“From your husband!” I roar, making her flinch. “You’re mine, not his!”
She recovers from my outburst and bravely walks up to me. Her hands are warm over my dress shirt as she runs them up over my pecks. “I’m yours,” she breathes, her blue eyes glimmering with conviction. “I took those vows, albeit against my better judgment, but I stand by them now. We weren’t meant to care about one another, but we do, Kostas. And because you care about me, you’ll protect the ones I care about too.”
I clench my jaw, burning my glare into her. She’s so fucking confident that I care enough about her that I’ll take care of the people she loves too.
Weak.
She makes me so fucking weak.
“Underneath all this fury and aggression, you’re gentle and loving. Beneath the mob boss is my husband.” She stands on her toes and kisses me.
Some of the anger melts away as my palms find her ass. I squeeze her hard enough that she gasps against my lips. When her hand slides down to my cock that’s hardening by the second, I groan. Too quickly she’s learning to play my body against me to get what she wants.
I’ve killed men for much less.
With Talia, it’s like she’s a seductress who gets inside my mind, no matter how dark and fucked up it is, and fills me with her sweet light. It’s maddening. And exhilarating too.
“I know you hate giving in to those who’ve angered you, but unfortunately, these people are a part of me.” She grips my dick and kisses me deeply before pulling her lips away. “Like my mother.” When she starts to kneel, her motive on giving me a blow job evident, I grip her hair tight to prevent her from moving.
“No,” I say lowly. “You’re not going to suck my cock into getting your way. It doesn’t work like that, Talia. I’m on to you.”
Rather than seeming afraid or panicked, she frowns at me. “So you don’t want a blow job?”
Why does she have to look so fucking cute when I’m pissed at her?
“Of course I want a blow job. But not when you’re trying to secretly get your way. You want your way then you negotiate for it like a real Demetriou. Out with what you want and what you’re willing to give for it.” I nip at her bottom lip before giving her a sinister smile. “Let’s make a deal, zoí mou.”
She purses her lips, studying my face for a moment. “Fine. I want contact with my mom.”
Anger coils inside me like a snake. “Your mother—”
“I know exactly what she did,” she breathes. “And I’m sorry. I’m sorry it was her who was the catalyst for what happened to Nora. But my mom was still a victim. She’d been cheated on.”
“You can’t go see her,” I bite out.
“I want her to come see me.” She lifts her chin, fire burning in her blue eyes. “Freely.”
“I don’t care to see that woman,” I growl.
“She’s my mom,” Talia bites out. “And if you care about me, you’ll give this to me.”
I narrow my eyes. “In exchange for what? We’re negotiating. I might bite. But I want to know what I get. And don’t offer me a fucking blow job.”
Her lips curve up into a half smile. “I’m inviting her to the grand opening of the restaurant when it’s done.”
“In. Exchange. For. What?”
“I don’t know,” she purrs, backing away from me. “I think you’re a smart man, Pluto, and can come up with that answer.”
A chase.
She’ll let me chase her down and fuck her like a god does for the one he’s laid claim to.
“I agree to your terms, Proserpina,” I growl. “But you better run fast. When I catch you, I’m going to fuck you hard, wild, and rough.”
She grins and flashes me a wink.
And then she’s gone.
Watching her ass bounce up those stairs, knowing I’ll be ripping her yoga pants off very soon, is worth the shitty meeting I just endured.
Talia’s ass makes everything better.
Talia
Sitting at Kostas’s desk in his home office, double-checking my book of ideas a.k.a. my restaurant proposal to present to Aris, my mind wanders to a recent conversation with him. When I approached Aris a couple weeks ago regarding the budget, he explained I wasn’t prepared, and once I was, to schedule an appointment. Asshole.
After taking fifteen calming breaths, I knock on Aris’s door and wait for him to grant me access.
“Talia, what can I do for you?” He closes his laptop and gives me his undivided attention. My heart is beating so fast you would think it was in a race, but luckily, Aris’s door is open and is surrounded by other offices. Including Kostas’s.
“I’m here to speak to you regarding the budget for the restaurant.” I stay standing, hoping this will be quick and painless.
Aris’s lips curl into a smile, and I’m taken aback. It’s just like the smiles he would grant me before… “Okay. What do you need from me?”
“I guess I just need to know who I order from and how to pay for things.” I shuffle from one foot to the other nervously.
Aris laughs and then starts firing questions off at me. “Have you decided what the theme will be? What the menu will look like? Contacted any chefs for interviews? Have you put together a plan? How about an estimated budget?”
When I don’t say anything, shocked and dumbfounded at how formal he’s behaving, he says, “I take it you didn’t think about any of that?” Aris stands and walks around to the front of his desk. Instinctively, I back up so I’m almost out of the office, afraid he’s going to try to close the door and trap me in here. He stops and leans against the desk, completely unfazed by my actions. “In the world of business, Talia, one must come prepared to a meeting with all the information needed. I know my brother told you there’s no budget, but that doesn’t mean you view it as a shopping spree. The Pérasma Hotel has a reputation to uphold. The restaurant needs to be cohesive with the rest of the wing, which will be finalized at the same time, and Hilda, who is in charge of that, actually has a budget. She’s going to need to know what your intentions are so she can work alongside you. And while my brother doesn’t seem to care how much you spend, we still need to turn a profit. It is a business after all.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes. We both know damn well this restaurant, hell, this hotel is nothing but a front. Sure, they turn a profit, but Aris doesn’t really give a shit about how much I spend. He’s only doing this to stick it to me.
“Once you have all your ducks in a row, give my secretary a call to schedule an appointment and we’ll sit down and discuss it.” He steps toward the door, opening it wider, silently indicating he’d like for me to leave. So, this is how he wants to play this game… Fine. He might’ve won this round, but I will win the war.
After leaving his office, I was more determined than ever to make this restaurant a success. First step, I had to come up with a theme. Once I figured that out, I started researching everything. From paint, to décor, the restaurant kitchen appliances. I’ve created an item analysis of everything I’m planning to purchase and what the estimated cost of labor will be. I’ll be damned if I’m not prepared for the meeting today.