Stolen kisses are always the sweetest.

Leigh Hunt

Santi Marchesi's POV

I still don't know what madness possessed me to instruct Nico to finalize the deal on my behalf. Usually, I was the one who oversaw those deals making sure that everything went smoothly and there would be no mistakes in the process.

But not this time. Today was one of the most important deals I have and yet I decided to have my consigliere settle the deal for me. I was still wondering if that was the best decision I ever had and stay at home to tease my ward knowing that she had avoided me since our little incident in my bedroom exactly one week now.

I couldn't resist it, for days now I've been trying to catch her but she was carefully avoiding my presence making sure that I was not around the house whenever she decided to go out from her hiding place.

I must have shocked her when I unexpectedly went out of my bathroom completely naked after my shower since I usually do that. Normally, when a maid was there to clean my room and I accidentally went out naked after taking a bath I could cover myself immediately and dismissed the maid so I could have my room for myself until I was done dressing but that day was different.

I was about to cover myself but then I saw how her cheeks flamed with pink stains the same color as her bright pink hair I couldn't help but torment her a bit seeing that kind of reaction from her. I find it hilarious that she was trying her best not to look at me and forced her eyes to look at the floor while forcing me to cover myself. I have never been ashamed of my physique because I spent time in my home gym to achieve this kind of body.

When I was finally satisfied teasing her I got dressed and left her in my room to clean—a notion that she insisted on because she doesn't want to live here for free for the entire summer. When my meeting with Nico in my office ended I realized that my wallet was not in my pocket so I went back to search for it in my bedroom. Part of me was slightly hoping that Haven was still there so I could annoy her again.

And she was...

I enjoyed watching her examine my boxes of condoms from the doorway. I like getting a reaction from her so I couldn't resist jesting her with my rubbers. As expected, her response didn't disappoint me.

She was explaining herself and even had the wallet that I was about to retrieve in my bedroom suddenly I didn't care any longer for that thing I just wanted to annoy this young woman. My game turned dangerous when I pretended to stalk her until she was back against the wall. Seeing her in this distance made me realize that it's not a good idea to get this close to her. I could see the way her chest was rising and falling probably due to nervousness and it gave a wrong signal in my body. Maybe this was the last straw why she avoided me like the plague since then.

But not today, I am fully prepared to catch her off guard if necessary. When I finally cornered her while enjoying her breakfast I didn't know why I suddenly blurted out that I was taking her sightseeing around Palermo.

Nico would probably stab me if he knew that I didn't go with him just to tour this woman in our hometown. She was reluctant to agree with my plan but I was persistent with it. I don't know why I want to spend time with her when she doesn't want to.

I knew this sightseeing crap was a huge mistake as soon as I met her in the garage. She wore a revealing outfit similar to the one she wore when she was doing yoga. I was severely tempted to cover her exposed flat stomach with my suit jacket even when we were already walking around Palermo I was making sure that no men would ever look at her the wrong way or find themselves lifeless in the middle of the street.

Our pleasant lunch was interrupted when Nico informed me that our business partners suddenly wanted to change the terms of our deal just because I was not there and they were pressuring Nico about it.

So I hastily decided to come over and talk to those bastards. I didn't want to take Haven with me but the alternative was to leave her here with my guards I don't trust anyone when it comes to her safety.

I reluctantly brought her along with me to one of the clubs that I owned where the meeting was being held. I held her by the wrist making sure that everyone inside the room knew that she was with me and I will fucking kill them if they touch even a single strand of her pink hair.

"They want to fuck with us," Nico stated as soon I entered the club speaking to me in Sicilian so the woman beside me couldn't understand. "They are insisting on cutting the price when we already agreed on that amount last time."

"Fuck these fucking idiots," I muttered under my breath, answering in the same language. "Keep her company while I deal with these bastards."

Nico discreetly passed me his gun just to be sure. I tucked it on the back waist of my trousers and I didn't waste my time going to the private room where the meeting was being held and I was immediately greeted by the smell of weed. "Gentlemen," I said by way of greeting. "I heard from my consigliere that you're changing the terms of our deal. I thought we already agreed on it last time?"

"Marchesi," their boss said while smoking a pot, sitting comfortably on the leather sofa. "I thought it would be a good deal if you would cut the price so we can have another transaction like this in the future."

"That's a fair price," I answered coldly, tucking my hand into my trousers pocket. "Now sign the papers or leave this fucking place. I have no time to deal with guys like you. You better find another supplier for your arsenal."

