Maid for the Mafia by Jaylee

No Matter What

**ROMANY**

I was rereading my response to Santos' text when a soft knock sounded on the suite door behind me and I heard the door open. Hastily, I put my phone away, expecting to see Alex standing there with murder in his eyes, but it's not him. It's Damien.. However, he wears the promise of murder just as easily as Alex does as he locks the door before he stalks toward me.

"Did you have a good time," he asked with a dark chuckle, his navy blue eyes falling over me in an intense perusal.

"I did as a matter of fact," I said defensively, backing into the couch and tumbling onto my ass. "It was a nice change of scenery." "Scenery?" His perfect lips lift in a half-sneer as he studies me, eyes catching on my neck. "Is that all you did out there? Enjoy the scenery?" Adjusting my hair self-consciously, I tried to cover the hickies I knew darkened my throat and shoulders. "Does it matter?" I quipped, annoyed.

Damien shook his head, leaning forward and placing his hands on the back of the couch and trapping my face between his arms as he glowered at me. "Ruby really had no idea about her baby cousin, did she? She really thought you were completely innocent. A fucking little angel that she needed to protect. She was just as blind as I have been."

*Fuck you asshole!* How dare he bring up Ruby to me?! Especially when he thinks she's dead! I open my mouth to give him a piece of my mind and stop when I catch a big whiff of the air that surrounds him. The smell of alcohol was wafting off him like cologne and I gasped. *I don't think I've ever seen Damien drunk before.*

"You've been drinking," I snapped, my eyes narrowing.

"So what? I got tired of thinking about all the different objects Mickey probably had you bent over before he sent you home without him," he growled, grabbing my hair away from my neck and then glaring at the offensive skin beneath. "I see he left his signature all over you. Finally got what he wanted, I guess. Fucking hell. How many are there?"

I smack his hand away. "Fuck you."

He chuckles, snagging my chin. "Apparently not. It seems I'm the only one though."

"Leave me alone," I hissed, turning away from him to glare out the balcony windows. "I'm busy."

"Busy? You mean someone else is already lined up ahead of me? How could that be? You just got here. It can't be time to open your legs already."

whenever he's jealous. I *hate* the way he talks to me when he gets

his head. "Suck my dick first. Then I'll

own, cracking across

at least had the good sense to look apologetic. He stood back from me with sadness in his eyes, clamping them shut as he worked to steady his breath. He was panting. His perfectly sculpted chest flexing beneath his tight black shirt. "I guess I deserved that," he grumbled, opening his eyes to study me. "Ruby wanted you uncorrupted. She was afraid Alex would change you. I

This is my fault for being a chicken. A doormat for everyone to stomp on. If I could go back and do it again, with all the ways that I've changed - I can promise things would be different. I would have stood up

whispered. "Your ex?

tears, but blinking them back. "He kept me as a shell of myself for too long. Now, it's like I'm free and making up

was

Sure, some people might believe the truth, but most people are happiest when they believe the lies." Damien sighed, stepping forward once again to kneel down in front of me. "Do you even want me anymore? Or

to devote myself to anyone else but me right now," I answered, biting my lip. *And... I need

nodded, standing up. "Okay, baby. I'll let you settle in. Alex wanted me to take you down to his office, but take a few minutes to yourself. I'll come

mentally shoving him out the door with my mind on my

exit, stops, and says, "Oh yeah. Just so you know. Enzo is no longer a threat to you. Alex and I made sure of that this morning. You don't need to be afraid of him anymore." *Well Hallelujah! But at this particular moment I couldn't

waste no time in locking the door behind him. Falling against it and dropping onto the floor, I pull my phone back

ME-

but I am willing to do whatever it takes to save my cousin so that would be pointless. However, I'll need proof that she's alive before

and put my phone away. It's right then that I see my message has been read and Santos begins

disappearing and I can hardly contain myself. I'm

RUBY-

she knows that I'm cutting a deal with you, she'll do whatever she can to fuck it

I don't even hesitate.