Page 9 of Blood Lust
“Nice to meet you, Gabe. I’m… Lee.” Taking Merin’s advice to leave everything, including the real me, back in Chicago, I decided that for the weekend, I was Lee.
He lifted my hand to his lips and barely brushed them over my knuckles. “The pleasure is mine. So, about that drink?”
“Um, I’m helping my friend with the signing,” I replied, regret settling in my stomach.
“What about tonight?”
Holy shit, is he actually being persistent?
“I, uh, well,” I stammered. My conversation with Merin ran through my head. Could I actually go through with it if that’s where this was heading? Even if it wasn’t, having a drink with a man that looked like he did was one for the books. No pun intended.
I inhaled deeply, then let it out slowly. “Yes.”
“Heavy Is The Crown”—Daughtry
There was something about this girl that had me acting out of character.
And hiding my half-mast dick.
Of course, that could’ve been due to the scene I just read in that book she bought. Jesus Christ, was that the shit my mom was reading?
“Yes?” I clarified as one corner of my mouth kicked up.
“Okay,” she breathlessly replied. Her big—were they brown or green?—eyes stared at me. With each blink, they morphed.The sound in the room seemed to mute as her plush lips parted slightly.
“Gabriel,” Pietro softly called my name. Reluctantly, I glanced over my shoulder at him. “They’re ready to go.”
Holding up a finger, I returned my attention to the captivating woman in front of me.
“Pietro will carry your books wherever you need. Meet me in front of the bar at six?” I was hoping I could get her to have dinner with me as well.
“We’ll stay here on the resort?” With a nervous glance down the aisle, she chewed on her lower lip.
“If that’s what you want,” I offered. My cabin was on the resort. I mean, if she wanted to go back there, then I wouldn’t complain. I’d be a liar if I said that wasn’t what I wanted.
“Then six it is.” The soft smile she gave me fucked with my head because it made something tighten in my chest.
“I’ll see you back at the cabin,” I told Pietro. He nodded. They walked off through the crowd, and I watched the gentle sway of her hips as she walked beside my friend and bodyguard. Her dark wavy hair hung down her back, and I pictured it wrapped around my fist.
“Are you really planning on messing with the locals?” Vittorio teased from behind me. My younger brother was my underboss, but he was one of the only people I truly trusted. Besides Pietro. Even my consigliere, Bruno, only knew what I wanted him to know. In my position, it was hard to trust.
“Not like she knows me or anything,” I chuckled. “And we’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
“She’s cute,” he conceded.
“She’s hot as fuck,” I corrected.
“Well, she was checking you out when Mom was at her friend’s table earlier… if you were wondering.”
With a cocked brow, I glanced his way. “Oh really?”
He smirked and shrugged before he got serious. “Hey, just so you know, big brother decided to collect early this month. A lot of the business owners couldn’t pay the full amount and are tripping out.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. I quickly sent a text message to Bruno telling him to call Vittorio.
“I’m having Bruno call you. Get it ironed out. Ensure that everyone knows nothing is considered late until the end of the month.”
“No problem,” Vittorio replied