“I’m not,” I argued, looking down at my suit. “This is what a Don wears.”
Leda rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Lucas, my brother is likely to come in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. You are going to feel like an idiot.”
I took in her attire, which was this oversized sweater thing that showed off one bare shoulder and a pair of leggings, and growled. “You should have more clothing on.”
Her husky laugh stirred my cock to life. “I’m not wearing a bra if that’s what you are insinuating.”
Fuck me. I reached for her, intending on taking every moment before her brother arrived to show her what her saucy mouth had done to me, but she ducked under my arm, walking out into the hallway instead. “No way. We don’t have time for that.”
“We always have time for that,” I stated, turning to follow her. “There’s never a bad time.” Hell, if I could, I would spend every waking moment buried in her tight, warm, willing body.
My trousers became unbearably tight, and I adjusted them. It was going to be a long fucking day, and having a raging hard on wasn’t going to help.
“There is when my brother is coming,” she called out, descending the stairs. We reached the main level and she turned suddenly, smoothing out the lapel of my coat. “I think you look nice though,” she replied.
I arched a brow. “Just nice?”
Her cheeks pinkened and I took a wider stance, bringing her against me. “Okay, more than nice. You are gorgeous, Lucas.”
“Gorgeous wasn’t what I was going for.”
“What about a fine specimen of a man then?” Leda countered, tipping her head to look at me. I felt some of the worry relax in my body at her playful demeanor, knowing this was going to be just as tough of a meeting for her as it was for me. I was the big bad Don that had taken her from her family and stolen her innocence. She was going to have to smooth over my actions so that her brother didn’t kill me.
This wasn’t exactly a good family reunion. “What about sexy?” I played along, my hands sliding under her sweater. If she wasn’t wearing a bra, I wanted to feel that in person. “Or the hottest man alive?”
“Oh my God!” she laughed as my fingers inched up her sides, desperate for their destination. “You have some lofty expectations of yourself, Lucas.”
Nuzzling her ear, I nipped at the outer shell, my finger barely touching the underside of her breast. “And you weren’t lying about not wearing a bra.”
“They’re here.”
I groaned as Leda immediately moved away from me. Now I had a fucking boner to contend with, along with keeping myself alive through this meeting.
“I’m sorry, Don,” the guard said sheepishly as I passed. “I thought you would want to know.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, following an excited Leda out into the sunshine. A car, a single car, was pulling up to the house, and I quickly looked around, half expecting to see the cops start to pop out from behind the bushes, but there were none.
Leda was already down the front sidewalk when the car officially stopped and I cursed, taking long strides to reach her. Though I doubted her brother would be bringing a car rigged to explode, seeing her so close to anything without me there to shield her gave me the fucking shakes.
The door opened, and a pregnant woman peeled out of the passenger side, her laughter followed by tears as she embraced Leda. “Oh my God. It’s really you!”
“It’s me,” Leda responded, hugging the woman tightly. “Oh I missed you so much!”
My jaw worked as I watched the reunion, feeling like a bastard at keeping her away from those that obviously loved her. Maybe it was the change of heart between us, but I wanted Leda to be happy. I wanted her to be happy with me and with the life I could provide.
Well, maybe could provide. I wasn’t even sure I had anything to give her right now.
A man stepped out of the driver’s seat, and I recognized the similarities between the siblings immediately. “Do I not get a greeting?” he grumbled, shutting the door.
Leda pulled herself off the woman and embraced her brother, who seemed to hold her tightly as well. “Thank you for coming,” I heard her tell him. “I know you think I’m crazy, and maybe I am, but this is the right thing. I’m in the right place.”
Pride swelled deep inside, and I fought the smirk that wanted to appear on my face. Despite it all, she wanted to be here with me.
Me, with all my fucking faults and everything.
“That remains to be seen,” Nico said after he released her, his eyes settling on me. “Don Valentino, I presume?”
“Lucas,” I answered, joining the happy reunion myself and extending my hand. “Welcome to my home, Don D’Agostino.”