“Amen to that,” Riley said through a mouthful of pie and gave Rita a high five. “I’ll call if I hear anything.”
“You got a car?” she asked curiously.
“Uh huh,” Riley nodded, gazing into the darkness. Her eyes narrowed a little. Wendell joined them just then with a tirade about safety and expensive tires. It wasn’t anything she hadn’t heard before. She held up her peace offering of pie and coffee, which shut him up for a minute as he immediately filled his mouth with delicious lemon merengue.
Riley’s phone rang. Glancing down, she saw that Scott was calling her. She rolled her eyes, grabbed her phone and slid off the table. Wandering toward the street, she took the call. “Hey Scott.”
He laughed, “I knew you’d be up. You’re such a night hawk, baby.”
She smiled tightly. They’d only dated a few times, but something about this guy rubbed her the wrong way. Why would he assume she’d be up at 1:00am in the morning? He didn’t really know her that well. And even having made that assumption, she didn’t think it was cool of him to trespass on her time like that after only a few dates. They weren’t good friends. Guys seemed to think because she had this edgy personality that it somehow also made her easy. This was probably some kind of booty call, which made her want to accept just so she could knee him in the junk and explain to Scott in detail how to treat women with respect before walking away from his ass. Dude wasn’t worth her time or her breath though.
She was about to tell him to go fuck himself when a shiver of apprehension slithered down her spine. Scott was busy waxing eloquent on all of her amazing body parts and trying to convince her to come over to his place when Riley lifted her eyes and saw the one person she was hoping to never see again. Soloman Hart stood next to a sleek, black Audi S7. As soon as she caught sight of him, he began crossing toward her, like a predator stalking its prey.
Her heart stuttered in her chest as he neared. It was like the shadows shifted around him, accommodating the menacing presence surrounding the man. Riley could hear a hush from behind her as the crowd of people began to recognize him. Men of Soloman’s wealth and caliber did not hang out around the likes of the racing circles. He wore another expensive suit that did nothing to distract from his musculature and height. He didn’t wear a tie tonight though, as though it had been pulled off and tossed aside. The buttons of his white shirt were open at his tanned throat, displaying a wealth of skin and tattoos.
Riley stumbled back a step. He kept coming at her, stepping right into her space. She would have fallen, except he reached out to steady her. His long, hard fingers wrapped around her arm and pulled her upright into the heat of his body. She struggled to breath as she stared up into his sinister face, so close to hers.
His dark eyes took in every flickering emotion as it happened. She closed her eyes and forced herself to concentrate. She knew they had an audience. That everyone in her racing circle would be talking about the Reaper and the mafia kingpin. Fuck. My. Life. This was so not going to be good for her social life. People would either be clambering to find out what was up with her or running in the other direction.
“Riley, are you still there? Are you coming over, babe?” Scott’s voice grated in her ear, snapping her to attention. She opened her eyes and looked up at Soloman, whose face was inches away from hers. She stood on top of the curb, while he stood in the street. He was still a few inches taller than her.
He was so close to her, she knew he heard every word of her conversation with Scott. She tried to jerk her arm away and step back, but his fingers tightened, threatening to bruise if she tried to get away from him. She narrowed her eyes, but stopped struggling for the moment so she wouldn’t accidentally drop her phone.
“No, I can’t come over,” she finally told Scott.
“Too bad.” He sounded disappointed. “Hey, you want to go out Friday?”
Riley was about to refuse, but looking up into Soloman’s face she read the anger and denial written there. An imp within her decided if he wanted to play games with her, then she was equal. He shook his head once in warning, a frown biting deep between his dark brows. She tilted her chin and gave him a cold stare. She would show him that she could do exactly what she wanted, date exactly who she wanted. She was her own woman. She was free to say no to Soloman Hart and yes to Scott… whatever his last name was.
She moistened her lips and said, “Sure Scott, let’s do something Friday.”
