Page 17

I’d been admiring her, watching the way her throat moved while downing the liquid. How her hair brushed the top of her ass with her head tipped back. But I couldn’t have prepared for what I would witness when she turned around. Her brunette locks were a halo of soft waves framing her heart-shaped face. Full lips turned up in a sneer, begging to be bitten, but her eyes? They were haunting. Icy in both color and the lack of warmth they held.

Yet they set me on fire.

This damned penthouse was filled with haughty women and corporate asshole men. Plus the lackeys the Four Families had sent to figure out what the hell Dominick was doing with us. Tonight we were supposed to solidify an alliance with the Italians. Another piece of our puzzle accomplished. The other three families wouldn’t touch us. No one wanted to kill off their spare heir. They all foolishly thought we’d come crawling back like prodigal sons. This union was to keep Dominick in line until the rest of our plans were laid out.

Of course, the Mafia don insisted on making the engagement party an event. So here I was, in a rented-out penthouse filled with beige furniture that looked uncomfortable and shit alcohol. The only interesting thing was her. She’d clearly been trying to go somewhere when she bumped into me, and it took every ounce of my willpower to peel my fingers away from her soft skin.

I still hadn’t moved out of her way.

It was as if my shoes were cemented to the floor. Her glacial eyes traveled down my body, lit with fight, which was not the usual reaction I received.

“Cat got your tongue?” I asked, intrigued by the flash of defiance in her eyes.

Even women who wanted me acted demure and apprehensive. None of them ever sneered at me while making me feel like they would attempt to slap me. Her hand tightened slightly, reminding me of my reflex for holding a weapon. A vision of her with a knife to my throat while I sank my cock into her warm cunt flashed in my mind, making my dick twitch.

If only there were such a woman.

Most only craved the idea of chasing me down. If they even found the courage to approach me. Rarely were any of them willing to follow through with the act, especially when they learned of the way I preferred to fuck. Kenji and Caleb got most of the women. Kenji, with his easygoing facade, and Caleb, with his public reputation and impressive net worth.

“Never mind, spitfire. Run back to the dick you entertain,” I scoffed when she still hadn’t responded. But to my surprise, she moved closer. Our bodies nearly touched as she stepped into my space, craning her neck to hold the stare-off.

I broke first.

The temptation to study the delicate column of her throat was too much. A growl slipped out against my will as I pictured how pretty she would look with my fingerprints marking her.

“Wanna wrap your hand around it?” she purred, causing my eyes to snap back to hers as I mentally checked that my jaw hadn’t gone slack at her words.

Had I said my thoughts aloud?

That’s when I saw it. She wasn’t unhinged—well, maybe a little—this woman was self-assured. And it was doing things to my balls because I loved to tame a brat but rarely got the chance. My legs shifted apart slightly, widening my stance to accommodate the way my dick was reacting.

She needed to run off so I could focus on something other than how amazing her tits looked in the V of her satin dress and how I’d love to run my tongue across them.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped, giving her the same look I gave the men I was sent to collect, hoping it would scare her away. Instead, her pink tongue swiped along her plump bottom lip, pulling it between her teeth. Like she wanted to devour me.

“Touchy, touchy.” She trailed a fingertip over my chest, shocking me when she circled my nipple before pinching it. “You looked like you wanted to choke me, big boy. Did I take your drink? Because I didn’t know.”

My voice came out huskier than intended when I replied. “They serve watered-down shit here.”

A smile bloomed on her face. One so large I felt the corners of my own mouth pulling up. “Nah. He served me the real shit. Wanna shot?” she asked, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.

It was as if we were in our own bubble, too consumed with one another even to notice others approaching.

“Nik. What the fuck is taking so long? We gotta go around and check—” Kenji paused beside me, and I didn’t need to look at him to know that his eyes had widened with interest. “I’m sorry, miss. Is my asshole friend here bothering you?”

Jealousy, an emotion I wasn’t used to, thrummed through my veins as Kenji took her hand in his. Of course the fucker didn’t shake it or kiss it. No, the asshole went full cockblock and bit the top of her hand. Based on how her eyes widened and she seemed to choke back a moan, I fully expected to lose her interest now that he was here. For some reason, I desperately didn’t want her to dismiss me. I’d share her with Kenji—with either of my brothers—but we found most women weren’t as open to that idea.

I was ready to retreat and leave them when her attention swiveled back to me.

“He’s not bothering me at all. Big boy here was about to take a shot with me. Right?”

Before I could answer, Caleb walked up, and I swore her whole body tensed. The brazen woman I’d been speaking to for the last few minutes disappeared. She untucked her hair, letting it fall like a curtain, and avoided eye contact, staring at the patch of flooring in front of her.

Maybe they’d fucked before?

“Well, it was nice to meet you, but I have to go mingle now,” she commented, trying to push past the wall of bodies we’d formed.

“Wait,” Kenji pleaded. “You never gave me your name or your number. How am I supposed to invite you to the after-party?”