Indebted to the Mafia King

*Cal*

Heidi looks stunning in the dress I picked for her, even better than I imagined. As soon as my eyes fell on that dress wrapped around her beautiful curves, I knew it had been made for her.

I hadn't prepared myself to actually see her in it, though. It took everything in me not to jump on her as soon as she opened that door.

Until that moment, I had only seen her in jeans, sneakers, and big sweaters, nothing too revealing or sexy, and that had been enough to leave me drooling and waking up in a cold sweat. But this dress...

Even now, as I drive us to the restaurant that Tony reserved for us, I'm struggling to keep my eyes on the road instead of on her. Her presence is consuming all of my senses, her intoxicating perfume invading my nostrils and making it hard for me to breathe.noveldrama

The way the silk fabric clings to her tiny frame makes me wonder what it would feel like to run my fingers along her curves, hold her in my arms, and...

"Where are we going?" Heidi asks after minutes of pure silence.

I was starting to think she's not comfortable being here, considering she hadn't spoken a word until now, but maybe she's just timid? She's an enigma to me, and the more time I spend with her, the more I want to know her. Really know her. "It's a surprise" I reply, shooting her a sly grin.

It doesn't seem to work on her. She folds her arms beneath her chest and stares at me, her brows creased. "I'm not very fond of surprises," she informs me. Her tone is not angry or disapproving, though. There's a small smile forming on her lips, and I wonder if she is playing with me.

"Do you really want me to tell you then?" I pry.

Heidi pretends to consider my question, her finger moving to her chin in a contemplating pose.

"All right, maybe not. I'm sure you're trying to impress me, so I won't ruin your fun," she finally says.

I glance at her briefly, and Heidi looks at me, her intense eyes hypnotizing. This girl is playing with me.

I was slightly frustrated after I picked her up from her apartment and she remained quiet for longer than I'd like. I am not used to indifference from women. Heidi is making me work harder than I expected, but surprisingly, it's not a bad thing. If anything, it only makes me more determined to make her like me.

I've never given a fuck if anyone liked me before.

"You got that right. You're not easily wooed though, right?" I retort, smiling at her before returning my attention to the road ahead.

Traffic is insufferable tonight. New York City is one of the hardest cities to drive in, but tonight, because of the holiday, it seems like every single citizen decided to go out at the same time, filling taxis and ignoring crosswalk signs all together. Even the highway to Staten Island seems to be busier than usual. It might have been better to take the ferry, in retrospect.

I'm really grateful that Tony reserved a spot in his restaurant for us. Otherwise, I can't even imagine where I'd take Heidi for a more private dinner. While the Irish Kings have sway in the city, it's still run by the Italians. I'd have to grovel on my knees and kiss serious ass to secure any kind of invitation to the swanky, upscale restaurants if it weren't for Tony.

I'm used to dive bars. I'm used to dollar slices and cold beers in brown paper bags.

I'm used to not feeling a thing doing whatever with some girl I'm trying to pick up, to take home... but not Heidi. I want to impress her, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact I was the reason her world crumbled.

As far as I'm aware, only VIP clients can get reservations at this restaurant, so I'm expecting it to be quiet and somewhat reserved. Hopefully, I don't hate it, and she enjoys herself. Either way, I owe one to Tony for this. Knowing him, he'll have me in the field spying on the Triads while he and his guys drink scotch and eat coldcuts in that dingy basement he still uses as an office.

"Am I easily wooed? It depends," Heidi replies calmly, her voice soothing beside me. "If you're asking me if I'm wooed by money and luxury, I'm not. That's not the kind of thing that does it for me, you know?"

The monster inside of me snarls with lust at the unspoken challenge she just tossed at me. It's almost like she is prodding me to find out what does do it for her, what gives her butterflies, what brings her to her knees.

I hum, considering what to say next. I don't want to offend her or sound invasive, let alone want her to think I'm only trying to get her into my bed because, surprisingly, that's not the only thing I want from her.

Of course, I'd be lying if I said I'm not attracted to her, and the idea of having sex with her is something that doesn't leave my mind for more than mere seconds. But something about Heidi also makes me want to learn more about her tastes, her hobbies, her dreams, and even her fears. I've never felt this way about any women before. I think she might make a good girlfriend. I figured I'd have one eventually. I didn't think much of it until recently, when she barreled into my bar demanding answers. I'd like her to be the only woman in my passenger seat from now on, but....

She has no idea how I can afford this car. She has no idea how I can afford a five-thousand dollar dress and shoes worth as much as the monthly rent on her apartment. She has no idea who I am, and I'm sure if she found out, she'd run. I wouldn't blame her.

"Yeah, I figured money didn't matter to you. You do look like someone who is waiting for Prince Charming to come on a white horse and sweep her off her feet," I tease, receiving a narrowed glance in return.

"Or maybe I'm looking for a mafia boss to show up at my door and fuck me until I forget my own name," she bites back, making me slam on the brakes, causing the tires to squeal against the concrete. Thankfully, I do it before I crash into the car in front of us that has just stopped because of a red light.

