by Chelle Bliss
Me: Leo’s taking me on a plane ride. Private jet. If I don’t come back, he did it!
Michelle’s going to have something to say about the unplanned trip. She was already pissed I was going out with Leo, but now that I’m taking a plane ride to God knows where, she’ll be livid.
So instead of reading her text messages chastising me for being an idiot, I tuck my phone back into my purse and enjoy the view from the seclusion of the back seat of the luxury sedan.
My hands are practically shaking as we pull into the airport on the outskirts of town. The sun’s setting behind the trees, splashing the sky with vibrant yellows and stunning oranges like something out of a painting. Leo’s standing at the base of the stairway, looking just as handsome as ever in another expensive suit. There’s no smile on his face until the driver opens the door and I step outside.
“You made it.” He walks toward me. “Decided I wasn’t going to ransom you off or kill you?”
I laugh nervously, knowing I had been ridiculous. “I’m trusting you, Leo.” I peer up into his deep, rich eyes. “Don’t break that trust. I don’t give it easily.”
Leo places his hands on my upper arms, and the spark I felt before zaps me again. “I promise to have you back before the sun rises and in perfect condition.”
I wouldn’t mind a little imperfection if it included a round in the sack with Leo as a parting gift, of course. But then I remember having sex with him will only complicate matters even more than they already are, and I decide I will not sleep with Leo Conti.
I place my palm flat against his chest, feeling his heart beating out of control just like mine. “Something has been bothering me.” I keep my eyes locked with his. “I need to know one thing before I get on the plane with you.”
“Ask me anything. I have nothing to hide.” He doesn’t blink.
I glance toward the waiting jet and clear my throat. “My brother’s wedding.”
Leo nods, bringing my attention back to him.
“Why were you there? I know you weren’t invited.”
He slides his palms up and down my arms, stirring the lust seated deep in my belly. “It’s a long story. Why don’t we get on board, and I’ll tell you everything? We have an hour before we land.”
“Not good enough,” I tell him, but I don’t back away. My mind is telling me to run, but my body’s not listening.
Leo’s palm slides down my arm before covering my hand resting on his chest. “I was in the hotel and just stopped in. I never meant to talk to anyone or be seen. I promise to tell you whatever you want to know once we’re on the plane, but we’re going to be late.”
“Late?”
“For our dinner reservations.”
“Which are where?”
I know I’m being difficult and I’m fishing, but damn it, surprises have never been my thing. I’ve had too many in life, especially when it comes to my father. I like to know what I’m walking into before I’m smacked in the face with reality.
“Nashville,” he says finally. “Figure there’s no chance of the old guidos seeing us there.”
“We could’ve just gone to the Little Village for some margaritas.”
Leo shakes his head and sighs. “Their reach is everywhere in Chicago, even with the Mexican cartel.”
I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Leo’s been dropping information left and right when I’m with him, and it’s all news to me. I figured my father’s business was far-reaching, but I never really thought about how vast his network could possibly be.
Leo holds my chin between his fingers. “I promise you won’t regret tonight.”
I stare into his eyes, looking for any reason not to go. “Okay,” I say when I don’t find any.
Leo leans forward, still holding my chin, our eyes locked. “I promise you’ll have a good time,” he says softly with his lips practically touching mine.
My breathing slows, and time almost seems to stop as he hovers just out of reach. His brown eyes darken, and the way he stares at me leaves me nothing short of needy.
“Not here,” he whispers before backing away.
My hand falls from his chest, and I’m left gasping for air, trying to recover from the nearness of him.
I’ve never felt this way with anyone.
No one except Leo Conti.
I think back to the moment I met him up until now. I haven’t stopped craving his touch, his kiss, his everything.
His hand is on the small of my back as we walk on to the plane. He greets the pilot, introducing me, but leaving my last name out of the entire brief conversation.
There’s just the three of us for the short flight. A bottle of chilled champagne is waiting near the leather sofa that runs down one side of the plane.
Leo motions for me to sit before he pours two glasses. “Buckle up,” he says with a smirk as the plane starts to taxi down the runway. “It may be a bumpy ride.”
No truer words have ever been spoken. There’s nothing smooth about the storm that’s brewing inside me and the hurricane barreling our way if I don’t put an end to whatever this is before we touch down again in Chicago.
The takeoff isn’t as smooth as I’d hoped or am used to in a commercial airplane. I’ve never been fond of flying, and being in a small private plane doesn’t alleviate the anxiety that has settled deep in my core.
After I quickly polish off the first glass of champagne, I pour myself another and pray it will be enough to calm me down.
Leo places his hand on my knee, which hasn’t stopped shaking since the moment the plane lifted off the ground. “Are you okay?”
I smile nervously and wave the champagne flute between us, almost spilling the contents in his lap. “I’m great. Fine. Never been better,” I blurt out, making it quite obvious I’m a hot mess.
He squeezes my knee. I take a deep breath, trying to focus on my breathing along with his deep, penetrating gaze instead of the fact that we’re high in the air.
