“No,” he says. And yet for once his tone contradicts his reply.
“I think you’re developing feelings for me, Rico. And you’re terrified because you don’t know what that means.”
In one swift motion he restrains my wrists above my head and drives me backwards to where my back is pressed against the wall.
He cages me in. His scent engulfs me. Trapped I test his grip on my wrists but he applies the slightest bit of pressure. Only a reminder that he can easily crush my bones if he wanted to.
Those ocean eyes bore into mine with crashing waves of conflicting emotions.
“You’re the enemy’s daughter. My captive.” Him reasoning with facts sounds weak to my own ears. I know they must to him too. How tiresome it must be to deny the charge between us.
I angle my head upwards. Our lips are only a hairbreadth apart. “But that’s not all I am to you, is it?”
His eyes zero in on my lips. And I ache to close the distance. To feel his lips upon my own. To not only taste him but devour him.
The gravitational pull brings us closer. His lips are so close to mine I can practically taste him. I lick mine in anticipation. Goosebumps appear and my heart accelerates. My body craves to feel his flesh upon mine.
He’s so close and yet so far. But I need him to be the one to make the first move. I need him to admit he can’t resist us, that he can’t resist me.
When his lips brush against mine he feeds me poison rather than bliss. “You’re nothing more than a bargaining chip, Imogen. And once your pa concedes you’ll return home to where you belong.”
I splinter before him as I inhale a stuttering breath. The knife he wields impales my already bleeding heart. I’m caught in the undercurrent of devastation and betrayal.
As he removes himself from me I wrap my arms around myself for protection. His eyes return to an empty void. His face is of stone and not clay. Gone is the man I’ve come to know and before me is the notorious Grim Reaper of the east coast.
Cold. Calculating. Ruthless in his methods and even more so in his kills.
“To think I actually saw you.” I try to stay strong but my voice betrays me. It hiccups. Squeaks. Bleeds in sorrow and bitterness. Fucking damn him. “To think I was beginning to understand you.” That affects him. It’s finite but he flinches. Good. “You’re no Grim Reaper of the east coast. You’re not even a man. You’re a fucking coward.”
CHAPTER 28
Rico
Agreat distance has been created between Imogen and I. I have no one to blame but myself.
While I had succeeded in what I intended to do I can’t help but feel as if I have failed in her eyes.
It leaves an awful taste in my mouth. A souring sickness in my stomach. I present all signs of illness without having one.
I know the antidote is to remedy what I have done. But I can not. We need to be reminded of what we are even if everything within me violently disagrees.
A headache blooms behind my eyes. I rub my temples but it’s of no use. Releasing a long breath I drop my head back and close my eyes.
As soon as I do it’s her face I see. The one I caused pain. The one twisted with anguish, betrayal and anger.
The churning in my gut returns tenfold.
Fuck.
A momentary distraction presents itself when my phone rings. For once I welcome the intrusion on my solitude. Even if it is Pietro.
“Good news I presume,” I say to him.
“Ciao to you, too handsome,” he greets playfully over the line. My headache intensifies. Why the fuck did I answer? “Not even going to ask how I’ve been? I fear our bromance is headed towards another breakup.”
“Fucks sake,” I breathe thinly and the bastard cackles. I remove the phone from my ear and I can still hear his laughter ringing out. Once it dies down I ask him, “Do you have the information regarding Sebastian Rourk or not?”
“You know,” he drawls and I mentally prepare myself for another one of his wild tangents. “Foreplay goes a long way. I could give you a few pointers. It would help you drastically. You can always thank me later.”
