Page 55 of My Ghost

I need her like I need air to breathe and nothing is going to keep me from her, not even herself.

My eyes are locked on hers this morning, the amethyst depths pulling me in like gravity dragging a falling star.She is glaring at me, unafraid, unbroken.My hands start to shake, like some fucking junkie in front of his next fix.

She needs to eat, I remind myself.

After one last look and a deep inhale of her skin, I retreat.I turn to the counter to pick up what I had been preparing and set it on the island.Then I motion to a stool.She looks wary but sits down obediently.

I should have ordered her to sit on my dick…or my face.

The trembling of my hands intensifies.

Focus, fucker.

I slide the cup of coffee and the plate toward her.She eyes the offering and even though she makes a show of frowning, I see her eyes light up when she sees her usual breakfast—a cup of black coffee and a cream-cheese bagel.I’ve also placed fruits on the side of the plate.

“Eat,” I grind out and seat myself opposite her with my own cup.

She bites into the bagel, still glaring at me.A deep sense of satisfaction spreads in my chest, like every morning when I brought her food and she ate it with delight.It is a primal feeling, intense and all-consuming.

She pauses and looks down at her bagel.She frowns and looks up at me.

“This…bagel.It’s the same one you brought me every morning.”

I shrug, she’s right.

“You…didn’t buy them?You made them, every day?”

Right again.I take a sip of my coffee, weighing my words.

“Technically, I bought them—the bread comes from the bakery that caters for La Corte.The cream cheese is homemade by the Bonetti family in North End.”

She looks at me for several seconds and I practically hear the gears grind in her head.Then her face shutters and she proceeds with eating.And I can’t look away, noticing every little detail.She licks a speck of cream cheese from her lower lip and I almost groan from the sight, fighting the lust-induced madness that is slowly pulling me under.I am rock hard and my throat is dry.

When she has eaten half of the bagel, she puts it down on the plate and I brace for the battle.She lets out a frustrated breath and looks at me.

“Matteo, I don’t know what I am doing here or what you want, but I need to get out, get back to work.”

“You will.”I try to keep my voice even and devoid of the madness that is drowning me from within.“Eventually.”

She frowns.“What does that mean?Later today?I have to go home, shower, dress and then I’ll come back to the office.”

Her eyes sweep fleetingly to the side in a telltale micro expression.Liar.Does she really think I’d let her go and disappear on me?Over my fucking dead body.

“You live here now, this is your home.”She obviously still hasn’t gotten the message.

She gapes at me and collects herself.“We both know I don’t live here, and you can’t keep me locked up.”

“Try me.”She will get used to the idea.In time.Eventually.

Her hand grips her cup so hard her knuckles turn white.As an enforcer, I’ve learned to read people, and right now she is thinking about throwing it at me.Fucking cute.I smirk.

That seems to incense her further and she jumps up, leaning over the island.

“What do you want from me?”

I raise an eyebrow.“I think that’s pretty clear.”

Her face turns bright pink and I have to chuckle.Her eyes are blazing, no doubt that if looks could kill, I would be dead by now.