Page 14 of Daddy's Mad Love

Relaxing my hold on her hair, I sighed with pleasure, releasing her so she could pull back, gasping for breath.

“That was very good, cara,” I said, zipping up my pants and putting myself back to rights. Something flashed in her eyes. Defiance? Displeasure? It was gone too quickly to tell. “You may get up now.”

I held out my hand, helping her to her feet. She swayed slightly, lips swollen from use, hair mussed from my hands.

“What about me?” Her voice was unsteady.

A slow smile spread across my lips as I stepped forward. She stepped back, running into the desk.

“Would you like some pleasure, mio tesoro?” I asked, my voice low and husky. Her pupils dilated, lips parting to suck in a quick breath of air. I felt her chest move against mine.

“I…” She couldn’t quite make herself say the words. Watching her internal struggle was fascinating. What she actually wanted and what her brain told her she should want were completely at odds with each other. For now, it seemed as though her brain was still winning.

“Keep being a good girl, and I will give you everything you need,” I said, my smile turning sharp. “After we’re married.”

The docile façade cracked, and her cheeks flushed, not with arousal but anger at my reminder. She pushed her emotions back, but not quickly enough to hide them completely.

“Come along, cara. It’s time to go home.” I wrapped my arm around her waist, propelling her to the door. She tried to slow our momentum, causing her to stumble when I didn’t allow her to, but I caught her and kept her moving. We were out the door and back in the club before she could protest.

Hailey

The taste of Giacomo didn’t fade from my tongue as he practically dragged me through the club. I hated how arousal still pulsed between my thighs, my skin tingling and sensitive to his touch, even through the beaded fabric of my dress. Every inch of me was hot and achy.

I told myself it was the alcohol, but deep down, I knew better. I was aroused. I wanted him to touch me the same way he had at the precinct, which made me feel dirty but even more aroused. It was the worst kind of circular predicament to be trapped in, and I didn’t know how to make it stop, so I did what any sensible person would do. I ignored it.

“Hailey!” I heard Clara call my name and turned to see her break free of Giacomo’s friend. The other man scowled, and fear slid through me, banking my desires as my worries for her rose. Now that Giacomo knew she existed, that I cared about her, what would happen to her when I disappeared?

Would he assume she knew where I had gone? Would she be in danger?

I shook my head at her as she approached, trying to warn her off, to undo the impression I knew we’d already given. I had to try, at least. Unfortunately, she ignored me.

“Are you okay?” she asked me, glaring at Jack. A little piece of me died inside, witnessing her foolish bravery. She truly had no idea what kind of danger she was courting. I couldn’t let her ignorance get her killed.

“I’m fine, Clara. You’re overreacting.” I shrugged, rolling my eyes and stepping away from her. The hurt expression on her face tugged at my heart, but it was better this way. The more distance I could put between us, the better off she would be.

Giacomo’s friend came up behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She tried to shrug him off, her blue eyes still trained on my face. I could have told her that wouldn’t work. If anything, his grip tightened, and she finally shot a dark look at him over her shoulder.

“Will you get off me?” she snapped at him.

“No.” The uncompromising, possessive tone of his voice was an exact match for Giacomo’s when he was talking to me.

I groaned, closing my eyes. Blast, this was so much worse than I’d realized.

“Hailey, this is my cousin Gio,” Giacomo said as if everything were completely normal.

My heart sank. Even worse. While Giacomo’s only interest in Clara was because of me, clearly, she’d caught the eye of Gio, and as Giacomo’s cousin, he’d be high ranking in the DiNardo Family.

“And who is your friend?”

“I’m Clara Newman.” Her chin jutted up stubbornly. Like me, she seemed to be ignoring the hulking man who now had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. She focused on me, looking me directly in the eyes. “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not going to work. I can handle myself.”

“I’d like you to handle me,” Gio murmured. She shifted, stepping on his foot without looking at him, and he actually smiled, though it wasn’t a very nice smile. It was the same predatory smile Giacomo had when he looked at me.

I wonder if Clara would be willing to go on the run with me. It was starting to look as if I would need to give her the choice. I was the one at fault for drawing the DiNardos’ attention to her, no matter that it was an accident, so I needed to figure out how to save her.

“Hello, Clara, I’m Jack, Hailey’s fiancé.” Giacomo held out his hand as my spine stiffened. I didn’t like hearing him call me that.

“Funny.” Rather than taking his hand, Clara crossed her arms over her chest. “Hailey’s never mentioned you, and I don’t see a ring.”