I never blushed. What the hell was going on?
Not only that, but I couldn’t think of a single response.
After a minute or so, Colt asked, “Hey, what was that song you danced to? I’d never heard it before.”
I could sense his eyes following me around the room and I told myself it wasn’t making me flustered. Probably the whips and handcuffs were.
But eager for the distraction, I quickly answered, “Oh, it’s called Homme.” I rambled on, “It’s by this eclectic New York band. Doesn’t it sound like something out of the 20’s, though? I thought it might be a good choice.”
“It was a good choice.” Colt’s voice got a little husky and my heart skittered around in my chest. “Got a feeling there’s a lot you could teach me about music and dancing. Maybe Swiss chocolate, too.”
For a moment, I was dizzy, reeling with a hot rush of blood through my body that had my legs trembling, and I realized I was getting flustered.
Then I sucked in a deep breath. Get a grip. You’re a fierce bitch. Don’t fall for his lines.
It was probably just this crazy, impressive, and luxurious room. All crimson and gold, with a gorgeous bed occupying an entire wall, and a stripper pole in the corner.
It’d mess with anyone’s head.
“Yeah, no one’s got anything on me when it comes to that,” I finally responded, glancing at him over my shoulder. Then, I forced a coy smile on my face. “So, this is a kink room, huh?”
“Yes. What do you think?” Colt asked.
“It’s not bad.” I looked around, then froze, realizing what I’d just done.
Colt hadn’t spoken in English or French.
He’d spoken in Italian.
Si. Che cosa nei pensi?
It was brazen it out, or fall apart. Fight or flight.
Fuck that. I’m a Ruffino.
Smiling widely, I turned to him. “You’re pretty clever for such a handsome guy.”
Lounging against the doorframe, Colt tilted his head, and smirked. “And you’re a puzzle I’d like to solve. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad enchanted, Bella Lesaude. Sure you’re not Italian?”
Trying to mimic my friend Viviane’s elegant shrug, I just smiled at him, and used her catch-phrase, filling my voice with a slight French accent. “No, no, I just have zat effect on men.”
Thankfully, Colt laughed, in a merry and earnest way. “I believe it, princess.” Then, as we left the room, he asked me, all casual, “So, how many languages do you speak?”
“Just the romantic ones,” I responded with a smile, willing my heart rate to slow down.
“I thought you let your body do that,” Colt said, with a perfectly straight face, although his eyes were full of mischief. And I laughed to hide how tongue-tied I was.
“Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. It’s just…my past is something I don’t like to think about. I’m focusing on the future and my new life.”
“I understand that completely. Hopefully, we can help with that here.” His smile was patient and sweet, all the swagger gone, and somehow that was even more unsettling.
I cleared my throat and waved a hand. “Please, sir, lead on!”
The rest of the tour continued in that vein. We’d look at rooms, I would try to get the better of Colt, and he’d always side-step me in a way I didn’t expect. It became a sort of game. I’d forgotten how impertinently comical New England Italians could be. Our banter got quicker, and I began to relax, and flirt with ease.
By the look on Colt’s face, he liked how I was keeping up, and I felt a thrill of satisfaction.
I must have missed New England more than I realized.
“Top floor is all the secret fantasy suites,” Colt whispered into my hair as we climbed to the third floor. I was walking in front of him and I knew he’d been checking me out the entire time. “Think you can handle it, Rabbit?”
“If I’m the rabbit, does that make you Alice?” I asked, pausing, and half-turning around. “Am I leading you down the rabbit hole?”
My breath caught. We were at eye level, our faces inches apart, and he slowly smiled. I couldn’t move. The light and shadows played on his face, bringing out the gold in his eyes and skin.
Suddenly, it was as though I was the one who fell down a rabbit hole. And now I was on the run from a gilded, dangerous, and far-too handsome shadowy prince.
Maybe I am in over my head.
“Well, who wouldn’t want to tumble into Wonderland?” Colt breathed, as that sinful smile curled up on his face, and his eyes glinted. “A place of dark, mad magic… Want to go right now?”
