Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15173 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Dante interrupts my musing. “Belle.” The way he says it sends shivers down my spine. I need to get out of here before I get myself into trouble. The kind of trouble you can never escape. “The name suits you,” he tells me without commenting on my desire to leave.
The other tall, dark, and handsome man gives me a little wave and heads for the door. Although he’s much closer to my age, my heart and treacherous body don’t react to him at all. After he walks out and quietly shuts the door, I feel all the air in the room disappear as Dante Arakas steps way the heck too close to me.
I take a deep breath and ask. “What did you want to talk to me about?” There. That sounds reasonable. I almost give myself a pat on the back for managing to sound normal while my heart is about to pound its way out of my chest.
“So much.” His evasive answer brings me to my senses. I’m out of my league here, and I need to get away. Quickly.
“What, specifically?” I look up and feel myself drowning in his dark brown eyes. Oh, man. This forty-something man has the body of a thirty-year-old. I fight the urge to melt into a puddle of goo while staring at his smoking, burn-you-with-just-a-look hotness. His black hair has a generous sprinkling of gray throughout its thick depths, and the stylish cut screams expensive. The smug expression on his handsome face is both irritating and oddly appealing to me.
He wears his expensive dark suit with an ease that most men can’t pull off. The freaking suit probably costs more than my car, and it does nothing to disguise the muscular frame beneath it.
“I’d like to get to know you.” His answer confuses me even more. I feel like I’m drowning in his gaze while trying to keep my head above water. As the undertow pulls me down, I realize all my defenses are falling.
“What does that mean?” I’m way the heck out of my element here, but I’m not about to let the hot mafia boss walk all over me.
“It means I want to know everything about you.” He takes my hand, and electricity blasts through my nerves, leaving me weak and disoriented. “And we can take things from there.”
I open my mouth to tell him “heck no,” but I can’t get the words past my lips as something holds me back. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I manage to squeak past the obstruction in my throat. “I’m busy with my job, and you’re a…” I wonder if I’ll offend him with the truth. Oh well, I don’t have the ability to contain the words. “Mobster.”
“I think it’s the best idea I’ve had in a long time,” he argues confidently. “We can discuss everything over dinner tomorrow night.”
Talking to him is like playing ping pong. I throw my hands up in the air and growl, “I never agreed to dinner.”
“But you will.” He steps close and leans down to whisper in my ear, “I won’t take no for an answer.”
I open my mouth to tell him no, but my tongue screws up the words. “It will have to be Wednesday night. I work overnight tomorrow night.” What the heck? Did I just agree to a date with the mafia boss? I might need my head examined.
“I’ll make sure I’m available,” He tells me and pulls out his phone. “I’ll need your number and address.”
A little voice in the back of my mind reminds me that I should be cautious, but I ignore it and give him my information. Then I really throw caution to the wind and let him have my phone to type in his information.
When the phone on the massive glass desk rings three times, his eyes narrow and he sighs. “I’m sorry to cut this short, but I have an issue in the bar and I don’t think this club is the right environment for you.” I guess that’s my sign to leave.
As Dante leads me through the darkened hallway toward the back entrance, a thought occurs to me. “I need to ask you for a favor.”
He looks taken aback for a second before shrugging. “Of course, I’ll do anything within my power.”
“I’m here tonight because my roommate thinks her boyfriend is cheating on her with one of the strippers. If I give you his information, can you check it out for me?” It might be ballsy of me to ask the mob boss for a favor the first night we meet, but oh well.
“Text me all his info and I’ll see what I can do.” He doesn’t even blink an eye at my request. “This is Bruno, one of my bodyguards.” Dante points at the massive giant who kinda resembles the Hulk. Except he’s not green, or ugly. God, I need rest. “He’s going to make sure you get home safely.”