Mob Mistress. Sheri WhiteFeather

      “There’s no one here but us.”

      “You requested me by name. You shouldn’t have done that.” Beyond nervous, she placed his dessert on the table. “You’ll get me fired.”

      “No, I won’t. I’m a Halloway, remember?” He made a grand gesture. “One of the lords of the manor.”

      “I’m not supposed to get overly familiar with family members, either.”

      “I’m not telling you anything that you won’t find out about later.” He reached for his wine. “Brian wants to make a formal announcement. To introduce me to the rest of the Halloways. To host a few parties in my honor.” He paused, tasted the chardonnay. “Not that there won’t be a few skeletons left over in my closet.”

      Like the dead baby? He hadn’t mentioned that. But it must have something to with his paternity.

      “If there isn’t anything else I can get you, then I should go. The chef—”

      “Warned you not to get too familiar with me?” He kept watching her.

      “Yes.” She couldn’t think clearly, not with him looking at her like that.

      “I’m not trying to get you into trouble, Maya.”

      No, she thought. He was waiting for her to come clean, to tell him who she was. But she couldn’t bring herself to do it, and he didn’t ask her directly, just in case she was the wrong girl.

      “Will you look after Lester while I’m gone?” he asked instead.

      She frowned. “Lester?”

      He pointed to the dog, and the puppy danced in a circle. “He was a gift from the Halloways. He looks a lot like my childhood pet. It was tough to resist him.”

      She glanced at the mixed-breed. He was so ugly he was cute. “I shouldn’t—”

      “Get overly familiar with my dog? What’s the harm in that?”

      She wanted to trust Justin. She wanted to believe that he was as honest as he seemed. “No harm,” she said, taking a small chance.

      He smiled, revealing a set of boyishly lethal dimples, making her wonder what she’d gotten herself into. He actually turned her knees weak. How sexy could he be?

      “I’ll tell Brian I’m leaving Lester in your care.” The dimples faded. He was no longer smiling. “It’s going to be tough seeing my parents. I’ll be glad to get it over with.”

      She tried to seem unaffected, but she couldn’t help thinking about her own parents and the secret they’d kept.

      “Are you okay?” he asked, as a shiver sliced her spine.

      She looked up at the man who’d promised to help her. A man whose new family she believed was responsible for whatever had happened to her dad. “I’m fine.” She glanced at the food he’d yet to eat. “Just put the dishes outside of your door when you’re done.”

      He reached out to brush her arm. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

      “Yes.” His concern, his deliberate touch, made her weak-kneed all over again.

      A moment later, she left his room, anxious for him to return to the mansion.

      And wishing to God she wasn’t.