I Picked Up a College Guy, Then My Mafia Ex Caught Me Chapter 17

As time passed, Nathan became more talkative. He started expressing himself more.

Still, I missed my bar. I wanted to go back.

Dominic, ever generous, opened a new one for me in Ashford’s best district. I closed the old location and treated Jake to a farewell dinner.

He noticed the oversized diamond on my finger, the one Dominic had forced me to wear. I knew it had a tracker. His love was obsessive, paranoid.

I brought my old staff over, including the college kid I had flirted with, Caleb Reed. He had quit his job to work for me.

Business took off quickly. I ran promotions, drew in new crowds.

Late one night, Dominic came to pick me up. He brought my favorite lemon tart.

His Bentley idled outside as I was chatting with Caleb. He was the most popular server now, wealthy women loved him.

I kept feeding him lines about bonuses to make sure he stayed. He gave me a shy smile.

A loud honk cut through the air. Dominic was glaring at us through the windshield.

I got in the car. As I bit into my tart, he scowled at the staff inside. “They wear too little. Who are they trying to seduce?”

I explained weakly, “That’s the uniform.” Thin oxford shirts or vest-and-tie combos, a little sheer. The ladies loved it.

He looked murderous. But I loved the cash, especially when I had earned it myself.

On the drive home, he asked abruptly, “Is there anything you’re hiding from me?”

I nearly choked. “You mean the male dancers?”

“Male dancers?!” His face cracked.

“How else do you think we get customers? They dance on stage. That’s the draw.”

He gritted his teeth. “Anything else?”

“Nope.”

He scoffed.

When we got home, he tossed a file in my lap. A paternity test for Ava.

“I had it done during her checkup. How long were you planning to keep this from me?”

I stepped back, my spine hitting the desk.

“I was going to tell you… I forgot,” I said, with a sheepish smile.

He wasn’t buying it. He gripped my hips, eyes searing. “Forgot? And the part about Ava’s dad being dead, did you forget that too?”

I avoided his gaze.

He finally knew: the other men had never existed. It was always him.

He smirked, hooking a finger under my zipper. “Let me show you if I’m dead or not.”

He lifted me onto the bathroom vanity. His kiss stole my breath. My dress was torn to shreds. His fingers did their work.

“Wait—” I tried to pull his wrist. “The kids…”

“They’re asleep. The nanny took care of it.”

His voice was husky against my ear. “Focus, sweetheart.”