Chapter Text
It was the flash of her legs under that robe that caught his attention.
Initially, it was because of the injuries. She ducked her head, told him she was alright. She'd said the same thing after being shot, after ending up concussed, after saving Mikey countless times.
Gabriel was not a humble man, humility and a mafioso could not coexist. He knew his limits but he also knew how to play to his strengths and his looks happened to be one of them. Watching her eyes dart away from his bare chest gave him an odd sense of satisfaction.
She liked what she saw and they both knew it.
So he encroached on her personal space and she agreed to his help and it all would have been fine had she been dressed.
But Davina in a robe, hand touching him and eyes in earnest was…
A lesson in control. His grip on her ankle tightened.
“Any action I take on Mikey’s behalf will be no more than his due.” Her smile was soft and so was her skin, every creamy bit of it…
A lesson he was beginning to fail.
“Thank you.” It was enough, this quiet moment. His son was safe. His hands would stop shaking eventually, the nightmares might not come that night. He had an ally he could depend upon.
That same ally shifted, careful to keep the robe between her legs and forgetting that left other parts of her bare.
“You're welcome.” She was blushing again, her hair spilling down her shoulders and her thighs on display. Enough to fuel the imagination, but not nearly enough to satisfy.
“I suppose I should have let you dress first.” He went back to her feet, lifted one slender leg to examine it and make sure he was thorough.
“Its alright. Its been a long day, it was easier this way.”
Easier for who? So far as he could tell, there was nothing on under that robe. Not for the first time, he wondered how much of this was intentional and how much was naively, effortlessly, Davina.
“Mm. No where else hurts?”
She shook her head. “Not bad enough that you need to worry about it.”
He looked her over just the same. He should have been able to see it, in the way Davina carried herself and in the way her body moved. Skills like that were how he stayed alive and somehow, he'd failed to be observant enough to keep his home from burning to the ground. She was hurt and Mikey was afraid and he was-
“Mr. Angelini?” Her hand pressed into his shoulder, grounding him for the time being. He looked up from his place at her feet and something eased in his chest, just for a moment.
“Mikey’s safe, sir. He's going to be okay. And so are you. You've got practically a small town at your fingertips, all in this hotel and every one of us is wholly devoted to you- the mission, I mean.” And she colored again, down past her cheeks to her chest and the curve of one breast peeking out. “We're just waiting for our orders.”
“Thank you.” Again she'd pulled him back from the edge and though he was tired of thinking, he was too wired to sleep. “You're being kinder than I deserve.”
“No, sir. I'm only speaking the truth.”
She always argued with him on the important things. But her eyes were indulgent and her hand hovered above the chair, Gabriel watched her debate touching him again. The hope that she would annoyed him. The fact that it felt all too natural, to be kneeling at her feet with only her comfort and care in mind, made it worse.
A lesson in control? It was time to take it back.
He lowered his head and kissed the inside of her ankle. She stilled.
“And now its a third time I'm left to show my graditude. I may need to keep a tab open.” He kissed each bandaged leg, ran his hands up the length of them and higher still. Davina's breathing hitched.
“Sir. You're- surely you're tired.” She squeaked out.
He was tired of many things, actually. The kisses continued, past the cotton wraps and on to below her knee, and then he was at the top.
“Mr. Angelini- um… I-” He raised his eyes, meeting hers. And very deliberately, he nudged her legs open. Dipped his head and held her gaze when his mouth pressed to the inside of her thigh. His tongue just barely there, a quick taste. There was a bit of damp shine, a smirk rose when he realized why she was trying to stay put.
“I'd like to reward you. For your loyalty, for tonight.”
Just for tonight. He was hard and he was unsettled and she was entirely too tempting. His excess energy had to go somewhere. Later on, he would tell himself it was part of the ruse and a good stress reliever and merely a way of allowing his body to refocus and center itself.
All of these lies, he would swear to for the rest of his life if need be; but at that moment all Gabriel wanted was to forget the world and be lost in the beautiful woman in front of him.
There was an internal debate, it warred across her face and he didn't touch her again. Not yet.
Davina Diavolo was someone constantly surprising him. Her reply did exactly that.
“I have two legs, sir.”