“All I’m asking,” Luca continued, “is that you’re careful. And that you stay away from Gino.”
“That will be hard,” I told him honestly. “Considering the circumstances.”
“It will be. But I’m telling you, as your boss, to leave him alone. And do not allow him to find out about this…thing you have with his property. Don’t look at me like that. You know damn well that’s what she is.”
He was right. But it still rubbed me wrong to hear it said out loud.
“Promise me, Tristan.”
I shifted my gaze to the window and watched the city go by as I struggled with my response. I wanted to tell him what he wanted to hear, but it would be a lie. I’ve told him untruths before, but never about something that could come back to bite him in the ass. “I can’t do that,” I finally said. “But I swear, I will only harm Gino as a last resort and not without telling you first.” It was the only promise I was willing to make.
I looked back to find him staring at me. A muscle twitched in his jaw at my direct disobedience. But I couldn’t lie to him. Not about this. Finally, he gave me a nod. “I guess that’s all I can ask,” he conceded.
The rest of the ride home was thankfully silent, which gave me plenty of time to be in my head. And the only thing in there with me was Luna. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Why, out of all the people in the world, was this woman the one who’d dug into my brain like a maggot? Why did my body ache for her like she was the oxygen I needed in my blood?
I had no answer for any of this, but I was hoping that whatever the fuck this was would play itself out eventually, and things would go back to normal.Iwould go back to normal.
However, at this moment, all I could do was wonder what she was doing right now. Had she made it back to Gino’s? Was she safe? Was she alone in her room, or was Gino in there with her? My skin grew hot, and my stomach twisted at the thought. Restlessly, I shifted in my seat, my fists clenched in my lap, and focused on our conversation in the bathroom to distract myself.
She’d told me Gino had struck her because he was upset about the perfume I’d brought her. Personally, I thought it was perfect for her. Although Ihadquestioned my decision after getting her alone in the restroom and discovering how delicious that particular scent was once it warmed on her skin. But the bigger question was, why had Gino gotten so upset over something as simple as what perfume she wore?
I had to wonder if he suspected something. It wouldn’t be entirely out of the question. Perhaps it had been stupid of me to replace the perfume when there was no way Luna could’ve gotten it herself. In my desire to get rid of that other horrid flowery shit she had, I’d acted impulsively. I mulled over that possibility as I checked the mirrors to confirm no one had followed us, but then I quickly dismissed it. Gino was short-tempered and had an over-inflated ego. If he knew I was sneaking into his home to take something—or someone—he considered his property, there’s no way in hell Luca wouldn’t have heard about it by now. Hell, I’d shown an interest in Luna right in front of him, and I’d killed two of his guards. If he’d connected the two, there’s no way in hell he would be able to stay quiet about it.
So, no. I didn’t think he suspected me. However, I was morbidly curious to know where he thought his two missing guards had suddenly gone.
Once we got Luca home safe to Veda, who had skipped tonight’s celebration because she wasn’t feeling well, he dismissed me for the night with a look of warning. One that I didn’t heed. I needed to check on Luna and make sure she was okay before I’d be able to get any sleep tonight.
And perhaps make her come again so I could dream of her breathless cries and the way she said my name.
My mouth suddenly went dry. What would it feel like to come inside of her? Her mouth. Her pussy. Her ass. Everywhere. I wanted to tie her up again and finish what I’d started the other night. I wanted to fight the terrors of my past, crawl inside of her, and wear her skin as my own. Feel her blood flow through my veins, and our hearts beat in sync until it was just the two of us and her sweet heat thawed the ice inside of me. And maybe then, when I’d experienced her inside and out, I’d get her out of my system.
Her bedside lamp was still on when I arrived outside her window. Luna was there in her room, sitting on the edge of her bed with her head bowed. She’d changed out of the dress and was wearing a white T-shirt, but her back was to me, so I couldn’t see what she was doing. I should’ve brought her something to eat. She was rushed out of the restaurant so fast I knew she didn’t have a chance to get anything. And I would bet my life that Gino hadn’t given her a second thought.
I listened for any sign of movement around me, but there was nothing more than the rustling of leaves and the drip of moisture from the roof. Turning back to the window, I pulled the screen off, hiding it behind the bushes so it wouldn’t be noticed, eased the glass pane open, and climbed in.
When I straightened to my full height, Luna stood near the end of her bed, watching me with her large blue eyes. Her cell phone was in her hand, but it was hanging at her side and the screen was black. “Turn off the lamp,” I ordered quietly.
Her eyes flicked to the open window before coming back to me, and her thoughts were written all over her face. She was wondering how many times I’d gotten into her room in precisely this manner without her knowing about it. I waited, allowing her to sort through it all. After a long moment, she walked over and switched off the light.
Once the room was dark enough that I wouldn’t be illuminated to anyone who might wander by outside, I closed the window and approached her. When I was close enough to touch her, I stopped, my eyes sweeping over her lush body. Luna was soft and curvy and made for fucking. Closing my hands into fists, I breathed in her sweet, womanly scent. I loved the way she smelled. Along with the white shirt, she’d put on a pair of soft-looking black leggings. She still had her makeup on, and I had the sudden urge to smear the lipstick across her face with my cock. Her feet were bare, toes painted red, and her luscious hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
She was beautiful. There was no denying it. But that wasn’t all that attracted me to her. I sensed a strength inside of her, something older than her years that haunted her blue eyes even when she smiled and called to my own broken spirit. I swayed toward her, longing to feel her against me so much I could barely breathe, to hold her so close that our two broken souls would meld and become whole.
Yet, the thought of her hands on me made my blood run cold. When she’d fallen into me at the restaurant, the instinct to strike out at her had been just as strong as my need to run, and for a few seconds, I couldn’t move. It was only when I’d had her under my control that the feeling of her soft curves against me had sent me spiraling into a lustful need so powerful I’d nearly come right then and there. I’d managed to hold myself in check. Barely. But I didn’t want to do that now. I wanted to taste her again. “Take your hair down.”
She shook her head. “No. You can’t keep coming here like this, Tristan. You need to leave.”
Why was she arguing with me? She’d enjoyed what I’d done to her at the restaurant. She’d pleaded with me to make her come, and I had. I wanted to make her come again. “I came to make sure you were okay.”
“Then why do I need to take down my hair?”
“Because I want to touch it. And I want to taste you again.”
She stilled and sucked in a breath. “I don’t want you to do that.”
“Yes,” I countered. “You do.” She shook her head again, but she was lying. If she didn’t want me here, she wouldn’t be standing in front of me with her lips parted and her gorgeous breasts rising and falling with every quick, nervous breath. That phone in her hand would be calling Gino, and she would’ve screamed for help the moment she saw me coming in the window.
“Look,” she started. “What happened at the restaurant…I’m sorry. It should never have gone that far. I was just…really upset. And you were there. And I just needed to feel like someone cared?—”
