Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
She smiled. “Add in a bath with me, and I’ll say yes.”
I nodded. Before her, I had never had a bath as an adult. Showers were faster. But I did like to lie in the warm water with her, feeling her close to me. I pulled her into my embrace, needing the contact, not ready to let her go just yet.
“I’ll get you more of those lavender salts you like,” I offered.
“Perfect.”
After I was calmer, I walked her back to the deli. Wanda told her she didn’t have to finish her shift, and Vi simply laughed, shook her head, and got back to work. I headed to Roman’s office, finding him freshly showered. He glanced at me as he poured some scotch, offering me a glass.
“Is she all right?”
“Shaken up, but she’s strong. She’s back at the deli. She insisted.”
He looked impressed.
“Where is that piece of shit?”
“Gone.”
“Permanently?”
He laughed dryly. “Too many people saw us together, Aldo. He isn’t dead.”
“Shame.”
“He has a temper he can’t control. He was almost frothing at the mouth when I went downstairs. He informed me if it was just the two of us, I’d be sorry.”
I sat down with a grin. “So…”
He shrugged. “I told the boys to let him go. Gave him his chance.”
“And?”
“Let’s say he is going to be sore in the morning. Breathing in might be a problem.”
“Did he get a hit in at all?”
“Only his head when I stepped aside and he hit the wall. Then he lunged again—sort of like a bull, snorting and angry. I took him out in two fast punches. Shame it happened so fast.” He sipped his scotch. “The boys took pictures, he was informed he was no longer welcome, and they delivered him to his car. I comped his parking. After his losses at the tables, I’m not sure he had enough money left to pay for it, and since I confiscated his player pass, he had no way out other than that option.”
I smirked as I took a sip.
“I had them put a tracker on his car. We’ll put his face in the system, so if he comes back, we’ll know.”
“Good.”
He watched me. “I decided to let him go before you showed up, Aldo. I wasn’t sure he’d make it out the door.”
“He grabbed her. Put marks on her.”
“And this matters to you because…?” He paused. “And don’t tell me it’s because she’s an employee.”
I met his gaze. “I have been with her almost every night since our date.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Still?”
“Yes.”
“Aldo. What are you saying?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea. But there is something between us. I can’t deny it.”
“Are you seeing her later?”
“She has a pass for my room. My private room.”
“Holy fuck,” he mumbled.
“She makes me feel different. Think different. I think I want—” I stopped. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t either. Next thing you know, we’ll be braiding each other’s hair and sipping wine.”
I had to laugh. “God forbid.”
He finished his scotch and stood. “I’m going downstairs.” He paused at the door. “If you need time, if she needs anything, it’s yours, Aldo.”
“Thanks.”
He met my eyes. “You care about her. Then she’s important to you. Which makes her important to me.”
And he walked out.
CHAPTER 13
ALDO
Iheaded to the deli before Vi’s shift was over, and I walked with her across the lobby and up to my room. She was quiet but calm. We had a bath, floating in the lavender-scented water. She loved the aroma of the soothing plant, and I knew I would never smell it again without thinking of her—of our time together.
As I contemplated the thought, another one occurred to me.
What if I asked her to stay? To be part of my life? Would she want that? We never discussed the future.
“What are your plans, Vi?”
“Tonight?” she hummed. “Hopefully your massive cock inside me, a few orgasms, and a good sleep.”
I dropped a kiss to her head. “That is guaranteed. I mean later. A few months from now, a year…” I trailed off.
“Hmm,” she hummed. “I don’t know.”
“Do you want to be a waitress your whole life?”
“No. Maybe go back to school. I always loved numbers and wanted to be an accountant.”
“Then you should.”
“When I’m ready.”
“Some good schools around here. Niagara College has accounting courses.”
She turned and looked up at me. Her skin glowed from the steam in the room, her hair pushed off her face. “Want to keep me around longer, big man?” she asked, her voice teasing but her eyes showing her real feelings. She was worried about my response.
I stroked her cheek. “Yeah, baby. I do.”
Her smile was wide. “Then I’ll have to start thinking about it.”
I bent and captured her mouth. “You do that.”
VI
I was surprisingly nervous the next few shifts, jumping at shadows and anxious when I was alone. Aldo made me call him when I arrived at the hotel, and he met me at my car and walked me to the deli. I also noticed he checked on me frequently. He had changed a little since the incident and our exchange. He was protective and close. I stayed with him a couple of nights, and the one night I insisted on going home, he showed up in the early hours of the morning, pulling me beside him onto the sofa and trapping me between the leather and his hard body. I managed to slide away, whispering I had to pee, for him to let me go, then I made coffee and sat and watched him sleep. In repose, his face was softer, less stern. His scruff was thick, his lips full, and he filled the sofa by himself, never mind when he had me pressed against him. He looked almost peaceful. Not quite—but more so than when he was awake and alert.