"Now, Marchesi, don't be like that, my boy." Their boss cajoled with a conceited smile on his face while looking at me with bored eyes. "If this deal didn't happen it would be your fault. Do you know how powerful I am?"

I stared at him coldly, how I was sorely tempted to put a bullet hole in his head right now. "My price is fixed if you don't have money to spare then you'd better leave the fuck out of my club. You are just wasting my time. I will just sell them to others."

"This little fucker..." There was a vicious glare in his eyes while he was looking at me but I was not scared wit this fat-ass idiot.

In one swift motion, I pointed the gun I'd been hiding behind my back in his forehead which he was sitting on the couch unsuspecting. "Do we have a deal or not? I will have no problem selling this cache to others. They are hard to find in the black market, after all."

"Do you know who are you messing with?" He asked relatively calmly, his bodyguards were quick to react and pointed their firearms at me but my men were also fast to counter until there was a standoff inside the private room.

"The deal is off," I announced while never moving the gun that was directed to his head.

"Now, don't be like that, Santi," his tone changed, making the thick atmosphere evaporate a little bit. "I will buy the firearms with the price we first agreed on. You can now put your gun away. I will sign the papers."

I studied his hateful face for a moment before I hid my pistol at my back. "Very well." I watched him sign the documents and then one of my men whispered something to me. "What?"

He avoided my thunderous glare as he cleared his throat. "There was an incident outside and the consigliere wants you outside."

I let out a rough curse as I looked back at this bastard. "Make sure that all the documents are signed and then bring them to me."

I went out of the private room and searched for Nico outside. I found him trying to restrain the pink-haired woman in his arms who was trying to strip all of her clothes.

"What the hell happened?" I asked as soon I reached them.

"This happened," he gave a speaking glance at the cocktail glass on the bar counter.

I could feel the blood in my face drained as the realization hit me. I threw a murderous glare at the bartender who was shaking visibly. "What the fuck did you do to her?"

"I—I...didn't mean—" the bartender paled visibly while staring at me with fear in his eyes.

"What did you put on her drink?! Answer me, damn you!" I demanded while grabbing the collar of his white shirt. I was about to choke the life out of him when I heard Haven groan in pain which made me focus my attention on her.

"Hot...so hot..." she kept on saying while trying to remove her clothes.

"I'll deal with him," Nico suggested while trying to stop Haven from stripping her clothes. "We need to focus on Haven first. We bring her back to her sanity."

"As if we could do that," I replied angrily, taking her from Nico I trapped her in my arms. "You know the effect of those pills when it is already absorbed by your body. It will take hours before she would be back to her senses."

"Cazzo," my cousin raked his hand on his hair while looking at me with a worried expression. "What are you going to do now?"

I shrugged casually, trying to stop this woman from moving in my arms. "Hell, if I know. Maybe take her home tie her in bed and wait for the drugs to leave her system."

"Santi."

"What?" I asked Nico with a frown. He never called me by my given name whenever we were outside our home. He was usually respectful calling me 'boss' but this was the first time he called me by my name after I inherited this Famiglia from my father. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Do you think that's the best idea?" He inquired cautiously. "I know that you might see her nothing but your charge but you have to put it into consideration that she's now a grown woman and—"

My eyes narrowed in his direction while throwing a deathly glare at the bastard who drugged her. "Do you think I will not be able to keep my hand on her? Do you think that low of me, Nico? That I will take advantage of a drug woman in her depth of despair?"

Nico shook his head, while his eyes were still troubled. "No, but you know the effect of those pills. She will be sexually aroused for hours. Do you think you can fight the temptation?"

"Of course," I answered with a straight face. "I can assure you that she will be safe with me."

"Fine," my cousin breathed out, shaking his head. "I'll deal with this bastard and you can take Haven home."

My jaw clenched looking at the man in question. "No. I will deal with him personally just to make sure that he will not escape. I will teach you a lesson to never take advantage of unsuspecting women ever again."

I picked Haven in a bridal style as I went out of my club and placed her at the back of the passenger seat of my Range Rover. She was still groaning and writhing as if she was in pain. I instructed our driver to drive fast because I knew the consequence of the pill she unknowingly took, she would not be at ease with that painful feeling right now until her climax.

Multiple times.

There's a reason why those party pills were sought after. They were perfect for a night of fucking because the arousal kept on going. But I don't understand why the bartender slipped one on Haven's drink does that mean he had taken fancy on my ward and he wants to do something with her while she's high? My eyes darkened at the thought while thinking of ways how to torture that bastard tomorrow.

