The Maid: Mafia Romance (Series)

New Contract

1) Make me coffee

2) Cook my food

3) Run my bath

I flicked my eyes from the love contract document, back to Giovanni, who was relaxing against his chair like he was the king of the castle. Well, this was his castle, and he was the king. He could do whatever he wanted. But this…

What the hell is this?

“Boss, is this a maid contract or what?” I sent him the evil eye. “Everything is the same as my old contract.”

“No, it’s different,” he casually said, reclining in his throne-like chair, fingers tracing his lips, like he’d all the time in the world, unlike me, who had a gazillion things to do before heading off to the library. Exams were coming soon and I had to pass my midyear papers.

Giovanni was watching me with keen interest. Probably waiting for me to go into a fit. Well, I’d show it to him. I went into a hissy fit.

“Tell me the meaning of this? Right this instant,” I demanded. “How is it any different from my previous contract.” My eyes scanned through the document again and all I saw was the same shit he’d printed out in my maid contract. “Everything is the same. There’s no difference.”

I thought by agreeing to be his lover, I could reduce my workload on the house work, and yes, maybe get to sleep with him on one or two occasions. This way, I could sate my unbridled lust for him, as well as have some time to study. In my previous role as maid, I was running around like a headless chook, picking his shit off the floor, or run his bath. But now, I guessed there was no difference. Had I been deceived last night?

Last night, I was not myself. I’d slept with him. I had agreed to his proposal. And now when the sun came up, reality dawned on me when he slapped that piece of paper on my forehead first thing this morning.

What lover? There was no sweet morning talk like those romance novels I read. He was a brute with no common courtesy for the female gender.

“Read and sign it. Then you will be bound to me forever.”

Bound forever? This wasn’t the proposal I’d heard last night. This was a prison term. I didn’t want to be bound to anyone unless I loved them. And Giovanni…

I licked my lips, heart thumping dramatically when I saw him in slacks fit for the catwalk runway.

When the bleep did he have the time to dress himself so fashionably when it was still dark outside? Did he have a meeting to go to this morning? Then why had he asked me to read this stupid contract, and demand that I sign my life away, right this moment?

“There’s no point in signing it. It’s practically the same as the other contract.” I waved the document aside and was about to walk out the door when Giovanni’s next statement stopped me in my tracks.

“It’s not the same, Jay. Read clause 22. Carefully.” He gently flicked his finger in my direction.

What is he, a conductor now?

Yes. He’s conducting my life. I was just his little stringed instrument he manipulated.

I muttered something evil under my breath, sent him a death glare, and picked up the document, eyes quickly skimming through the contents again, until I reached clause 22. There, in bold writing, was the statement.

22) Must be available to satisfy Giovanni Dente, the mafia boss of New York City, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

What the bleep! What the bleep bleep!

My eyes bulged out as soon as I finished that sentence. My mouth vomited out swear words that could burn his ancestor’s ears.

“Boss, what the hell is this?” I marched to him, slapping the document right in front of his face. “Am I reading it right? Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week?”

“Yes, Jay. Your eyesight is truly excellent. I hope your smart brain is able to interpret the meaning of that statement too, without me having to explain it?”

I was utterly astonished, to the point of flipping everything and just walking out. To hell with this mafia boss! To start off by complimenting me on my smart brain.

I was many things to him. His coffee machine, his maid, sometimes his chair, just a mundane piece of furniture in his huge mansion, but I was certainly not a fool. What he was referring to had nothing to do with serving him coffee twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This satisfaction came only through matters of the flesh.

Giovanni loved being sarcastic. He enjoyed seeing me all miserable and wound up. And I was wound up. More wound up than a cork screw.

Screw him! Screw this mafia boss! I’d had enough. I’d been deceived.

“I’m not signing it,” I shouted. “I’m going back to being your maid. At least I don’t have to tire myself out by letting you bite me all night long. Last night was horrible. You bit me in so many places. And it’s still painful.”

Giovanni smirked. That devil mafia boss actually smirked at me. What the devil was he thinking? Gosh, I was mad, I saw red.

“Stop smirking,” I demanded. “You are not even that alluring.”

Giovanni bounced off his chair, advancing toward me at a seductive pace, I was so mesmerized by him, I didn’t realize he had me trapped against the door. Well, crap! Now I had nowhere to run. I was stuck.

“But you found me alluring last night, right, Jay?” He hypnotized me with his touch, gently grazing my temple, gently running feathery touches along my jawline, all the way to my lips. One touch, and electric nerves shot up my spine.

Stupid nerves. Stop reacting to him. Control yourself.

What the devil was with him, anyway? Gosh, he pissed me off big time. And why must he remind me of last night. My face blushed pink from the memory.

Last night, I’d begged him for another round, because I had enjoyed it immensely. Who knew I was so easily seduced. Who knew I had this demonic lust hidden within me? And Giovanni was the devil who’d unleashed it. Now my lust roamed free, not wanting to be subdued.

