Trust. I could tell Nicolo trusted Angelo a lot. With narrowed eyes, I watched as Angelo took a sip of his coffee without a care in the world. They were in the foyer preparing for a trip to a meeting place downtown, where they would discuss business with another Mafia. Nicolo’s family dealt mostly in weapons, alcohol, and policing of other Mafia or ruffians who caused trouble in the local town.

In this part of Italy, the town was large enough to have some modern conveniences, but the police force was part of the Mafia as well. The civilians were grateful and often gave donations to help fund their efforts. I looked away, preparing Nicolo’s jacket, when Angelo turned to look at me. I was doing my best to avoid arousing his suspicion. Last thing they needed was for him to question my presence, despite his Don’s orders.

Unlike Nicolo, Angelo was short, with blonde hair, a scruffy mustache and beard, and green eyes. He was easily discernable from others in the Romano family because of this, as most of the men were on the more muscular side. Angelo had a direct connection to the family, as Nicolo’s second cousin on his mother’s side. Then HE walked in, taking my breath away.

Around the Villa, Nicolo wore jeans and a tee, but now he wore a white dress shirt and blue tie, and was currently adjusting the cuffs as he made his way closer to me. His brows furrowed in annoyance as he tried and failed to fix his sleeves until his dress-shoed feet stopped in front of me with a huff. I hung his jacket from the nearby coatrack before my hands reached out to make adjustments to his cuffs.

“I can…” He started, but stopped when my fingertips brushed over his wrist. “Lili…”

I looked up into his darkening emerald eyes, my teeth sinking into my cheek to stop myself. The scent of aftershave reached my nose, and I found him stepping closer to me, his own fingers brushing against my forearm as I fixed his cuff. If ever there was an inappropriate time for his attention, now was it. I glanced over his shoulder to find Angelo pretending he was not looking.

“Is that what you’re wearing? You look stunning.” Nicolo mumbled, leaning closer to plant his elbow on the wall next to me. “Sei una bella donna!”

I opted for simple, but simple still seemed to impress him. The long-sleeved red dress was to hide my curves and form, yet I felt more exposed than ever under his passionate gaze. Even more than normal. I looked away, trying to keep my cool because of our audience. Angelo was no longer feigning disinterest by staring at the wall, so I had to downplay my reaction. I stepped under his arm, grabbed his jacket, and held it open for him.

“My Don, it is time to go.” I stated with a forced professional smile on my lips. “Your jacket.”

I could not let him get under my skin. Not in front of Angelo. Not in front of anyone. Never. But his scent drew me in, making me guilty of desirous thoughts that had my thighs clenching. I would confirm I wanted him, but only to myself. They were secret thoughts that I would forget when I returned home, so there was no point in holding onto them.

Without warning, his hand grabbed mine, interlocking our fingers, and freezing me in place. His fingers teased the skin between my fingers, drawing my gaze up his muscled chest to his face. When I met his eyes again, he leaned ever closer, his free hand reaching out to stroke over my cheekbone with a gentleness unlike him. As much as I wanted to back away, I also wanted to lean into his touch, and that fight left me standing as still as a statue and feeling like a deer in headlights.

“We will continue this later, Lili. I hope you’re ready.” Nicolo leaned closer to whisper this to me, his devilish smirk reminding me of just who I was dealing with. “Stay close to me at this meeting. We still do not know who is targeting you.”

I knew exactly who was targeting me, but I could not tell him. Not yet. I was still unsure if Nicolo was innocent, though I desperately wanted him to be now. I wanted him to live. To have a future, even if it wasn’t with me. I believed in him, and felt that was what he deserved. His future was bleak enough as the Don of a Mafia without the threat the Accardi faced, anyway. It wouldn’t be fair, no matter what he or I wanted.

As we walked out to the waiting vehicles, I kept my head down, my teeth in my lip. My legs were quivering, and I was breathing heavy, like I just ran a thousand miles, but I knew why. It was him. Nicolo’s heat was contagious, which made him feel like a drug. My position as ‘maid’ made it feel like foreplay, and I could not help myself. I wanted him. Desperately. Needed him. This desire, one so blinding, was foreign to me.

Control seemed nonexistent when I involved myself with him. I clasped my hands together in front of me as I walked towards the door, unwilling to give into the desire to turn and look at him. His heated eyes remained on my spine as I walked away, something that sent a delicious shiver down my flesh, but I refused to give in. Through the front door, out in the massive landscaped courtyard, were three waiting black four-door vehicles.