He turns on the couch next to me, bringing his knee against mine, connecting our bodies once again. “You asked why I was at the wedding.” He pauses as he sets his champagne flute on the table at his side. “For weeks, I’d heard rumors your father was being released from prison. When I saw the last name for the wedding party in the grand ballroom, I thought I’d stop in and see if he was there.”
My entire body rocks backward. “You were stalking us?”
“No, no. It’s not like that.”
I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms, carefully holding the champagne flute in front of me. “It sounds exactly like that.”
“I’m like you, Daphne. I have nothing to do with my father’s business, but somehow, his world bleeds into mine. Especially when one of his enemies is after him. We both know the bloody histories of our fathers’ business endeavors.”
I nod, but I’m not quite sure I have a firm grasp on it like Leo does.
“I needed to see with my own eyes if Santino Gallo was really out, walking the streets again.”
“You think my father would order a hit on yours?”
“I have no doubt my father would order one on your father if he deemed it necessary. Why would your father be any different? Hell, they’d probably kill us and not even blink.”
I open my mouth to speak and close it again. I’m in complete and utter shock. None of us is involved in my father’s hustle. Not in any way are we even remotely tied to his business dealings besides the simple fact that we were born.
“That’s ridiculous,” I tell him.
Leo moves even closer. “I needed to know if your father was released and if I had to increase the security around my sisters and myself. We’re not part of their world, but it’s very easy for us to become casualties.”
I think back to the wedding, the moment I tripped, and how Leo caught me. “You swear you didn’t know who I was when I left the ballroom with you?”
He holds his hands up. “I didn’t know at first. I never went to
the wedding with the intention of sleeping with Santino’s daughter. After you fell into my arms, I wanted to talk to you.”
“When you asked me to go somewhere quiet, you were going to fuck me, weren’t you?” I’m straightforward with my questioning.
His hand is back on my knee, stroking the spot that makes my belly tighten. “There was a spark between us from the moment I touched you, Daphne. I’ve never felt that with another person. Maybe it’s your fiery mouth or your beautiful lips, but I can’t stop myself from wanting you. Couldn’t keep myself from taking you home that night and thinking about you nonstop since the moment you walked out of my place, leaving your scent in my bed and turning my world upside down.”
I swallow roughly, knowing exactly what he’s talking about. From the moment I first heard his voice, my body has responded to him in every way. Even his touch sends goose bumps across my skin. I should hate him. I should stay away, but Leo makes that impossible, and my body’s reaction isn’t helping.
“Our fathers are enemies. You said it yourself, neither would think twice about offing one of us. Normal people don’t hop on private planes to fly to a different state to stay under the radar for a date. There’s so much wrong with this, Leo. So much is fucked up about the entire situation.”
Leo’s grip tightens on my leg. “And yet, somehow, there’s so much that’s right. Tell me you don’t feel it.”
God, I want to tell him he’s wrong and to go to hell, but I can’t seem to get the words out of my mouth. I’m having trouble even thinking. Leo’s too close, his skin on mine, and the plane’s vibrating, reminding me we’re high in the air.
Leo Conti could very well be my undoing.
7
Leo
Up until the plane ride, I hadn’t given Daphne one good reason to think I was an honorable man or trustworthy in any way.
Hell, I didn’t even bother to correct her when she thought we’d had sex. It was a sleazeball move, but I liked her thinking we’d done more than actually sleep together.
Tonight, I’d reserved the chef’s table at the fanciest and most exclusive steakhouse in Nashville. Dining in the kitchen gave us more privacy, and I didn’t want her looking over her shoulder most of the night instead of keeping her eyes on me.
Daphne fidgets, touching the silverware on both sides of her plate as soon as we sit down. “This is impressive.”
“Nothing but the best,” I tell her, pouring the champagne I selected earlier for this special occasion.
“You really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble,” she says as she takes the champagne flute from my hand. “It’s beautiful, but I’m really a simple girl.”
“There’s nothing simple about you, Daphne.”
She blushes and looks away before lifting the champagne to her lips.
“Leo, my dear friend,” Martin, the chef and owner, says as he approaches our table.
“Martin, thank you for having us this evening on such short notice.”
“Ah. Anything for you. Your lady is quite beautiful.” He smiles at Daphne, no doubt just as struck by her beauty as I am. Daphne’s blush only deepens as Martin continues to talk. “But you’ve always been a lucky bastard.”
“I’ve never been as lucky as I am tonight.” I wink at Daphne, wanting her to know exactly how I feel.
“I have to get back to work, but your first course will be ready shortly.”
“Thank you,” Daphne says to Martin with the sweetest smile.
“It is entirely my pleasure, madam.” He tips his head, drinking her in in much the same way most men do when they cross her path.
“He seems really nice,” Daphne says, watching over my shoulder as Martin is no doubt putting on a show. “Have you known him long?”
“For a few years. We used to work together before he decided to open this restaurant. I helped him get it off the ground, becoming part owner until he was able to buy me out.”