“Tell me, Jay. Tell me you enjoyed being fucked by me. Tell me you like my co-”

“Say no more, boss. I’ve heard enough,” I cut him off mid-sentence, before he could say something embarrassing. “Stop using that ‘F’ word. It grates on my ears. And don’t expect me to sign the contract. I’m off to make the guys their coffee. Find yourself another lover. I’m done.”

“Not so fast.” He caught my wrist and swung me around, my head went into a 180-degree spin. Once I got my bearings, Giovanni was already on top of me. And how the heck did I end up on the floor?

“I bet you won’t last a week without me, Jay. Once you had a taste of me, you can’t go back.” A wicked smile played on his lips. Stupid lips. Stupid Giovanni.

Of course, I couldn’t go back. I was stupidly and thoroughly addicted to those lips, extremely and purely intoxicated with his taste. What more must I suffer under the hands of this mafia boss?

“Wow, boss. You really think highly of yourself,” I snapped, challenging him with my own death glare.

Giovanni, thinking I was complimenting him, started listing all his positive features. “I’m rich. I’m handsome. Not many guys my age can boast of becoming the mafia boss.”

I couldn’t believe him. His ego really had no limits. And why was he smirking like he was pleased with himself for being the leader of the mafia gang? He was a criminal, after all. And criminals should be loathed and feared.

And what was I doing, getting myself involved with this criminal mafia boss in the first place? Blame it all on my Pa, who’d used me as collateral to get out of his $3 million debt. In exchange, I was to be this mafia boss’ maid. Now, he wanted me as his lover. But not before I could negotiate to be in a better position.

“Give me a better deal, then I’ll sign the contract.”

“What do you want in the contract?” He started playing with my hair, winding his fingers around the brown locks.

It was damned distracting. I was surprised I was able to formulate a sentence. “Give me freedom.”

Slam! Both of his fists hit the floor on either side of my head. “Tough shit! Your old man owes me $3 million. Freedom is the last thing on the negotiation table.”

What… what did he say? My mind was not registering his words. All my focus was on him, as the distance between us closed.

My eyes flickered from his cupid lips, to his straight nose, and finally to eyes like a canvas of those dark summer nights, where the stars were like sparkling jewels in the sky.

Up this close, his scent invaded my nasal cavity. I was sucked in by his intoxicating scent. My heart was thumping at a hundred miles per minute in response to this.

I was nervous. I shouldn’t be, though, since Giovanni casually invaded my personal space on most occasions. But this was not one of those occasions. Giovanni had intention. And his intention was me.

“Then… then I won’t sign it.” My mind was somehow able to kick back into gear and articulate those words.

“Then you die,” he announced, not aware of the affect he had on me.

Yes, I was already dying from his pheromones. His scent was driving me crazy.

“No. I choose to go back to being your maid. And that’s my final decision.”

“That’s no longer an option, Jay.”

“I choose that option.”

We were in a death match, each of us staring at each other until the other decided to give up. Giving up was not in my nature, even though I couldn’t struggle much longer.

“Tsk!” Giovanni diverted his eyes first, got up, and ruffled his hair, finally releasing me from his pheromone trance. Thank god. One more minute and I’d have lost my mind completely.

Giovanni sat at an angle, displaying his longs leg for my view. Those legs were super sexy. I remembered what those legs did to me last night.

Back to reality, Jenny. You are here to negotiate your new contract with Giovanni, remember? I blinked and knocked myself back to reality. Those legs were dangerous. Giovanni himself was dangerous. Staying this close to him was dangerous.

I picked myself up off the carpet and moved about three feet away from him. A safe distance, especially if I wanted to retain my sanity.

“You’re being stubborn, Jay.” Giovanni did the opposite, gliding across the carpet, folding himself into position, and sliding me between his legs, all in one smooth motion. He cupped my chin, lifting my face to meet his midnight pupils. Those words coming from his lips resonated the true nature of my heart. “Give up, Jay. You need me.”

It was true. I needed him. But I couldn’t tell him that. I still had my pride. And my pride demanded that I negotiate to get a better deal before settling to be his lover.

“Look who’s talking. I think it’s you who needs me.” I played the stubborn lover right off the bat. “Or my coffee, to be exact.”

“Okay, Jay, you sly little bunny. Let’s be civilized. It’s not often I give in to the demands of anyone, but for you, I am willing to negotiate, so we can both benefit from our contract.”

“Good call.”

And thirty minutes later, we were sitting opposite each other across the table, removing and inserting clauses in the new contract.

“I choose to only sleep with you on weekends. Weekdays I must study. How’s that?” I bargained.

“No deal,” he said immediately. “I need my special milk during my downtime.”

“Your special milk?” I scratched my head, not understanding his meaning. “You mean the ones I put in your coffee?”

