Going After Heaven (Mafia Romance)

Chapter Nine

I want to know his mission.

Especially what brings him to the Steel-Gate office building on a Monday morning. If it's business, then what kind? Is he a son to a partner or something?

I walk into my tinted glass office. With a white and carton brown interior.

This used to be my papa's office but it was a much deeper brown. If not for the modification I'd still feel like the little girl scurrying to meet her papa with lollipop-stained cheeks in a sundress, every time I walk in.

I drop my jacket and handbag on the carton brown couch and go to settle behind my desk. I take a deep breath, pushing that breakdown away.

Pushing that vulnerability away.

My fingers stroke my ginger red waves to straighten them in place and click on my MacBook, ready to start the rest of my day.

A beep comes up, indicating someone is at the door. I lift my head to see Rosita standing outside my office. She can't see me, but I can see her.

I push the green button beeping on my desk with my pen and the door slides open. She saunters in, holding a bouquet of lilies.

"Good morning senora" she beams.

"Si Rosita?" I throw in her direction and reach for the log file in my floor-to-ceiling library I was skimming through on Friday.

My office library has sections for magazines, office files, and comic books. When it comes to reading, I find I am more of a comic book person.

"How was your weekend without me?" Rosita lowers her eyes, giggling.

"Like every weekend without you" I circle out a section with an imbalanced transaction.

The transactions go through Helena, it's just a figure wrong and I'm sure it's an oversight. A costly one though.

"Boring then" she snorts and I shoot daggers at her. She clips her lips and nods, swallowing dramatically. "I came... well seno... si..." she smacks her lips loudly.

"Finish a sentence Rosita" I swing my pen impatiently in the air like a wand.

"You've got flowers from..." she stretches the lilies out to me.

So pure. Except they're wrapped with a hot red ribbon and the envelope attached to it is the same red. Like a blood stain on white wool.

Javier doesn't give me flowers and he wouldn't now. Not after that fightback in my bedroom. He's still angry. He didn't call me to tell me if he's gotten to the airport. I can always get that information from Gael though.

Gael. Oh shit!

I snatch the flowers from her and pull out the red envelope attached to it. She flushes, straightening her peach body-fitted wrap gown. She thinks it's from Javier.

I lift my eyes to her shifting in her heels, nervously. I drag my eyes to her face. Her makeup is mostly nude but her heels don't go below six inches. Sometimes I wonder how she walks in those all day, running errands for me, I know how demanding I can be.

When I met her three years ago, the first thing I noticed was a brown-skinned lady with hair too large for her head. Freckles splashed all over her round face and large brown eyes matching her hair.

"Do you need something else?" I pout and she clears her throat.

"The person for nine AM is here" she resumes her smile. She was waiting to see me open the envelope.

"Alright, send him in and go get busy with the report from Hernandez" she nods and saunters out.

I didn't bother to lock the door after she left. I resume my cross-checking on the log file. My fountain pen is between my teeth.

Everything is perfect.

I'll still need to go inspect the shipment that arrived on Friday at the warehouse in the factory later and sign my approval for weapons to be shipped to a Russian Mafia.

I scrunch my nose when a familiar scent hits my nostrils. Feeling my office with a dominant cedar scent. Like grandeur and allure.

My head shoots to meet him. Lofty. Of course, it is him. Standing in my office. Taking up so much space and making my office a pea size.

Sooty curls packed in a pony, brows furrowing with the black stone ring on his right brow glistening under the white light, fireballs for eyes, jaws clenching hard and plush lips pressed.

What the fuck is he doing in my office? How long has he been standing there? This is my problem with him. My inability to sense a shift in the atmosphere when he's around.

If he hadn't been that person in the elevator, I'd be reaching for my gun in my drawer.

"Why the fuck are you in my office?" I scowl, closing the document and standing in defense.

The pen in my mouth falls to the floor and somehow lands at his feet. Of all places in this office. He picks it up and stalks at me. I have to admit, there's something in the way he carries himself.

His demeanor screams otherworldly.

"Ask Gael" his deep voice hovers.

"And why should I?" I fold my hands in front of my chest as if to catch a chill.

"Weren't you expecting me?" He dips his gloved hands into the side pockets of his gray jacket, making the muscles underneath his black button-up shirt flex.

Expecting him?

I tear the envelope open quickly, hoping it's not what I'm thinking. My eyes rummage through the cobalt blue italic scrawl on the red card. It's Gael's handwriting. Always so careless.

Be my date for the gala tonight, no need to fret.

Bishop. (Gabrielle Romano)

I'll be dammed.

"You are the Bishop?" I am sure my eyes are attempting to pop.

He shrugs curtly and drops my pen on my desk close to a carved antique clock.

No fucking way!

"No fucking way!" I growl, making sure everything in me disagrees with this.

"You think I'm not fit to protect you?" He arches his pierced brow.

"I don't want you to protect me" I point to his face with my index finger.

His eyes lower to it and for a moment I thought he'd bite it. I retrieve it. The fucker is full of surprises.

"You make horrible choices don't you?" He fiddles with the clock.

I don't even know him and he's already questioning my decision-making ability.

"You'll top the list if I let this happen" I snatch the clock from his grip, but he catches my index finger.

His eyes move to the signet ring around my finger and he makes a guttural sound. I yank my finger out of his hold.

"I seem to affect you" He drawls with a croaking voice.

His eyes burn me up and land on my breasts. I know how full and distracting my boobs can be.

"You imbecile" I shove his chest and throw a punch in his face. But Instead, his palm catches it and he spins me to land my back against his taut body. His arm goes over my stomach to clasp me in place.

I suck in a ragged breath. And he clasps me closer, my ass grazing the bulge of his length.

"Gabriele" I grunt, struggling to get off. But his hold is firm. Too firm. His scent is stifling. I can smell his aftershave being this close.

"I'm not begging to work with you" his voice loses that tease and I feel the vibration against my back. "You need me" he unclasps his arm around me.

I don't move away. My mind is still swirling around this new setting. My options are slim. I can't pause this now.

I'm going to an underworld gala and I need my Bishop by my side. I need him by my side.

This is all shades of fucked up.