Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nika and Kevin stop talking, the two of them watching her curiously. She gave Nika’s shoulder a light squeeze as she passed and took a calming breath as Gabriel steered her to the far edge of the dance floor. But instead of leading her onto it, he continued on and brought her to a quiet corner, tucking her into it so that if she wanted to leave, she’d have to go through him to do it.
“I thought we were going to dance.” She gazed up at him, her pulse hammering erratically because her memory of him hadn’t done him justice.
His mouth curved in that half smile she found so sexy. “I know my limits. And holding your half-naked body in a crowded club would be pushing it. So no dancing.”
She gasped, glad it was too loud for him to have heard. “I’m dressed no different than most of the girls here,” she defended herself.
“You put most of the girls here to shame. Would you like me to introduce you?”
Best compliment ever. One she was surprised to find she actually enjoyed. She blinked up at him, unsure who he thought she might want to meet. “Sorry?”
“The boys.” He casually nodded to where his friends now stood, observing the crowd around them from about ten feet away. “Noticed you checking them out and realized I never formally introduced you to all of them last night.”
Checking them out? He almost sounded . . . jealous.
Couldn’t be. He didn’t seem like the type who had to work for a woman’s attention. Regardless, she stated clearly, “I wasn’t checking anyone out.”
His dryly amused expression let her know he didn’t believe her. “You’re showing way too much skin. And while I would enjoy that in private, standing around here watching others do so is . . .” His mouth tightened, and he shook his head once.
Her breath hitched in her throat. “What?”
“Unpleasant.”
“Oh.”
Eva swallowed hard. So he was jealous.
Normally, jealousy didn’t do it for her, but she couldn’t deny the warmth that bloomed inside her. More than warmth. Heat. She was hot. And restless. And, holy hell, she was pretty sure this was what being turned on felt like.
This was chemistry, she supposed, if she were being logical. Not that she wanted to be logical right now.
Maybe hormones did that to the brain. Messed up the synapses. Hormones she’d thought she didn’t have—if her dating history was any indication.
Apparently, she did, because she wanted sex.
With this man in front of her.
Oh, God.
Her gaze skipped quickly down Gabriel’s hard body. She so wanted to have sex with him.
“I’m . . . not sure this . . . is wise,” she stammered through a suddenly dry throat. He scared her. No. What he made her feel scared her. The power behind it was breathtaking. And they’d only talked at this point, for God’s sake. Kissed, but only a little.
It was as if he’d laid some kind of claim on her, and she was almost helpless to resist. Was finding she didn’t want to resist.
He brought his hand up to cup just below her ear, running his thumb softly along her jaw. When he drew her forward, goose bumps blossomed on her skin. His other hand landed so softly on her nape, and, with sensual strokes, his fingers traced down the length of her back. Her lips parted as liquid desire flowed between her legs.
Gabriel’s mouth turned up. Her response to his caresses had been noted. “I can understand your being wary of what you’re feeling.” The strobe lights lit his raven hair and cast a blue hue on his masculine features. Would she ever get tired of looking at him? Then he astounded her by saying, “I give you my word that I will honor and respect you as I’ve never done with another. Please trust me on that, Eva.”
What an archaic and absolutely wonderful thing to say. She wasn’t completely sure what he meant by “never done with another,” but she didn’t doubt he took his vow seriously. No man had ever offered her respect before—except Caleb, of course, but that wasn’t the same.
This powerful man who could have any woman in the club—or anywhere for that matter—with a crook of his finger, was offering her his word. Something, she suspected, that was his code of honor.
Butterflies battered her stomach when his gaze lowered to her mouth. Was she really considering this? Could she leave with Mr. Bossy-Pants now, knowing where they’d end up?
Yes. You can.
She really could, she realized.
She was tired of being alone. It had become that simple.
“Thank you, Gabriel. That was a wonderful thing to say.” God, she hoped he didn’t say it to every woman he wanted.
Their faces were close enough that his breath tickled her lips. He cupped the back of her head and bent to her ear again, and she had to put her hands on his waist to keep herself steady in her heels. “Thank you, for the blind faith. You have no idea how precious it is to someone like me.”