“No. Jay. Be a smart girl. It’s the kind of milk you make when I fuck you.” He pinched my chin teasingly, and when the meaning sank in, I screeched and pushed his hand away.

“No way, boss. No way.” I waved my hands furiously. “I refuse. It’s three times a week or I scram. Deal, or no deal?”

His fist slammed on the table, and I bounced in my chair. Was he mad? His nostrils flared when he spoke. “Don’t piss me off, Jay. I can’t fucking control myself when I see you. I get hard. So, no deal. I propose five times a week.”

I slammed my fist on the table, too, to refute his demand. And dear lord did it hurt, but I didn’t let him know it. “Absolutely not,” I said in a strong voice. There was no way I was backing down from this. “Five times a week would be too much.”

Giovanni chuckled, his eyes twinkled with delight. He extended his arm and cupped my cheek. “You’re young, Jay. I’m sure you can handle it.”

I pushed his hand off. “No way. My body is not made to satisfy you every day. My body has other functions, too. I need to eat, study, and sleep.”

“You’ll get to sleep, Jay.” His voice resonated seductively into my ear. “Don’t worry too much about that.”

Resting his face on the palm of his hand, he tilted his eyes at me. A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips.

“What are you thinking about, boss? I know that look.”

“What do you think I’m thinking about?” he asked in a playful tone. He was waiting for me to trip on my own words.

“I’m not going to say it. Just know that I know what you’re thinking about.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“That brain of yours, Jay. I can’t wait to get to know you better. I want to spend each day testing that brain of yours.”

Was that a real compliment? Wow. I never thought Giovanni could sound genuine.

But he did. I couldn’t help suppressing my smile, so I jerked my lips upward. My whole face blushed under his cool stare.

“I… I…” Damn, where was my nerve. I cleared my throat and tried again. “I propose four times a week, plus I get days off when it comes to exam time. Do we have a deal?”

Please say yes, please say yes. Oh Ma, up in heaven, please make him say yes. I closed my eyes and prayed.

“Five days a week, with off periods for exam weeks. And we have a deal.”

That statement coming from Giovanni made my day. I was grinning with glee. Thinking about it a bit, I knew it was a good enough deal. I should just think of it as working five days a week to satisfy Giovanni. And the weekend I got time off. What more could I ask for. Starting out as a maid to capturing the attention of the mafia boss, that’s not too shabby at all. Plus, exams were coming up, so that meant I didn’t need to satisfy him until after my exams. Oh, this was fabulous.

“We have a deal, boss.” I smiled and nodded my head, moved the document back to my side and signed it.

I was just finishing off my name when I was distracted by a hand cupping my chin. I blinked, looked up, and Giovanni took up my whole vision. My heart went into atrial fibrillation mode again. Apparently, when my focus was on the document, he’d closed in on me.

“Good choice, my little bunny.” He tilted my chin and traced my lower lip. “Now then…” He moved in closer and I literally missed a breath. “Let’s seal this deal with a kiss.”

Our lips met and we collided. Teeth, tongue, all meshed together. The world tilted and turned, I was spinning and flying. The world shifted again and this time I was in the middle of a meadow breeze, with cherry blossoms floating around me. Giovanni had transported me to another world, where only he and I existed.

Our kissing ceased just as fast as it had started. But the atmosphere between us was still charged with sexual tension.

“Now, then, since you’ve signed it, I’ll be keeping it.” His voice was pure silk in my ears and I was literally sucked into a trance.

He took the document right from under my hand, folded it into squares, and slipped it into his coat pocket. And all this time I was still stupidly fixed in my position, mouth longing for another taste of those lips.

Leaning back in, I thought he was about to grant me my wish when instead, he took my chin in his hand and whispered softly in my ear, “Tonight, Jay, you will serve me.”

The word serve was like a bucket of ice water splashing me awake from my trance. I snapped back to reality.

“No can do, boss. I have my accounting exam coming up and it’s starting in a week’s time. So, as per the contract, the exam period clause steps in.”

Giovanni hissed, missing me by an inch when I bolted out of my seat and jetted straight for the door.

I was quick like that. I could maneuver myself out of any situation. And this was one of those times. I could not be sucked into his alluring trap. Not right now. I needed full attention on my studies. Giovanni right now was a distraction to me.

Across the room, Giovanni was sitting in his chair, throwing invisible daggers at me.

Oh, he was pissed off all right. I, for once, was enjoying this moment immensely. So, I milked the situation even more.

“Sorry I can’t satisfy you, boss, not until…” I looked at the calendar, my head peeking in between the door. “One week from today. Do take good care of yourself, boss. Especially your banana. Chao.”

And I was off, racing down the hallway, making sure he didn’t catch up to me. But his voice caught me. I stopped and listened.

“You mark my words, Jay. I’ll make sure you’ll come running to me. Just you wait.” His deep baritone bounced across the wall and resonated in my ears.

I chuckled. “No way, boss. It’s you who has to wait. Get ready for the one-week torture.”