Strong Mafia Daddy by Scott Wylder

CHAPTER THREE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zoe

I followed Tony into the living room, where he was pouring himself a drink at the minibar. I stood awkwardly, not sure what to do. While he was busy, I studied him. He was handsome with dark hair and eyes. He was wearing a full suit, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find muscles underneath his suit.

However, he looked exhausted. There were dark circles under his eyes, and a muscle in his jaw kept twitching, betraying his tension. Was it just today that exhausted him, or was there more?

“Please, have a seat,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat or drink?”I shook my head. I was so nervous about everything that I didn’t think I could keep water down. I sat on the edge of a plump leather couch. I could tell just from feeling the material that it was expensive—a far cry from the ripped and stained second-hand sofa in my apartment.

He sat down in a chair across from me. As he leaned back and sipped his drink, he studied me as if assessing me. I felt myself blush under his scrutiny. I felt so exposed and vulnerable. For some reason, I didn’t hate the feeling. He should make my skin crawl. He owned me, and he was going to murder my brother before I stopped him. But for some reason, I enjoyed feeling small next to him. I wanted to believe him when he said he wanted to take care of me, but it felt too good to be true.

“How did you get those bruises?” Tony asked.

I tried to cover my arms with my hands. “Why does it matter?” I asked.

“Because I want to know who to kill for hurting you like that.”I looked down, knowing he meant it. “Do you enjoy killing?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”“You’ve known me for barely an hour, and you’re already willing to kill for me. You must look for any excuse to kill.”

“Believe me, little one, you’re worth killing for. But no, I do not enjoy it. I put a lot of effort into building my reputation to ensure I never have to kill anyone at all.” He shrugged. “But if I need to, I’ll do it.”

I shivered. “Would you ever need to kill me?”

“No,” he said. He didn’t even hesitate.“I won’t ever hurt you. As long as you don’t try to steal from me or sell me out to the authorities, no one will ever hurt you. I’ll make sure of it.”

I desperately wanted to believe him. I wanted to feel safe here, but it seemed too good to be true.

“Now, please tell me where you got those bruises from?”

I sighed. “It’s silly. I live in a five-story walk-up, and while walking up the stairs, I fell through a rotted step onto the concrete below. I was lucky that I didn’t sprain anything or hit my head.”

He frowned. “Your landlord just let you get hurt?”“It’s an old building,” I said. “And it’s my fault. I knew that step was there, and I wasn’t paying attention.” I worked retail and had just come off a double shift. I had been too tired to focus on anything, let alone where I was walking.

“That’s no excuse.” His tone was laced with rage.I started to feel anxious under this line of questioning. Sure, my landlord wasn’t the best, but the last thing I wanted was for Tony to kill anyone on my behalf. And that was what he was prepared to do. “I’m okay. I promise. Don’t hurt him.”

His expression softened. “You’re too kind, little one. You’re right. I do want to hurt him for hurting you, but I won’t. I want you to be happy. Not cause you more distress.” He leaned back and took a sip of his drink. “But I’ll need your address. I’ll send someone to collect your things.”“How long will I be staying here?” I asked.

“As long as I wish.” He raised an eyebrow as if daring me to argue. I didn’t. The last thing I wanted was to get on his bad side.

Just then, the housekeeper, Ingrid, came back. “The guest room is ready,” she said. “You can freshen up and relax now if you want.”I looked at Tony, silently asking his permission. He nodded with a smile. “Go on, little one. Go relax.”

“Thank you.” I followed Ingrid as she showed me to the guest room. My room until further notice.