Captivated by the deadly mafia boss

“I don’t think she’s your girl, asshole. I’m pretty damn sure she’s Mrs. Staszek. That makes her Jakub Staszek’s girl.”

While I’m not thrilled with being talked about as though I’m some sort of baggage that belongs to one man or the other, it’s not the worst thing in the world to hear about myself. She’s Jakub Staszek’s girl.

“And I’m even more sure you’re on the wrong part of town. So it would probably be in your best interest to take off before Mr. Staszek comes out looking for his wife.” Bobby’s voice deepens. He’s already twice Henry’s size, but with the way he’s broadened his arms and puffed out his chest, there’s no denying he can and will crush Henry if he opens his mouth once more.

Henry narrows his eyes on me. “We’re not done talking.” Bobby makes a small step toward Henry and he shuffles back three steps. “But I’ll catch you later. When we can talk privately.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I say to him, but he’s already turned and stalking back down the sidewalk.

He checks over his shoulder twice before he crosses the street. His brows are pulled together in a fierce pout.

“Thanks, Bobby. I could have handled him, but thanks.” I pat his shoulder once Henry is far enough away that Bobby relaxes. He turns to face me; his angry expression softens.

“He looked like a little piss ant.”

I laugh. “He is a little piss ant.”

“Kinda hot for coffee, isn’t it?” he asks, gesturing to my cup.

“Never too hot for coffee,” I assure him. “Thanks again.” I turn to walk into Katfish and find him right behind me.

“I’ll walk you in,” he says when he catches me looking over my shoulder at him.

We walk into the quiet club together. There’re still a few hours in the day before the music starts and people start pouring in. The club has grown so popular Jakub is considering having it open seven nights a week instead of five.

“What’s going on?” Jakub greets us as he walks out of the office hallway.

“Nothing.”

“There was some trouble outside,” Bobby says before I can stop him.

Jakub’s eyes narrow in on me. “What sort of trouble?”

“It was nothing,” I insist. “Henry was outside.” Better I explain instead of letting Bobby do all the talking.

“He seemed to be chasing her down, and when she tried to get him to go away, he refused,” Bobby rats me out. “I hope I wasn’t overstepping, but I got him to leave.”

Jakub frowns. “No, you didn’t overstep. I appreciate it.” He turns his heated gaze to me. “If you see him again, bring him inside. I’d like a word.”

“You got it, Mr. Staszek.” Bobby nods. “I better get next door.”

As soon as Bobby’s gone, I turn on Jakub. “Are you turning the foreman into one of your hired guns now?”

Jakub’s eyebrow arches. “Did you want to try that again without the attitude?”

“Not really, no.” I stand my ground. “I’m not some little girl who needs babysitters all over the place and who can’t use an adult tone when she’s pissed.”

“What are you pissed about?” He folds his arms over his chest and tilts his head slightly to the side.

It’s at this moment I hear glasses clanking to the left of us. The bar is being stocked for opening.

“Can we talk about this in my office?” I try to step around him, but he blocks me.

“You wanted to talk here, so talk. What has you so pissed?”

“Never mind.” I shake my head. I don’t want the audience and my head is clouded now. What exactly am I pissed about?

“Let’s go to my office.” He spins on his heel, while cupping my elbow, and leads me out of the club and into the offices.

My coffee break has been ruined and worst of all, I’m pretty sure it’s cold now.

“What did Henry want?” Jakub asks the moment his office door is closed.

“What he always wants, to have a tantrum because I didn’t stay with him, to accuse me of turning him in to the cops, to be a complete asshole just because he can be.” I put my coffee on the desk and plop into one of the leather-cushioned chairs. Damn, this is comfortable. Much better than the rolling chairs I have in my office.

“You’re married to me.”

I turn around in the chair, hooking my arm over the back, and settle a look on him. “He’s aware. And he doesn’t care.”

“Did he say why he’s still in Chicago?”

“No. Something about Piotr doing something and I was going to get caught in the crosshairs. I wasn’t really listening, Jakub. He’s a crazy asshole.”

“He’s dangerous,” Jakub mutters and marches to his desk where his cell is laying on top of a closed laptop.

After tapping on the phone, he puts it to his ear, keeping steady eyes on me. One finger taps the back of his phone while he waits for someone to answer his call.

With an annoyed sigh, I grab my coffee and take a sip.

Yep, it’s chilled.

“Marcin, I need you to swing by Katfish and pick up my wife. Bring her home and make sure two men are stationed at every entrance. Only workers are allowed in the warehouse until further notice. No sales visits or whatever bullshit they do, understood?”

The hair on my neck stands at attention.

“I still have work to do,” I argue with him while he’s listening to Marcin’s response. “I’m not leaving yet, Jakub.”

He holds up a finger at me, telling me to wait.

My face heats.

“No. I will not fucking wait. I have a job. I have a life. And none of that is going to change because you want to have a fucking pissing contest with Henry or Piotr or whoever!” I shove out of the chair and make it to the door before I feel his powerful arm wrap around my waist.

Before I know what’s happening, I’m hoisted off the floor. I kick out my feet and hit the door, but he takes a step back so I can’t hit anything.

