The Darkest King: A Dark Mafia Romance (The Dark Kings of NYC Book 1)

My arms wobble as I press the bar up to the ceiling. I added an extra forty pounds of weight this morning. The twenty minutes I ran on the treadmill did nothing to appease the tension in my body.

Mia is in the shower, and all I want to do is go in there and spend hours pleasuring both of us, but I need to distance myself from her.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

My feelings for her are both a distraction and a danger. I worry about her when she’s not with me, despite trusting the men protecting her. Then I worry about her and her future when she is with me.

Worse, I fucking hate she’s going to despise me when this all comes to an end. Because it will, and she will.

Mia is a surprise.

A gorgeous, sexy, delicious, and addictive fucking surprise.

I want to keep her and get rid of her.

Last night, we attended an event. Cameras were flashing as we stepped out of the limo. Mia’s long red dress showed off her slim, toned, and tanned legs. Her beautiful white smile a favorite of the American public, so my media team told me.

I prefer it wrapped around my cock, but whatever.

All night, she was the perfect date. Aside from the fact every asshole in the room tried to flirt with her, Mia stayed on my arm, said the right things, and then on the way home in the limo, I lifted her dress, pushed her thighs apart, and made her scream with my tongue.

She was under instruction to take off her panties before we left the venue and was wet as fuck by the time the car door closed.

Then she asked if we could go for a walk before going home.

Mack instructed Benson to stop at Central Park, and we climbed out, security trailing behind us discretely.

“I’ve got too much energy. I’ll never sleep,” Mia said. “One too many glasses of champagne, obviously.”

Then she took off her shoes and skipped along the path, turning and dancing backward, telling me about the latest ideas she had for her business. The one I am helping her with because, apparently, I can’t help myself with this woman.

“I’m useless with names, so I might get Sienna to help me, but I was thinking we could start building a website and social media channels now. I could create vision boards of weddings so people could see what to expect. Perhaps we could have some themes we already offer. Prepackaged stuff. They could be cheaper, you know. And then if they want something more custom, we will quote.”

It took everything in me not to smile. I liked what she was saying, and it was clear Mia has quite the business mind. Something else that makes her sexy to me.

Everything is sexy.

Even when she brushes her damn teeth.

Mia’s spirit, her unbreakable positive attitude and energy, feel like the light to my darkness. She balances me.

That night, though, with her hair twisted up, showing off her silky neck and the fresh blush from her orgasm, Mia was absolutely beautiful.

While I walked along that path, still tasting her on my mouth, I imagined the moment Mia discovers what my true objective with her is. I saw in my mind the hurt in her eyes.

It was the first time anything had even slightly given me pause. It infuriated me.

I deserve to avenge my family.

Mia doesn’t deserve this.

“How about Lux-The-Knot?” she asked, while I fought my inner demons. She danced back to me, those big ice-blue eyes glittering in the moonlight. “Is it silly? You know, Lux for luxury. And obviously, The Knot, like tie the knot.”

I smiled despite myself.

“I’m not your target market. Ask your girlfriends,” I replied and tucked her arm in mine. I saw her excitement fade when I glanced down, so I added. “But your ideas are good.”

Because Mia’s happiness is fucking important to me.

God fucking damn it.

When she smiled again, I knew I was fucked.

As we crossed one of the bridges, I shot the men behind me a quick glance, and they retreated. Then I crowded her with my arms up against the railing.

“Put them into your plan, and we will review it this weekend. Don’t leap ahead. Remember what I said…”

“Strategy first. Then action,” she mocked. “Now, kiss me, Connor Barrett. I can’t wait another second.”

Fuck.

My mouth descended, and Mia wrapped her arms around my neck, like we were two lovers.

Were we?

The answer was so damn close to yes. I took her home and fucked her for hours. All night, I tried to think of a way to keep her. The conclusion: impossible.

So today, it is time for boundaries. To protect us both.

I need to gain Joe Mancini’s trust fast because the longer I spend in this fake relationship, the harder it is to remember Mia is not mine and why I’m doing it.

