Arrogant Prick: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance (8 page)

“He doesn’t have to know.” I hear the sound of a loud engine in the background. Sounds like he’s driving. “I’m about twenty minutes away. Just leave your window open so the alarm doesn’t trip.”

Shit, he’s already on the way. My heart starts thumping in my chest in anticipation. My body’s betraying me, eager for him to drop in on my bedroom, but my brain is screaming that this is a terrible idea.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say. Sarah’s clearly heard what he’s said about coming over, and she’s doing her embarrassing happy jig. She’s got no rhythm. “My house has manned security, alarms and cameras. There’s no way you’ll get in here without being caught.”

“I’ll see you in twenty.” The phone goes dead.

“Fuck, yeah!” Sarah pumps her fist into the air. “Can I stay and watch from the closet? This is going to be like one of those 80s romance movies!”

“Oh my God, you big weirdo!” I rush out of the closet and start cleaning up my room. “No. You have to get out of here before he comes.”

“Aw…” She clasps her hands together and pouts. “Please! I just want to see him…and to verify that his dick is as big as you said it was.”

“You’ll just have to take my word for it.” I pick up her purse and shove it into her arms. “Besides, you don’t want to be here when this whole thing goes south. There’s no way he can sneak into this house without getting caught.” Despite my misgivings, I really hope he can prove otherwise. He did say he was a commando, or something like that.

“Okay, fine.” She pulls me into a hug. “But you’re going to have to give me all the details.”

I squeeze her back. “You know I will.”

“I’m so proud of you.” She smiles and squeezes my cheek. “My baby girl is all grown up.”

“Okay, you really have to go now.” I laugh. “On your way out, just tell Marco I’m not feeling well and I’m going to bed early, okay?”

“Will do. As long as you do all the things I wouldn’t do!” She waves goodbye and blows me a kiss. “
Ciao
.”

I close the door behind her, wishing the damn thing had a lock. I sit down on my chest, listening to the blood pounding in my ear. With Sarah gone, the whole situation crashes down on me. What the hell am I doing, telling him it’s okay for him to come here?

He didn’t even ask, he just said he’s coming. I should have told him no. What, am I supposed to just hope that Marco doesn’t decide to come upstairs to randomly check on me? At least I don’t have to worry about my mom walking in on me.

I check the time on my phone, which I'm still clutching tightly. He should be here in fifteen minutes. Just enough time to find something better to wear. I unlock my windows, pressing the small buttons on the side of the frame so the alarms don’t trip. I wonder how he knew about those, but I don’t think on it much as I rush into my closet looking for something to wear. I should have asked Sarah to stay long enough to help me pick out an outfit. I’m the more business-minded of us, but she really knows her clothes.

I end up settling on a light summer dress and a pair of silver ballet slippers. I’m feeling a little self-conscious about my toes, and I don’t have enough time to reapply nail polish.

Time must have gone by faster than I’d thought because next thing I know, I hear a light knock on the windowsill to my bedroom. I rush to the window and lean down to find Gio grinning back up at me.

“I can’t believe you made it without getting caught!” The yard is totally empty. No guards rushing after him. No one’s noticed a thing.

He lifts himself up onto the windowsill and swings his legs around. “Is this a shoe-free household?”

I can’t help but laugh at how ridiculous this situation is. I’m breaking the most important rules of living under this roof, and he’s asking me if he should take off his shoes.

“That’s probably a good idea.” He’s wearing red leather boots with sturdy looking soles. “I don’t want to have to explain any extra-large boot tracks left on my carpet.”

He nods and unties his boots, then drops down onto the carpet in his brown wool socks, and flexes his toes into the plush carpet.

“This is good carpet.” He takes me by the hand and pulls me into his chest. “Totally worth taking off my shoes.”

His lips press against mine in a too short kiss. I’d be lying to myself if I said I’d mind him throwing me down on my bed and taking me right now. Just being next to his body after a week apart is setting my loins on fire.

I look up into his intense gray eyes. “How did you make it through the tree line and the yard without getting caught?”

“It’s what I do.” There’s no braggadocio in his voice. He says that like it’s just a matter of fact. “There’s no security system that’ll keep me away from you.”

Those words send a shiver up my spine. Him being here tells me he’s right, but it reminds me how little I really know about him. He never told me who he was looking for when he first came to Hush, and a part of me tells me that I wouldn’t like his answer.

I poke my head out of the window to take one last look to make sure no one saw him coming. Finally satisfied, I pull my head back and close the window.

“Your camera systems have a few blind spots.” He lays his backpack against the wall and slides his boots under the bed. “If you’re patient and can figure out the timing, you can make it through the yard without being seen.”

“That’s very impressive.” Given what’s happened lately, it’s actually a bit worrying. I wonder if I should tell my dad about the flaws with our security system. But how would I do that without making him suspicious?

“If you want, I can show you where they are. That way you can come and go without being seen.” He smiles playfully as he unzips the backpack and pulls out a rectangular pine box.

“Why would I want to do that?”

He opens the box and inside is a bottle of red wine and two wine glasses cradled in the cloth-covered box.

“I know this spot nearby.” He pulls a bottle opener from the case and pulls the cork out of the bottle with a pop. “You can drive up on this clearing above the tree line, lie back on a blanket and just watch the sky.”

“That sounds really nice.” I check outside the door to make sure no one's out there, close it again and turn up the music just a bit.

Gio’s eyes follow me with a small smile on his face. I feel my blood rush to my face realizing how childish this must all look to him. He has to sneak into my room by climbing in from my yard. I’m checking outside my door to make sure no one’s spying on me. I have to turn up the music so no one can hear me talk.

