Chapter Three

Damon

“I just dropped her off. I want to know who she talks to and what she talks about. Tell me who she interacts with and how her demeanor is around the office. It’s too much of a coincidence that she also works there.” I hung up and allowed one of my most trusted soldiers to do his job. He was already on the inside, making matters much easier all around.

The one point I could always count on when dealing with broads was every single one was susceptible to flattery. Whisper a simple compliment, say it sincerely, and she became instant putty in my hands every time. Jillian was no exception to the rule. In fact, she even seemed a little easier to romance than the local women. Time would tell if that was because she was truly innocent, or if she was trying her best to play me first.

The day dragged by while I waited for information from Percy, my soldier in the trenches beside her. I tried to focus on my crews and the money they brought in from their jobs, but I found myself checking my phone far more frequently than usual. I had my own work to do, but my ability to concentrate was nowhere to be found. At the end of the day when Percy finally called, I was irritated and angry over everything and nothing at all.

“Boss, I’ve listened to her phone calls all day, eavesdropped on her meetings, and ran a thorough background check on her. This girl isn’t part of the Sanfratello family. She’s squeaky clean. I’ll keep monitoring her to make sure I didn’t miss anything, but right now I’d bet my life on it.”

I released a sigh of relief. At least Percy settled that doubt in my mind.

“But there’s something else you need to know,” he continued.

“Tell me.”

“They know she’s with you, and they’re already watching her very closely. One of their capos, Lorenzo, was in here earlier and met with her. He played it cool, pretended he was stopping by to welcome her to the team. But he started getting into personal questions about husbands or boyfriends, openly flirting with her and shit. When he left her office, he told his soldier to tail her when she gets off work to see if she meets you again.”

“Thanks, Percy. Good work. I’ll take it from here.”

From Lorenzo’s flirting and overt interest, I had no doubt the Sanfratellos were preparing to kill Jillian and remove her from the equation completely. If I picked her up after work, they would put out a hit on her, and their hitmen would most likely try to carry out the order before morning.

The problem was, she’d be in danger whether I showed or not. They’d approach her, coerce her to get close to me to gain valuable information, and use her as their informant. If she refused or was unable to help them, they’d kill her because they would’ve revealed too much of their plans to her.

Her company car was still in the body shop being repaired, but I could easily get out of chauffeuring her around. A quick phone call, a nonexistent excuse, and I’d be rid of the problem entirely.

Then I remembered her smile. Saw her face as plain as day.

“Motherfucker.” I jumped up from my office chair and sent it flying across the floor in my wake. “I must be losing my fucking mind.”

Minutes later, I maneuvered my car through the city streets. Block after block passed while I sped toward her. They’d know the moment I pulled up to the curb. There’d be no turning back if I didn’t change my course right then. If she were with me when they made a move, it would ignite a war between the two families, and the casualties would be high.

But I didn’t heed the warning blaring in my head.

“For fuck’s sake. What the hell is wrong with me?”

Then I saw her standing on the sidewalk, waiting for me to whisk her away. When she saw my car, the same smile that captivated me the day before appeared. The dress she wore hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her best assets and drawing the eyes of every man who passed her. Desire and possession clashed inside me, followed by an uncertainty I hadn’t felt before.

The desire was obvious. I’d wanted to fuck her until she was unable to stand on her shaky legs since the moment I saw her. Possession came easy—what was mine was mine. Period. But the possessiveness I felt when looking at her bordered on jealousy. I didn’t like other men staring at her, thinking the same thoughts I had about her. They pictured her lips wrapped around their cock as she went down on them. They saw her on all fours when they fucked her from behind. They imagined her bent over, taking the punishing jabs that resulted in her screams of pleasure.

I knew exactly what their thoughts were, because I had the same thoughts about her.

When I brought my car to a halt, she slid into the passenger seat, and her sweet perfume wafted across the air, tempting me even more. “Hello, gorgeous. How was your day?”

“It was good but very busy. How was yours?”

“Fine. Except I couldn’t get one beautiful Southern belle off my mind all day.”

“You know, I’m kind of glad you had that problem.”

“Are you now?” I quirked one eyebrow, throwing the flirting vibe back at her. “What kept you so busy today?”

“I started working on the retirement fund benefits, and I can already tell this part of the project will be a nightmare. From what I’ve seen, no one has actively managed the fund I’m assigned to in years.”

“I’m sure you’ll sort it out.” I made a mental note to have Percy make sure she didn’t unravel the trail. “I’m glad you had a good day.”

“There was something strange that happened today, though.” She scrunched up her face as she recalled what happened. “I’ve worked there for a couple of weeks now, but one of the senior directors came to my office today to personally welcome me to the team. I mean, I understand he’s probably very busy, but I don’t know why he decided to come to my office today and not when I first started.”

“I couldn’t even begin to guess,” I lied. “Is that all he wanted? To welcome you to the team?”

“I guess. He asked about my life—if I was married, had a boyfriend, things like that. Then he left. Makes no sense.”