“Five minutes, Marcin. Pull up in the back, I’ll bring her out. And I want to know who was supposed to watching the little prick. He shouldn’t have gotten anywhere near her,” he says and then hangs up. Now both arms are holding me around my waist and no matter how much I try to shove them off me, they don’t budge.

“Dammit, Jakub. Let me go.” I slap his arm, which he probably can’t even feel with his suit jacket on.

Who the hell wears a suit jacket in ninety-degree weather in Chicago?

“Calm down.”

“I am calm,” I say and swing my leg back until I hit his shin. Somehow, I doubt it’s the first time he’s been hit before; it doesn’t even bother him.

“I’m going to put you down and you’re going to stay put, understood?”

Understood? Like I’m one of his little worker bees?

“Sure,” I say with a nod and stop struggling against him. It’s not like I’m going to win anyway.

With caution, he puts me back on my feet. The second his arm is loose, I burst free and rush to the door.

He’s on me in two steps and once again I’m hoisted off the floor. But this time, he has me thrown over his shoulder and he carries me to the couch against the wall.

“No, Jakub. No!” I start to pummel his back with my fists.

“No?” He swings me down from his shoulder, plops down on the couch and tugs me over his lap all in one fluid movement, leaving me momentarily shocked, and I’ll be honest, a little impressed.

“Maybe you should have thought of that before you yelled at me. Before you cursed at me. Before you hit me.” His arm has me pinned down over his lap, and his free hand has already thrown the skirt of my dress onto my back. He doesn’t bother yanking my panties down but grabs them and pulls them up until I’m experiencing the deepest wedgie in my life.

“Jakub!” I throw my arm back to block my ass, but he merely catches it and holds my wrist.

“I want you to go home because I don’t trust Henry not to come back here to cause trouble tonight. If you’re home and protected I can better concentrate on what’s happening with that,” he explains and then lays into me.

My bare ass gets lit on fire with his volley of spanks. Random spanks cover both of my cheeks, but he manages to get every bit of me. And no amount of wiggling or cursing is helping me.

“When I ask you to wait so I can finish a conversation, I expect you to be a good girl and wait.” He annunciates his expectation with a hard swat to the sensitive spot on my thigh. I straighten my legs and hiss.

“I would have explained all of this to you when I hung up with Marcin, but you wanted to act like a little brat. So now you’ll get treated like one.” He goes all in, spreading the spanking out across my thighs, my sit spots, my ass cheeks. Nothing is left untouched, it all hurts and burns and before I know it, I’m crying, begging him to stop.

“I’m sorry, Jakub. I’m sorry!” I try to tug my arm free, but he’s got a death grip on it. I can’t do anything other than take my punishment.

He hasn’t kept me in the dark about anything so far. I had no reason to think he would do so now. Most men wouldn’t let their girlfriends or wives continue working in the club the way Jakub has. The men in our world prefer their girls backstage. But he’s done none of that.

I reacted unreasonably.

And now I have a sore ass for my trouble.

“Okay…” He’s rubbing my legs, not where he spanked. What he put down will stay; he’s not going to undo the spanking because it’s over. But he will comfort me.

I sniffle, embarrassed by my bitchy behavior and how easily he’s brought me to tears.

He tugs my panties out from my ass cheeks, and lightly drapes my dress back down. When I’m dressed to his satisfaction, he swivels me around until I’m seated on his lap and have my head buried in his neck. What a mess I am.

Warm strokes of his hand run in circles on my back and just like that everything calms inside of me. The raging anger, the worry, the panic, it’s all just melted away and all that’s left is this overwhelming urge to hold onto him.

“I want you safe, Nicole,” he says softly, then tucks me under his chin. “And if I have to take my belt to your ass every day, I will.”

I swallow hard and wipe my cheeks.

“I don’t want to be put away like Rapunzel.” I push away gently from his chest and look into his eyes. Worry rules his features as he stares at me.

“I doubt you would tolerate such treatment.” He tucks my hair behind my ears. “You can work from home just as easily as you can work from here. And it’s just for a few days. I have men all over the warehouse; it’s a damn fortress compared to this club.”

He’s not wrong. I’m not entirely sure what they do down there, but there’s always half a dozen armed men walking around checking on things.

“Okay,” I whisper. My throat is sore from my crying, and I’m not sure what words will come out if I let them fly free.

“Marcin is going to take you home. I’ll bring your computer and stuff when I go home tonight. You are not to leave the apartment. And if you need to order dinner, text me and I’ll have it brought to you.” He wipes his knuckles across my cheeks. “Okay?”

I nod. “Yeah, Jakub.”

“Do you need anything before you go?”

I sigh and nod.

“Yeah.”

“What?” he asks, his brows pulled together like he’s ready to give me anything in the world if I just ask.

“I need a fresh cup of coffee.”

His lips spread into a wide grin and he laughs. “I’ll tell Marcin to drive through somewhere for you.” He pats my ass and helps me to my feet.

When I’m standing, he grabs the neckline of my dress and pulls me to him, capturing my mouth beneath his.

It’s a hard kiss. A breath-sucking, heart-stopping, toes-curling kiss and when he breaks it, I blink at him like I’ve forgotten my damn name.

He flashes me his arrogant smile. “C’mon. Marcin’s out back waiting for you.”