Heat bombarded me, rushing over my skin, and diving between my legs. Shaking my hair back, I all but ran up the rest of the stairs, and tried to fight down the butterflies bumping against my rib cage.
Then, somehow, I yawned, and responded in a bored voice, “Mmm, not really. It’s getting late.”
“Oh, of course. Let’s go.” Colt tapped my shoulder, all business again, and we turned around.
“Thanks for showing me around. And you know, Colt,” I said, trying to be nice and flirty again. “It looks like you thought of everything.”
Colt glanced back. “I know.” His look was so cheeky I had to smile.
A real smile.
Justin.
The name hit me like a whip. For the rest of the way downstairs, I berated myself. You’re letting his good looks and that fake-ass charm rattle you. Honestly, Bells.
Bells.
That was my baby brother’s nickname for me.
Justin, an innocent kid rotting in jail because of the Capestranas’ insatiable greed, phony honor code, and their eldest son.
I hadn’t been able to get in to see him because he’s been in the shoe, but it didn’t take much to conjure an image of Little Justin, wearing prison orange, staring at me from behind a glass wall. His big body already getting thinner, eyes empty. Suddenly, the hard glass was under my fingertips while I tasted the stale air, and smelled of bleach.
Swallowing, I forced my mind back even further again, to that cold, black day a couple of weeks ago. A burning sensation pushed into my throat and I looked down.
My father’s funeral.
He’s dead, I’m sorry. Shot by a Capestrana. No, Axe is not in jail. His big brother Colt made a deal with the Feds and the police. Never mind all that, though. You gotta come home, Bella. Justin’s in big trouble.
After Rudy had called me, I’d slid down to the floor in disbelief, sobs racking my body. But by the time I’d stepped on American soil for the first time in over a decade, I’d been encased in ice.
Ruffinos don’t cry, Isabella.
Those words from my father had echoed in my head for weeks. I’d stood alone as they lowered his casket into the muddy ground, shivering down to my very soul, and refusing to weep.
Barely anyone had come to the service, either. After everything my father had done for them. And so I vowed on his grave to destroy the Capestranas with one fateful strike.
I’d take down Colt. The charmer, the golden son, the Prince.
Even if I had to pay the piper with my own life.
With those two memories, it was like I’d just taken a dip in the North Atlantic. Fully focused once again, I glared at the back of Colt’s head.
“Let’s talk numbers,” I said curtly, as we reached the main floor.
The next twenty minutes basically boiled down to Colt quietly explaining the work, schedule, and contract. He was the consummate professional again, not a glimmer of his charm in sight, except for the occasional flash of amusement in his gold-brown eyes.
As though I was entertaining him still, even off stage. It solidified my hatred.
But when he offered the final payment plan, I tripped up again. “$2,000 a day? Even after taxes, that’s a lot of cash,” I murmured.
Then I winced, wishing I could bite my tongue off.
But Colt only laughed, too. “Bella, you’re a card. You don’t gotta wor
ry about taxes here.”
“Oh, I was kidding,” I said quickly and stuck my tongue out at him. Colt laughed again.
Ten minutes later and Bella Lesaude was officially working for Colt Capestrana. And it had been easy. Well, easy enough, at any rate. Pretending to be a gentleman, Colt walked me to the door, and shook my hand.
“I see a great partnership between you and me, Bella,” he said with his signature smile.
I just slowly smiled back, tugged my coat collar up, and nodded, before I stepped out into the snowy midnight hour. I was walking out, not only with my cover intact, but also alive and well. We were partners. Exactly like I’d planned it.
Little did Colt know that he’d just made a deal with the devil, and I was going to lead him straight to hell.
Chapter Three
Colt
The club was finally ready for business, and I was filled with exultant relief as I walked through. But I had to wonder – why were half the lights off? Did a fuse blow? Or did Dante trip over something again?
Then a candle burst into flame on a table, followed by another, and another. Soon the room was full of red, flickering light, and I stopped, hands in my pockets, full of a strange mix of amusement and anticipation. At that moment, I realized I was dressed like a 20’s gangster, complete with suspenders, oxford shoes, and a fedora pulled low. There was even a red rose tucked into my shirt pocket.
