32. Luca

Chapter thirty-two

Luca

" S ir? A Kurt Davis is here for you." Esther announces through the intercom and interrupting my musings. I'm feeling a bit more refreshed today after falling asleep during Kylie's massage. The lack of sleep for two nights straight combined with the massage proved too much for me.

Kylie shook me awake after making breakfast and I had to rush to get ready, then suffer the ribbing from the guys when I came downstairs to see them at the island eating.

I've never slept as well as I did last night. My only regret was not staying awake long enough to see how far Kylie would take the massage. I made her promise to give me a repeat and I would return the favor.

"Mr. Morelli?"

Rubbing a hand over my face, I swing my gaze to Esther's desk where Kylie's dad is standing. I have the privacy screen engaged on the glass wall of my office, so I'm able to study him without his notice.

I expected his visit sooner. Either he showed restraint or he just found out about me and Kylie. My guess is the latter.

I had Rafael dig a little to find out what kind of cop Mr. Davis was. I wasn't surprised to find out he's one of the good ones after getting to know his daughter .

I press the intercom button. "Send him in." I stand and move around the desk to greet Mr. Davis as Esther opens the door for him. I study his face to find his expression blank. It's only the slight tightening around his eyes that gives away the tension he's carrying.

"Mr. Davis. It's good to meet you." I extend my hand. He hesitates before he takes it.

"Mr. Morelli." He nods.

"Can I get either of you anything to drink?" Esther asks.

"No, thank you, ma'am." Mr. Davis nods respectfully before bringing his observant eyes back to mine.

"We're good, Esther. Thank you." I wait for her to close the door before turning back to Kylie's dad. "Please, have a seat." I indicate the guest chair in front of my desk.

"I would ask what I can do for you, but I have a feeling your visit is about your daughter." I settle into my chair and watch as Kylie's dad sizes me up.

"You'd be correct. Imagine my surprise while when golfing, Chief Canton casually tells me how he had dinner with my daughter and you ." He shifts, probably uncomfortable even being here. "The asshole even waited until I was about to swing so he could screw with my stroke."

I chuckle, understanding that play. "After playing golf with him, myself, I'm not surprised to hear that. He'll do anything to win."

"Look, I'm going to cut to the chase. I don't know you, but I've heard of you. When you're related to the mafia, every cop in Chicago has heard of you. You've been extensively looked into because of your family ties. What I've learned is you stepped away from the family after your dad's passing and you've grown up creating your own empire with your two childhood friends. I know that everything about you is legal." He leans in. "On paper."

I raise my eyebrow at the implication.

"But I also know you still have contact with your family, even if it's sparse. What I don't know, Mr. Morelli, is how serious you are about my daughter." He holds his hand up. "Actually, that doesn't matter. What does matter is you breaking up with her. I don't want her anywhere near your family. I don't want her anywhere on their radar." He extends his hand out to the view of the city. "You have an entire city of women to choose from. My daughter is not going to be one of them." His nostrils flair, but I can recognize the fear in his eyes for Kylie.

I understand it. Respect it even.

He's a father trying to protect his daughter. What I don't like is the implication I would allow harm to come to her. I knew being related to Rome would cause difficulties with her father. It's a battle I knew was coming, but that doesn't mean I like it.

I move to lean on my desk so I can look him in the eye. "Mr. Davis, your daughter is already known to Rome. You say every cop in Chicago knows him and me by extension? The same can be said of Rome. Do you think he wouldn't have knowledge of every single cop and, by extension, their family in return?" I lean back for the last hit I'm about to give him. "If Rome knows about your daughter, it's because of you, not me."

Kylie's dad goes pale.

Sighing, I attempt to relieve him of some of his fear. "Look, I'm not saying this as a threat. What do you expect when he's targeted so often by the police? But what you, as a cop, think that means is not why Rome keeps tabs on the police force. He doesn't do it to have ammunition against you."

I scrub a hand down my face, not wanting to talk about Rome's good deeds where the police are involved. They will only see it as bribery. "If the cops are closely watching Rome and the family, then you're aware he's worked very hard to turn the family around. He despised his father and didn't want to go down his path. But he's smart. He knows he will always be the focus of law enforcement. What he does with that information is work to provide good will toward the communities."

Mr. Davis leans back, skepticism clear in his gaze. It's obvious he would prefer I cut ties with her still. Hopefully my next words won't have his glare aimed my way again, no matter how much I deserve it .

"I'm not leaving Kylie. No disrespect, sir, but your daughter means something to me. You and your wife have raised a rare beauty who's also one of the kindest and most caring individuals I've ever met. Her love for you and your wife is evident in how she speaks of you. And I know that she's the kind of woman who will sacrifice herself to protect the ones she loves. She'll make an amazing wife and mother someday, and I would be a fool to let her go."

