Say Daddy A Mafia Billionaire Romance - Shanna Handel Page 0,18

this one other issue that’s really been bothering me.”

A look of concern flashes on her face. “What is it?”

Carefully, I choose my words. “He wants something from me. Something I don’t think I can give him.”

“What?” she gasps.

Can I do this? Can I really say the words? I take a deep breath and confess, “He wants me to call him... Daddy.”

Her face goes bright red. She sits back in her seat, clearly flustered, obviously disturbed by what I’ve shared with her. “Oh.”

Putting my fork down, I start my string of apologies. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I know it’s a taboo topic, not elegant lunch conversation. I just had to tell someone—”

She puts her hand over mine once more, this time not to comfort me but to stop my flow of words. “It’s not that, Victoria.”

I ask, “Then what has you so upset?”

Her features wrinkle with embarrassment. “It’s just that I actually call Eli Daddy.”

It’s hard to believe what I’m hearing. But her face is so sincere, I cover my mouth with my hand. “Really?”

“I know. I know. I don’t think of him as my father or anything weird like that. It’s just in this sexy ‘who’s your daddy’ kind of way.”

“So, it’s not that uncommon?”

“Not in my world. Men like Eli and Luke are called ‘daddy doms.’ They have a special way of treating their girls. He likes to spoil me, and what can I say?” She gives a smile and a shrug. “I’m his baby girl.”

The word strikes a chord in my heart.

Baby girl.

That’s what Luke called me outside his apartment, when he kissed me and told me I’d be back.

Maybe, for once, I should give in to my dirty desires.

I could give Luke one night.

One night to see what it’s like to have a daddy dom.

My gaze travels over Charlotte. I’ve never seen her look more put together and confident. And more important, I’ve never seen her this happy. And I’ve known her almost all my life.

Her happiness doesn’t come from being a Beauty, or a Bachman.

It comes from being in love.

I want to experience what she has. Play a role, just for one night. See what it is that makes her glow the way she does.

But then I’m back on my quest. Love or not, I’m going to become a Beauty. I’ve got my mind set on it.

I’ll go to him. One last time. Give into this temptation, this all-consuming... thing that keeps me up at night, not letting me sleep, not letting me eat.

For one night, I’ll call him Daddy.

Then I’ll let him go.

Chapter Six

Luke

She’s wearing a tighter dress than usual tonight. Her small breasts are pushed up, encased by a plunging neckline. Her cleavage has been dusted in gold powder, lighting her skin, drawing attention to the curve of her flesh.

Did she do this for me?

Or are her efforts for another man?

The club is packed. We barely have time to acknowledge one another, the place is so crazy. I’m mixing and stirring drinks, sliding them across the bar one after the other.

Though there’s a ton of people here tonight, the mood is light, casual. There’s a good deal of couples on the floor, which means the drama will be down. It’s higher when there are more single men than woman milling about—that’s when we have problems.

Theo isn’t around, or his pal Jet. It’s been four weeks since I’ve seen either of them. I’ve let Rockland know because it’s much more dangerous having a man like that off your turf than on it where you can watch him.

“Oh, shit!” I hear Victoria call from the other end of the bar.

Looking over, I see that in her haste, she’s spilled a drink. Grabbing a towel, I head over to her. “I’ll clean this up. Go ahead and make another one.”

She looks at me with relief. “Thank you.” She goes to find a new glass, and as she does, I grab her arm.

Leaning down, I whisper in her ear, “But Daddy really ought to spank that pretty bottom of yours for using such naughty language.”

Her eyes lock on mine, wide as saucers as a pretty blush rises in her cheeks. Do I see her nipples hardening beneath the fabric of her thin dress? For one moment, I imagine I can smell the musk of her arousal.

She quickly recovers, snapping a sassy retort. “You ever heard of a sexual harassment lawsuit, buddy?” Tugging her arm from my grip, she leaves me to clean up the mess.

Watching her walk