“This is your doing, isn’t it?” I asked with a chuckle.
A spotlight hit the stage, illuminating Bella in a single beam. She nodded, spreading her hands wide, and flashed me a smile that could melt the paint off a barn.
“Of course,” she said.
Before I could respond, she tossed her hair back, and began to dance to a haunting, unfamiliar tune. Full of desire and hunger, the notes slipped across my skin like a caress, making my heart race.
Then she twirled, tossing clothing away from her body like slinky scarves, and I no longer cared about the music. Finally, she was left in only an elaborate beaded bra, and a long, sheer skirt, slit all the way up her leg.
Time flashed forward and suddenly, I was sitting on a chair on the stage, and Bella was making her way down a staircase towards me. I followed her every move, my gaze trailing from her calves to her face. The music changed. It became hungrier, more ragged, and desperate.
And Jesus Christ, so did I.
“You’ll like this, Colt,” Bella murmured, leaning in and grabbing a suspender in each hand.
I smirked as she let them go and they slapped against my chest. “Nah, I’m like you. Don’t impress easily.”
Straddling me, Bella ground her hips down onto mine, and smirked right back. “Then what’s that in your pocket down there?” She laughed and arched her back. “Admit it, Colt, you want this.”
She had me there. My aching cock was about to tear right through my pants.
“Yeah, maybe just a little.” But my casual words were belied by the grit in my voice. I wasn’t fooling either one of us. I wanted her so bad, I could almost taste it.
I was ready to taste it.
But then I glanced out into the shadowy main room, feeling like something was there, watching us.
“Not here, though.”
“Aw, no one’s here, big boy, shhh.” Bella pressed her cheek against mine, slid her hands down around my back, and pressed her breasts into my chest. I could feel the beads tearing across my silk shirt and without thinking, I seized her hips. Her scent went straight to my head and I pressed my mouth to her shoulder.
Her skin was like peaches and cream, so soft, so delicious, I couldn’t help but give her the edge of my teeth.
“Mmm,” she purred in my ear. “Was that so hard?” Then she laughed as my hips bucked against her of their own accord. “Oh, honey, I already knew you were. Just like during my audition.” She bit my earlobe and I groaned. “It was written all over your face.”
“Damn, Bella, you’re stealing my moves, here,” I tried to joke, but my head was spinning, and I could barely think straight. All I could feel was the raging pressure in my pants and the gyrations of Bella’s body against mine. “And what do you mean? I was all business during that last dance.”
Sliding her hands into my hair, she leaned back with a cunning smile. “Sure. But you couldn’t help wondering how a girl who moves and dances like that is in bed…”
“That wasn’t the whole of it, Rabbit.” Sliding my hands down, I gripped her firm thighs, and Bella squirmed.
“Oh, really?” she panted, staring at me, eyes dark green with lust. “What’d I miss then?”
“That I planned on finding out.”
I stood up and she squealed with delight. As I carried her down the hall, she wrapped her arms around my neck, and planted kisses along my jaw. Part of me wanted to take her right then and there, but we had to get somewhere safe, somewhere private.
In another moment, we were on the third floor, and I stumbled into one of the dark rooms complete with a bed, before kicking the door shut behind us. Candles flared up and Bella glanced around.
“Aw, all for me? Didn’t think you were the romantic type, Colt.”
“You have no idea,” I said in a low voice. I held her gaze and lowered her feet to the floor slowly, savoring every soft inch of her on the way down. “You’re not gonna know what hit you.”
“Prove it,” Bella challenged, her eyes flashing.
Steering her backwards, I lightly shoved her down onto the bed, and stared at her for a moment. Her red hair fanned around her on the dark coverlet, and the candlelight danced across her body, glinting off that nefarious bra.
Bending over her, I dragged a thumb across her luscious lips, and then traced my fingertips lightly over her collarbone. Her chest began to rise and fall faster as I skimmed between her breasts. Then her pupils dilated, as I traced my name across her flat stomach with my index finger.
“Mine,” I whispered. “Signed, sealed, and about to be delivered.”
