“I’m afraid I have no idea what you mean.”
“During the last two years, it’s like everything got shot to shit in this place, and I’m willing to bet my life savings your father is behind it all.”
“It’s not much, is it?”
“What isn’t much?”
“Your life savings.” I almost high-fived myself.
He continued to stare at me, his expression unreadable. “So, you’re not just a no bullshit woman, but you’re funny too.”
I smiled.
He leaned back and lifted a leg, placing his ankle over one knee, and God help me, when I noticed how perfectly his jeans hugged his thick, hard thighs, I couldn’t stop my gaze from moving upward to see what else those denims were hugging. The thought alone caused the slightest ache to pulse between my legs.Jesus.
“See something you like, Miss Valenti?” His voice interrupted my sleazy thoughts that had no place inside my mind. I jerked my head up and cleared my throat.
“Not particularly, no.” For some reason, I couldn’t look at him since I practically had thoughts of his cock infest my mind just seconds ago. Judging by the heat that spread across my skin, I knew I was flushed from chest to forehead. I hoped he didn’t notice.
“You look flushed.”Goddammit.
“It’s from the lack of oxygen in this damn room.” I met his gaze.
He narrowed his dark eyes, and one side of his lip curved up. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s that.”
“Do me a favor, would you? Cut the bullshit and get to the point so I can get out of here.”
“Okay, then. Tell me about your dad—or the Wolf, as he’s known as on the streets. Tell me what kind of operation he’s really running.”
Oh, my God. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that exact question. The Wolf was always on everyone’s minds and lips whenever they were around me. It was like I didn’t even exist apart from being Lorenzo Valenti, the Wolf’s daughter. Everyone was so damn predictable when it came to me and my relationship with my dad.
“Detective, I really don’t know what you want me to say.”
“Oh, come now, Miss Valenti. We both know your father doesn’t make his millions just by running a family business and playing around on the stock market.”
“What exactly are you implying, Detective?”
He shifted in his seat and placed his hands on the table. “You can cut the crap, Miss Valenti. Lorenzo Valenti is what we call an Italian-American mafia boss, and even though I can’t prove it now, I will.”
A cold tremor wracked through my body, and I wiped a curl out of my face to mask the mini panic attack I was having. “I don’t know where you get your information, but you should really consider removing those informants from your payroll, Detective.”
He snorted. “I thought you were a no bullshit kind of woman.”
“I’m not. I mean I am.”Shit. I’m nervous. This damn man was making me nervous, and growing up with two headstrong Italian brothers who made me the tough woman I was today, that was saying a lot.
“So, which is it?”
I cleared my throat, determined not to let my discomfort show. “Detective Stone, am I under arrest?”
“Not at all.”
I grabbed my purse and stood. “In that case, it was nice to meet you, Detective Stone. But please, in the future, do not waste my time like this.”
I leaned over the table, getting as close to him as possible. “I have a life I need to live in order to share it with my one hundred and eighty-two thousand, three hundred and twenty-two followers. I really don’t want to disappoint them.”
“I wouldn’t want to interfere with that, now, would I?” His eyes darted down to my chest, and then I realized I basically just shoved my cleavage in his face.
“See something you like, Detective?”