“You like me?”
“I thought that was obvious,” I deadpan.
“Mmm, I’m not sure you’ve made it all that clear yet.” Zara’s teeth bite down into her bottom lip.
I take the five steps needed to close the distance between us. My hand wraps around her ponytail, tilting her face upwards before my lips slam onto hers. My tongue pushes into her mouth. Seconds, that’s how long I get to kiss her before there’s a knock at my door.
“I’m busy,” I growl as the door opens.
“Too fucking bad. You’re needed.” My cousin walks into the room. “Ohhh, you’rethatkind of busy,” Roman says, smirking as he eyes Zara up and down. “Zara, how’ve you been?”
“Good, you?”
“Can’t complain. Mind if I drag Ares away for a bit?” he asks.
Zara laughs. “I don’t own him. You don’t need my permission. I was just leaving anyway.”
“No you weren’t. Can this wait?” I glare at Roman.
“Nope, Uncle G wants us to do something,” he says cryptically. Great, just what I wanted to spend the day doing, errands for my uncle.
“I need to take Zara home first. I’ll meet up with you,” I tell him.
“Don’t be long,” Roman says before walking out of my room.
I stop out front of Zara’s house. She doesn’t want me driving up to the gate. I get it. She’d probably get the third degree from her father as to why she was with me.
“Is it dangerous?” She turns her body towards me in the car.
“Is what dangerous?”
“Whatever it is you’re going to go do with your cousin.”
Fuck, that’s not what I was expecting her to say. And I have no idea how to answer that question.
“It’s okay. Your silence is telling me enough,” she whispers.
“Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m going to be doing. He didn’t say what he needed help with.”
“But you’ve done this before? Jobs for your uncle?”
“It’s kind of the family trade, Zara. Just like you’re planning a future working for your family’s company, I’m going to be working for mine,” I explain.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you. I know it’s selfish, but I need you right now, Ares. And if you were to suddenly disappear, I don’t know how I’d cope,” she says.
“It’s not selfish, and I’m not going to disappear. My uncle isn’t sending me on jobs that would put me in jeopardy. My father would never allow that.” It’s a partial truth. If it were that dangerous, my father or one of my uncles would be doing the job, either with us or without me.
“Okay, thank you for… everything,” she says.
“Don’t think you’re getting out of this car without kissing me goodbye, Zara McKinley,” I grunt as my hand wraps around the back of her neck.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” She smiles into my kiss.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“Mind telling me why you’re being dropped off by Ares-fucking-De Bellis?” My father’s voice isn’t loud. No, it’s scary quiet. He’s waiting for me in the foyer, and he looks mad.
“Did you not want me to come home?” I question.