“Maybe he saw you in the hallway and wanted to ask you out, so he was testing the waters with you.”

She laughed and shook her head. “No, I doubt that. Men in high management positions like his would be too leery to proposition a subordinate. That could too easily set them up for a sexual harassment lawsuit, even if he asked respectfully.”

I wanted to correct her. To tell her men like me didn’t concern ourselves with petty threats of a lawsuit. To tell her the man she talked to wouldn’t hesitate to fuck her then shoot her in the head while she slept in the same bed he’d just vacated. I wanted to warn her about these truths, but I couldn’t without revealing myself too early.

The world was much different from her point of view than from mine.

“You’re probably right. He’s most likely just been busy and finally had a break in his schedule. You’ll know soon enough if it’s anything different.” And I would know, too.

“Maybe. Anyway, thank you for picking me up. I feel like I’m such a burden—you have work to do too. I can take a cab back and forth tomorrow.”

Why did it seem she was suddenly trying to get away from me?

“Already bored with my company, huh?”

“No, not at all. You’ve gone out of your way so much for me already. I feel guilty for taking advantage of your generosity.”

“Doll, believe me, if I didn’t want to be your chauffeur, I wouldn’t be. I’m not afraid to say exactly what I think. And what I think is, I’m your driver again tomorrow.”

“Okay. If you say so.” She put her hand on my arm and gave it a light squeeze. “Thank you. I do appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

Checking the rearview mirror while driving was ingrained in me from my childhood. Our family members were taught to be extra vigilant about our surroundings at all times. After the same vehicle had followed me for several blocks, changing lanes and making rookie mistakes, I decided to test my paranoia. They tried to follow me on the first few turns I made, but I lost them when I doubled back on my route.

The game was afoot, however, and it wouldn’t end anytime soon. Percy would have to find a reason to stick to Jillian like glue if she went back to work the next day. The rest of the night would determine that outcome. If they forced me to make an aggressive move, I’d have to tell her who I was sooner than I’d planned. If they were still in the recon phase, I’d hold out a while longer to see what I could find out about their end game.

Keeping the sexy woman at my side was a bonus, regardless of the reason.

“Where are we going? I know I’ve seen that same restaurant three times now.”

“At first, I was driving you back to your apartment, but I decided to take you out to dinner instead. You cooked for me last night, so tonight is my treat.” I hit the Bluetooth button and called Benny to arrange for him to meet us after dinner for the drive home.

As we walked into the exclusive restaurant in the Time Warner Center, she looked down at her attire and back up at me. “I’m not sure I’m dressed for this restaurant.”

“You’re perfect.” With my hand on the small of her back, I guided her in, and we were seated immediately.

I ordered our wine and meals, and just as we engaged in conversation, a hush fell over the restaurant. When I looked up, I was surprised to see my father and his brother walking in. The Boss and Underboss of our family were known on sight by most people. The respect and fear they commanded were legendary. The goons that walked at their flanks and behind them were also unmistakable. When Dad saw me, he motioned for the soldiers to keep walking to their table.

I stood and greeted my father and uncle in the typical Italian family manner—a kiss on each cheek and a manly embrace. My father and my uncle were my mentors and were the two men I admired most in the world. “Father. Uncle Leo. It’s good to see you both. Would you care to join us?”

My father, Vincenzo, smiled as he eyed Jillian. “I mean no disrespect by rejecting your offer, but I’d never interfere during your date with such a lovely young lady.” He lifted Jillian’s hand and softly kissed the back of her hand. “What is your name, pretty lady?”

“I’m Jillian Hart,” she replied with a smile. “I can see where Damon gets his handsome looks.”

“This one, you need to keep this one, Damon. I like her.” Dad lifted one eyebrow when he spoke to me, issuing his unspoken command.

“Jillian, this is my uncle, Leo Marchetti.”

Leo repeated my father’s performance, pouring on the charm and making her face blush red with his compliments. The two men walked away to their table, leaving Jillian and me to chuckle over their blatant flirting.

“I love your dad and your uncle. They’re so nice.”

I almost choked on my sip of wine. No one had ever referred to them as nice before. Then again, I’d never witnessed them trying to be so good-natured with a stranger before her. She seemed to have a way with the Marchetti men. I made a mental note to keep her away from my brothers for as long as possible.

“Yeah, they’re great. They seem especially impressed with you, too.”

“Were you close to your father when you were a kid?”

“Our entire family has always been close. I have several brothers and one sister, so you can guess who got the special treatment.” I laughed, recalling how my brothers and I harassed my sister when our parents were away. “She paid for it when they weren’t around, though. We’re still expected to show up for dinner every Saturday. We don’t miss it without a good excuse. What about you? Brothers, sisters?”

She shook her head. “I’m an only child. My parents had me later in life, but I was very close to them both. My dad died two years ago. But I’m still close to my mom. We don’t live too far apart, so I can check on her daily when I’m home.”

“Must be hard on you both, losing your father.”

