Page 67 of Power & Punishment

“Wait, you’re actually taking me to dinner? I thought that was another ploy to get me to come home with you?” she asks, crossing her arms.

I smile and reach across her without saying anything. She doesn’t reach for her gun, but she does tense up.

“Relax, Cara Mia,” I whisper into her ear as I pull the seat belt across her chest. “Safety first,” I say, clicking the buckle in place.

“You didn’t answer my question, dick,” she snaps, trying to hide the fact that her skin is flushed.

“It’s hurtful that I have all these sweet nicknames for you and yours are just so…uninspired.” I say, basking in the feeling of her simmering rage.

“Fine, Stronzo,” she says, the name rolling off her tongue.

I flatten my hands at my sides even though all I want to do is grab her face and smash my lips against hers.

But I can’t because I’m already late—something that could’ve been avoided if she would’ve answered her damn phone.

“You know Italian?” I ask, slanting my lips.

“I know enough,” Mia says. “Enough to know you only use it to get in girls’ pants.”

“I guess it works then.” I wink. Although maybe I’ll have to up my game if I ever want to get in her pants again.

The woman is stubborn.

She snorts, rolling her eyes. “That doesn’t count. I can hate you and still want to—” and then she slams her lips shut.

“Finish your sentence, Emilia,” I command, unbuckling my own seatbelt and sliding close. I don’t stop until I can feel her steady breaths puff against my neck. She tries to look away, but I grip her chin and force her attention back to where it belongs.

Her tongue swipes across her bottom lip, skimming the top of my thumb.

She opens her mouth to speak, but then I hear a knock against the window, and I realize we’ve reached our destination.

“Saved by the bell,” I sigh, dropping my hold and sliding out the door.

When I don’t hear Mia’s door opening, I cross to the other side of the car and open it myself. “You’re coming too. I can’t have you running off on me again.”

She tries to fight me at first, but after five minutes of muttering and colorful language, we end up in my office.

“You’re late,” Georgia points out from behind her desk. When she finally makes eye contact with us, a grin stretches across her lips. “This must be the reason why.”

“Georgia, this is Emilia,” I say, shrugging off my jacket and handing it to her. “Emilia, this is my assistant, Georgia.”

“You can call me Mia,” she says with a friendly smile. One I’ve never been on the receiving end of.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Mia,” Georgia greets, giving her a once-over. “Adrian has been waiting for almost ten minutes. You better whip out the good liquor.”

“Great,” I groan. “Georgia, can you take Mia to one of the shops around the corner and get her something to wear to dinner tonight? I shouldn’t be long.”

Mia’s venomous scowl returns.

“I’m not your Barbie doll,” she spits.

“No, you’re not,” I say, letting my hand glide down her arm. “If you were, I wouldn’t be putting clothes on. I’d be taking them off.”

Georgia clears her throat and steps between us. “Trust me, it’ll be fun. We’ll spend all his money, and you can get whatever you want.”

Mia’s smile returns, but this time it’s more devious. “Actually, I like the sound of that. A lot,” she replies, hooking her arm around Georgia’s. “I think we’re going to get along great.”

I bite back a grin as they disappear through the entrance, and I turn toward my own office doors.