Drawing too much attention would be a bad thing. Just because the civilians liked the family did not mean they would be safe outside the Villa, so two cars would seat ten Soldati for protection. Piero and Angelo would be in the vehicle with Nicolo and me; Piero driving.

Nicolo and I sat in the back while Piero and Angelo sat in the front. With only a small distance between our knees, it felt awkward to me, but I focused on the passing view as the cars drove down the long, snaking driveway. It did not stop his passionate gaze, which I could feel stroking down my body. No matter how nice or cold I was about it, Nicolo did not seem able to take no for an answer.

I bit the inside of her cheek to stop myself from growing distracted by him again. The car bounced a little, knocking the skin of my knees against his suit covered legs, the electric touch making me suck in a sharp gasp. One glance at Nicolo told me all I needed to know. The smirk on his lips came closer and his fingertips brushed the thin skin on my kneecap as he grabbed a glass to fill with wine.

“Lili. This is the finest wine in Italy.” He mumbled, making a shiver work down my spine. “I would love to see what your tongue thinks.”

My eyes widened in shock as he took a sip of the beverage while he came closer, the red color staining his lip a little. Unlike before, I felt drawn into him, gaze drawn to that reddish hue. Before I could consider if I should, his arms wrapped around me, his lips locking over mine. The rich flavor of the wine mixed with his scent wrapped around me, making my mind go blank.

His body was as hot as his kiss, and the feel of his arms around me made me melt into him, my own wrapping around his neck. The cool liquid dribbled down my jaw to my neck and I released a slight moan when his lips followed that trail. They were soft, and he occasionally followed a kiss with a nibble, making my fingers dive into his hair. It was overwhelming every sense I had, yet not enough at the same time.

“Crea dipendenza!” Nicolo whispered against my neck, his lips moving back towards my mouth. “Di più…”

Could I indulge just a little? I would never see this man again. I could admit, at least to myself, I wanted him. The feelings he inspired in me wasn’t fair. This kiss wasn’t fair. The way I could still so easily feel his burning skin through our clothes drove me insane. I wanted to see if he was as hot to the touch as he felt. To pull open the buttons of his dress shirt and trace his well-defined chest with my fingertips.

I arched, my every nerve feeling on end as my fingers dug into his spine. His hand moved from my back to my waist, dropping to my hip, forcing a gasp from my lips. The fiery muscle of his tongue stroked deep into my mouth, drawing my own into a dance of wills. Unable to control myself, I pulled my hands up his back, over his shoulders, and down the line of his business suit jacket.

Just as my fingers slid into that black fabric to trace the muscles underneath, a tap on the window had me startling to attention, my hands fixing my hair, and correcting smudged lipstick. I downplayed the effect he had by stepping out of the car first, expression carefully schooled into cool indifference. He would never have the chance to learn more about me. As soon as I was ready, this farce would end. So why was I not ending it?

~~~~~

His eyes focused on her retreating form with his back stiff. Trying to hide something so obvious felt wrong, but he knew many women there would misunderstand it. No, the woman he wanted was Lili. Her strict code of ethics, her determination, and passion all felt personal and something he connected to her over. It was so familiar and sexy to see a woman who had it together like her. And her iciness only increased his desire.

Nicolo took in a deep breath, took a sip of water, and stood to follow her. How had she not been affected by that kiss? He wondered, walking through the door into a conference room. Several older families were present, but his focus was far from them. The only thing he could see was Lili with Angelo. And it made him hyperaware of how close she stood to him. Irritation curled through him, but she never looked at him again.

He thought back to that kiss in the car. Her nails in his back, her soft lips parted for him to tease. Liliana was seduction in heels, and Nicolo forced his heart to relax. She seemed entirely uninterested in him; he thought, with a glance to his side where she stood next to Angelo. Then she did the unexpected, making his heart stop in his chest. Liliana gave Angelo an actual smile, one that had Nicolo grounding his teeth in annoyance. She never smiled at him like that.

~~~~~

“If I were you, I would stay away from the Don.” He whispered in my ear, making a genuine smile lift the corners of my lips. “The man is a magnet for danger.”

“Trust me, Signore Angelo. I have no investment or belief in his supposed ‘desire’ for me. I am a lowly maid,” I bowed before backing away, faking discomfort. “So, I know it is only a passing fling. Excuse me, I must find the restroom.”

As soon as I could no longer feel his gaze on her back, I side-stepped just outside the restroom and glanced around for anyone looking in the direction I went. Angelo noticed something was up with my presence around Nicolo and it put me in danger. If only I worked harder to avoid that man, I thought, sneaking onto the balcony above the crowd. My grandfather ordered a wardrobe change and my family made all the placements I would need.