Before Scott could make any plans that Soloman might hear, Riley cut him off, “I have to run, Scott. I’ll call you tomorrow. Bye!”
She pressed the disconnect key on her phone and slid it in her pocket. Then slowly raised her eyes to Soloman’s. The glacial look there was enough to convince her that maybe she should have played things a little differently. Maybe not forgotten who she was messing around with. But dammit, she was a thirty year old business owner. More than capable of making her own decisions. She wouldn’t be bullied!
He let go of her arm and stepped away from her. Riley felt as though she would collapse to the ground without his warm, solid presence keeping her upright. He lifted his hand. She flinched, but he only touched her bottom lip with the barest hint of pressure.
“Mistake,” he said in his deep, cold voice before turning and walking away from her.
Riley stared after him, frozen in fear as he climbed into his car and drove away without a backward glance. Why was this man pursuing her so hard? He wasn’t known for being a woman chaser. A thrill rushed through her, similar to the feeling she got when her car screamed around a hairpin turn. Belated adrenaline slammed through her and her heart thumped against her chest, as though she were anticipating some kind of race. Fuck, she hoped her date didn’t turn up dead before Friday night.
CHAPTER FIVE
Riley checked her phone again and frowned. Weird. Scott had left for the washroom ten minutes ago and had yet to return. She took a quick sip of her mojito and glanced around the crowded Mexican restaurant. She nearly choked when she caught sight of Roman Valdez, Soloman’s shadow and bodyguard, leaning against the bar watching her. Motherfucker. Well that explained what happened to her date. Roman’s lips twitched in amusement and his finger stabbed the air as their eyes clashed. He was marking her for the boss.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Time to go!
In a rush of movement, Riley shoved her chair back and reached for her black, silver-spiked clutch purse. She stood up on her three-inch stiletto ankle boots and took one step away from the table. A body blocked hers. With a gasp of trepidation, she looked up, knowing exactly who was trapping her against the table. Soloman Hart placed one hand on the back of her chair and one on the table and leaned into her, forcing her to either sit back down or let their chests collide.
Her ass hit the chair hard enough that her tight black mini skirt slid up her thighs a few extra inches. His eyes dropped to follow the smooth, creamy length of her long legs from her ankle boots to the edge of her skirt. Her cherry red blouse was deceptively modest in the front, reaching up her neck in a high halter, but leaving her back completely bare to show the angel tattoo that spread from her shoulder blades all the way down her spine.
“Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice deceptively quiet. He took the seat opposite her, stretching his arm around the back of her chair so she couldn’t leave.
She dug her nails into her thighs and stared daggers at him. “What did you do to Scott?” she demanded angrily.
He flashed her a tight-lipped feral smile, his teeth flashing white against his lips for just a second. She got the feeling he didn't often smile. The air of menace surrounding this man was almost a living thing. His tanned skin and dark hair gave him such a sinister look, it was a wonder anyone would do business with him. She shivered in her seat and took a quick sip of her drink, looking for some liquid courage as she faced off with him.
When she set her drink back down, he picked it up. Lifting it to his lips, he drank deeply, draining the contents while watching her clo
sely. He placed the glass back on the table and said quietly, “I simply instructed him to look elsewhere for female companionship from now on. That you are taken. He understood.”
“Fuck that!” Riley snarled, narrowing her eyes at him.
He shrugged negligently. “He needed a little convincing. The little fucker clearly thought he was getting laid tonight and wasn't willing to let go of the idea easily.” He shook his head and allowed his eyes to roam her curves. “Not that I blame him, but you shouldn’t play with men outside our circles, Riley. He had no idea who I was. I had to explain.”
She went white and swayed in her seat. “Oh my god. What did you do to him?”
His eyes pierced hers. “He’ll live.”
She pressed her fingers against her lips and took a quick breath, her stomach dipping sharply. God, she hoped Scott was going to be okay. Soloman reached out and took her hand, removing her fingers from her lips. He placed them on the table and traced the delicate bones and veins through her skin, marvelling at how soft her hand was, despite her work as a mechanic. She tried to pull away, but he captured her hand in a hard grip.
