Free Diamonds (Den of Thieves Book 1) by A.M. Cosgrove

me a chance,” Peter said finding his voice.
    Petros turned back to face Peter. Daria looked at Peter willing him with his eyes not to say anything rash.
    “Well go on then.” Petros waved his hand at Peter urging him to go on.
    “I was going to say. My intentions towards your daughter were honest and true. I didn’t start out to end up in her bed but--” Peter started before Petros cut him off.
    “But you did anyway. So you took advantage of my daughter’s soft heart did you?”
    “I did nothing of the sort!”
    “Yet here you are.” Petros motioned towards the bed.
    “Look, Father, regardless of how it happened, you haven’t stopped to ask me if it was something that I wanted. Don’t I get a say in how my life goes?”
    “You want a man like this to share your bed? Fine then. So be it!” Petros said turning around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
    Daria stood there watching after him as he left her heart aching. She knew that he was only trying to protect her but she knew in her heart that she was doing the right thing. There was something about Peter that she hadn’t found in any other man she had met before and she wanted to find out on her own what it was that made her heart pound when she thought of him.
    “I’m sorry you had to see that Peter,” she apologized walking back towards the bed.
    “It’s not your fault,” he said drawing her into his arms again.
    “I know but my father really needs to understand that I am not a little girl anymore and that he can’t go around controlling my life.”
    “He clearly loves you Daria, and he is only trying to do what’s best for you. Even if it comes across wrong.”
    She sighed. He was right. For all his flaws her father was only trying to protect her from harm.
    “Look you need to have some time with you father to work it out. I would never want to come between the two of you,” he said softly, pulling away from her before climbing out of the bed and gathering up his clothes.
    “I just don’t want it to end this way.” She could feel the tears welling up in her eyes and cursed her soft heart.
    “It is not ending. I am not going anywhere” he assured her, taking her chin in his hand and looking into her eyes.
    She nodded. Her heart hurt.
    “When will I see you again?” She asked looking down at her hands which were still clutching the sheet to her breasts.
    “When would you like to?” He smiled at her as he got dressed again.
    “Tonight?” She asked hopeful. She really didn’t want it to end but she knew what he was saying was true. She needed to work things out with her father first before she had any more episodes like this.
    “Sure. I can pick you up at seven and we can go to dinner. In the city this time, I promise”
    She laughed. He had that way of making her feel completely at ease.
    “Seven it is then.”  She got up from the bed instantly feeling better about the whole situation and pulled on her robe.
    “Come on, I’ll walk you out so my father doesn’t jump you in the hallway.”
    They left the room and Daria smiled as they rounded the staircase, remembering the night before.
    Opening the front door she inhaled the scent of the lilacs that were in full bloom along the front of the house.
    Peter leaned in to kiss her and she felt that searing heat building in the pit of her stomach.
    “Seven.” He whispered touching her cheek as he pulled away and started down the steps to his car.
    Daria watched him drive off before turning to go back inside.
     

     
    Sebastian drove away with his mind still a blur from the night before. Having to come face to face with Daria’s father had not been a highlight of his morning. Nothing had exactly gone the way that he had planned it out the day before.
    First of all he had not planned on getting close enough to Daria to spend the night with her. Second of all he still had not gotten any closer to finding out anything about the necklace.
    He had no idea what he