"H-Hot..." she complained as she felt irritable in her seat twisting and turning.

"I know it's hot but you have to fight it, Haven," I told her sympathetically. "I know you're stronger than that."

"Santi...?"

I hid my smile when she recognized my voice. Part of me was glad that she was still aware of her surroundings but I couldn't miss the way her eyes were dilated. "Yes. I am here."

She burst into tears and it made my insides turn seeing her tears. "I'm in pain. Help me. Please..."

"I know," I smiled at her kindly, as I pushed aside the strands of pink hair that were covering her eye. "But I really can't do anything right now to ease your pain."

"You're my guardian, right?" She reminded me with a seductive smile on her face. "I know you can help me with this pain inside me. Please... Please, Santi...? Pretty please?"

I took a deep breath and shook my head to clear my malfunctioning brain. I knew that that drug was now taking effect on her whole body even to her consciousness. And she was tempting the hell out of me. Focus, Santi. Focus.

"Haven—" I didn't manage to finish my sentence when she suddenly closed the distance between our mouths. What the devil... I was stunned for a moment that I couldn't move her soft lips were pressing on my lips coaxing me to open my mouth with her tongue. With all the strength that I could muster, I pushed her away even if every muscle in my body made a protest. "Listen to me, Haven, you will regret this—"

Alas, she was not listening to me. She once again claimed my mouth deeply this time while her hands rested on my chest. Damn it! I didn't sign for this. I tried my very best to stop her advances on me because she was not in her right mind at the moment. Her actions were only because she was under the influence of that party pill.

"Haven, per favore..." I managed to remove my lips from hers and tried my best to detain her in her seat without hurting her but she was persistent in trying to kiss me all over my face. "Haven, Principessa, don't do this, please. I know that you will regret this tomorrow when you're finally sane."

"I want you..." she purred, her almond eyes were dark with desire. "Don't you find me desirable?"

"Haven..." I started, then swore loudly when she was about to grab me in the crotch area I just managed to stop her on time. "Cazzo! Behave." I didn't know that it would be harder than I first anticipated I smugly believe that I can manage this woman just fine now I was sweating hard because of her.

"Don't you want to sleep with me?" She asked in an upset tone. "I know that I am inexperienced but I can assure you that I am a fast learner. I'm a Dean's Lister, you know. Just give it a try, Santi."

Jesus Christ. Now that she mentioned it my brain was now filled with images of her laying on my bed naked while her pink hair was spread through my pillows. Shit. Shit. Shit, I tried my very best to banish those images in my brain. This is James' daughter and she was my charge. I don't have the right to think such a thing.

If I thought that the car back home couldn't get any worse I was sorely mistaken. Haven jumped on my lap and straddled my legs. Dio. She caught me off guard because of my trail of thoughts. "Haven!"

There was an unmistakable warning on my tone but she was not listening to she buried her face on the side of my neck and my breath was caught by the gesture.

"If you behave in my lap like a good girl maybe I will consider your offer." I lied to her because I just wanted to go home with my sanity completely intact.

"Really?" She giggled on my neck.

"Y-Yes."

She finally settle down on my lap like a child but it doesn't help that she kept on grinding her hip on my crotch and my damn cock was starting to get stiff.

I don't know how many minutes had passed but I spent my time praying as I had forgotten the last time I prayed that we could arrive safely at my house. Once the SUV parked on the driveway I picked her up in my arms once again and brought her into my room. I tossed her in bed and the maddening woman smiled seductively at me as if this has been what she's waiting for all this time.

I rummaged through my drawers I knew that I had handcuffs here. Found them. I sat on the bed and handcuffed both of her hands together and then her dainty feet on the other shackles.

"Oh, kinky I like it." She commented with a smile. "Shall we start?"

I smirked at her as I stood from the bed. "Nope. Sorry, but I will not sleep with you, little one. Why don't you take a nap while I will look after you?"

"That's not fair! You promise!" She wept while looking at me with a foul expression.

"Life is always unfair, sweetheart. You have to remember that." I informed her with a callous tone. "Now be a good girl and behave, okay? One of us should be rational here."

She pouted at me but I chose to stay on the balcony of my room because the temptation was too strong for my already weakened self-control. When my nerves finally calmed down I thought so was hers but when I turned around to look at her, her crop top was already disheveled and the upper swell of her breasts was already peeking from her top. "It's so hot." She moaned. "Can you take off my clothes at least?"

Fucking hell. When will this ordeal end?