Heidi looks ahead, slightly alarmed and making sure we're not in trouble. Then she turns to me again, her brows slightly raised.

My mouth is suddenly dry, and my pants feel a bit too tight in the crotch. That was too fucking close. Not almost crashing my car... but the truth. Has she figured me out?

To my utter surprise, Heidi chuckles, tilting her head back against the headrest.

I take the opportunity to pull myself together. She has no idea how close to reality she got by saying that-or does she? Iif I could, if she'd allowed me to, I'd do exactly what she said in a heartbeat. I'd pull the car over right now and fuck her. "You should see your face," she says between laughs. "I was just kidding," she explains, a bit too late.

I clear my throat, focusing on driving now that the light has turned green, and the car in front of us is starting to move.

"I was just caught off guard," I rasp, throwing her a sharp look. "You don't look like the kind of woman who could handle something like that, anyway." Trying to get back on my game is the only thing I can do so I don't look as stupid as I feel.

Heidi snorts, and I'm certain that it's the cutest sound I've ever heard.

"What do you mean by that?"

I grind my teeth, wondering how far I can take this line of conversation. "You'd probably start whimpering and saying you couldn't handle it, a mhuirnín." "I-what does that mean?"

"It means don't tempt me with a good time, because I'd show you-"

"Not that," she says just above the whisper then proceeds to absolutely butcher the Gaelic pet-name that inadvertently left my lips.

"Sweetheart," I reply, glancing at her, watching the way her eyes glow beneath the lights of the bridge. It's not exact-but it's close enough.

"How do you say fucking dickhead in Irish?"

"Gaelic," I correct, snorting a laugh. "It sounds better in English, I'm afraid."

"Well, that's what you are." She giggles, and I think she's teasing me-to a degree.

"I've been called worse."

"You don't know anything about me, just so you're aware."

"Not yet." I shrug. "I'm sure I can change that soon."

I feel her eyes on me, but I can't look at her right now. Not while I'm still trying to forget about what she said. I knew asking her out would be a big challenge to myself, but I wasn't aware of how much. Staying with her in this confined space is more than I can handle.

I'm this close to making a mistake and doing something I'll definitely regret.

"Is that really what you want?" she asks, her voice now low and curious. "To get to know me, I mean."

"Of course. Why else would I invite you to spend New Year's Eve with me?"

"I don't know. You said you had an offer for me," Heidi reminds me.

"That could've waited until tomorrow. Or even the day after that," I point out. "I wanted to spend this night with you. And I thought you might like the distraction as well. I'm glad you had no other plans with someone else."

"I don't have many friends, and my grandparents are at their fancy retirement home. There's going to have this huge party for the residents which makes me realize their lives are way more exciting than mine." She sighs.

I look sideways at her, making sure she's giving me permission to ask personal questions before I dive deeper into it. I don't want her to think I'm invading her space or prying too much into her life.

"You don't have many friends?" I ask, doing my best to sound casual and not judging. Which I'm not. I don't really have many friends either, just a few that I can count on the fingers of one hand. In the underworld, it's hard to trust anyone other than yourself.

"Not really," she replies. The sad tone in her voice doesn't go unnoticed, but I remain silent as I allow her to elaborate more.

Heidi takes a deep breath before continuing. "I was really shy when I was in high school, and while I was in college, I focused too much on helping my grandparents during my free time, so I didn't have much time left to go out with the other students. No one ever showed much interest in me anyway, so... I have no friends."

"I am sorry to hear that. It must be lonely sometimes." I'm not good at any of this, but I hope I'm conveying my genuine and honest feelings to her.

She shrugs, sinking back in her seat.

"Sometimes. Is it sadder to say I got used to it?"

"No, I get it." And I really do. "It is good that you have your grandparents though, right?"

"Absolutely. I don't know what I'd have done if I didn't have them. Life was really hard when I lost my parents."

1

open and close my mouth, pondering if I should ask more. I can sense her body stiffening and tensing up beside me, and I don't want to bring up sad memories on New Year's Eve. I don't want to ruin our night by making her tell me about losing her parents, so I make a mental note to start that conversation at another time.

For now, I'll focus on making this an unforgettable night for Heidi. And if I'm lucky enough, I'll finally be able to put a smile-an honest one-on her face.

Luckily, I don't have to think about what to say because we arrive at the restaurant, just in time for our reservation. There's a significant queue forming on the outside, but Tony instructed me to go in through the side door, telling the host that I have a reservation under his name.

I open the car door for Heidi and offer her my arm. Her hand wraps around my forearm, and the fact that she's touching me has my entire body on high alert.

We go inside the building, and a woman in a black suit guides us to the elevator.

"The restaurant is on the rooftop, sir. You can press this button, and someone will greet you up there and take you to your table," she informs me, stepping aside so the door closes.

When it opens again, it reveals the most beautiful view of Manhattan in the distance, the night sky clear and beautiful. I send a mental 'thank you' to Tony when I realize how mesmerized Heidi seems to be as she looks around and takes in one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen.

"Wow," is the only thing that comes out of her mouth as I gently place my hand on her lower back and guide her toward our table.