Sleeping With the Enemy

Chapter Ten- Brandon

The anticipation of my dinner date with Sadie had me feeling a way I hadn't felt in years. Not since I was a teenager, lovestruck and completely clueless, pulling out all the stops to impress her. Thankfully I was a little more composed this time around, but that didn't mean I could completely kick that giddy feeling inside of me. It was almost embarrassing. I was supposed to be a stone-cold mafia leader, capable of reigning in my emotions and always maintaining my poker face. With Sadie though, it was like every guard I prided myself on having dissolved into thin air. And the most unnerving part about all of this was that I didn't really care. I knew full well what she was doing and it still didn't matter to me. She was playing me, lying right to my face about why she was here, and yet all I cared about was having her in my arms, and hopefully my bed, again soon. I'd find out her motives eventually, but right now, I was going to enjoy myself.

I pulled my car into the parking lot in front of her apartment complex and shut it off. I frowned as I opened the door and got out, surveying the area. The apartment building itself was nice enough, but I hated the idea of her living here alone. There was no gate or doorman, so pretty much anyone could just wander inside. Crime was low in this neighborhood thanks to my men, but I still felt uneasy about it. Sadie had always been slightly naive and she had been away from the big city long enough to forget about the potential danger around every corner. I had a guy watching the building the last few days, and I knew she'd lose her mind if she ever found out, but I wasn't willing to take chances with her barely back in my life. She would just have to learn to accept it.

Jogging up the stairs, I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. It reminded me of how I used to feel around her back when we first started dating. When we were apart, all I did was fantasize about the next time I could see her, skipping class or workouts or sneaking out late at night doing whatever I could to be around her. And things certainly hadn't changed. Right now, I was blowing off the transport my dad had ordered this morning, letting Alex and a few of our men handle it. It was irresponsible of me, especially as the future Don, but like I said, Sadie had a unique way of rearranging all the pieces of my life.

When I got to her apartment, I noticed she had added a flowered wreath and doormat since I had been here last. That was typical of her, bringing light to everything around her. I knocked on it gently, calling her name. "It's open."

I rolled my eyes, turning the knob and heading inside. She was nowhere to be found at first, but I could hear music playing from deeper in the apartment. I looked around the room, noticing that she didn't have many personal belongings here, as if she hadn't planned to stay much time at all. There were a few pieces of art and canvases on the walls, but nothing personal. No photographs or portraits. No mail on the counter. The place hardly even looked lived in, which only made me wonder more what exactly she was up too.

"Sorry, I'm running a little late." I whirled around at the sound of her voice, meeting those gorgeous eyes. She flashed me a mischievous smile as she secured the back to her earring. One look at her and every ounce of composure I had disappeared. Fuck, did this woman have any idea what she did to me? She was an effortless beauty, dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a black tank top that cut dangerously low, a long silver necklace drawing attention straight to her breasts. Her dark hair hung in messy curls around her shoulders, just wild enough to resemble sex hair. How was I ever supposed to resist her?

I cleared my throat, trying not to show my hand too quickly. If I did, we may never make it out of the house tonight. "You know, you really should keep your door locked. You might be able to get away with keeping it open in Colorado, but you need to be more vigilant in New York."

Sadie smirked patronizingly and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad."

"You're lucky I'm not your dad." I chuckled, rubbing my chin. "No daughter of mine would ever be let out of the house looking as insatiable as you do, but as your dinner date..." I walked toward her slowly, putting my hands on either side of her and pinning her against the kitchen counter. I touched her neck gently, trailing my fingers along her soft skin, pausing just before I got too far. "I fully approve."