The Mafia Boss

Ch. 24: I can't do this if you're being nice to me, Imogen.

"Mama!"

Maeve is stood on a nearby table, shaking her hips in time with the music. Torin is with her, holding onto her waist in the off chance she loses her balance.

"Daddy said you were sleeping."

"I was," I confirm, deliberately avoiding Torin's gaze. "Did you sleep well?"

She lunges into my arms, almost knocking me off my feet. "Yes!"

I fucking love how resilient she is.

"DADDY!"

Her sudden shouts just about ruin my eardrums, but I love how excited she sounds. She leaves my embrace to skip towards Torin and to my surprise, she doesn't slow down. Instead, she catapults straight into his arms. He's a little surprised by the action but manages to catch her around the waist in time.

"I forgot! I made you something."

Torin watches her rummage around in her dress pocket for something, his expression reflecting that of true adoration.

"Here!"

She reveals the friendship bracelet she was talking about yesterday, smiling thereafter.

"Oh, wow!" gushes Torin, accepting the pink and yellow accessory. "For me?"

She nods. "I have one to Match. Look!"

She holds up her right arm, showing it off.

"Thank you," he replies, slipping it on and tucking it under his sleeve. "I'll never take it off."

"Does that mean you love me now?"

I quickly intervene. "Maeve—"

"I've always loved you," he says, shocking me. "Ever since your mummy and I talked about having children."

I freeze, unsure what to do.

"Really?"

He nods.

"And mummy?"

"Oh, absolutely. In fact, why don't you make her a bracelet too? That way, we'll always feel that love."

I well up, not emotionally prepared for this.

"Can she marry you instead of Aidan?" she asks, not understanding the complexity of our situation at all.

Thank God!

"No, sweetie. She can't."

"Why not?"

Unlike yesterday, her tone isn't whiny.

"Because." He thinks for a moment. "Can I tell you a secret?"

She nods and pushes her ear out, ready to accept whatever information he's willing to share. The two converse and I watch on with a smile, no clue what he's saying to her.

"Really?" she asks.

He nods.

Maeve looks at me and smiles, happy with whatever she now knows.

"Can you do that for me?" he asks.

"Yes!" she exclaims.

She kisses his cheek and wiggles out of his hold, having found a new lease of life.

"Maeve," he says, grabbing her attention before she can disappear. "I mean it. I'll never take it off."

She flashes him her cheesiest smile and bounces away in a blur of pink and glitter. He watches her for a while, eventually turning to me.

"She's—precious."

His declaration breaks my heart.

"I know. And she's ours."

He laughs, not quite comprehending it.

"What did you tell her?" I ask.

"That you're a princess and I'm a prince. And that the reason we can't be together is because we're cursed."

"That's... fitting," I state.

He laughs. "I told her she was sent by angels to protect you. That she's your bodyguard."

I shake my head, knowing just how much she's going to milk this later.

"She really is wonderful," he admits, whispering. "You did a great job bringing her up."

I rest my forehead against his, no longer concerned if anyone sees us.

"I wish we could do last night again," I admit.

"I know."

"I want more."

His smile is genuine.

"You weren't there when I woke up," I accuse, momentarily pulling back.

"I thought it would make things easier."

He's probably right.

"I need you to do something for me," he speaks, voice uncharacteristically soft.

"What?"

"I need you to go back to hating me. Really hating me."

"T..."

"I can't do this if you're being nice to me, Imogen."

I huff in response.

"Please."

It's the first time I'm hearing him say please on his own accord.

"Fine. But every time I haul an insult your way, I hope you know what I'm really saying."

"I do," he assures. "And I hope you know that whenever I fire you a filthy look, I'm really imagining you naked in my bed."

I shove on his chest, far too amused.

"What is this anyway?" I ask, gesturing around the room.

Torin's gaze follows my hand movements.

"They're training," he explains, shrugging his shoulders. "Someone I know had the brilliant idea to bring them onboard."

I stare at him, jaw ungraceful in its need to gape open. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," he replies, pulling on my arm and bringing me closer to his body. "It was a good idea."

"Wow."

"Now, can you please say something horrible because I really, really want to kiss you right now."

I smirk in the face of his turmoil. "You have a small dick."

"You weren't complaining last night," he counters.

Again, I shove on his chest. "T!"

He laughs as he flicks me on the forehead. "Fuck off before I take you back to bed."

I take that as my cue to leave and—moments before joining Ryan's demonstration—quickly fire one last thing over my shoulder.

"It's Maeve birthday next week, by the way."

He immediately perks up.

"She wants a unicorn cake."

He grins, the movement lighting up his entire face. "Okay."

I face Ryan with the hopes my need for Torin vanishes the more I concentrate on the logistics of loading and unloading a handgun. Unfortunately, I can feel the boss' eyes on me the entire time and it's only when I resort to giving him my middle finger does he finally get the message and leave. I watch his retreating back as he heads towards his office, silently condemning myself for last night's decisions. Sleeping with Torin again was a huge mistake. It's only made resisting him harder.

Much, much harder.