Yes, Daddy (Love, Daddy 6)

“Uh-huh.” She rolls her eyes as she chews, and I fail to restrain the smile that curves my lips. She swallows then goes on. “So, what exactly happened last night? How did you end up getting hit?”

My mood darkens, remembering where I was and why. “I had an interview for a job.”

“Cool. Where?”

“It was with this guy, Salvatore. The fact that he didn’t give me a last name should have tipped me off. Nadine from work gave me his number, so I called, and he said to come down for an interview last night. As soon as I got there, it felt off. It was this old warehouse. The job was supposed to be as a hostess for some club, so I thought maybe they just don’t do interviews there, or maybe it’s some trendy basement club or something, but...”

“What?”

“It wasn’t. And it wasn’t the kind of club I thought it would be, either. As soon as he started talking, I knew I wasn’t what they wanted. And the interview turned into more of a tryout for what I think was the real job.” I raise my eyebrows, hoping she will catch on. “It was being a special sort of hostess.”

“No shit. Like he wanted you to do something?”

“Yeah, he told me about this private club, the pay would be great. Then he asked if I was ‘experienced.’ Said if I was a virgin, the pay would be a lot more. Before I could figure out how to get out of there, he had unzipped his pants and told me to show him how much I needed the job.”

“God damn. I’m so sorry, Esme. Fucking men.” She shakes her head with a disgusted look on her face.

I shrug. “It’s okay. I should have punched him in the face, but there were about six other guys in the office when I walked through, so all I could think of was to run. So, I ran. Out the door, down the street through the rain, and with all that thunder and lightning and being in this crazy panic, I thought I could make it across the street, but I tripped and fell straight into Vito’s car.”

“Wow. Enter the white knight on his trusty steed, racing in to save the day.”

I feel my heart thumping at the memory of Vito kneeling and picking me up off the pavement. How he looked at me like a precious broken doll, then did everything he could to put me back together.

For his size and manner, he was so gentle. He felt fatherly almost, but with this underlying gritty sexiness unlike anything I’ve imagined before.

I shiver, thinking of each time he touched me, oddly entitled. I should have been furious, but I was more flattered. He took control of me in a way, and I hate to admit how much I liked it. I barely know him, but I feel as though there is this unreasonable connection between us that has its hooks already sinking into me.

Just thinking of him has my pulse racing and heat coursing through my veins. We barely know each other, and to most I’m sure he’s frightening. But all I feel is this sense that somehow he’s here just for me.

Whatever is going on, I’m craving more. Thoughts I’ve never had about a man or boy before careen around in my mind. Vito is big, and for the first time in my life, I am wondering if he is big all over.

Karen interrupts, cock-blocking my dirty thoughts. “So, we know Vito is the hero of this story. But all we know about the asshole is that he’s Salvatore? Are you sure you didn’t walk into an episode of The Sopranos last night?”

I shrug. “Coincidence.”

“And someone at work referred you to him?”

“Yeah, Nadine. She’s a paralegal. She asked me what was wrong Friday, and I don’t know, I just spilled. About Mom, Dad, the bills, everything. She’s always been nice to me, and she seemed to really care, said a friend of hers knew someone with a club that was hiring evening staff, good money. I can’t imagine she knows what it was really about. I mean, she works for the DA...”

“Weird. Like, 'something smells funny' weird.”

I shrug, the dark cloud over me returning. “Back to square one.”

Karen and I finish our food and put on a movie. I’m still tired, and I lay my head on the arm of the sofa.

“Here.” Karen reaches to grab the crocheted afghan from behind her on the sofa and throws it over me. “Take a little nap. How’s your head feel?”

“Fine,” I answer, my eyelids already drooping. “It feels fine.” I let them close, and visions of what Vito might be packing under that suit lull me into a lust-filled sleep.

4

Vito

“FUCK.” I LOOK DOWN at my phone and see there still isn’t a message from Esme.