The Mafia King’s Little Temptation

#4

DIANA

I hung onto every word of the conversation, the initial of the day melting away completely. Marco’s spaghetti had been delicious, the rich, savory flavors coating my tongue.

"Wow," Marco said, setting his fork down with a low whistle. "That’s a whole lot."

A soft chuckle bubbled up from my throat, my shoulders dropping as I gave a quiet nod of agreement. "Yeah. It really is."

Marco glanced down at the watch clamped to his wrist, his expression shifting into a grimace as he pushed back from the counter. "I’ve got to head out now. Hopefully, I get to see you around real soon, Diana."

The corners of my lips curved upward, a genuine warmth settling in my chest. "Goodbye, Marco. Thank you for the food."

Left alone after his departure, I stood up from the stool as I retreated back up the grand staircase to my room.

Night had fully claimed the estate by the time I closed the doors behind me. The hours ticked by and still, the front doors downstairs never opened. Dante hadn't come back.

I peeled the denim and cotton sweater from my body, letting them drop to the floor. Reaching into my drawer, I pulled out a skimpy nightie over my skin. Crawling under the massive expanse of the bedsheets, I closed my eyes, letting the darkness swallow my exhaustion.

— —

A soft knock sounded on my door.

Before the fog of sleep could fully clear from my mind, the door swung inward. A man stepped inside.

Big.

Tall.

My breath seized entirely. Even in the gloom, the towering breadth of those shoulders was unmistakable.

It was him. Dante.

The dim light spilling from the hallway obscured the sharp angles of his face.

"Diana," he called out. My name in his voice sent a strange shiver down my spine.

I reached for the lamp on the nightstand and flicked it on.

And there he was.

God.

The sight of him stole the air right out of me.

Dante stood at the edge of my room like he belonged there—broad shoulders stretching under his black shirt, dark hair slightly disheveled, sharp jaw shadowed with stubble. Older. Harder and more dangerous than I remembered.

And somehow even more beautiful.

My throat tightened.

I gripped the mattress, my knuckles turning white. "H-hi," I stammered, the syllable catching in my throat.

His mouth twitched, almost like he wanted to smile.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, unblinking before his gaze drifted slowly across my form under the covers. "How are you doing?" he asked, his tone quiet but commanding.

"I'm good," I whispered, my voice trembling despite my desperate attempt to sound composed.

"I didn't mean to barge in," he said, his chest rising and falling under his dark shirt as he remained frozen at the foot of the bed. "But I just wanted to check up on you. I know you must be exhausted after the journey."

Instead of answering from under the safety of the blankets, an impulsive heat took over. I gripped the comforter and pulled the bedsheets away from my body, tossing them aside. The thin skimpy silk of my nightie offered no protection, leaving my bare legs and the curve of my hips completely revealed to his eyes.

I swung my legs over and climbed down from the high mattress, stepping onto the cold floorboards until I was standing directly in front of him. A small fixed smile plastered itself onto my face, though my heart was beating so fiercely I was certain he could hear it.

"I’m fine," I said, tilting my chin up to bridge the massive distance between us. "And actually… I'm very happy to see you after such a long time."

His brow twitched, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he looked down at me. "Are you?"

There was something in the way he said it.

I stepped into his personal space and did the unthinkable. I reached out, throwing my arms tightly around his broad torso, pressing my cheek right against his chest.

Dante froze instantly, his entire frame turning to solid stone under my touch. A second later, he cleared his throat.

And when I pulled back, his eyes dropped, roaming down the length of my body, tracing the skimpy outline of the silk nightie. My skin burned under the weight of that look. And out of the corner of my eye, I watched his eyes darken.

But I didn't pull back. I didn't care. This was the exact face, the exact touch that had haunted the dark corners of my mind for years, fueling every forbidden dirty imagination I had ever kept secret.

His eyes lingered on my breast, the heat in his expression tightening before he forcefully dragged his gaze back up to my face.

He cleared his throat a second time, "You shouldn't be wearing that," he said, his voice rough, "At least not when you're expecting to see me."

I shrugged, the silk slipping slightly over my shoulder. "I was just in bed."

Dante gave a slow nod, his jaw clenching as his eyes did one final sweep of my face. "You’ve grown up."

"I am a grown adult now," I countered quickly, my voice steadying as I held his gaze, wanting him to see the truth of it, wanting him to stop looking at me like the ten year old girl he had saved.

A deep frown grooved his forehead.

"I don't doubt that,"

The way he said it made my pulse jump.

He abruptly tore his eyes away from me, looking toward the dark glass window across the room

"I’ll be seeing you in the morning."

He turned on his heel, preparing to stride back out into the corridor.

"Won't you be going to work?" I called out after him, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Dante stopped dead in his tracks. He turned slowly, his large frame framing the doorway as he looked back over his shoulder at me.

"Won’t be going to work," he said, his dark eyes locking onto mine one last time. "Just to show you around the estate."

His gaze dipped once more, quick this time, almost against his will.

A faint rough "Goodnight" muttered from his lips before he stepped out, his large hand pulling the door shut.

My lips parted, but nothing came out.

Because all I could think about was him.

Here.

Tomorrow.

With me.

But lord, he’s so handsome.

I pressed my palms flat against my burning cheeks, my heart still slamming against my ribs. I had thrown my arms around a man who ran an empire. And God help me, I wanted to do it again.

“Oh my God,” I whispered into the empty room.