Chapter 14: Chapter 14

When Dario leaves, I shut the door and lean against it.

Wow.

Lifting a hand to my face, I brush the tips of my fingers over my lips.

I’ve never been kissed like that.

Warmth spreads through my chest while there are flutters in my stomach.

I think it’s safe to say I’m crushing hard on Dario, and if I’m not careful, I’ll be head over heels in love before I know it.

Closing my eyes, I get lost in the memory of having his body pinning me down on the couch while his mouth did things to mine that had me almost crying with the emotions it stirred in my heart.

The man really has a way of making me feel special…as if I could be his entire world.

Don’t be stupid.

My eyes snap open, and shaking my head, I open the door and head to Tyrone’s place.

I knock quickly, and he opens within seconds with a grin on his face.

“So, you and your boss?”

“I almost had a panic attack when you started asking him questions!” I go inside where it’s warmer. “Dario doesn’t know I’m a janitor at his company.”

A frown forms on Tyrone’s brow. “Why?”

“Because I’m not ready for him to know.” I sit down on his couch, then say, “The heat is out in my apartment.”

“Want to crash here tonight?”

“No, I have the extra blanket. I’ll tell Winston tomorrow so he can fix it.”

Tyrone takes a seat on the armchair and pins me with a serious look. “So why aren’t you ready for your boss to know you work for him?”

“Duh.” I wave a hand in the air. “Show me a rich guy who wants to date a woman who cleans toilets and scrubs floors.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a janitor,” Tyrone mutters. “It’s honest money.”

“I know.” I let out a sigh. “But what if he finds out and fires my ass?”

“Why would he fire you? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Yeah, I have. I steal half an hour of company time to dance in one of the studios.”

“Just say you were doing it during a break. You’re allowed to take breaks, right?”

“True.” My teeth tug at my bottom lip, then I look at Tyrone. “I really like him.”

A smile spreads over his face. “Yeah? You think he likes you too?”

Grinning like an idiot, I nod. “The way he kisses me makes me feel special.”

“The man’s got game.” Tyrone raises an eyebrow at me. “Just make sure he wraps it before you-know-what.”

I pull a grossed-out face. “Eww…don’t give me the birds and bees talk.”

Chuckling, he says, “You’re the one who started talking about kissing. I just want to make sure my girl doesn’t get knocked up.”

Changing the subject back to a safer topic, I ask, “What do you think of Dario?”

Tyrone shakes his head. “I didn’t get to spend time with him, so it’s hard to say.” He shrugs, then chuckles. “Either the man got one hell of a hard-on for you or he has a spine of steel. You know, with him coming here and all. He didn’t seem worried for his safety.”

“True,” I murmur, thinking back to when we came home earlier.

Dario actually seemed relaxed, as if he’d been here a million times before.

“There was something else,” Tyrone muses.

My eyes snap to his face. “What?”

“That motherfucker Frankie. Was it my imagination, or did he give us a chin lift on the drive-by?”

“I didn’t see. I was too busy glaring at you for mouthing off at them. You need to stop doing that,” I chastise him.

Tyrone grumbles something I can’t make out, then gets up from the armchair. “You want some coffee or tea?”

“No, I just had coffee. Thanks, though.” I get up as well. “I’m gonna go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Tyrone starts to make a cup of tea for himself and glances at me. “Sweet dreams, baby girl.”

“You too.” I let myself out of his apartment and head back to my place.

Locking the front door behind me, I turn off the lights in the living room and walk to my bedroom to change into my warm PJs, which consist of my oldest sweatpants and a sweater.

I go to the bathroom and quickly wash my face before I fight the toothpaste tube for the last bit. I end up cutting the thing open and grin when I see there’s enough for tomorrow morning.

I brush my teeth, and after I’m done, I dig my cell phone out of my coat’s pocket and plug it in on my bedside table so it can charge overnight.

I switch off the rest of the lights and crawl beneath the blankets on my bed, snuggling into my pillow.

My thoughts are instantly consumed by Dario.