These are things a grown woman shouldn’t have to deal with. Part of the privilege of being the daughter of an important man.

Gio walks over to the couch, sits down and motions for me to sit next to him. I walk over as he pours two glasses of wine, and sink down into the cushion next to him.

The warmth of his body is only matched by the intensity in his eyes. I feel his eyes burning into me as I take a glass from him, ring it against his and bring the dry red wine to my lips.

“If you want,” he says before he takes a shallow sip of wine, “I can take you there after we're done with this wine.”

I try to make myself stop but my eyes flicker toward the door. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” I say reluctantly.

“Why not?” He shifts his glass to his other hand and puts his arm around my shoulders. I sink into him, enjoying his strong arm around me.

“It’s been a strange week.” I put my hand on his, rubbing his knuckles with my thumb. “My family’s been on edge over some...things, and I’m supposed to stay in. I haven't even been able to leave the house for work.”

“That’s what your father wants.” Gio finishes his glass and puts it back on a coaster on my table. “But I didn’t come here to find out what Mr. Pavoni wants to do. I want to know what you want to do.”

There’s an odd inflection in the way he says Mr. Pavoni. It’s not much of a stretch to think he’d be annoyed at my dad though, keeping me from seeing him as freely as I want. But I have to admit, the idea of sneaking out with him to a secluded spot really appeals to me.

I look up into his eyes and bite my lip. “I think I want you to show me this spot.”

He smiles, leans in and gives me a soft kiss. I want it to be so much more but I’ll take what he’s willing to give. “Let’s order some takeout while we finish this wine. Have the wise guy downstairs bring it up. You’ll tell him you’re just going to eat and turn in early. Then I’ll take care of the rest.”

My stomach is doing flips as I hear him lay out the plans. I can’t imagine how this is really going to work, but the sureness in his voice comforts me. If he was able to get here without being caught, surely we’d be able to do it together. Right?

He takes the bottle and pours me another glass. I raise it to him and take a big gulp, hoping that it’ll slow down my heart so it doesn’t pound its way out of my chest. “Let’s do it.”

* * *

T
here’s
a knock on my door. I wait a moment to see if he’ll come in without me acknowledging him, but the door remains closed. I smile ruefully, knowing that at least Marco doesn’t think he can just walk into my room without permission.

I pull my sheet up over my chest so he doesn’t see I’m dressed to go outside. “Come in.”

The door opens slowly and Marco pokes his head inside hesitantly. This must be really weird for him, being asked to come into the room where the boss’s princess sleeps. I don't think he's ever even seen my room before.

“Hey.” He steps inside, a small grin on his face. “Your food is here.”

He has a takeout bag from a local Chinese place in one hand, and a plate with utensils in another.

“Thanks, Marco.” I don’t bother feigning a sick voice. That’s just too much like being back in high school. Not that I faked being sick much, just the few times I had reasons to avoid school. Being a Mafia princess doesn’t make you immune to the cruel things people can say behind your back.

He puts everything on the table. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No.” I shake my head. “You’ve done more than enough, Marco. Sorry you’re stuck here tonight.”

He laughs and steps back toward the door. He’s clearly feeling weird about being in my bedroom. “It’s not that bad. You have all the cable channels, so I’m catching up on some shows I never got around to watching.”

“Have you figured out anything about what happened to Tommy and Rizzo?” I blurt out. I really shouldn’t be dragging this out with Gio hiding in my closet, and me dying to get out of my room. But I let my curiosity get the better of me.

His face goes blank, as if he suddenly remembers his orders. He isn’t supposed to be my friend. He's supposed to be keeping me safe, and keeping a respectable distance.

“You don’t have to worry about any of that.” He puts his hand on the doorknob and takes another step back. “Your father will make sure everything is taken care of.”

“Sorry, Marco.” His refusal to even give me a little bit of information makes me want to dig in my heels. “It’s just…I’ve never lost a…what I’m trying to say is that Rizzo was my friend, and I want to make sure whoever is responsible pays the price.”

He looks at me for a moment before he speaks. “Have no doubt in your mind. The people responsible will pay the price.”

He nods and closes the door behind him. I wait a moment before pulling my blankets off me and jumping out of bed in my jean shorts and chambray top. The door to my closet swings open silently and Gio steps out with a quizzical look on his face.

He walks over to the table with the takeout. I wonder what he thinks about the family business I brought up. If this gets any more serious, he’s going to have to come to terms with who my family is and what that will mean. At least I know he won’t be intimidated by my father’s men easily.

He ties the takeout bag back up and slips it into his backpack. “This will make great food for our evening picnic.”

He wraps his arms around my waist, hooking his thumbs into my belt loops. “Are you ready to break out of prison?”

“I’m as ready as I’ve ever been.” I reach up on my toes and press my lips against his. “Show me your moves.”

“First, you’re going to need to put on a pair of boots.” He grins looking down at my slippers.

I laugh, my cheeks flushing and change into a pair of hiking boots. He presses the buttons on the edge of the window frame to deactivate the alarm and swings the windows wide open. He throws his backpack on and sits on the windowsill, motioning for me to join him.

“Just watch where I put my hands and feet and follow me down after I hit the ground.”

I can barely hear him over the rush of blood in my ears. “Okay.”

“I’m going to time the climb down based on the motions of the camera.” He puts his hands on my arms, helping calm me down. “It’s important that you don’t hesitate. If you do, the cameras will swing back and you’ll be spotted if anyone is watching the feeds.”

I nod again, fighting the acid churning in my stomach.

“When we hit the ground,” his arms slide down and he holds my clammy hands in his, squeezing them gently, “I’ll take your hand and you have to follow me without hesitation.”