LOGAN'S POV:
The ride back to the house was silent and I couldn't keep my eyes off Mia. She had tears swimming in her eyes and a small, red bump had started to form on her forehead. I couldn't unclench my fists for the entire journey, my mind replaying the eventful evening.
I couldn't stand that family but they had a talent for avoiding the law and were useful allies. But that didn't excuse him for a second. Seeing him manhandle Mia had my blood boiling, and the bump on her head only served to make me angrier. Nobody got away with damaging what was mine.
I was relieved when we arrived home to find everything still intact. Tonight's dinner was an event that was well known by the mafias and while the banquet was supposed to be peaceful, I didn't trust any of the other leaders not to launch an attack or break into my house while I was gone. There was a lot of information in my home that would be beneficial to my enemies and while there wasn't a chance that they'd find it; I didn't put it past them to try.
That was the real reason I took Mia with me.
The house was quiet when we entered and Mia still hadn't said a word. "Are you alright?" I finally asked her, unable to tolerate her silence any longer. That wasn't exactly what I was used to.
She shrugged her shoulders before turning to look at me with glossy eyes. "I feel awful," she said softly, "we left those girls with him. What if he hurts them?" The guilt drenched her features and I felt my chest ache a little.
"There was nothing either of us could've done," I assured her. Fuck knows why. For some reason, I couldn't stand the sight of her upset and that only made me angrier about the entire evening. I should've been the one that yelled at her and punished her but instead I was protecting her and risking war breaking out between mafias just to stop her getting hurt.
I was being completely fucking pathetic just because I wanted to fuck this girl.
"What if I really did make it worse?" She asked with a sigh.
"You were just trying to help them," I reminded her, stepping a little closer. "You showed them kindness, I'm sure they don't experience it often."
She appeared to be lost in her own mind for a moment before she turned back to me. "How can he treat them like that?" She suddenly spat. "He acted like they were animals, not people."
Her small hands curled into fists at her sides and her eyes hardened. All I could do was nod, understanding her anger. Watching the way he treated those girls made me sick, and I would've loved nothing more than to put a bullet through his skull.
"How's your head?" I asked her, reaching up to gently brush the lump there. She winced from the pain and I frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't stop him faster," I said.
A small smile flickered across her lips as she looked up at me. "That's the second time you've apologised to me," she pointed out, her tongue darting out to wet her lips and completely capturing my attention.
When I dragged my eyes away, her words finally registered in my mind. "Don't get used to it," I warned, my lips involuntarily quirking.
She smiled up at me. The mark on her forehead did nothing to distinguish her beauty. "I think it's bruising," I muttered, reaching up and cupping her chin in my hand. I didn't know what I was doing. I prided myself on being distant. Emotionless. But since meeting this woman, I'd shown more emotion than I ever had. I'd never felt so out of control.
"You looked beautiful tonight," I admitted without meaning to. It was the truth. She was the most beautiful woman in the room and I'd spent all night ignoring any business talk and instead thinking about everything I wanted to do to the woman in front of me if she'd only let me.
"Thank you," she replied breathily, her eyes fluttering slightly when I stroked my thumb along her jawline. Her lips parted slightly and I honed in on them, wanting to taste them more than anything. As if she heard my thoughts, she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and I felt my dick twitch.
I reached forward, choosing not to think for the time being, and pulled her lower lip between my thumb and finger. "You're driving me crazy," I muttered under my breath. I could hear her heavy breathing and when she met my gaze, I could see the heat in them.
That's when a clatter sounded from upstairs. I dropped my hands from her in an instant and pulled out my gun, moving her behind me. I gestured to the few guards positioned around the room and immediately, they removed their weapons and stood taller. I started up the stairs, holding my gun in one hand and Mia in the other so she stayed covered by my body. I needed to get her out of the way.
I reached the top of the stairs and opened the office doors, doing a quick scan of the room while one of my soldier's guarded Mia. The room was empty. "In there," I instructed Mia just before footsteps sounded, making their way down the stairs from my bedroom. I aimed my weapon at the bottom of the stairs, my finger resting on the trigger.
Whoever the hell dared to break into my house and look around my bedroom was just about to get a bullet in each kneecap when finally, they came around the corner and I came face to face with Fiona. Her eyes instantly widened in panic while I lowered my weapon. "Fiona," I growled before gesturing to my men that it was safe. They all instantly returned to their posts and I raised an eyebrow at my housemaid. "What the hell are you still doing here? I dismissed you hours ago."
I'd left more than enough guards to defend my home but had sent all the maids home early anyway. I didn't want to risk them getting dragged into anything messy. "I'm sorry, sir," she rushed out apologetically, "I thought I'd clean your quarters while you were away."
I rolled my eyes at her excuse before turning back to Mia who'd completely disobeyed my order to shut herself inside the office. Apparently, nobody fucking listened to me anymore. "Mia," I called, gaining her attention, "go to bed, it's late."
She frowned but nodded nonetheless and I turned back to Fiona, motioning for her to follow me into the office. "Why are you really here, Fiona?" I asked her, already well aware of her answer.
"Like I said, I wanted to clean your quarters while you were gone. I'll leave you now," she said, turning to make her escape but I called her back.
"You aren't going anywhere," I told her, shaking my head. "If you needed money, you should've just said. You don't need to work through to the middle of the night."
I watched blush rise to her cheeks and rolled my eyes. She'd always been too proud to ask for money, despite the fact I had far too much of it. "You pay me more than enough already," she muttered with a shake of her head.
Fiona didn't have the easiest life, coming from sex trafficking like most of the other employees. She'd been impregnated by a lot of different men over the years and therefore had a lot of children that she still kept in contact with. Most of them were girls that had been auctioned off but I'd helped her track them down and now they all worked for me in one of the many bars, restaurants or clubs I owned. Fiona married a man from the mafia a few years back, she'd fallen head over heels in love with the guy – before he ran off with every penny she had, a few years back, leaving her pregnant and broke.
I pulled out my cheque book, writing her a cheque for ten thousand dollars, and handing it to her. "No," she argued almost immediately, shaking her head, "no, I will not take this!" she threw the piece of paper on my desk and I growled impatiently.
"Take it Fiona," I demanded, "you know I don't need it."
"No." She shook her head again. "I will not take any more money from you. I'll see you tomorrow."
She turned to leave again and I clenched my fists. "Take the money or you're fired."
She clenched her jaw and turned back to me once again. "That's not fair."
I smirked. "I don't have to be fair. Take the money and when I find that son of a bitch, and believe me, I will, I'll get you your money back and if you really want to you can pay me back. But you need that money for you and your children so take it. I don't want to hear another word about it."
She slumped her shoulders in defeat and picked up the cheque. "Thank you," she said softly, stepping forwards and wrapping her small arms around me. I tensed immediately. While this woman was the closest thing I had to family, that didn't mean I enjoyed her displaying affection unnecessarily. "If only she saw this side of you," she said, a small smirk on her lips when I glared at her, "you'll never know if she would stay, unless you let her go."
I narrowed my eyes. "She wouldn't. Goodnight Fiona."
She smiled. "Goodnight Logan."