Wrapping my arms around her back, I pressed kisses on her stomach and both hip bones. A moan fluttered from Bella’s lips and I smiled. Working my way up, I moved my lips along her collarbone, and then bit it hard.
Bella arched up, digging her fingers into my shoulders, and snapped, “Colt, ugh, just kiss me, already. I want your tongue in my mouth, now.”
“Patience, Rabbit,” I whispered against her neck, savoring her salty, intoxicating skin. “I’m not done yet.”
With a huff, Bella wrapped her legs around my waist, grabbed my suspenders, and pulled me down to the bed on top of her. I laughed against her skin.
“Do I strike you as a patient woman?” she growled, the vibrations pulsing against my lips.
“Well, no. But I can’t quite put my finger on what kind of woman you are,” I confessed. Raising my head, I met her eyes, and froze.
“And you never will, Colt.” Her gorgeous face looked harder now, leaner. Her skin so pale, she could’ve been a corpse. She let out a malicious, choking laugh that sent dread skating down my spine. “Not until it’s too late, anyway.”
She leaned in to kiss me, and her smile suddenly became feral. For a moment, it felt like time shuddered to a halt, and I didn’t know whether to kiss her or kill her.
A snap reverberated through the room as fangs extended from her gums.
What the hell?
“Who are you?” I demanded, as the light around us died, and all that was left was her sharp, crooked grin. “Who the fuck are you?”
Sitting bolt upright, I grabbed for the gun on my bedside table, and glanced around my room. Cold sweat poured down my skin and all my muscles tensed. My eyes flicked from spot to spot, as though expecting to see a shadow with teeth leap out at me.
And even though the room was empty, I remained frozen, one hand on the gun, and my chest heaving.
Why’d it have to be fangs? I fucking hated vampires.
Hearing nothing, I began to relax, then jumped when a click of nails tapped across t
he wooden floor, and my dog Toro plopped his big chin on the bed.
I blew out a sigh of relief and laughed at my paranoia. If anything was up, Toro, my big, 110 pounds of Cane Corso dog would have woken up the entire neighborhood with his deep, booming barks. He was better than my state of the art security system.
Leaning over, I ruffled his ears, and he huffed loudly through his nose.
“Gotta go out, bud?” I yawned. As I stood up, I winced, realizing I was toting around enough morning wood to erect a city block. “Dammit, Bella,” I growled.
Or dammit Colt?
Because who still had a hard cock over a girl who had just gone all Dracula on them, even if it was only a dream? I made a mental note to ask if her real name wasn’t Bella Legosi, then I smirked a little. Too bad I had woken up before it got real down and dirty. Maybe next time, dream me would stop asking questions and let the vampire show me what the undead were like in bed.
But as I left my room, crossing to the sliding glass doors of the patio, I again wondered why the dream had taken such a dark turn.
Then I shrugged it off, whistling for Toro, and opened the doors. Just a dream. Peering outside as he trotted out, I breathed in the sharp winter air, letting it clear my head.
God I loved this apartment. While the top-floor penthouse had been kind of a rip off, I didn’t even care. It had room to spare for Toro and me, and, as the first place I’d ever owned, I’d poured bank into it. The patio took up almost half of the whole floor, complete with a grassy area, trees, and most importantly, a Jacuzzi. Inside, the floors were all dark wood, while the walls were a pale gold-leaf print. Reprinted paintings by Old Italian masters hung everywhere, and my furniture was big, cozy, and sumptuous. I couldn’t help but think how sexy vampire Bella would look sprawled on it.
After Toro finished his business, I fed him, and took a cold shower. I was still stiff and trying not to think about Bella. Off-limits, I told myself sternly. You’re her boss. But her wicked green eyes, red hair, and throaty voice confronted me with every other thought.
Since she’d been so sketchy with personal details, I’d spent the hour or so before falling asleep coming up with all sorts of theories. At the very least, I knew she was hiding something. Possibly on the run from a warrant, or maybe just trying to start a new life after a bad breakup. But it was definitely something. No other explanation for all that nervous energy she’d tried to hide.
Better to Eat You Page 38