January 1973

"Orders up, table twenty-three, Bambi!" Luis called out from the serving frame that divided the back of house from the front.

Bambi rolled her eyes, wiping the sweat off her nose on the back of her arm. It was hot and sticky, the sun glared at them through the large open windows of the diner. Her friends and she had a bonfire planned that evening down by the river. God she couldn't wait to jump into the cool lake, ignoring the sweat rolling down her back she turned to grab the plate and glass.

Walking over in her heels and yellow floral dress she smiled while keep her attention on the table, "steak, salad and peach iced tea." She placed the items down on the surface before finally looking up at the man sitting alone in the booth. 

Instantly her lips parted and the breath she'd gone to take, lodged deep in her throat. Arsenio Silvetti looked like he'd fought the devil and somehow made it back alive. Bruises kissed the corners of his left eye and split lip, he glared at the order before dropping a gruff, "thanks, sugar."

Perplexed and moving on autopilot, all Bambi heard was sugar, so she reached over to the condiments and placed two teaspoons of sugar into the man's tea. He watched her in fascination, before the corner of his lip twitched. "Anything else, sir?" Despite the softness of her body, her tone was husky. He liked it.

"No, sugar, that's all." He replied.

Bambi frowned, did the man want diabetes, mindlessly she reached out again and dropped two more teaspoons of sugar into his glass. Stirring the tea, she wondered how the man drank so much sugar and still maintained the lean muscles busting out of his white t-shirt.

Suddenly his hand shoots out, wrapping around her delicate wrist. Small enough he could squeeze a little tighter and he was sure it would break, too vulnerable. Her eyes snapped to his and the look of confusion had the man leaning back, a soft chuckle escaped. "You tryna kill me with all that sugar?" Arsenio questioned.

Only then did she realise he'd not been asking for more sweetener, no the wicked man had been using a term of endearment. Maybe it was the fact that in all her years of watching the man he'd never once utter a single kind word; hence her brain had not registered it when he had moments ago. "Oh," the word popped from her mouth in surprise before she apologised, a gorgeous red tint caressing her high cheekbones, "let me fetch you another, sir."

He rubbed his thumb over her pulse point before releasing it, then he reached past her and took hold of the cup. Taking a sip, he placed it back down, "leave it." Then he looked around the empty diner, it was an odd time to be eating such a hearty meal, having missed the early morning rush and too early for lunch. "Sit with me."

Bambi hesitated, looking back at the kitchen where Luis flicked through his recipe book, deciding what the special would be that day. "Me?"

"Yeah sugar, I don't like asking twice." Arsenio nodded opposite him to the empty chair.

Clenching her hands together Bambi slipped down onto the seat, her heart raced a minute a mile. Questions bombarding her thoughts, leaving little room to comprehend the man watching her. Her mother would have an absolute fit if she knew Bambi was sitting opposite the Silvetti, he was bad news and yet something kept her rooted there watching the man as he ate his food.

She was sure she was going insane because somehow the simple act of eating felt sensual. Bambi found herself watching every movement he made, from the clenching of his jaw as he chewed, to the muscles flexing in his neck when he swallowed. She was out of her depth here; he was the reason mothers warned their young daughters not to tread to close to the dark side. Hell, her father had told her she'd be disowned if she ended up affiliated with the up-coming gang that tainted their city.

And yet there she sat with the brute who led the damn group. "What are you looking at?" She suddenly asked feeling self-conscious under his scrutiny, absently wiping her face.

Arsenio softened his features; she was a stunner. Thick luscious chocolate hair tied in a high bouncy ponytail, round full sweetheart lips, long lashes that bordered sparkling, green eyes... well she damn near had him on his knees. Her soft body was another story completely, round in all the right places, a slight tummy on her small waist, wide hips, and a behind that would make any grown man believe in heaven. The man felt an urge to squeeze the flesh there but instead he simply watched her. "Nothing, sweetheart."

"Bambi." She commented.

Arsenio's lifted an eyebrow, "Bambi?"

A shiver ran down her spine at her name rolling off his tongue, rich and controlled. "My name." She answered the question in his tone.

"Ah, Bambi..." He tasted her name, let it sit in the air, nodding he continued, "Arsenio."

Her response was embarrassingly instant, "I know."

There it was again, another deep chuckle. Arsenio shook his head, wondering if the flush travelling down her chest continued lower. He forced himself to remain decent, though her bustling chest made it awfully difficult, "you do?" She rolled her eyes. The damn woman rolled her eyes at him as if he wasn't one of the most feared men in Sicily.

"Everyone knows you, sir."