Today’s date might have started rocky, but it ended up going much better than I expected.

Dario handled the news of where I live and seeing my apartment so well. I don’t feel like he was judging me at all.

Can things really work out between us?

My heart beats faster at the thought of dating Dario. I mean, he’s one hell of a catch.

Why me, though? Out of all the women he interacts with on a daily basis, why did he even spare me a second glance?

He could’ve picked any of the gorgeous ballerinas. Or whoever sings at the opera house he owns. Or one of the rich women in his social circle.

I was the one who was on a date with him today, though.

He kissed me.

If he were just in it for a quick fuck, I wouldn’t have seen him today.

That means he’s seriously interested in me.

A happy grin spreads over my mouth, and I giggle like a freaking schoolgirl.

Dario La Rosa likes me.

A banging on my front door rips me out of my thoughts, and letting out a sigh, I throw the covers back and climb out of bed.

I switch on the light, and while the banging increases until I’m sure the noise will wake all my neighbors, I shove my feet into my sneakers.

Leaving my bedroom, I rush to the front door and check through the peephole.

Jesus Christ.

Unlocking the door, I yank it open, and when Mandy tries to stagger inside, I shove her backward.

“No! Get out of here,” I bark.

“Come on,” she slurs. She’s so drunk it’s a miracle she’s able to keep her balance. “Let your mamma in.”

Tyrone’s door opens, and when he sees Mandy, his features tighten with anger. “Enough, Mandy. Go find somewhere else to sleep.”

“Shut up! Some of us are trying to sleep,” Mrs. Wendall shouts from the end of the hallway.

“You shut up,” Mandy yells back at her before she gives me a dazed smile. “I’m visiting my pretty daughter.”

Having had enough, I grab hold of Mandy’s arm and drag her down the stairs so I can throw her out of the building.

“Hey, hey, hey,” she slurs while struggling to keep up with me. “Be a good kid and let your mamma crash on the couch. It’s cold outside.”

I pull Mandy out onto the sidewalk and almost have a heart attack when I see Junior, one of Frankie’s men, parked in front of the entrance.

Shit.

Is he here because Tyrone mouthed off to Frankie?

Junior climbs out of his car and scowls at Mandy and me.

My stomach churns, and my muscles tense up with fear. Mandy, on the other hand, takes one look at the gangster, yanks free from my hold, then runs away like the coward she is.

Shivering from the cold, I wrap my arms around myself, while keeping my eyes on Junior.

Knowing words won’t stop him, I still say, “We’re not looking for any trouble.”

“Just keeping the apartment safe,” he mutters. “It’s cold out here, ma’am. Go back inside.”

What. The. Hell?

Did he just call me ma’am?

With my jaw dropped open, I stare at the dangerous gangster.

Stunned, I stumble over the single word. “W-why?”

“Just taking care of our people.” He jerks his chin toward the entrance. “Go.”

Since when does Frankie’s gang care about ‘our people’?

Confused as hell, I keep glancing at Junior as I walk back into the building. When I reach the third floor, Tyrone’s still standing by his open door.

“So, something weird just happened,” I say. “Junior is parked out front, saying he’s keeping the place safe because he’s,” I make quotation marks in the air with my fingers, “Just taking care of our people.”

A dark frown forms on Tyrone’s forehead. “What are the motherfuckers up to?”

“Beats me.” I walk to my front door. “Mandy took off running when she saw Junior. I don’t think she’ll risk coming back tonight.”

“Thank you, Jesus, for small mercies,” Tyrone mutters. He gives me a chin lift. “Go back to bed.”

“Don’t confront Junior,” I say while giving him a serious look.

“Yeah-yeah.”

I wait until Tyrone shuts his front door before I go back into my apartment. Locking up behind me, I rush back to bed and quickly kick off my sneakers. I dive beneath the covers and curl into a ball so I can warm up again.

Within seconds, my thoughts are consumed by Dario again, and with the memory of him kissing me, I drift off to sleep.