Page 10 of Captured Innocence
“Oh, no, you don’t. We need to leave before it’s too late. Please. I don’t want you to get hurt. He’s not good enough for you.” She tugged at my arm and I jerked it away. “I can’t let you do this.”
Shrugging, I laughed softly, exaggerating the sound. “Leaving is not going to happen. Trust me. And he’s perfect for what I want.”
“Girl. Use a dating service.”
I laughed, shaking my head because I knew she was serious. “I deserve a real man.”
“That’s really why we’re here. Isn’t it? You’re crazy. Your brother will kill you or him. Is that what you want?”
“Enzo is a pig and he can try, but as I said earlier, I’m not a little girl any longer.” What she didn’t understand was that by engaging in something highly carnal, I would foil my father’s plans, especially if he wanted to sell off my virginity as well. Fuck him. This wasn’t the nineteen-seventies any longer. I planned on having a career and choosing the man I spent the rest of my life with.
Mine…
Mattia’s words lingered in my mind. What if the man had been serious? I chewed on my lower lip, weighing the odds. His father wouldn’t stand for it either. I had nothing to worry about.
“Well, that man has plans for you and I don’t like it one bit.”
As if I didn’t know. “Relax, Celeste. I know what I’m doing.” There were so many things about Mattia that were powerful, including the way he captured a room the moment he walked in. I’d sensed his presence the second he’d arrived on the landing, studying me as I hoped he would do. I’d even gathered a slight whiff of his incredible masculine scent, his cologne entirely different than every other male specimen in the room. Yes, the thought of danger prickled the back of my mind, but I refused to allow that to traumatize me.
It wasn’t very often a member of another crime syndicate willfully entered onto the territory of another unless under duress or because of a business discussion. I knew the protocol, had been indoctrinated into the understanding that the only place for women inside the organization was in bed or birthing children.
While I didn’t mind the sex part, I refused to be used as a pawn for political gain. I’d rather run away than be married to some scumbag from another famiglia in Italy. All the boys were fat pigs with no sex appeal. I cocked my head, turning my body toward him.
Except for Mattia.
He was even more stunning the closer he came, the few years of aging adding additional chiseled features, creating sensual shadow lines on his already gorgeous face.
He didn’t blink, remaining completely quiet as he inched closer. But I didn’t need for him to speak to know what he was thinking behind his dark eyes. They had filthy sin tangling in their luminance.
“Are you honestly serious about this?” Celeste asked from beside me.
“Yes. I’m giving myself a birthday present.” Something dark and scandalously alluring was filtering through my system, as if the dangerous aspect he exuded was the perfect aphrodisiac. All the rational about why I shouldn’t want him was tossed out the door just from the way he was looking at me.
“Are you out of your mind?” She tugged on my arm and I laughed.
“Maybe so. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere. I’m certain he’ll keep me right here.” I took a step closer to the man and tilted my head, searching his eyes. Then I took a sip of my drink, waiting to see what he’d do.
Every movement methodical, he took the glass from my hand, placing it on the bar then wrapping his fingers around mine. Everything about him was authoritative. What I found fascinating was that instead of gazing down my body with lust in his eyes, he kept his heated gaze locked onto my eyes. The moment he touched my skin, a powerful jolt of electric current skittered through every cell and muscle, exploding in my core.
It left me an intoxicated mess, which was a complete shock, even more than that I didn’t try to pull away from him. His smirk turned into a welcome smile, his eyes becoming hooded as he pulled me closer.
“Eric,” he called to the bartender. “See that Ms. Lazarro’s friend is well taken care of.”
“Yes, sir.”
As he pulled me further away from Celeste, her surprised gasp gave me another tingling sensation of jitters. I’d forgotten how powerful he was. Standing this close left me feeling more angst than I’d anticipated, my pulse racing.
He remained quiet, parting the ways with nothing but his prowess as he led me to the smaller dancefloor. While the music was the same, the lights pulsing in time with the heady beat, suddenly there was no one else on the floor except for the two of us. I’d kept track of him over the years, the reasons entirely personal. He was beautiful and dangerous, so much so I was thrown by my attraction to him.
When we were in the middle of the dancefloor, he regarded me in my entirety, allowing his eyes to cascade ever so slowly down the length of me. While he was definitely memorizing every inch, he wasn’t creepy about doing so even though his gaze held an air of ownership. That wasn’t anything unusual given the type of families we’d grown up in.
However, there was something more predatory about his look, as if he’d contemplated this for years.
The music was fast paced but it was obvious he had no intention of following the beat or anything else for that matter. He slipped his hand behind my neck, his hold possessive as he pulled me close. He stood several inches taller than I was even in my heels, the scent of his aftershave more exotic than anything I’d had the joy of inhaling. I remained lightheaded, but I refused to allow him to know he had any kind of effect on me.
I placed my hand against his chest, pressing with just enough force I sensed his amusement. I wasn’t certain what to expect from the man. While his picture was all over the internet, often seen with one or two beautiful women on his arms, sometimes on yachts or in fabulous restaurants, I’d noticed something interesting about him.
The man never smiled.