She stood in the center of the foyer. Tall, her dark hair pulled into a bun at the back of her head, a doctor’s coat draped over blue jeans, pink t-shirt and white sneakers. But it was the stance that held my attention. Feet planted wide, knees bent, hands up, relaxed yet ready.
One of my men lunged forward. Instead of flinching, she stepped inside his guard, her left leg shooting out in a snap kick that connected with his throat. He flew backward, smashing into a wall before collapsing in a grumbling heap. The man she initially struck tried to rise. She pivoted, securing his arm in a vice grip, using his own momentum to slam him face-first into the counter. Her knee came up, precise, brutal, crashing into the balls of a third man who tried to flank her.
Color me fucking intrigued.
“You’re seeing this too, right?” Lorenzo’s voice had me shifting my gaze unsure when he’d arrived. He stood next to Dario, his gaze riveted on the lithe woman.
“I am,” Dario sounded as astonished.
As she released the man in her grip with a karate chop the back of his neck, Lorenzo stepped toward her. She turned on reflex, her right hand flying up. He caught it as the left one followed trapped it just as quickly, pinning both her hands behind her back.
She struggled for a heartbeat before her eyes narrowed. “Who the hell are you?” Her voice was steady, no tremor, no fear.
He grinned, a shark smelling blood. “The correct question,tesoro, would be, who are you?”
“Tesoro?” she scoffed, not fighting his hold. “I’m the person who decides whether that man is treated to or not.” She tipped her chin at me. “And these idiots think they can waltz in here and dictate that decision.” She scowled at each of my men, who were picking themselves up off the floor. “Not if they behave like untamed monkeys escaping captivity.” She breathed hard, her angry gaze, however, never wavered from my brother’s face.
Lorenzo glanced at me, and I smirked. I saw the wheels turning behind his intelligent eyes. He was trying to gauge my interest in the woman. My brother knew I always went after what I was denied the most and if this woman’s defiance wasanything to go by, I’d play a little game of cat and mouse until I got what I wanted. The few people who’d said no to me, quickly changed their mind within a second or so of being in my company. Not because of choice but because I didn’t give them one.
From where I sat, I could read the anticipation on my brother’s face. He was eager to see who’d hold out the longest between me and this woman.
Game on, brother.
“What will change your mind?” he asked her, his subtlety making me grin.
Lorenzo hadn’t earned the role of Don, he’d taken it. His patience was impeccable, and he’d bided his time. Striking only whenhedecided he was ready.
His question caught the woman off guard for just a moment before her glower returned. “Ask them to respect the hospital and its staff and Imightreconsider.”
Lorenzo’s lips twitched, releasing his hold on her arms. “Apologize to the doctor. Now!” he ordered, looking at our men.
I snorted, yanking his head my way and waited for him to say something. Instead, he watched her and so did I.
The men apologized. Reluctant, gritted teeth, eyes on the floor. She watched them, unimpressed until her gaze rested on me. Chin tilted in silent defiance, she clearly didn’t fear me and that was a fucking first. Plump pink lips pursed, she crossed her arms and waited. We stared at each other, her blunt expression challenging my indifference.
Only, I was a perceptive motherfucker.
I was just a boy when I was forced to substitute adolescence for maturity, pushed to withstand the metallic tang of blood with nothing but triviality, compelled to replace tears with stamina. So reading a room, a person, a situation, came naturally. Very little surpassed my observations.
This woman was no different. Beneath the stoic expression, I sensed her uncertainty. A micro-tension in her jaw, a slight flare of her nostrils, she’d schooled herself well and the asshole in me wondered why. What was she hiding so perfectly that would make people not think twice about ignoring her? Something warned me there were layers to her I might find a lot more captivating than her fighting skills or that spirited exterior.
Daring fucker that I was, nothing beat plunging a knife through a man’s stomach, ripping it open and watching his guts spill, yet the hidden nuances to this woman, intrigued me a lot more.
I stood and as if in answer to my reflections, a flicker of doubt crossed her features. Quick enough to hide from others and brief enough to pique my growing interest. Steps slow, I approached her. The men shuffled back, giving me space while my brother watched. I stopped inches from her, close enough to invade, to inhale a scent I couldn’t quite dissect yet. Leaning in until my lips nearly brushed her ear, I heard her breath hitch, warm against my neck but she didn’t pull away.
“Eyes the color of golden honey.” I pulled back a little to meet her gaze head on. Too light to be brown and too dark to be green. “Dangerous combination.”
She held my stare unblinking, reminding me of a fox I knew. Beautiful on the outside, but a sly trickster on the inside. Yet a fox occasionally fell victim to their hunting deception.
Would she?
I let the silence stretch, heavy and loaded, letting her feel the weight of my attention, letting her wonder if I saw the cracks in her armor.
“Clearly, you’re mistaking me for someone who actually gives a fuck, doctor.” I apologized to no one. At her raised brow, I added, “just so you know. One of these days, youwillsuck mycock dry. Which day depends on my mood.” I winked and as I walked away, I felt her piercing gaze on my back.
Would she run? Or would she hunt?
I hoped like hell it was the latter.
