Page 76 of The Don's Secret Heir

I settle next to him, my hand lighting on his chest. He looks over at me.

“There were plenty of women, but I didn’t... I couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t what?” I ask softly, brushing his hair back from his face. He leans into the touch. God, he’s always been such a sweet drunk.

I hate this. I hate him.

But I can’t seem to move away.

“Couldn’t anything, Li. I only want you.”

I scoff, but my heart races at his words. “You’re full of shit.”

“Not like I like it,” he mutters. “Not like I don’t want to bury myself in someone else.”

“Then what’s stopping you?”

He stares at me, his jaw clenched.

It slowly dawns on me.

“You’re not serious. You’re not restraining yourself just so that I won’t see anyone else.”

He looks away but he doesn’t protest.

I bark out a laugh.

“You’re really that territorial? Why? You didn’t want me then?—”

He grabs my wrist, pushing my hand down to his crotch. I gasp when I feel him half-hard beneath my palm.

“I’ve had enough scotch to put down an elephant and Istillwant you, Li. Don’t fucking tell me I don’t.”

I swallow hard, moving my hand away, but his arm remains tight around me.

He pulls me closer and my head hits his chest. I relax against him, exhaustion settling over me.

“Stay with me,” he murmurs, his words disappearing into the crown of my hair. “Just for tonight, yeah?”

I swallow hard. “Alright, if it’ll make you close your eyes.”

“Don’t leave before I wake up.” His eyes are drifting shut but he keeps stubbornly opening them.

“Sleep it off, Dario. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I don’t plan on staying. I plan on just lying here until he falls asleep, but the next thing I know, birds are chirping.

I crack open my eye and Dario still has me in a headlock basically, his bicep flexing when I try to wiggle away.

“Dario,” I mutter, and then finally when he doesn’t wake I bite him on the bicep, hard.

He yelps awake, cursing.

“Sorry,” I say, but I can’t help giggling at his expression. “You’re a bear to wake up in the mornings.”

He groans. “Don’t talk so loud. Don’tbreatheso loud.”

I chuckle, feeling better to know that he didn’t sleep with anyone else last night. I know it shouldn’t make me so giddy, but I can’t help it.