Page 15 of Forbidden Eyes

If I could flee, I would, but my feet are rooted to the ground, my legs shaking as my heart thunders in my chest. Everything I’ve experienced over the last nineteen years evaporates from my brain, rendering me a useless child in the presence of this man. I can’t even step forward to shake his hand or say a simple hello.

My sudden episode of rudeness and girlish awe doesn’t seem to faze Carter. After a couple of moments that feel like an eternity—an eternity where I can mentally check off every fine feature of his body—he turns to speak to Quinn.

Once his back is turned, I breathe as if gasping for air. My fingers find work in checking my bag and tidying my hair behind my ear, steeling myself for when his attention returns.

“You ready to go? Pop’s already texted Mom. She’s excited to see you,” Logan says.

“Don’t you need to wait for him?” My eyes flutter towards Carter.

“He can catch up, right, Carter?” He raises his voice to make sure he hears.

Carter doesn’t reply. He just stares, first at Logan, and then at me again. His eyes light me up from the inside. It’s instant, like turning on a switch I never knew was there. His own expression remains cool, though, unfazed by anything. Me included apparently.

“I’ll meet you later,” he eventually says. “I need to go over a few things.” The low rumble of his voice only heightens the attraction I’ve been bulldozed with.

Reluctantly, I follow Logan as he heads out of the room, and I chance a last glance backwards at a profile like nothing I've ever seen before. His back is to me. No interest on show.

Still, the next few days are looking a lot more interesting.

Five

Two hours I ended up being in the office with Quinn. We talked over a few things, including the current screw ups at the docks. We never got around to discussing Arch crossing the river, but he didn't need to know that. That's my department. My terms. My negotiations. My rules. Still, he was distant for most of the conversation, his mind thinking of something else rather than the problems in front of us, not the usual sharpness he displays.

“You alright?” I asked.

“Mmm. Kids. Future.”

That’s all the answer I got before he shook his head, got his stuff together and left. Guess Vico’s daughter turning up unannounced had gotten to him. She might be his niece, and a hot-as-fuck looking niece at that, but no one likes interruptions in their plans. Not only is that woman an interruption, but she’s also a distraction. I felt it in my dick. I didn’t allow anybody to see my reaction, certainly not Quinn or Logan, but that is one fine piece of ass, regardless of her casual appearance.

I drive through the city limits and hit the accelerator to get home, trying to clear my head of the images she brought with her. Long legs. Cute dimples in her cheeks. Just as pretty as her mother with golden hair and striking dark eyes, but holding Vico’s air about her somehow, regardless of her age. I’ve never met her before, only seen a picture up at the main house. Guess she was about eleven or twelve when it was taken, juvenile. That isn’t how she looks now. She is all grown up with curves in all the right places and clearly visible under her T-shirt. Fuck, she certainly isn’t someone I should be thinking about, let alone imagining fucking.

My head shakes, and I growl at myself. What idiot would even contemplate it? She’s Vico’s daughter. Benjamin Fucking Vico. She’s untouchable. And young. I don’t touch anything under twenty-five. They’re ready for me that way.

Strong enough.

Gravel kicks up on the drive as I eventually power in through the gates and weave through the grounds. Logan’s car is parked up by the main house, Quinn’s next to his. I flick my eyes to Nate’s place as I slow past it, watching as Gabby steps into her own car and floors it back out the way I just came in. She amuses me. She doesn’t look a day over forty, eyes like slits at anything that dares get in her way. She’s been good to me over the years, helped me out in ways none of the others could.

With women mainly.

I park and slam the door, my legs striding towards the main house. Apparently, I’m taking Logan with me to Miami now. That was an unwelcome piece of news to find out at the end of our meeting. I don’t know what changed Quinn’s mind, but he told me to take him along after all, show him the meet we have set up, and let him witness it, from the sidelines of course—not just the casino opening. He said it like he suddenly needed Logan to know it all, to see all of what Cane does. Frankly, it’s concerning. Logan doesn’t like the background and is likely to fuck something up when he tries to play God in front of other teams. The last thing I need is him attached to me when the meet happens.

Emily walks out as I’m walking in, and a car starts pulling up behind me. I turn to see Gabby coming back for her.

“Hi, Carter,” she says, waving at me. “Quinn’s in the main lounge arguing with Logan. I’m leaving. Possibly for good.” My eyes widen, and I follow her as she stomps over to the car in her heels, somehow managing to remain elegant. The door opens and she slides in, a smile on her face. “Probably not in reality, but I’m not listening to that anymore either. You can by all means. Bye.”

The car screams out as loudly as it did the first time around, and I watch the dust kick up for a few minutes, wondering what argument I’m going to walk in on, or whether I should even walk in at all. Those two arguing is never a good thing, no matter how much it’s been happening lately.

I sigh and jog up the steps to the main entrance, letting the scanner read my iris before disengaging the security on the house. My hand pushes the door open, and the first thing I’m greeted with is the sound of Logan bitching about something. I keep moving, heading their way in the hope I can stop his mouth saying something he’ll regret later. Quinn’s voice cuts in, muttering something I can’t hear, and then Logan’s off again.

Fuck.

“Why? What’s your fucking problem?” Logan bitches.

I walk on until I’m near the back of the house and wait outside the room, wondering what the hell it’s all about.

“She’s Vico’s daughter, my niece, and your damn cousin, Logan.”

“And? I was just going for a swim.”