Of course I was going to use my time alone in Dario's room to look through it.

He seemed to have already anticipated my actions, and locked multiple drawers and cabinets as a result. But still, I found myself fascinated looking around.

I pushed the doors to his walk in closet, scanning my fingers through his dozens upon dozens of suits, dress shirts, ties, and designers shoes. Everything was neatly hung, stacked, and folded. From Armani to Givenchy, Hugo Boss, and Louis Vuitton, if it was a luxury brand, he had it.

His bathroom was fully granite and marble, with a shower large enough for a football team and a wide-set tub one could swim around in.

Just as I opened the door to voluntarily head to the kitchen to start dinner, Sonny stood before me, seeming to await me.

I wanted to dislike him, but he just seemed like such a cuddly panda bear. I had to remember though panda bears looked cuddly, they could very easily rip out my intestines and eat them for lunch.

He silently treaded behind me, hovering like a protective bodyguard. It was beyond excessive, it's not like I was going to bolt for the door the minute I was alone.

I spent a few minutes looking through the fridge and pantry to see what I had to work with. Everything was fully stocked, making it easy for me to dive straight into prepping.

Getting into the rhythm of things was not only easy, but therapeutic. It was the chopping sound of my knife hitting the cutting board as I diced through the onions and tomatoes with such ease that I could do it with my eyes closed. It was mixing the right seasonings and oils, stirring, and mixing, and flipping. Utilizing the correct times and temperatures to turn a group of items turned into a mouth watering dish people would remember for weeks to come.

I learned how to cook out of survival, and along the way, the necessity turned into a passion. That's why I so desperately wanted my own spot.

Sonny sat on a stool by the end of the counter, his eyes never leaving me. "You cook like good chef. Food will be nice, yes?"

"I hope so," I sighed, stirring the risotto.

"One time, chef give Dario raw chicken. Dario say chef try to kill him, so he throw chef through window down fifty stories."

I paused, looking at him in disbelief. The rice was beginning to stick to the pan, but I was too distracted to stir.

"I kidding, I Kidding. I no let Dario throw you out window." he laughed at my stunned reaction.

I didn't know if he was kidding about the story or him insinuating Dario doing the same to me. Either way, I was going to overcook things just to be on the safe side.

The more I was in this environment, the realer all the violence and crime seemed to get. What little naivety I had was warring out very quickly.

"So, does Dario often kill workers he's not satisfied with?"

"No, no. Last time was long ago when we go on safari. Big lion come to our car and instructor say nothing happen if we sit still, but lion come up to Chiara and almost kill her, so Dario throw instructor in water with alligators."

"He took you guys on a safari?"

"Chiara want to go. Dario never say no to Chiara."

I wanted to ask who this Chiara woman was, but I became distracted when Dario and his party passed the kitchen door on their way to the dinning room.

He ushered the six men to their seats, holding up a finger before he came towards our direction. His pace was hasty and he ran his hand through his hair looking annoyed. "My guests are here and they're very hungry and very important, so I hope you've used your time wisely and don't keep them waiting."

"The risotto is ready and the beef wellingtons will be done when you finish your risotto's." I dismissed, finishing my plating.

When the plates were all on the serving tray, I pushed them in Dario's direction, causing him to look at me with a confused expression.

"I cook, I don't serve." I clarified.

"For the love of god," he scowled, picking up the tray. "Sonny, I would like you to join us. Bring the wine."

When they settled into the dining room, I peered right by the entrance keeping my body hidden, but my ear glued to the conversation. I made the mistake of ignoring my surroundings once, I wasn't going to let that happen again.

"Oh, when I think about how Dominic turned out it breaks my heart I tell you, son. Your father, he would have broken beyond repair. This situation has gotten too out of hand." A man spoke with the slow infliction of a wise old man. His voice was unsteady and he seemed to catch his breath between each word.

"I know, this is the year it all ends. Once I run his empire to the ground, I'll kill him and we can move on from this once and for all." Dario said, with a chilling certainty.

"It still amazes me how he built up the Borelli name to what it is today. I mean, back in my day we wouldn't even spit on them. I keep saying, this young generation is something else. We almost taught you too well, now you leave nothing for us old guys." The man teased, causing a string of laughter from the group.

"By the time I'm gone, the only thing I'll have left for Charles is the peanut factory." He continued.

"I assure you Vincent, you're still the most respected man in the business. No one can touch what you've created." Dario sounded earnest, truly admiring the man before him.

I inched my head to check, noticing they were almost finished with their plates. Heading back into the kitchen, I sliced the wellingtons just in time for Dario to pick them up.

I resumed my position when he disappeared back into the room.

"Anyways, I've been poking around and got a lead on Dominic's next move. He's got a payout he's picking up in Jersey next week. I wouldn't put it past him to fuck with your new warehouse while he's down there," Vincent said.

"Rest assured, I will not be letting that happen. I'll grab some of my men and head down there. Give him a little taste of what's to come."

"I just hate all this fighting. If Dominic hadn't done what he did, I would've pulled both of your ears like your old man used to do, and get you to work it out."

"There's no making up after Avellino, Vincent."
"Of course, but it doesn't make things any less painful."

For the rest of the dinner they spoke of shipments and delivery dates, and a bunch of business nonsense I didn't have much interest in. What I continued to think about was whatever happened at Avellino, and how it lead to Dario and Dominic's falling out.