She just nodded, because she didn’t understand what he meant by someone like him. Blind faith would be valuable to anyone. Wouldn’t it?
He shifted slightly so that his lips could brush hers lightly, teasingly, and Eva immediately felt herself began to melt into his strong body. He lifted his head. “Will you let me take you somewhere . . . quieter? The hotel is close. But if you’d feel more comfortable going to your house, I’ll understand.”
She took the expensive fabric of his shirt between her fingers and worried it, never regretting her lack of experience more than she did in that moment. She wanted to breezily lean into him, kiss him passionately, and then ask him to take her home with a blinding, sexy confidence only an independent, take-charge woman would know how to pull off.
She couldn’t.
Not left to her own devices, and certainly not with Nika waiting for her back at their table. “I can’t leave,” she blurted, disappointment ringing clearly in her voice. Embarrassing. “I came with my friend.” She pulled back, finding it hard to concentrate with the feel of him against her. All that heat and muscle. “Would you mind if we had a drink with her and her husband? Or, I suppose, I could meet—”
“I don’t mind meeting your friends.”
“Okay.” Nika was going to freak out. “Kevin is a bit odd. Just don’t take anything he says too seriously. Okay?”
She brushed by Gabriel before he saw how affected she was and made her way back to the table on shaking legs.
Nika and Kevin were still there but no longer talking. Before Eva could do much more than reach for a chair, Nika raised a hand. “Stay up,” she said tightly. “We’re leaving.” Her eyes widened as she noticed Gabriel. “But you might like to make introductions before we go,” she added with a faint smile aimed over Eva’s shoulder.
“Yes, of course. This is Gabriel. Gabriel, this is my best friend, Nika.”
Her friend slanted a quick look in her direction. “Oh. Eva was just telling me about you.”
Gabriel stepped forward, an unreadable expression on his face. “Was she,” he mused as he shook Nika’s hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Gabriel. This is . . . Kevin.” Nika motioned beside her, and Eva barely stopped herself from grimacing at the hesitation.
Gabriel gave Kevin a nod.
“Guess it’s lucky I came out after all, Eva,” the idiot said, eyeing Gabriel and his friends as he took a pull from the beer in front of him. “I didn’t know you were in the habit of picking up strangers in bars. I’m gonna have to rethink allowing my wife out with you next time.”
Eva watched Nika wilt in her seat. She’d known Kevin was capable of verbal abuse, but he’d always taken the coward’s way out and made his insults appear as jokes. Apparently he’d grown more brazen with time because there had been nothing humorous or sly about that.
But remembering her promise, Eva forced a smile and reached out to give Nika’s shoulder an affectionate squeeze. Even though small, she offered the support because that was all she was being
allowed to do. She completely ignored the jerk looking at her—hoping for a reaction?—and touched Gabriel’s forearm. “Since they’re leaving, we might as well go.”
Banked fury simmered in those dark-green eyes that were now drilling a hole through Kevin.
She practically dove for his ear. “Please don’t say anything. It will only cause Nika more problems than she already has. We all know he’s a jerk, so let’s just leave it, okay?” She drew back and was just about to try to bodily yank him away when the tension seeped from his muscles. He bent toward the table, and Quan and Alek moved a little closer to their group. She held her breath.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Nika,” Gabriel said, giving her friend a respectful nod before turning to Kevin. His expression granite. “I’m letting this go because Eva asked me to, but if you ever speak to her like that again, I’ll personally deliver you to a hell you’ve only ever read about. Understand?”
He stared and waited. And waited. Not moving a muscle until the coward nodded and muttered a gruff, “Yeah. Got it. Sorry, Eva. Was only jokin’.”
Nika popped to her feet and grabbed Eva’s arm in a viselike grip, yanking her closer. “Oh, my God,” she breathed in Eva’s ear. “Where did you find him, and where can I get one?”
“I’m so sorry, Nika. I shouldn’t have called and asked you to come out tonight. Are you going to be all right?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. And don’t be sorry. I love our time together. It isn’t your fault or mine that he’s such a prick, so forget it,” she said dismissively, her fingers gripping Eva’s arm so hard it hurt. “Your new friend isn’t a prick, though. Holy Hanna, he’s gorgeous. Nicely done, my darling Eva. Nicely done.”
