揃ecause of our bond??
揟hreats to my life,?Clifford said.
I nodded. I had to admit it put me off that he抎 called for help the moment Santino had grabbed him. Santino hadn抰 even done him bodily harm. Maybe my standards were just warped because I抎 been raised around men who were intimately familiar with violence and too proud to call for help.
Santino grabbed my upper arm and dragged me out, but the bodyguard stepped in our way.
揧ou can抰 just leave. You attacked a senator抯 son. This needs to be reported.?
Santino released me and stepped up to the other man, bumping chests with him and giving him a death stare. Santino wasn抰 a walking wardrobe like that guy, but he was taller, and the look in his eyes even gave me chills.
揟his is between the families. No police. No fucking official reports, got it??
The man guffawed. 揧ou think your gangster intimidation works on me? I don抰 care what you want, Al Capone.?
Santino gave him a smile I knew to mean danger. He slammed his fist up into the man抯 chin without warning and with such force that the guy toppled backward and landed on the floor with a loud thud. Santino kicked him a few more times for good measure until the guy didn抰 stir anymore.
I was frozen. Clifford looked completely paralyzed and as if he might be sick any moment.
揚roblem solved,?Santino said simply. 揌e won抰 call the police today.?
揑s he dead??Clifford pressed out.
Santino gave him a pitying look. 揘o.?He stepped up to Clifford who stumbled back. Santino obviously enjoyed Clifford抯 terror judging from the excited gleam in his eyes. 揂nd you keep your hands and tongue, and especially your dick, to yourself until the wedding night, understood??
Clifford nodded hastily.
揝antino,?I protested but he stalked toward me, grabbed my upper arm and dragged me away. People turned toward us with open mouths when we hurried toward the front door.
Santino practically pushed me toward the car and rounded the hood toward the driver抯 side and got in without a word.
I slipped into the passenger seat.
揧our place is in the back,?Santino muttered, already starting the engine.
揑 feel like riding in the front today.?
He floored the gas. I was pressed into the seat and had trouble putting on my belt as he took the first corner.
I watched his profile. The only thing missing was fume rising out of his ears, he looked so majorly pissed. I had to stifle a grin.
He shot me a scowl. 揇on抰 look so fucking pleased with yourself.?
揧ou got mad because I kissed Clifford.?
揑 protected you. If your father finds out that you tongue-wrestled Cliffy on my watch, he won抰 be pleased, fianc?or not.?
I rolled my eyes. 揧ou protected me from Clifford??
The hint of amusement crossed Santino抯 face. 揌is wandering hands are a danger to your virtue.?
揥hen you say virtue, it sounds so weird. You are the least virtuous person I know. You banged a married woman.?
揇on抰 talk like that, and that抯 none of your business. You should be worried about your virtue, not mine.?
揅lifford doesn抰 care about virtue or our rules. He told me himself that he doesn抰 care if I抦 with other guys before our marriage.?
Santino shook his head with a look of disgust. 揊ucking idiot.?
揥hy??
Santino stopped at a red light and turned to me. 揃ecause if you were promised to me, I抎 make sure no other guy would get within a mile of you.?
揝o that抯 why you attacked Clifford? Because you were jealous??
揥hy should I be jealous, Anna? You are my ward. Your protection is my concern.?
揧ou could have been the first to kiss me, but you didn抰 want to.?
Santino hit the gas. 揑抦 your bodyguard and you抮e not of age.?
揑抣l be of age in a few months, Sonny. Don抰 be more Catholic than the Pope.?
揥hy the fuck are we discussing this? I won抰 kiss you. Not now, not ever. You are a job, Anna.?
He said one thing, but his eyes told another story. I抎 been cracking his stony exterior brick by brick in the last few months. I抎 have to use my chance before Santino rebuild his walls.
揧ou should be more careful around Cliffy. His father is a snake, and even if he still seems like a likable, sappy idiot, this could be an act. The apple doesn抰 fall far from the tree. So even if he doesn抰 care about our rules and traditions, that doesn抰 mean he won抰 use them against you. If he starts bragging about kissing you, our people will hear it eventually, and they抣l judge you by our standards and not Cliffy抯。？
揌e抯 too terrified of you to ever mention the kiss to anyone.?
Santino smirked.
I shook my head. Then I smiled secretively and leaned slightly toward Santino. He sent me a warning look becoming visibly tense. I had to admit it gave me a kick. Santino never flinched away from danger or pain, but my flirting made him tense.