He goes pale again. "You can't be talking about marriage already? You've only been dating for a couple of months." He stands to pace my office.

"Rest assured, we haven't talked about marriage. It's too soon for that. What I'm saying is as a man, I can see what kind of woman she is and I want to explore where things can go with her."

And then my words hit me. I really do want to see where things go. Everything I said to her dad is true.

Fuck me.

Curses being shouted breaks me out of my internal thoughts and I snap my gaze to Kurt. He's no longer pacing and now leans on his hands on the back of his chair. He's shaking his head, then points at my face.

"You just realized you've fallen in love with my daughter, haven't you? I can see it on your face." He accuses.

At a loss for words, I just stare back at him.

"I need a drink." He moves to the sidebar next to the conference table and helps himself to a bottle of whiskey. "I'm not ready for this shit." He pours a shot and downs it, then pours another.

Well, this is unexpected.

I move to his side, eyeing his glass. "Should you be drinking that?" I frown, pointing at his third pour.

He sighs, his shoulders dropping. "You sound just like her." He shoves the drink into my hand.

I set it off to the side, away from him.

Mr. Davis turns to me, defeated. "Just promise me you'll take good care of her and protect her with your life. "

"I will, Mr. Davis. I take care of my own."

He eyes me a moment before nodding, then heads to the door. I follow, sedately.

"Her mother wants to meet you. She'll schedule a dinner with Kylie soon. Make sure you're there." He stops and turns to look at me, brows dipped in concern. "Her mother doesn't know about your connections, does Kylie?"

"Not that I'm aware of, but it is something I will need to tell her in the future." I cross my arms, daring him to disagree.

"Good. She has a level head. Don't keep secrets from her if you know what's good for you." He grabs the door handle, but pauses again. "If anything ever happens to her and I find out you're the cause … cop or not, I'll kill you."

And by the look in his eyes, I believe him.

I clasp his shoulder, smiling at him. "You're a good father, Mr. Davis."

Clearly surprised, he raises his eyebrow, searching my face. Seeing my sincerity, he nods before turning and walking out.

Later that night, I walk into my bedroom to find Kylie passed out. Fuck. I've been looking forward to reconnecting with her tonight, but I don't have the heart to wake her when she has early classes tomorrow. Resigned, I'm quiet as I move around the room to undress.

When I slide in beside her, I take in the beauty of this woman. It's good that her dad left my office resigned to our relationship because now that I truly understand what I have in Kylie, I'd be a fool to let her go. I don't care if it's too soon for these feelings.

I smooth the hair out of her face and her eyes open to half mast.

Her "Hi" comes out groggily.

"Hi, Angel."

She shifts to her side and slides in close to me. I wrap my arms around her and pull her in tight. "Your dad stopped by my office today." It takes a moment for that to register, but when it does, Kylie jerks back.

"What?" she yells .

I chuckle. "Relax. I'm glad he did. We had a nice chat." I try to pull her back in, but she resists with a hand on my chest.

"Chat about what? And how did he know it was you? I never gave them your full name."

At the look of horror on her face, I want to laugh again. So much for letting her sleep.

"While you were shopping with your mom, your dad went golfing with Chief Canton. As for what we discussed … you know, the usual. What's your intention with my daughter? If you hurt her, I'll kill you kind of thing."

Kylie groans and face plants into my chest.

I chuckle then kiss the side of her head. "Really, it was good that we met without you and your mom. He needed to size me up and find me capable of taking care of his baby girl. It went well. I promise."

"I bet this was the first time you had to meet your sugar baby's parents." She settles into my embrace and I decide this is the time to give her a few truths.

"It is, but that's because you are my first sugar baby."

She pulls back again and whips the hair out of her face so she can see me. "I'm sorry. What did you just say?" Head tilted, she looks adorably confused.

I move my arm under my pillow and relax my head down. "You heard me. You're my one and only sugar baby I've contracted with."

"But—but—you said you don't do relationships, that this is easier?" Her brows dip even lower.

"It is easier. I didn't lie to you, Angel. I don't do relationships because I never found anyone I wanted to have a relationship with. If I slept with a woman, it was only once. The few times I tried to do more, they wanted way more than I could give, but they were just one-night stands. No contracts."

"But then why me?"

She searches my face for answers, but I'm not ready to lay it all out there just yet, so I give her only part of the truth.

"I saw you and wanted you. You'd just walked out of Sweet Connections, so I looked into you. I've already told you this. Now, come back here. You need your sleep tonight." I tug her arm to bring her into me, hoping it's enough to stave off more questions I'm not ready to answer.

"That's going to be hard because I'm wide awake now." She huffs.

Chuckling, I roll her to her back and settle in between her luscious thighs. "In that case, let me relax you."

I kiss her mouth before sliding down her body. I've never liked having to deny my needs, anyway.