As I realize my priorities are being manipulated by her, I drop the weights and sit, wiping my face with my towel and letting out a curse. If I don’t get my shit together, Mia is going to fuck up everything. Her and her goddamn magic pussy.

Am I going to let the daughter of a gangster get in the way of me avenging my family’s murders?

No.

I toss the towel on the floor and march down to the bedroom, just as Mia exits the bathroom, wearing only a towel.

I ignore her gorgeous half-naked body.

Mostly.

“We should have dinner with your father this weekend. Set it up,” I snap and walk past her to the shower.

No more distractions.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER, I pack my briefcase and shove the emergency phone into the front pocket. I’m meeting the Dark Kings tonight. It’s the first time I will see or speak to Nathan since the dinner in Long Island at the Mancini’s two weeks ago. I know both he and Decker will have questions.

I slip on my jacket, take one last look at the photos on the wall, including Mia’s, and walk out of my office.

Mia is leaning against the wall outside.

I freeze. “What are you doing here?”

“I live here. What’s in the room?” she asks, swiping on her phone. “Some kind of sexy kink room?

I snort.

“You wish. It’s my office. Stay out of it,” I reply, not that she can get in. I let the door close behind me and then turn to punch the code in.

I could’ve put one of the biometric locks on it, but cutting out my eyeball is a lot easier than torturing a pin code out of me. At least, that was my thinking when I outfitted the penthouse.

“Isn’t George waiting for you?” I ask as she follows me down the hall. I grab my keys and wallet from the hall table and turn when she doesn’t answer.

“I’m taking a sick morning,” Mia replies.

“Are you sick?” I ask, hating how concerned I am.

She shrugs.

“Just need a morning to myself. I’ll be fine. Girl stuff.”

I study her for a moment. She’s been through a huge life change recently, and while I know she doesn’t have her period, she might be premenstrual.

Things I know nothing about.

So, I nod.

“Fair enough. I’ll be late tonight. Let me know when your family wants to meet,” I say and stand there.

Waiting.

When she walks past me and simply says, sure thing, I clench my teeth. I’m used to Mia tiptoeing up, placing a hand on my chest, and kissing me goodbye with that smile of hers. Then saying, have a good day, fake fiancé.

Fuck.

I force myself to walk out the door and focus on my day. I even walk to the elevator and press the button, but I can hear her naked feet walking behind me across the floor, so I turn and find she’s done the same. Mia’s staring at me with a glass of water in her hand, her phone in the other.

She waits for me to say something, and I don’t.

Mia was right all along—she’s not mine, and she never will be. When this is over, she’ll forget about me. I am a means to an end for her. As she is for me.

Nothing more.

“Have a good day,” she says, then pads away.

The elevator opens and I curse, stepping inside. By the time I’m in the back of the car and Mack slips into the front seat, instructing Benson of my first appointment and the address, I’m cursing more.

I upset her.

I shouldn’t have been so tactless about asking to see her family. Besides being rude, it may have raised a question in her mind.

I press a button on my phone.

“Good morning, Mr. Barrett,” Lilly says when she answers.

“Send a dozen white roses to Mia. She’s at home today,” I say. “Add chocolate.”

Don’t women love chocolate at that time of the month?

Mack half turns, and I lift my brows. I catch his smile before he pivots back.

“Yes, sir. Any particular kind?”

“Lilly, I pay you to know this stuff,” I growl.

“Leave it with me,” she says, unfazed, and I take a mental note to give her a huge bonus for putting up with me.

As I do every quarter.

I stare out the window as we drive through Manhattan and can’t fight the instinct something is wrong. This is why I shouldn’t have let my feelings get involved. I can’t decipher whether I’m concerned about Mia’s well-being or if there’s something I’ve missed.

What I do know is, my feelings for her are far stronger than I’m admitting. After the meeting tonight with Decker and Nathan, I’m going to move her into the guest room.

Sleeping with her was the wrong decision, and while it will weaken my argument for being in this agreement, I’ll find a way around that.

Falling for my enemy’s daughter is a big fucking mistake.