“You may be my brother’s friend, but I don’t know you.”
I drop my purse on the nearby gray couch to put some distance between us and glare at him.
“You’ll just have to have faith.” His voice is low.
He shrugs, and the horns of the bull rise up and down as if it’s taunting me. I make my best attempt to keep my eyes on his face, but miserably fail. His eyes hold some debilitating intensity, making me unable to give coherent answers.
Everything about Victor is intense. His body size. His stupid bull tattoo. His ugly multicolored eyes. Okay, his eyes are not ugly. They are gorgeous. But it would have been easier if they were ugly.
Maybe.
Victor’s probably pissed I interrupted his drinking and who knows, maybe he’ll take it out on me upstairs in the bathroom when we’re alone. My mom certainly turns into a beast when she’s drunk.
Victor steps closer and his body heat seeps into me. Does the AC work in this house?
He leans in and whispers in my ear, “I didn’t want to resort to this, but you leave me no choice.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, so I focus on fighting the urge to press my body against his. How is it possible for a woman to feel such an exuberant sense of desire after having barely met the guy?
He blows a warm breath at the spot below my ear, the side where I don’t have a scratch, and I shudder as flames burn my skin, all over my body. I’ve never felt such intense feelings.
“What are you talking about?”
I step backagainand he steps into meagain. The back of my knees hit the soft couch. What game is he playing?
“I’m trying to help you. But if you don’t wantmyhelp, then I’ll tell Alek about your shoulder sohecan help you.”
Victor gives me the smuggest smile I’ve ever seen. Not a beaming smile. Not an amused smile. Not a delighted smile. This man is annoyingly perceptive and, thus, will be trouble, and can’t be trusted.
He crosses his arms. Can the tattoo look any more real?
I press my lips together, but my big mouth opens again.
“How do you expect me to trust you when you’re threatening me in the first few minutes after meeting you?”
No way I’m letting him boss me around. Alek does it enough.
“You just met me, but I’ve known you for the last three years.”
What?
My next breath gets stuck in my chest.
“Your brother talks about you all the time. And I’ve seen pictures. You’re more beautiful in person than in the pictures.”
What pictures? I release my breath. If my brother has been sharing information about me with Victor, how come Alek hasn’t talked to me about him? Why has Alek been hiding Victor from me?
“I’d appreciate if you—”
My brother, followed by a petite girl, enters the living room. She gives me the warmest smile I’ve ever seen and hugs me tightly.
“I’ve heard so much about you.”
Whoa. My gaze darts behind her while I’m still in her embrace. Victor gives me a sillyI told you sogrin that escalates my pulse.
“So nice to meet you.” She steps back. “I’m Abigale, but you can call me Abi.”
She blows a few strands of auburn hair away as she lets me go.