“Don’t play that particular game with me again, Riley,” he said, his voice hard. “The next guy won't be so lucky.”
She nodded in agreement. She wouldn’t risk anyone else while Soloman was in the picture. He was right, it was too dangerous. This was her fight. She stared at his hand as it claimed hers. The ink on the back drew her eyes. The tattoo was so complex, so brutal. His was a hand that could do so much damage. The thought of that hand caressing her, after he’d used it to do god knows what to her date, terrified her on a primitive, instinctual level.
Two plates of heaping burritos, rice and fried beans with a side of chips and salsa arrived at the table. She used the food as an excuse to tug her hand away from his and back into the safety of her own lap. Riley and Scott hadn’t ordered any food so Soloman must’ve taken the liberty. Riley crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him.
“You don’t seriously think I’ll eat with you?” she asked incredulously.
His lip quirked and he reached for a napkin. Before she realized what he was doing, he smoothed it over her lap before doing the same for himself. “Yes, I do,” he answered easily, picking up his knife and fork.
“Fuck this,” she snapped, tossing her napkin on the table and shoving her plate a few inches away. “You can scare off my date, but you can’t force feed me in the middle of a busy restaurant.”
His shoulders stiffened and he glanced at her from beneath thick eyebrows, giving her a look that clearly said he could force feed her if that were his intention. She bit her lip and tried her hardest to maintain a glare, knowing she was probably failing.
“Eat,” he commanded.
She crossed her legs and looked away from him, refusing to pick up her fork. Unfortunately, her gaze clashed with Roman’s, who was watching them from across the restaurant with amusement. She checked the urge to stick her tongue out at the shady asshole and dropped her eyes.
Soloman sighed heavily and rolled his shoulders under his suit jacket. Leaning back in his seat, he eyed her. After a moment, he said, “I’m trying to keep this pleasant, Riley. You really don't want to play rough with me.”
“Yeah?” she snapped, tossing him a haughty glare. “Then maybe you shouldn’t have threatened my date, huh? Excuse me if I don’t find it appetizing to break bread, so to speak, with a man that has to bully me into a date.”
His fist came down on the table, causing her to jump and nearby patrons to glance toward them. Riley uncrossed her arms and looked down at her lap, unable to bring herself to look at the sinister visage of the man after she’d finally pushed him to snap. She could feel the tension rolling off him as he struggled not to grab her. This was a man unused to be denied the things he wanted.
“Be careful, little girl. You don’t want to fuck with me,” he said from between gritted teeth.
Fuck it. In for a penny, in for a pound. Riley leaned across the table and let him see every ounce of annoyance she was feeling. “Actually, I really do. You’ve been pissing me off from word go, Hart. It gives me immense pleasure to fuck with you,” she hissed in his face.
CHAPTER SIX
Her chocolate brown eyes snapped liquid fire at him, turning his dick to stone right there in the fucking restaurant. He wanted to reach across the table, yank her to the floor, tear open his zipper and shove his cock into that sassy little mouth. No one had ever spoken to him the way Riley Bancroft was speaking to him. Just the thought would mean death.
Yet, he wanted more. He wanted her to keep talking, so he would have an excuse to take her home, strip her bare, beat her ass and then fuck her raw. She was everything he never knew he wanted in a woman. Damned if he hadn’t been waiting thirty-nine years for her to come along. His cock was nearly bursting his seams to take a piece of her, but he knew he needed just a little more patience. She was still too scared of him. And while the bastard in him thrived on fear, the man that wanted to keep her was willing to bide his time and create the correct balance between fear and intrigue.
She would have to learn her place. In order to do that he would have to teach her to respect him. He would also show her all the things he could give her, starting with the incredible chemistry he felt sizzling between them each time he was near her. The sparks that ignited in the air between them the very first time he stepped foot in her garage and saw those delicate white Sketchers with the Sharpie doodles drawn on them sticking out from underneath the car she was working on.
