Page 44 of Shane: His to Possess

Was Shane turning her into someone she didn’t recognize or simply helping her strip away the layers of bullshit and self-deception she had used to convince herself she was a morally upright woman who just had the misfortune of being a mob boss’s daughter? Had he been the catalyst for negative changes, or had he blasted away her mask of naiveté?

Casting a glance at him, she decided she didn’t have any fucks to give for that, either. Whether he had transformed her or just peeled back layers, she found her new state liberating. Mia wasn’t about to start digging into the mafia lifestyle or waving around a gun. She had no plans to become a player in the criminal underworld or orchestrate illegal activities. She was just at peace with her history and her choice of men for the first time ever.

* * *

Shane’s ringtone woke her sometime later. Mia stretched across the bed to grab it before it could wake him. Without looking at the caller ID, since she wasn’t likely to recognize anyone’s number, she said, “Hello,” in a husky rasp.

“Who’s this?”

“Mia.”

“Ah.” The deep male voice was rich with recognition. “You’re the thorn in my side, huh?”

She frowned. “Since I don’t even know you…” Leaving the rest of the sentence unuttered, she tapped her fingers against the bedding in an attempt to rein in her impatience.

“Let me talk to Shane, honey.”

She glanced at her lover, able to see him easily in the dim lighting provided by the lamp she hadn’t turned off before falling asleep. He slept deeply, a soft snore escaping him periodically. “Sorry, but he’s sleeping.”

There was a brief pause before the man spoke again, sounding stunned. “Then wake his ass up.”

She scowled at the person on the other end of the line. “He’s recovering from a gunshot and needs his rest.”

“The gunshot is why I need to talk to him, Miss Kasilli.”

“It can wait.” She spoke crisply, firm in her resolve not to waken him.

He made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a laugh. “Do you know who I am?”

“No.”

“Patrick Murphy. I’m Shane’s boss.”

“Oh.” She almost bit her lip before remembering the sore spot. Mia softened her tone. “I’ll let him know you called when he’s up to dealing with it.”

“Are you seriously going to—”

“Thanks for calling.” Before he could finish his sentence or launch into an angry tirade, she hung up the phone and switched it to silent.

After dealing with that annoyance, she curled up next to Shane again. As he slept, an idea bloomed in her mind until she was chuckling aloud, albeit softly to keep from waking him.

Propping her chin on her hand, she looked at him, noting his pallor was gone and his face looked less angular. He was probably up to what she had in mind, as long as she was careful.

16

Shane woke abruptly due to a twinge in his chest. Before he could fully open his eyes, Mia was bending over him. He opened his mouth automatically when she stroked his lips, and a bitter pill hit his tongue. Grimacing, he took the water she held for him to swallow it down. “What’s that?”

“Your pain pill. I read the instructions on the bottle.”

He frowned. “I hadn’t planned to take any more of those things.”

Her expression came into focus as she bent nearer, and she looked like a cross between a nurse and a drill sergeant. “Tough. You need to recuperate, and you’ll heal faster if you control your pain levels.”

He chuckled. “Bossy little wench, aren’t you?”

She lifted a shoulder. “Besides, I figured you might need one after certain vigorous activities…and what’s waiting for you.”

Intrigued, he started to sit up and froze when his hand refused to move from the bed. Turning his head, he was shocked to see his good hand fixed to the headboard with one of his own ties. He tugged lightly, and then forcefully, but remained bound. “What the hell is this, Mia?”