“And you haven’t asked?” She giggles. “Wow. Color me surprised.”
“I’ve given you as much personal space as I could,” I remind her, groaning.
“Sure.” She doesn’t sound miffed by the knowledge that I have no qualms about disrespecting her personal space, and I don’t sound regretful. I am not. And I won’t lie either.
“Does playing consume you? While you make it appear easy, the passion bleeding onto the piano makes me curious if it’s a compulsion or desire.”
“Hmm, interesting question.” A small pause follows as if she’s rummaging for the right answer. “It’s a bit of both. I wouldrather stop breathing than not play. The piano is my greatest escape and my cage. I know that if I don’t play, I will implode. There’s this music I must create or else I would go mad.”
A low groan rumbles in my throat in answer. Good God, I can’t believe I am fucking jealous of an inanimate object.
She giggles, knowing me too well. “You have the biggest part of my heart. Will have the bigger part of my life, Mika. I love and bleed for my piano. But I love and live for you.”
“Good.”
“Just good?” she gasps, the sound ringing of theatrics, and that triggers my chuckle.
“See you tonight, brat.”
A peal of giggles rings over the line. “Someone just wants an excuse to spank me.”
“You miss it, don’t you?” I ask, my voice deepening with desire, turning hoarse.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She’s indeed a brat. But fuck if her playing these types of games doesn’t make me hard as stone.
“Later, baby girl,” I say, the threat lacing through my hoarse voice.
I hang up, pumped up to work faster, more efficiently so I can finish sooner and spend more time with her.
At headquarters, I postpone meeting with Enzo and head to my office first, but he’s there, waiting for me. It’s been awkward between us lately, but damn, everything shifted. Under his scrutiny, I avoid his gaze.
“Couldn’t sleep?” he asks, but it feels more like he’s baiting me.
“Are you worried about my beauty sleep now?” I puff out a breath of annoyance.
“When was the last time you fucked?” He ignores the folders stacked on the table, and so do I. We pay our employees wagesthat are well above market rates, and they always deliver. Our business thrives, both the ones we do in the day and especially the ones we conduct at night.
“Not your fucking business,” I grit out.
“Hmm. What broke your celibacy?” He analyzes me like a judge deciding the punishment. “You can deny it, of course, but I don’t know which one I would believe more.”
I remain silent when he adds, “You’ve changed. A few weeks ago, I was worried sick because you seemed to be constantly in pain. Now, you’re dripping with guilt. It makes me wary, and that would set a risky precedent.”
“We’re fine, asshole,” I sigh, jerking my chin at him. “I wouldn’t betray you. That doesn’t mean I have to tell you everything.”
A muscle in his jaw ticks. He narrows his eyes, throwing a folder at me.
I flick through the papers.
“With the city expanding, we need to be united more than ever,” he tells me as if I need a reminder.
I stare him down. “My loyalty, our purpose, has remained intact.”
“Good.” He sighs and rakes a hand through his hair. “With the families in our city, I’m just eager to show them what we have achieved, how much our power has expanded.”
“They’re well aware.”