She was still too frightened to recognize the incredible potential of their attraction for what it was. He would show her. Even if he had to break apart her world and force her to see it. He wasn't a subtle man. There was a reason he owned this city. He would own this woman too.
When she continued to ignore the food in front of her, he copied her action and placed his own napkin on the table. Very well, if she was ready to leave, then so was he. Besides, he had an appetite for something other than the Mexican fare they were currently presented with. He stood, tossing a hundred-dollar bill on the table. She looked up sharply. Clearly, she had been expecting him to react negatively to her rude comment.
“Let’s go,” he said, pulling her from her chair with a hand on her arm. She stumbled on her incredibly high boots and reached for her purse. Fuck, she had the most beautiful legs he’d ever seen. All sexy, smooth curves.
She had no choice but to follow him when he took her hand and began pulling her around the tables toward the exit. She dragged her feet in a clear show of reluctance, but ended up outside in the warm summer evening air. He walked her quickly toward the far end of the lot where his S7 was parked. Roman had the back door open for them.
Riley dug her hand into her purse, which was awkward considering Soloman had her other hand in his warm, solid clasp. She dug her heels in and tried to force him to stop walking.
“I’m not going with you!”
He stopped and pulled her around so she was facing him. He gave her a pointed look. “Your date gave you a ride here. Get in the car. I’m giving you a ride home.”
She twisted her hand out of his grip, yanked something out of her purse and held it up to his face. He saw right away it was a can of pepper spray. “I said,” she growled at him, cocking her hip to the side and staring at him coldly, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Lust sizzled through his veins, screaming at him to show her exactly how he’d made it as one of the evilest bastards in town. He could have that can out of her hand and her on her knees with her hair twisted around his fist in seconds. But the sight of her standing there, facing off against him, beautiful and fearless, convinced him that he wanted to keep Riley Bancroft. Long term. Beating her in a parking lot in front of potential witnesses didn’t work with this plan. He needed her whole and unbroken if he planned on taking her as his wife.
He nodded toward Roman who stepped up behind her. When she f
elt the body heat against her back she glanced over her shoulder, her eyes lighting up with worry. Now she was sandwiched between two men who were both half a foot taller than her, even with the heels, and outweighed her by a lot. The tiny can of pepper spray would be absolutely no help. Soloman put his hand out and waited. After a moment, she gave him the can.
“Good girl. Now get in the car.” He tried to make his deep voice sound soothing. She shook her head.
He sighed. He really hadn’t wanted to go after the people she cared about if at all possible. He should have known she wouldn’t give him a choice. Truth be told, he was enjoying the hunt too much anyway. He wanted her resistance. He took her chin in his hand to make sure she was listening.
“Your friend, Katie Pullman? The fake name your buddy Wendell gave when he was pretending to be you.” He paused and waited for her to nod in acknowledgment. Fear lit her beautiful eyes. “Little Katie’s been on our radar for a while. My guy Roman here has had a thing for your girl for years. He backed off when she married her artist and moved up the coast. Now it seems she’s divorced and coming home. Guess how we know all this?”
“No,” Riley whispered, shaking her head. “Please leave Katie out of this.”
“Yes, Riley,” he said in a hard voice. “You brought her to our attention with your little stunt at the shop. Now get in the car.”
***
Fuck. She didn’t have a choice. Now they were threatening Katie. If she didn’t go with Soloman, Roman would go after Katie and do to her what they were doing to Riley. Katie was tough, but the divorce had been hard on her. She was fragile, she wouldn’t be able to handle the pursuit of someone like Roman. Riley turned on her heels and glared up at the big, muscular bodyguard, throwing every ounce of hatred she felt for the man into her look. He stared back at her coldly before stepping aside so she could slide into the open vehicle.
Driven by Desire Page 3