Devil You Know (The Diavolo Crime Family 2)

Soo blinks, his only reaction to my statement. Celia goes rigid in my arms, as if she’s holding her breath.

When Soo turns and heads toward the garage, I call out, “Also, maybe make sure he knows he’s not to go after Ricci on his own. It’ll get him killed. You and I both know he’s not ready to face him, and if he tries, his emotions will ensure he ends up dead.”

After Soo leaves, I focus on Celia again. “See, I can be reasonable when the request is reasonable, and the requestor is as beautiful as you are.”

A soft blush washes into her cheeks. Instead of saying anything, she rocks up onto her tiptoes and presses her lips gently to mine. It’s barely a kiss—more of a wish than a promise.

But I don’t let her escape now that I’ve got her in my arms, warm and willing. “Let’s go upstairs.”

“For what?” she asks, all mock innocence.

I lean down and capture her mouth, demanding entrance with my tongue and then taking everything she gives me. When I allow her to come up for air, she stares at me, all heavy-lidded and pink. “Because our date isn’t over until I’ve sunk deep inside you.”

12

Celia

I don’t give myself time to rethink my plan as I stare at my reflection in the mirror. After I got up for the day and ate breakfast, I came back to the bedroom. I haven’t been able to think of it as our bedroom yet, but I have an entire side of the closet and even a designated side of the bed.

Now, I’m standing in the bathroom wearing a little pink sundress. I’d found it in my closet the other day. Nic’s finally been giving me clothes. He won’t let me buy any myself, but at least he lets me pick from whatever he wants me to wear.

This soft dress, with spaghetti straps, hugs my body tightly, the bodice molding to my torso and then expanding to a full skirt that makes my waist look tiny.

If there’s any dress to entice a man to give me what I want, this one would be it. I give my hair one last smoothing over my shoulder, and I take a deep breath to center myself. What’s the worst thing that can happen? He says no, again?

I walk out of the room and head toward his office. When I poke my head in the door, he’s alone at his desk, writing in his ledger.

“You can come in,” he says before I even make a sound. Of course, he’d catch me lingering at his door, acting like a weirdo.

I give him a smile as I enter, walking slowly so he can look at me in the dress. His gaze tracks from my head, slowly over my breasts and down to my bare feet.

“You look beautiful. Did you come in here just to show me that dress? Because I could get used to this.”

I shake my head. “No, I came to ask you a favor.”

He shifts forward at his desk and studies me differently. “What do you need?”

While I walk toward him, I run over the script I made in my mind. Words I’d lined up neatly are scattered under the heated look he gives me. “Well, I want to talk to Lucas.”

Immediately, he says, “No.” Without even thinking about it.

“But you haven’t even listened to why I want to speak to him.”

He drops his gaze back to his work, and it feels like a dismissal. More than that, it grates on me. How can he look at me the way he did and then just stop?

“I don’t need to listen because I’ve already made my decision. Not only has he betrayed my trust, but I also don’t know that you will be safe with him, and I can’t risk it.”

I approach him, stopping at the corner of his desk. “But what if you came with me? You could make sure I’m safe, and you could monitor everything he says and does.”

Again, he shakes his head. “No. I’ve made my decision. You’re not seeing him, not until I’ve calmed down some from his actions, and until he shows a little remorse for what he did to you and to me.”

I scoff, my anger rising. Not only because he is completely ignoring me now, but because he’s still trying to control me. “That’s rich. You are talking of remorse. What did he do to you, may I ask? You weren’t the one who got smacked in the head, knocked out, and dragged halfway across the city.”

He settles back in his chair, finally turning his gaze to mine again. “He skipped out on his responsibilities to our business, and he stole my property, which cost me millions and several clients.”

“Property,” I whisper.

“I’ve made it very clear that you belong to me.”