Prying herself loose from that claw, Eva had to smile as she high-fived the offered palm. Her mind was still on the “prick” comment. That was the first time she could remember Nika actually admitting what Kevin was, and it was on the tip of her tongue to ask, “If he’s such a prick, why are you with him?” But, again, she remembered her promise and kept her mouth shut. “Thanks. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Please. I’ll need details, so don’t forget a thing. And don’t be nervous—it’ll hurt less. And make sure you tell him it’s your first time. He seems like the type who’d want to know. He also seems like the type to curl your toes. Yowza.”
“Nika!” she groaned, turning to make sure they couldn’t be overheard.
“What? As if it isn’t going to happen. Look at the way he’s looking at you. I’m getting a sunburn, for chrissakes.” Her kooky, beautiful friend clapped happily, the first truly joyful expression she’d had since Kevin arrived at their table. “Enjoy it, Eva. God knows you’ve waited long enough.”
“Says the girl who’s had so many partners. How high up there did you get before you got married? One?” She took her clip out of her purse and twisted her hair up again. Was it sweltering, or was it just her?
Nika rolled her eyes, and they hugged good-bye. “Who are the other guys with Gabriel?”
“One is security, the other his business partner. They were there last night.”
“Wow.”
Eva started when she felt Gabriel’s arm come around her, his hand settling possessively on her hip. “Ready?”
She nodded, feeling suddenly shy. Was she really about to give herself to this man?
Would he understand if she got cold feet at the last minute?
Nika waved, already having lost that burst of spirit as she was led away by a scowling Kevin.
She waved back before Gabriel formally introduced her to his friends. “Eva, Alek and Quan. Alek, Quan, this is Eva.”
She slipped her small evening bag over her wrist and held out her hand. The blond one—Alek—had the beginning of a beard on his sculpted face, lending him a rugged just-rolled-out-of-bed look. Intelligence shone in his pale-blue eyes, as if he missed nothing. “Honored to finally meet you, Eva.” He clasped her hand gently.
Honored? “Nice to meet you, Alek.” Her smile faltered at the oddly affectionate grin he aimed at her. Good Lord. The man must have women lining up around the block. No wonder Gabriel had felt threatened when he’d seen her looking at him.
He released her hand, and it was swallowed up once more by both of the Asian man’s large palms. “Very honored, Eva,” he said, bowing gracefully at the waist. “Welcome.”
Welcome to what? “Uh, thank you, Quan. It’s nice to see you again.”
Gabriel made a move-it-along motion that had Quan rolling his eyes and releasing her. He moved out first.
“Let’s go,” Gabriel ordered as he intertwined his fingers with hers and pulled her into motion. Alek followed behind them.
Feeling safer than she had in days, Eva allowed herself to be led away and could only hope she was ready for what was to come.
CHAPTER 8
Stefano stood alone and surveyed the blown-out factory he’d purchased five years ago, the coming dawn not yet visible through the grimy windows. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d come here on his own. He usually had Furio with him. But his underboss had volunteered to go to Seattle. Said he would do a better job of reading the situation there, getting every detail, letting them know what should happen next. He’d do it, too. Furio was nothing if not exhaustive in his fucking details.
He looked around at the dusty debris-filled floor and kicked at an overturned office chair that was mangled almost beyond recognition. The city was on his ass about tearing the place down. Nothing a few well-placed bribes couldn’t fix.
His phone went off, signaling a text. He fished it out of his pocket to see it was from Furio.
Looks like she’s spending the night with him
He frowned, knowing immediately it was Eva and Gabriel Furio was referring to.
How do you know?
Hookup. Unplanned on her part. Not on Gabe’s. Entering the hotel with Tarasov and Mao
Something that felt strangely like apprehension popped like soda bubbles in Stefano’s gut. For the girl. Stupid, really, considering what he had planned for her. But Gabriel had killed the last three women he’d fucked around with. Brutally. Why, he still didn’t get, but that was on his brother’s conscience.
