Page 34 of The Mafia’s Girlfriend

Each time I approached, he stalked away before I could speak. I saw how annoyed he was. I heard the irritation in his exhales. But his attitude and resistance only made me want to fight back and try harder.

Sooner or later, I’d have to get catch him in place so he could hear me out. My desire hadn’t faded at all, but I could put that on the back burner until I emphasized how much trouble he might be in by fighting that man.

Because deep down, I really didn’t want to see him be hurt—all due to him standing up for me.

Chapter 13

Luke

In a few more days, it would’ve been a month since Hurricane Emmalina swept into my life. After that kiss, she developed a habit of following me, of tagging along after me, and trying to get me alone.

It went against my efforts of trying to get her out of my mind. I didn’t want to think about her. I didn’t want to be stuck in this loop of reliving how perfect she fit against me, kissing back like her life would end if we parted.

I wanted her. I dreamed about her. Thoughts of her entered my mind when I wasn’t preoccupied with something else. Like a virus, she’d infiltrated my mind.

But none of that changed the fact that I couldn’t have her. I knew better. I should’ve listened to that bit of common sense when she kissed me, but I didn’t. I hadn’t been strong enough to resist.

The fact remained that I didn’t have time for a lusty guest tagging along after me while I tried to work. She was careful not to ever get in the way, but merely seeing her broke my concentration. Sleeping with guests was highly frowned upon. Many employees had been fired for it, and I wasn’t going to risk losing my job over her. I couldn’t when Jimmy was still holding me back on fights.

I had another successful fight last night, and I was due a damn rest. I looked forward to sleeping in, but at the same time, not working meant less money. Riding the thrill of last night’s success, I felt like I was closer to reaching out with Ben to propose a fight with someone like Orsen.

I saw him at last night’s fight. He wasn’t participating, just observing, and I had to laugh at how easy it had been to get him taken down. Surprisingly, I didn’t face any backlash from fighting those men. They had representation. Repercussions should’ve followed, but they hadn’t.

Unless they’re watching and waiting to strike back.

I wasn’t eager to get involved with drama like that. I’d fight whoever would take me on, and I’d do my best to win every time. That was all there was to it.

If Jimmy knew that I was talking to Ben about better fights, he’d be pissed. He stood by his belief that I had to wait a while yet before I’d be qualified, but I was getting impatient. I was determined to enter for a spot in a bigger ring of matches at the end of the summer, and seeking out a chance to enter the preliminary considerations was the first step.

Before I could call it a day and go home, I had to settle an issue with a broken window at the bar. Randy joined me, there to help clear up the mess that a drunk guest left.

“I’m surprised to see you without your shadow,” he teased.

I shook my head, slightly amused. If nothing else, it proved that she enjoyed me kissing her.

“You gotta be careful, man.” Randy looked around, checking if anyone was listening. “You can get fired for that shit. If you’re hooking up with the pain-in-the-ass VIP, tell her to tone it down.”

“No worries there.”

He laughed dryly.

“No, seriously. We’re not hooking up or anything.”

“Does she know that?”

I had a hunch she didn’t want to accept it, but that was my stance on it. If I could torture myself and resist her, she could, too.

I couldn’t understand why she’d be so stuck on me anyway. I wasn’t her type. I wasn’t a pretty boy she could control and manipulate, to get what she wanted from me.

Maybe that’s it. It could be that she wanted the unobtainable and that heightened the allure of it.

After Randy and I finished with the window, we left to go clock out. I walked another route, taking my time to do one last patrol even though I was already off duty. As I strolled along, I found Emma. For once, she was in front of me, not behind me, trying to follow me. Keeping my feet light on the path, I stalked after her. A slow smile pulled at my lips. Knowing that I’d be the one to get a jump on her was half the fun. We could just see how she appreciated being followed.

Coming up behind her as she peeked around a garden, I was taken back to the memory of seeing her backside for the first time. A month ago, when I entered her condo and saw her in nothing but panties.

I held in a sigh, wishing that...

Forget about it. There was no point in getting my hopes up high. That kiss lit me on fire, but that didn’t mean anything else should happen. Sooner or later, she’d move on. Temptation wouldn’t be within reach anymore.