“It was terrible. He seemed fine one minute, then a heart attack later, he was gone. My job is a challenge for both of us because I travel frequently. Mom’s health has declined in recent years, and I actually thought I’d lose her before my dad. When I’m away, a home health nurse is with her during the day, and a sitter stays with her at night.”

“That must be rough on you—shouldering all that responsibility alone.”

She shrugged it off. “At least I still have my mom, and I can afford to hire the best caregivers. I have it better than a lot of people do.”

We finished our dinners on lighter topics of conversation and rose to leave. My father and Uncle Leo were also finished, so Jillian and I walked out with them. Benny, my driver, had arrived and was talking to Joe, my father’s driver, when we exited the building. The distinctive rumble of a car engine revving caught our attention just before Benny and Joe tackled us to the ground. Shots rang out, and bullets peppered the glass behind us, shattering it with a piercing clamor, before the car sped away.

When we began untangling arms and legs, I realized Benny had covered me, but I had instinctively covered Jillian. Cocooned in my arms, her whole body shook from distress and fright. “I’ve got you, Jillian. You’re okay now.”

She nodded but didn’t speak, her teeth chattering from the adrenaline free-flowing through her veins. I stood and helped her up, my arms encircled her as she buried her face in my chest. My hands stroked up and down her back, soothing and assuring her she was safe.

My father met my livid gaze, his eyes burning with a mirrored vengeance. “Get her home. Leo and I will deal with this.”

“Don’t we have to give a statement too?” She stammered her question, though I knew she was looking for a way out of it. The last thing she wanted was to stay there.

“No, doll. My dad has a lot of friends in the police department. Once they have his and Uncle Leo’s statements, they won’t need ours.” I walked her to the car and helped her into the back seat. “Stay here. I’ll give my dad your number in case the police need to talk to you.”

“Okay.” The fear in her eyes was palpable, and she had a hard time releasing my hand.

“Benny, stand right here with her while I talk to my father.”

Benny stepped into the open door and began talking to her about her job, trying to take her mind off the frightening event as best he could while he kept a constant vigil for her safety. I joined my father and Uncle Leo and explained everything that had happened up to that point, including the precarious position she’d be in at work the following day.

“Let her go to work. Percy will be there to protect her, if needed. We’re not certain this attempt has anything to do with her yet, but we can’t rule it out either. They’ve been making obvious moves, like they’re taunting us. So, this could be related to something else. But if she changes her routine suddenly, they’ll know, and then she will be in danger. We’ll protect her for the time being, see if anyone makes another play. She should stay at your place tonight while we install extra security measures in her apartment.”

“Yes, sir.” I didn’t argue with my father on business matters.

His word was final, and he was the Boss of our family for a reason. I’d learned that the hard way many years ago, when I was a punk teenager who thought I knew better than my old man. Taking Jillian to my home tonight definitely wasn’t a hardship on me, though I wasn’t sure how I’d convince her to spend the night with someone she’d just met the day before.

I slid into the back seat beside her and immediately recognized the signs of an imminent meltdown. Her bottom lip quivered, and her hands shook uncontrollably, even through the tight clasp she held them in. The shaking traveled throughout her whole body, from her arms and legs and through her torso. The warm and friendly smile that lit up her face was gone. Instead, her skin was pale, and her eyes were wide with fear, startling at the slightest sound. At the simple gesture of extending my arms out, she flew into my embrace.

“Damon?”

“Yeah, doll?”

“I can’t stop shaking. Every time I close my eyes, I see the guns aiming at us all over again. Why would someone drive by and shoot at us like that?”

I gently pulled her away from me, but I kept my hands on her shoulders. With a heavy sigh, I leaned my forehead against hers. “Jillian, you deserve answers to set your mind at ease, but I can’t give them. All I can do is ask you to trust me when I say my family won’t rest until we find out who did this.”

“I won’t get a wink of sleep tonight. I can’t even imagine how scared I’ll be when I’m alone in that huge apartment.” She stuttered her words through her chattering teeth, and I knew the opportunity I was looking for had just presented itself.

“You’re coming home with me tonight. You won’t be alone.” I brushed my fingertips along her jaw.

“Are you sure you don’t mind?” She didn’t even hesitate to accept my offer. The fear that gripped her overrode any bout of modesty.

“Of course not.”

“Am I sleeping with you? Or do you have a spare bedroom?”

“Doll, you’re definitely sleeping with me, even though I have more than a few spare bedrooms.”

“Don’t tell your mom I asked that, though. Okay?”

I couldn’t help but laugh over her request. “Okay, I won’t tell my mom you asked to sleep with me. But can I tell her you forgot your pajamas and had to sleep naked?”

My attempt at humor helped, and she at least chuckled. “No, you can’t tell her that either. She’ll think I’m a terrible person.”

“Doll, I’m a thirty-two-year-old grown man with older and younger brothers. My mother has no delusions that her sons are innocent little angels.”

“That may be, but she’s still your mother. She doesn’t see you as a sexy, irresistible man.”

“Irresistible, huh?” I looked down at her and wrapped my hand around the back of her neck. “Let’s put that theory to the test.”