Page 36 of Who Said Mobsters Were Scary?
She whips her head at me. “Wait, why?”
Tucking my hands in my pockets, I shrug. “Chai wants to meet earlier. He’s got some errands to run.”
“Chai? Who is Chai?” Chris asks, furrowing his brow. “What did I miss?”
“Leo’s new friend. He’s… helping the guy with something,” Naomi says, one side of her mouth arching up.
I nod in thanks and leave them to their conversation. Two minutes later, I’m headed toward the park with the lake I saw from the hill last night with my ‘edgelord Leo’ playlist blasting in my ears.
Chapter 18
I check the timeon my gilded Rolex and smooth out my tie for the tenth time. It’s the mahogany one with the white dots that goes super well with my gray suit and red-stripped dress shirt. It’s all custom tailored to showcase my physique, of course, though the slacks are a little more form-hugging than my other pairs.
Which is why you put that suit on, isn’t it, Chai? Because it makes your ass look extra nice.
I wrinkle my lips. So, what if it is? I see nothing wrong with looking your best when you are about to spend the next seven plus hours in the company of the guy who left you hanging with your dick half-hard. I’d been hoping to lure him into a sexting session, but things didn’t exactly work out in my favor.
I wonder if I need to be more assertive or direct next time?
A group of teenage kids pass by me, screaming and shouting as they run toward the haunted house attraction. It’s one of those pop-up ones that show up occasionally,and it reminds me of last night at the shrine. If I hadn’t run into Leo as he was about to plunge himself down the steep hill, I’m positive he’d have broken something.
I shudder, a wave of pleasant tingles budding just under my skin and displacing the fear and worry. The way he clutched to me still gives me shivers. I’m pretty sure he sniffed me when he buried his head in the crook of my neck. It’s why I couldn’t sleep, actually. I just couldn’t stop thinking about it or how good it felt to have Leo’s body pressed into mine. And those lips…
I shift my weight, shaking the thoughts off before I’ve gotten a boner. I still don’t know if he really fell asleep while we were texting, but it was really shitty of him, especially with where the conversation was heading. My dick gives a futile jerk as I wonder if maybe he’d been jerking off rather than showering—or maybe jerking off in the shower?—while chatting with me. I’m dying to know, in fact. Or to see him do it. In my bathroom, preferably. Or on my bed.
I scold myself under my breath and clear my throat. Now is not the time for this.
Five minutes later, Leo arrives, his dirty-blond mop of hair easy to pick out from the crowd. He notices me almost immediately, nodding his chin as he heads my way.
“Hey. Sorry to make you wait. The subway was packed,” he says with a small smile. “So, what are we doing?”
I raise an eyebrow, studying him. He’s wearing black jeans and a shirt, with his fake leather jacket tossed over one shoulder. It’s a bit casual, but it plays up his boyish charm. The neutral colors make his eyes the focus, accentuating the pretty blue.
“Follow me.” I turn around and start walking. When he doesn’t do as I say, I glance over my shoulder.
He’s standing where he was, his gaze locked on my ass. He looks almost entranced, like he can’t help but stare at it.Good.Putting on a thong instead of my briefs for extra results was a good call.
Heat spreads through me, riding the flow of self-satisfaction stemming from my chest. I close my eyes for a moment and give in, but then let the thrilling sensation pass. I’ve gotten my confirmation that I’m not imagining things and there is some interest, so that’s enough for now. There is no need to rush and make him crazy about me right at this moment.
“Leo,” I say, drawing out his name.
He swallowshard, pulling on his bottom lip with his teeth as his eyes snap to my face. My arms crawl with goosebumps, and a slow smile curves my mouth up.
“Come,” I say with more authority, using the voice I summon when ordering members of the Group to do something.
He blinks, shaking himself out of it. Another peek of his tongue and he nods. “Yeah, okay.” Jogging over, he catches up to me. “So, uh, where are we going? And… I didn’t see any of your men. Didn’t you bring anyone?”
The note of suspicion in his voice isn’t surprising. “I need to stop by a few shops. As for my men—they are in the gray Toyota taxi, parked by the fence. I told them to keep their distance.”
Leo frowns, confusion washing over his face. “Shouldn’t they follow? In case, you know, something happens?”
I let him step on the escalator first. “I have you now, don’t I?” I say when he faces me as I follow after him.
Something dark seeps into his eyes, just like I hoped, stirring that pleasant hum within me. A hint of a flush colors his cheeks, and he busies his hands with the collar of his shirt, undoing the top two buttons. “Yeah, of course. Just… I thought that maybe you’ll still have multiple people on you even if I’m here.”
“I think you are capable enough to handle me on your own.”
My words strike exactly as I’d hoped they would, ripping an agitated exhale out of him. He recuperates quickly enough, clearing his throat and schooling his expression into something almost professionally frowny.
