Taken By The Mafia Lord

"So you run a daycare?" Daniel inquired as he walked her home. It was a thirty-minute trip back to her place and Angelica thought it a brilliant idea to trek and get to know each other more. Only this time she wasn't the one doing the questioning but Daniel.

She let out a nervous chuckle, saying, "It's kind of hilarious but I think of it more as a Night care in the sense that we take care of the kids till evening. These days there is a growing number of single mothers and fathers and some of them are so busy with their careers or work overtime that they don't have the time to pick up their children till late at night. So we are there to help them with that problem, not that children are problems, you know. " Angelica playfully nudged him on the shoulder hoping that he got the joke.

Sadly, Daniel didn't get the joke, but he did notice that she was touchy-feely. Not that he was complaining. To him, children like Pamela - even though she was annoyingly cute - would always be a problem until they turned out to be productive. He never signed up for diaper duties.

"So what made you choose that? You once had a prospering career and with Benjamin's help, he would have catapulted you in a position of power, not this...." Daniel trailed off, realizing that he was looking down on the occupation that she chose.

From the hurt that flashed across her eyes, Daniel knew that he just fucked up. Wonderful, he has just blown off his chances of making her his woman. What lady in her right mind would want a man who belittles her career? If only he had sealed his mouth and kept his opinion to himself. Perhaps she was right, he was just too dark and twisted.

Angelica said to him, "Who said that I wanted power? I just want a comfortable life with my loved ones." She stood straighter, saying with a fire in her eyes, "You asked why I choose that occupation instead of something greater?"

There was anger now in her voice and something told Daniel deep down that he poked the hornet's nest. Whatever made Angelica run a daycare was personal.

"After I practically sold my daughter to Benjamin's wife, I felt dead inside. There was nothing that I could do to wash away the guilt from my conscience and the realization that I don't have a future with my own child. So I decided to seek penance that way, taking care of other's children when I couldn't nurture mine. It's a punishment, not redemption." with those words said in between angry tears, Angelica turned and strode away.

Daniel swallowed as he watched Angelica leave. What should he do in this situation? Of course, the answer was clear, ignore her angry ass forever, and problems solved. That has been his way of dealing with problems aka emotions, turning a deaf ear to everything.

But then he swore to win this woman over. And perhaps she was his penance. His punishment. A beautiful punishment. And so Daniel found his feet walking towards her even before his brain could function properly.

"Angelica," He called her.

She ignored him.

"Angelica!" He called a little louder this time, his walks doubling, nearly jogging after her. Heavens, she would be the death of him.

"Angelica!"

He called once more and perhaps, it might be the fear of drawing attention, Angelica stopped and turned to him with a glare. What does he want now? She was not going easy on him.

Sadly, in Daniel's haste to get to her, he didn't look at the store beside him and he halted in his steps, letting out a loud gasp as he felt a sudden coldness seep into his bones. It so happened that a store owner had been cleaning up to lock up for the night and thinking that the coast was clear, poured the water only for it to land on Daniel. And the water was by no means clean.

"Oh no!" Angelica gasped, lifting a trembling hand to her mouth and the color draining from her face. Who just signed her death certificate?

Daniel was so frozen by the shock that it took him minutes to comprehend what just happened. He glanced down at his white shirt specifically chosen by Haz which should have attracted Angelica to him now looking a different color. He was never taking dating advice again from a kid.

He then finally looked at the perpetrator of the crime, a woman who was still holding the bucket, the object used to carry out her crime, her feet stuck to the ground from the shock. She could have sworn that she didn't see anyone coming until it was too late.

It must be the murderous look in Daniel's eyes because the woman fell to her knees and began to apologize, crying for mercy. She didn't splash the water on him on purpose. God, he looked so scary.

With a sigh, Daniel eased the expression on his face. He lifted his hand and rubbed his throbbing temple with his eyes closed. If he killed everyone who committed even a little crime against him, then he would have been on the wanted list already. He executes his move perfectly so like a viper, he likes when his opponent expects it.

When he opened his eyes, Angelica was in front of him, looking at his ruined clothes with a sad look in her eyes that made his heart miss a beat. Strange, was she sorry for his clothes and yet didn't spare him a look when he was willing to apologize for his mistake? Women were so weird.

"Come on, we should get you dried up." She tugged on his arm, intending to pull her along but Daniel didn't make a move.

"I'll do that at home and my car is around the corner." Although his ride was not in sight, Daniel knew that Haz was somewhere watching over them. That was how it worked.

"And risk you catching a cold!" She scolded with her fiery eyes, "You are not getting any younger, Daniel!"

Without another word, she tugged him along and he didn't protest. Just like Mary and the little lamb, Daniel followed after her obediently until they were in the comfort of her cozy home.

"Bathroom is that way!" She directed him, "You should have a bath while I make you hot cocoa." Angelica paused to ask, "Do you take cocoa or the blood of your victims?"

Daniel laughed, a deep rumble in his chest that somehow sent chills running down her spine. However, Angelica was able to control her reaction to him. She was not a teenager that experiences silly butterflies in her stomach. That was all in the past.

"Do you know you have a dark sense of humor? And no, I drink cocoa just fine," Daniel had a grin on his face that made him look human. Like he was just an average human that doesn't murder people who get in the way of what he wants.

"Good, move along," Angelica waved him off and though she appeared unaffected, as soon as Daniel vanished into the bathroom, she let out the breath that she had been holding in.

Holy mother, what has she done? She brought Daniel into her fucking house, the realization finally dawned on her. Earlier, she had been acting on the adrenalin, but now that it was all gone, it left her a nervous mess. She was not a fool to think nothing happens when you invite a male to your home. A handsomely twisted psychopath.

Fine, she should calm down first and think of how to handle this situation. She might have invited Daniel into her house, but that doesn't mean shit. She's only helping him out. Moreover, things were made clear to him not to have hope. They might or might not work. That means he was not expecting anything, Angelica comforted herself with that thought.

So she busied herself with making the cocoa and ignored the tension in the lower part of her belly. Angelica didn't have to wait long for Daniel because he appeared mere minutes after she was done preparing the cocoa for the both of them.

She grabbed the cups and turned saying, "It's.... ready?" Angelica trailed off as she drank in the sight of Daniel standing in front of her, wearing nothing but her white towel around his waist. Holy mother of all handsome males, who dropped the mortal on this earth?

Daniel might be older but that doesn't mean that he has lost his virility. If anything, his sexual appeal was more enthralling, honed richer with age. Angelica rubbed her thighs together as desire shot straight to her core while taking in the ridges of his hard stomach she was tempted to run her hands over.

When Angelica finally dragged her eyes off his body, her gaze connected with his and she knew those confident gray eyes knew what she had been thinking.