“Well, that was nice of you.”
“It was purely a business decision,” I tell her, but I would’ve done anything for Martin. He helped me launch my hotel in Nashville, ensuring it was a success in an already flooded market.
“I find that hard to believe,” she says, smiling at me over the rim of her champagne flute.
“I’m a good guy, Daphne.” I feel like I’m pleading my case, trying to get her to think of me as someone other than Mario’s son.
“I realize that now.”
“Can I ask you something?” I stare across the table at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. “What makes you tick?”
She leans forward, holding the champagne flute in one hand and looking way more delicious than anything Martin could ever serve. “My family and my business.”
My answer would be the same. But someday, I’d like to have my own family. As the years roll by, I realize I’m not getting any younger, and the need to settle down becomes stronger and more urgent.
I lean across the table and brush a few strands of hair away from her eyes, but my touch lingers. “What brings you pleasure?”
The candlelight flickers across her face as her eyes darken, and she moves into my touch. “Right now, you do,” she admits. “And you?”
“Being with you.”
“We shouldn’t do this,” she whispers.
“Do what? We’re only talking.” I feel absolutely no guilt for how I feel or what we’re doing.
I don’t care about our families, our friends, or any repercussions that could come out of our evening together.
“We’re doing more than talking, Leo,” she says softly, blinking slowly and seducing me even more.
Martin clears his throat, interrupting the moment we were just having. “Can I just say you two make a gorgeous couple? Never have I seen two people more perfect for each other.”
Daphne and I exchange a look over the table before I reply. “Thank you, Martin. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. This is our first date.”
Martin sets down the plates he’s been holding. “I’m so sorry. I misspoke. I never would’ve guessed this is your first date.”
“It’s fine.” Daphne smiles easily. “It doesn’t feel like our first date either.”
“Well, enjoy the Oysters Rockefeller. They’re the house specialty and an aphrodisiac.” He winks before leaving us alone again.
She relaxes back into her seat and stares at me across the table. “You’re not what I expected. Not at all.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is that good or bad?”
“Well, I figured you were an asshole.”
“Oh.” I laugh. “I am.”
“Not really.”
“No. I really am, but maybe you’re too blinded by your feelings for me to see it.”
Daphne smirks. “Hardly,” she whispers.
We’re halfway back to Chicago, and I know my time is running out to get her to agree to another date. Even though I asked her for only one, I sure as hell want more.
“I like you, Daphne. I don’t care what your last name is. I don’t care who your father is or who my father is. I don’t care that it’s dangerous to be around you. I don’t care that if your father finds out, he’ll probably end my life before I can blink. All I care about is you. The way your skin feels against mine. The way your breathing changes when I touch you. I want all of it. I’m not ready to walk away without finding out what this is between us.”
“It’s a lot for me to process,” she says, totally not going where I wanted after professing what’s happening in my head.
Daphne’s been staring at me all night. Practically undressing me with her eyes like she did the night I met her. Her lips may have said one thing, but her body has always portrayed the opposite.
The straight line across Daphne’s top lip dips. “Leo,” she whispers and shakes her head as she sits next to me on the plane. “Tonight was nice, but we could never work.”
“Why? Give me one good reason.” I’m being pushy, but nothing is ever gained
without being relentless.
“Um.” She laughs softly. “The possibility of one of us dying is a pretty damn good reason, you know?” She shrugs with a crooked smile.
“We’re all going to die someday, Daphne, but it’s how we choose to live that’s most important.”
She stares at me for a minute, blinking with her lips parted. I can’t tell if my statement was a home run or the proverbial nail in my coffin of anything possibly happening between us.
“Did we at least kiss that night?” she asks.
I cover my mouth to hide my smile. This woman has me all kinds of crazy, and I can’t seem to stop myself from wanting more. “You don’t remember anything?”
Daphne shakes her head. “Not really.”
“Nothing?” I ask again in complete shock.
“Not a minute after the reception,” she tells me. “I think I would’ve remembered things if they were that earth-shattering or life-altering, but I have nothing. There’s not even a hint of a memory.”
I slide closer, wanting to be near her. “We didn’t even kiss. But I want to kiss you,” I tell her, needing to touch her lips more than anything in the world. “I’m going to kiss you.”
Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t pull away or protest. I place my fingers under her chin, holding her eyes to mine.
“If there’s no spark, no connection, and you feel nothing, we’ll call this quits. You can walk off this plane, and you’ll never hear from me again. But,” I say and pause, leaning forward a little more and bringing my face closer to hers. “If you feel what I do, we see what happens. We owe ourselves that much.”
She doesn’t say anything as she stares deep into my eyes. Daphne’s barely breathing, and the air around us is thick and crackling with lust.
Her gaze drops to my lips as I move forward. I’m hungry for her. This girl has my body, mind, and soul all tied up in knots. She’s like some great cosmic joke, making me fall for the one girl in the entire city of Chicago I shouldn’t be falling for.