Keep Her Close - Jenika Snow Page 0,3

never get used to “seeing them”.

Niklo, the man in front, tipped his chin in acknowledgment to her greeting, but other than that they stayed silent. She stood still as she watched them walk over to the small table they always sat in when they came to the café. The four of them all wore suits, and when they removed their jackets and sat down she finally breathed in. Marra stayed still for a second and stared at Joey, the ruthless, dangerous, and violent boss of the Bacelli crime family. Living in this small Italian community meant she heard a lot about who ran things, and because most of it was spoken inside of these four walls, it was not something she could escape.

She exhaled deeply, not sure why she felt this attraction to a man that was so wrong for her on every level. And she wasn’t sure why he wanted her either. He could have any woman he wanted, thin and gorgeous, and the total opposite of her. She was thick and curvy, and a size sixteen to boot.

And then Joey lifted his gaze to her, and it was like everything else faded away. She turned from Joey and gathered the espressos and cannolis that the men always had when they came here. Although she knew they were part of organized crime—everyone who even uttered or heard their names knew, in fact—no one talked about it. It was just known, and that was that. She brought the items to them, but didn’t make eye contact.

These men were dangerous, and she did feel a slight sliver of fear at being around them. They may protect everyone in this town, watch over how things ran, and made sure no one screwed with anyone in their protection, but that didn’t mean that their reputation wasn’t something that nightmares were made of.

Marra set the espresso and cannoli in front of Joey, and just as she was about to turn away he grabbed her wrist, stopping her. She looked at him, her heart in her throat, and sweat starting to bead between her breasts.

“Marra.” His voice was deep, smooth, and held this hint of authority even though he was relaxed and calm right now. “Have you taken me up on my offer for dinner?” He smiled, but it was just the corner of his mouth that lifted.

Marra shook her head, hating that in every other aspect of her life she knew what to say and how to act. But when it came to Joey Bacelli she felt like she was stumbling over her words, unable to control her emotions, and like she was on the verge of jumping off a cliff. He scared her, and rightfully so, but she also wanted him like she had never wanted a man before. She chalked it up to his dangerous life, and that she had to be aroused over the fact he killed men and lived violently.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said softly, and she felt him run his thumb along the inside of her wrist right before he let her go. She moved back, breathed out deeply, and then moved her hands and moved them up and down her apron.

“One of these days you’ll give in to me.” Joey grinned, flashing her his straight white teeth, and then turned and started speaking with the other men.

Marra went over to the counter, grabbed a few rags, and slipped behind the back door to the kitchen. There she rested against the counter, closed her eyes, and told herself to get a grip. Every time he came in here for the last year she’d had this reaction to him. Maybe if she just gave into him like he wanted, went out with him for dinner only, he’d back off and she’d calm down around him?

Moving back to the door and cracking it open, she saw Henrietta speaking with the four men. The fluid sound of Italian being spoken filled Marra’s ears, but she was looking right at Joey. He laughed at something Henrietta said, and if she didn’t know the type of man he was, and the rumors she had heard of the things he was capable of, she would have seen him as kind and gentle.

He was big and muscular, but it was the darkness and air of deadly control and authority that surrounded him that made her see who he really was.

Looking at the other three men with him she knew that all of