“I wasn’t talking to you, Bruno.” Dominic places a hand on my shoulder, his intense gaze locking with mine. “Tell me the truth, dolcezza. If they were rude to you, I’ll see them punished.”
Oh, well isn’t this nice?
I’m sorely tempted to throw these dickheads under the bus, but the last thing I want right now is to cause Dominic any trouble. “It’s fine,” I say quickly. “I handled it. I’m sorry for dropping by unannounced.”
“You can drop by anytime you wish,” he says gently to me. To his men, he says, “You idiots got that?”
They nod in unison. “Yes, sir.”
Dominic’s hand falls to the small of my back. “Come inside. We have much to discuss.”
It’s significantly quieter here but no less tense. The halls are crawling with even more men in suits, the murmur of serious conversation humming just out of earshot. Dominic welcomes me into his office.
“Who are all these people?” I ask him as he closes the door. “Is there a big loan shark conference in town or something?”
Dominic chuckles, but the laughter doesn’t reach his eyes. In fact, he looks incredibly tired. “I just wrapped up a meeting with my… employees.”
“Those were your employees?”
“Technically my boss’ employees.”
“So you’re not thebossboss?”
Dominic sighs as he rounds the desk and takes a seat. Even in his exhausted state, he’s still as handsome as ever. “I’m the second-in-command,” he explains. “Lorenzo is out of town. Until he gets back, I’m in charge.”
“Sounds tough.”
“Don’t even get me started.”
I drape the garment bag over the back of the guest chair, at a momentary loss for words. “Dominic, can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
“Being a loan shark, all these big Italian guys in suits, the way you boss people around… Are you in the Mob or something?”
I say this as a joke, of course, because there’s no way that’s possible. I’m only trying to ease this strange tension in my gut. I can’t even imagine it. The unsuspecting father of my child, a Mob boss? Hilarious.
Dominic’s expression darkens and is serious. “What would you do if I was?”
A nervous laugh bubbles past my lips. “I would get the fuck out of here,” I answer honestly.
He’s silent for a long time. Too long. It’s uncomfortable as all hell.
Swallowing hard, I mumble, “You’re not, though. Right? Because that’s…”
“That’s what?”
“Terrifying.”
Dominic rises slowly from his chair, stepping toward me like he’s approaching a frightened animal. There’s nothing malicious in his body language, nothing threatening about his general air. He is, however, laced with something dark. The first time I met him, I could sense danger surrounding him, but I don’t get the sense that the danger is in any way directed at me.
He’s a Cane Corso. Strong and fierce and something to be wary of, but nothing to fear so long as we remain on the same side.
“Do you findmeterrifying?” he asks in a low tone. He’s in my space, but I find myself drawn to him instead of repelled. I breathe in his deep cologne, already lost in his presence. “I don’t ever want you to be afraid of me.”
“No. I’m not terrified of you, but…”
“But what?”