

“Because you need me for this investigation.”

“No, because I just… want you.”

He tilts his head slightly and half turns to me. He puts his glass down and runs a hand along my cheek before lacing his fingers in my hair. “You sure about that?” he asks. “I’m a dangerous man, you know.”

“I know.” I stare into his eyes. He tightens his grip. “I think I like that.”

He laughs softly. “If Darin knows about us, other people know. And apparently that Carmine man doesn’t like you.”

I laugh. “Really?”

“Really.” He releases my grip. “It’s not a good thing. That a gangster knows your face. I never should’ve taken you.”

“You didn’t know they were gangsters. You weren’t sure.”

“I knew,” he says, his voice low.

“And I knew too. I chose to go there. I wanted to be there.”

“Doesn’t change a thing.”

“It changes a lot.” I glare at him for a second. “I have agency, you know. I can make my own choices.”

He looks mildly startled. “I know.”

I stand up and move away from him. “You don’t have to protect me.”

That seems to get to him. “I’m not. I’m… I’m trying to protect you and Darin and myself. I’m trying to protect everyone.”

“You don’t need to add me to that list.”

He stands and moves toward me. “Why are you so sure about that?”

“Because.”

I back away as he approaches. I run up against the wall and he pins me there, grabbing a wrist and lifting it above my head. The other hand laces into my hair again, this time tighter.

“Because you think this won’t get back to you. That this is all numbers.”

“No, I mean—”

“Your bosses won’t save you if things go wrong, you know that, right?”

“They will. I mean, they would.”

He laughs softly. I stare into his eyes, feeling so taken, so controlled, and loving every second of it. My heart’s racing and he’s so strong, so gorgeous.

“You’re vulnerable.”

“You are too. You haven’t dealt with the mob before.”

His hand tightens on my wrist, the other pulls my hair harder. His lips graze my throat. “Please, little Valerie. You know I can handle myself.”

“Against mobsters?”

“Against anyone. You know what my family name means. And if you don’t, you’ll learn.”

“Jacob—”

He kisses me then, kisses me hard. I moan into his kiss and realize that I’d been waiting for that kiss for too long. I sink into him and kiss him hard, tasting him, needing it so badly. The kiss lingers, lips floating against mine before he looks into my eyes.

“You have the account,” he says. “I convinced Darin to let you take it.”

“Really? I thought… Carmine didn’t like me.”

“He doesn’t. But you’ll do it anyway. Even if Darin knows we kissed, I still convinced him.”

“That’s good.”

He smirks. “Is it? I think it would be better if you were far, far away from all this. You don’t need to be right in the middle.”

“I don’t know. I’m more use to you there.”

“You mean, more use to your bosses?” He releases my hair and moves a hand down my body, down to my blouse. He begins to meticulously unbutton my top with one hand while the other keeps me pinned. “We don’t need to pretend this is all altruism. You’re here because it’s your job to take my partner down. I’m helping you because it’s partly in my best interests to do so. But I don’t like any of it.”

“I know you don’t.”

“Good. And the truth is, little Valerie, I’m doing this for you as well.”

“Why?” I whisper the word. He unbuttons my top and pushes it open, exposing my breasts covered by a black, lacy bra.

“Because I want you.” His eyes move down my skin. “I own you.”

“You don’t … own me.”

“Oh, but I do. Your little act of devotion? You know what that meant.” He kisses my neck, right over my collarbone, and moves down to my breasts. I can’t help but let out a moan. “You’re so fucking gorgeous, my little Valerie. And so delicious.”