He frowned, "say my name, Bambi."

"Arsenio..." She breathed out, feeling the air in her lungs squeeze. The exchange was innocent, yet somehow, she felt like he'd stripped her bare.

He nodded approvingly. She squirmed in her seat, and he couldn't help but enjoy her discomfort. It was entertaining, she was interesting. Somehow the small woman didn't look at him in fear and that was refreshing. "You here often?" He questioned.

Her forehead scrunched up slightly, "I work here."

"Yeah sugar, you do anything else?" Arsenio took a sip of the ridiculously sweet peach iced tea. And though it bordered sickening, he enjoyed every drop of it.

A bell chimed behind her, and she looked over her shoulder at a customer approaching the counter. "I paint." Then she was gone.

She paints... Arsenio thought even more perplexed. Arsenio instantly missed the company, watching her as she walked around the counter to serve the couple that had walked in. Every now and then she'd look over at him, only to blush and turn away when she saw his eyes remaining on her. It was by fluke he'd even been on the outskirts of the city, his dealings normally favouring the darkened inner streets.

Leaving a sizeable tip, Arsenio stood and approached the till where she stood polishing cutlery. Her leaned over, resting his elbows on the checkered top. "When's your shift end?"

"Two this afternoon, sir." Bambi scolded herself, what was she thinking telling the man when she finished. She practically invited the devil to play.

Arsenio watched the conflict play out across her features, "thanks for the tea, sugar." Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked out of the diner before he reached over and claimed those plump lips, she kept licking. Swinging his denim jacket over his shoulder, Arsenio crossed the street to his red Chevy Muscle.

Bambi watched the man as he disappeared inside his vehicle. Only then did she realise she'd been clenching her thighs together, an unfamiliar sensation finding home at the core of her. Running her hands over her short apron, she forced the sharp, grey eyes from her mind and continued with the day.

The remainder of the shift was an absent blur, Bambi found herself regretfully thinking back on the strange encounter. She'd seen Arsenio several times when her friends and she had sneaked into the underground side of the city, he always had a circle of muscle and short skirted women around him. Even with all the stimulation, she'd never seen him so much as smile at anyone... She knew it was a rarity to see a man like him have any emotion, foolishly she felt her heart skip a beat.

Willing her mind and heart to stop its traitorous behaviour, Bambi gave the counter a final wipe. Then she untied her apron, hung it in the back room and grabbed her purse. She needed to hurry if she wanted to make the bus, so in her rush she hadn't noticed the six-foot-five man hunched on the brick wall beside the diner.

Suddenly, she felt her body fall back, yelping she tried to righten herself, only to end up with her back plastered against something warm and solid. That same strange tingle from earlier erupted through her body as she noted the tanned arm wrapped around her waist, it was muscular and veiny. She swallowed hard.  "It's concerning," his deep rumbled came from above her head.

Bambi moved out of his grip, his arm leaving a burning hot sting against her skin. "What is?" She questioned still stuck on the fact that she was standing opposite Arsenio Silvetti for the second time that day.

"Shouldn't you be screaming?" He reached out and took a lose honied lock between his fingers.

Narrowing her gaze she asked, "do I have a need to be frightened?"

He smirked. Hmm, so she had a feisty side to her too. "Where you heading in such a rush?" He countered with.

The challenge in her features dropped, "Shit," she murmured before turning and running off down the street. Arsenio was stunned, firstly by hearing the lady curse and secondly her improper run down the good street. Shaking his head, he followed behind her, coming to a stop at the bus station where she stood waving her arms like a manic at the back of the passenger carrier. Turning in a circle she found him behind her and glared, "I missed it!" She huffed, accusation in those green gems of hers.

"Come, I'll give you a ride." Arsenio reached out. Bambi looked between his hand and the empty space the bus had been moments ago. "I don't bite, Bambi."

Pursing her lips she took his large hand, it engulfed hers entirely. "I do, so don't try anything funny." She threatened.

Arsenio felt her words directly in his cock. All he could do was shake his head; she had no idea just what her words meant to a man like him. He kept a possessive hold on her dainty hand, enjoying the feel of it more than he cared to analyse. Together they walked back to the diner where he had parked out the front.

Unlocking the vehicle, he opened her door for her. She thanked him politely almost shyly. Rounding the bonnet, Arsenio slipped inside. He started up the car before looking towards her, "where to, sugar?"

Thinking back on it, Bambi knew in that moment her entire world was shifting, the glint in the Silvetti's eyes was intoxicating... she found herself willingly drowning in the illicitly immoral, pleasure Arsenio was.