Mob Mistress Read Online Free Page A

landlord’s contact information, which she read off to him. He entered her cell number into his phone and gave her his.
    “Thank you,” she said, looking vulnerable. “I really appreciate it.”
    He put a finger under her chin and lifted it. “If things work out between us, and you become my sugar baby, I will handle all your problems. I always take care of what’s mine,” he promised.
    She gave a rueful smile. “You want me to owe you,” she said, recovering the sassiness he found so appealing.
    “Smart girl.”
    “So listen,” he said, standing up and pulling on his clothes. “Here’s some money to get you by until we get things worked out,” he said, dropping five hundred dollars on the dresser. “I will let you know how it goes with your landlord — whether I have to rearrange his face or not.” She looked up, and he winked. “Just kidding.”
    She laughed, a melodic, honeyed sound that warmed him. He truly did want to take care of her and her problems, because he could tell she didn’t deserve them.
    “I have an apartment where you can stay while we try things out. If you decide you can handle being my girl, you can stay indefinitely,” he said.
    She sat up, paying attention. “Really? That would be great, thanks.”
    “Are you cutting hair tomorrow?”
    She nodded. “Eleven to 6:00.”
    “Text me the name and address of your salon and I’ll pick you up after work.” He leaned over and gave her a kiss. “Feel free to order room service in the morning. Or tonight, for that matter.”
    “Thank you.” She looked a little stunned, as if she couldn’t believe her good fortune, which was the way he liked it.
    He raked his eyes over her one last time, feeling quite lucky himself. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Lexi. Good night,” he said, stealing one last kiss.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Lexi spent the next day in a turmoil. She could not believe she was considering entering into an arrangement with a mobster. A married mobster, no less. The part of her with good judgment knew she’d be walking into trouble. But the desperate part of her, the part that didn’t want to sleep on Gina’s couch or move back to Kansas just to be able to eat, couldn’t walk away from this opportunity. And when Bobby called to tell her he had paid off her debt to her landlord and would have her things back for her by the following day, she felt more supported than she could ever remember.
    She used the money he left to buy a new outfit, since she didn’t have access to her things, but by the time he picked her up, she wished she’d chosen something sexier than jeans and a blouse. She realized she wanted to impress him. She didn’t know how much of an audition he would hold for the position of mob mistress, but she planned on nailing it.
    He arrived exactly at 6:00 and greeted her with a kiss, holding her jaw in place in that possessive way he had the night before at Plush. When their lips parted, he stroked his thumb down her cheek, his eyes roving over her face as if he might devour her. Or as if he owned her.
    Her skin tingled from his touch, her lips craved more contact. “Hi,” she said, breathless.
    He did not release her from his heated gaze. “Hi, yourself. How was your day?”
    She nodded. “Good. I mean, great, thanks to you.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah, thanks for dealing with my landlord.”
    He gave her a slow grin. “My pleasure. And now you owe me,” he murmured, tapping her lips with his thumb before releasing her.
    She didn’t know what it meant to owe Bobby Manghini, but the nastiest part of her couldn’t wait to find out.
    “We’ll get a quick bite first and then I’ll show you the apartment.”
    She noticed he had the habit of informing, rather than asking, which she supposed she would have to get used to. It bothered her less than she would have guessed, just adding to his take-charge charisma.
    He drove to a little Italian deli where they ordered sandwiches and sat outside on the patio,