"The meal was excellent, Martin has truly outdone himself this time," Vincent said.

I gave myself a little pat on the back, readying to go in if Dario refrained from giving me my credit.

"Martin was out today. This is from that girl I told you about, the one who used to work for Dominic."

"Well, at least you're putting her to good use. She was a waste of your time in my opinion."

In an instant, I developed a disliking to the asthmatic sounding old man. His audacity seemed to disappear with his hairline.

They wrapped things up, heading to the backyard to continue conversing while Sonny and I cleaned up.
By the time the kitchen was spotless, I wanted nothing more than to lay down.

"I'm going to bed." I turned to Sonny who nodded, leading the way.

When he began to open Dario's door, I internally groaned, remembering my new punishment. "Can't I just continue using that room?" I pointed across the hall.

"No, Dario need to keep eye on you."

Arguing with him was going to be useless, especially when the conversation would end the minute he decided to use his physical strength instead of his mouth.

I dragged my feet into the room, closing the door with more force than Sonny deserved.

The only upside to the deal was the fact that I got to use Dario's bathroom. The tub was absolutely magnificent, with its smooth jets providing a stream of warm water to relax my strained muscles.

With the touch of a button, I was able to add bubbles that left my skin soft a as a baby's butt and smelling like sweet vanilla.

For a few minutes, I was lost in the feeling of pure tranquility. If I could just run away to the island of Tahiti with this tub alone, I would be the happiest person in the world.

My skin began to get wrinkled and pruney, signaling it was a good time for me to finally get out.

I exited the bathroom with nothing but a towel around my body in search of some clean clothes. Dario moved me into his room, but didn't bother bringing my clothes over.

When I attempted to enter my previous assigned room and bring the clothes over myself, I shook the knob repeatedly, unable to gain access.

Screw him. If he wasn't going to give me my clothes, I was just going to wear his instead.

I marched into his closet, pulling open multiple drawers. I plucked a white t-shirt out of one, and a pair of Calvin Klein briefs out of the other. The shirt reached just above my knees, and I had to tie a knot at the waist of the underwear to keep it from sliding down.

It was easy shifting into his soft mattress, the hard part was trying to fall asleep. No matter how comfortable my body felt, my brain refused to follow suit. I think it knew Dario would soon join me, and the last time we were in a bedroom together at night was when he held a gun to my head.

Nonetheless, time slipped by as I tossed and turned for hours. By the middle of the night the door creaked open, with Dario stealthily making his way from the bathroom to the closet.

I once again pretended to be asleep and secretly watched him step out, wringing out the last bits of water from his hair with a towel. He was shirtless, and wore a pair of black joggers low enough to show the beginning of the v-line past his waist. You could see every curve of his steel like muscles, from his perfectly defined abs, to his ripped arms, bulging with veins.

The minute he slid into bed, I began thrashing and turning, invading his personal space in hopes of becoming such a nuisance that he'd prefer I got back to the other room.

He tugged me into his arms, his body radiating heat that inadvertently calmed my movement.

"Don't," he breathed. "I don't have the patience tonight."

"I can't sleep in this deathtrap. I need privacy." I moved out of his grasp, lying on my side to face him.

"Those who earn my trust gain their privacy, Ms. Aden." He waved me off, his eyelids slowly closing.

"Well," I huffed in irritation. "I hope you know that I snore. Very loudly at that, if you're a light sleeper, I guarantee you'll get none when I'm around you."

He shrugged, thinking he could ignore me and get some shut eye.

"And I also like to touch myself, every night. No one gets sleep until my nut's been busted."

"If that's the case, then allow me to lend a hand. I'll have you shaking and undone in a few minutes then we can both finally get some sleep." His voice was nonchalant, like he was suggesting a picnic at the park instead of a sexual favor that unfortunately and purely due to hormones, caused certain areas of my lady parts to heat up.

He knew it too, with his confident smirk. No way would I have him think I was sexually attracted to him.

I moved the pillow from under me, gripping it tightly before swinging at his head. "You pervert." I pretended to be revolted.

He pressed his lips together and before I knew it, swung his pillow back in a more gentle manner. The cotton filled fabric still knocked some of the curls out of my loose bun.

He was smiling a little too hard for my liking, and just for that I went back in, giving his face two hits back to back.

"I do not have time for your childish antics," He claimed, while still taking the opportunity to give me multiple soft blows.

"Then stop me." In the heat of the moment I straddled his waist, watching his face turn red but his dimple remain in prominent view.

He dropped his pillow, succumbing himself to my hits before his long fingers attacked my sides with tickles.

I lost my balance, unable to stay still due to the fit of laughter that overtook me. No way should I have been so playful with the man and he probably felt the same with me, but in that moment it felt good to forget about everything and joke around for a short time.

Fatigue soon overcame us and I detached myself from him, catching my breath. "Just so you know, if you even think about pulling a weapon on me, I'll shave your hair off in your sleep."

"You shave my hair off, I'll tattoo my balls on your face."

"You tattoo your balls on my face, I'll cut your balls off, feed them to one of the mountain lions in those woods."

"Ms. Aden."

"Yes."

"Go to bed."

I turned over and went to sleep, but not because he told me, of course.