Page 2 of Luca
“Good. The less they know, the better. You should be safe enough to return as soon as Marcie’s finished the planning. I can’t see there being any further danger, but nevertheless, be on guard, just in case,” Miki said.
“As always.” I nodded.
“Oh, and Luca,” Miki said, his voice taking on a teasing quality, “I heard you were unable to take your eyes off a certain lady lawyer. How’s that working out for you?”
I laughed and shook my head.
“I see that even in dire times of war, the Bratva gossip train still runs at full steam ahead. Who told you?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Ash took great delight in telling me, of course. He said you were like a dog with its tongue hanging out at the sight of a juicy bone the minute you saw Claire. Don’t tell me the playboy is going to be tamed by the Ice Queen?” Miki chuckled.
“Not likely,” I said, forcing a laugh at his comment, unwilling to admit just how easily that could be the case.
Miki laughed. “We’ll see.” His attention then shifted to someone offscreen. “Be right there,” he told them, before speaking to me again. “I need to go. I’ll keep you updated on Glowacki. See you when you get home tomorrow,” he said before hanging up.
A wave of relief washed over me, the tension finally easing now that I knew everyone was safe, despite Glowacki’s injury. He was a tough bastard, and I had no doubt he would pull through.
As I slipped the phone back into my pocket, my gaze flicked to Claire.
Ash was right. From the moment I saw her, I was drawn to her. I had only known Claire for a couple of days and, already, she was getting under my skin in a way no other woman ever had.
I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that.
Lingering on the balcony, I took a moment to study her, unnoticed. There was no denying Claire was a stunning woman. Smart and tough too. A criminal defence barrister, and according to Miki, known as“the Ice Queen”among her peers. I found the combination of brains, beauty, and strength utterly thrilling.
When I picked her and Marcie up from their house, it was like a punch to the gut. A visceral reaction that I hadn’t expected, didn’t want, but couldn’t deny.
Claire’s laughter bubbled up, bright and unrestrained, making me smile. She leaned toward Marcie, eyes sparkling with genuine amusement. I loved seeing her so open and carefree, letting her guard down, which I was sure from her reputation, wasn’t something she did often.
My head tilted as I studied the woman who had stolen my breath from the minute I set eyes on her and made my heart quicken ever since. God, she was gorgeous. My pulse thrummed with a strange, urgent rhythm that I’d never felt before, and my body literally lit up inside when I looked at her.
Claire was irresistibly alluring, and I’d been chasing her with relentless flirtation since we first met. But I hadn’t made much headway. That was unusual for me. Miki loved to tease me about my player reputation—women usually fell into my lap with ease,much to my delight. Lately, though, the thrill of casual flings had lost its edge; the emptiness that followed each encounter was starting to weigh on me, leaving me craving something—or someone—more real.
Then Claire walked into my life, and everything shifted. She sparked a need within me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Unlike the fleeting connections of my past, Claire was a puzzle I was desperate to solve. Her resistance to my usual charm only fuelled my desire to break through her defences. With her, it wasn’t about playing games; it was about proving myself worthy of the challenge she presented.
I watched her profile as she laughed again at something Marcie said. Her beautiful full lips spread in a smile that made my cock thicken. Images of her kneeling in front of me, her mouth on me, doing delicious things, flashed through my mind and I groaned. God, that would feel so good. I had to make that happen.
Claire’s gaze met mine, as if drawn by my thoughts. Despite her resistance, the pull between us was undeniable. I saw it in the tension of her body, the spark in her eyes. Yes, this was a challenge I craved, and I was ready to turn up the heat.
I slowly smiled, then licked my lips, feeling satisfied when her eyes widened before she quickly looked away. As I stepped back into my suite, I couldn’t help my surge of excitement. The sexy lawyer might be dead set on resisting me, but I was hell-bent on melting her ice and igniting the fiery passion I sensed lurking beneath.
CHAPTER 1
CLAIRE BENSON
THE SAME DAY – SURREY, ENGLAND – NOTICING LUCA
My gaze flicked towards the balcony where Luca stood with his back to me, his broad shoulders rigid, tension rippling through the hard lines of his body as he answered his call.
Pursing my lips, I frowned, studying him as he talked on the phone. Something was going on with him, and I wasn’t sure what. He had been distracted all day, which was unusual. Normally, he was very attentive and focused, but not today. Today, he had been on edge and doing his utmost to pretend otherwise. Marcie might not have noticed, but I certainly had. And that bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
Since the moment we’d met, just a couple of days ago, I’d been hyper-aware of the sexy Russian. And that was a problem—a serious one. He was the kind of trouble I didn’t need. I had a knack for spotting men like him. Dangerous ones. As a criminal defence lawyer, I prided myself on that skill. I saw it in Ash when Gracie introduced us, and I saw it in Luca.
He turned his head, and I forced myself to look away before he caught me staring. But within seconds, my gaze had flicked to him again.
Whatever he heard on the phone must have been positive, because his shoulders relaxed and the tension leeched from him. I was right. Something had been going on, but I guessed it was really none of my business, and anyhow, by the way his posture had changed it seemed like things were okay again.
I released a breath that I hadn’t even been aware I’d been holding. Why was it that Luca’s tension and unease had bothered me so much? I hardly knew the guy and was determined to keep it that way. So why was I so attuned to his every move and mood?