What if Gabriel did the same to Eva Jacobs?
Shit. He still remembered reading the articles Furio had shown him from the Seattle Times, seeing the covered bodies of those girls, the descriptions detailing what had been done to them. He’d tried to hide his shock when Furio had matched the inset pictures up with the photographs Ian Preston had taken of Gabriel leaving a play, his hotel, and a club with each girl, respectively. He hadn’t been aware his brother was capable of such vicious violence. Especially where women were concerned. Gabriel had fallen even lower in Stefano’s estimation that day.
Something he hadn’t thought possible.
The idea that the raven-haired beauty’s photo might be the next one he matched up wasn’t sitting well with Stefano. Maybe because he was beginning to see Eva as a person instead of just a means to an end. An innocent person who certainly didn’t deserve to die like the other three had, their bodies used roughly before being gutted. Why not just shoot them? Quick death, not as painful or messy.
Stefano shook his head. They probably hadn’t deserved it either, but he didn’t know that for sure. Preston had been investigating Eva, so he knew some about her. Was beginning to feel a small connection. She’d been raised in Seattle by a single mother. He’d been raised in New York by a single mother, too, for all intents and purposes, in much different circumstances. Eva’s mother had passed a couple of months ago in a shit accident. His mother was dead, too, but in no accident. She’d been taken out by Furio, Stefano’s own underboss. Eva went about her everyday life shadowed by Gabriel Moretti. So had Stefano—could never get out from under the weighted darkness cast by that spoiled fuck no matter what he did.
With a hard blink, Stefano shook off the sympathetic feelings for Eva, a
ttributing them to nothing more than annoyance that Gabriel could screw with his chance at revenge by killing her first. Shit. He almost laughed. Scrambling over who would be the one to take an innocent woman’s life. How had they allowed themselves to get so fucked up?
He took his cell out and dialed Furio’s number. Texting was a pain in the ass.
“Yeah,” his underboss said.
“You don’t think she’s going to come back out?” he asked, wishing he was there himself to read the situation.
“Not a chance.”
“How did you find her so quickly?” he asked, curious. “You just got there.”
“I tagged Preston with a GPS in New York. Found him. He told me where I needed to be.”
Smug bastard. “Smart,” Stefano murmured. But independent thinking was not always a good thing. “So, Gabe is fucking her. Now it’s a certainty. I wonder what all the subterfuge was about when they were together in New York.” Something about that relationship still didn’t make sense to him.
“Course he’s fucking her. Wouldn’t you?” Furio said. “You wanna play with him a little longer? Draw it out? Or should I kill her tomorrow?”
“Don’t touch her!” he ordered with a little too much force. “She’s mine to deal with,” he added to explain away the overreaction. He didn’t want Eva suffering through Furio’s methods of murder either. Guy was as bad as Gabriel. “See if you can find a secluded place for us to settle once we have her. And screw around with Gabe until I make it out there—get close enough to warn her off.” He chuckled. “He’ll lose his shit if we get to her again.”
“Oh, I’ll get to her.”
Stefano’s lip curled. “Leave her be, Furio,” he commanded. “Just the warning.”
“Got it, boss.” If Furio wondered why Stefano was so interested in Eva’s safety, he didn’t ask. He knew better.
His underboss had no impulse control, Stefano acknowledged as he disconnected and slipped his phone into his pocket.
Stefano looked around again and still felt zip. Something that was becoming more and more common when he came here lately. Alone, so no one knew he still “obsessed,” as his shrink would call it. Gone was the rage and bitterness that had consumed him when he and Furio used to hang out here and deliberate how best to fuck up Gabriel for what he’d done. It was actually right here, in what was left of this room, where they’d found Adrianna Perilli’s remains. Sexy, alluring Adrianna. Her mischievous dark eyes and seductive smile floated through his mind. He would have married her had Gabriel not done his part in ruining things. His brother hadn’t only taken a young woman’s life that night; he’d taken the opportunity for Stefano to break free from Albert Moretti’s contempt and make a place for himself within the Perilli family.
A Love of Vengeance Page 11