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Behind the scowl, I sensed something more. Was he really concerned or just not used to being told off by a woman?
Still, I wouldn’t be cowed or controlled.
“If you’ll excuse me now.” I ignored the annoyance flashing across his features and brushed past him, heart pounding.
I wasn’t used to dealing with big, bad Italian Mafia guys, not that my father’s men were less intimidating, but they hardly ever confronted me or tried to stop me from doing whatever the hell I wanted.
Nobody in my family cared enough to do so.
I might as well have been invisible my whole life.
He murmured something under his breath, too low for me to catch, but it sounded like “little fox.”
“What was that?” I turned back to him, but he just shook his head and walked away, leaving me both irritated and intrigued.
What was going on with him?
Why wasn’t he avoiding me like he’d promised? Why the sudden change in attitude?
And what was he not saying?
I pushed the strange encounter out of my mind as I continued my way to the lobby, determined to make the most of my day exploring Malta and finally getting a change of clothes that wasn’t three sizes too big.
But there was no denying it—his presence was like a magnetic counter-pole—the closer he got, the more I wanted to push him away.
Except, when he wasn’t around, I couldn’t help but think of him.
Infuriating.
“Get a grip,” I muttered to myself.
I would enjoy my day without giving Alessandro Falcone one more thought.
Or let him get under my skin.
The lobby was empty, and I approached the reception desk, where the same young woman from yesterday greeted me with a friendly smile.
“Hi there,” I said, leaning against the polished marble. “I’m looking to rent a scooter for the day. Could you point me in the right direction? And where are the best shops around here?”
“Of course!” she replied, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she searched for the information. “We’re having a heatwave, but it’s a beautiful day to discover the island. The nearest rental place is a couple of miles from here. I can try to get a pickup, and the best shopping area is?—”
“You can’t go off alone,” Alex interrupted with a growl, stepping out from the back office like the dark angel of doom. His eyes held a mix of annoyance and concern and something dangerous.
I clenched my jaw in frustration. “Didn’t we just establish I can take care of myself, and I’m not taking orders from you?” I crossed my arms and glared at him defiantly.
“We didn’t establish shit, and I’m telling you—as I told you before—you can’t go,” he responded sharply, his dark eyes boring into mine.
I chuckled. “Sorry, but last I checked, you don’t get to dictate what I do.”
He pushed his hands against the polished stone and leaned forward. “Always have to rebel against me, don’t you?” he growled, his anger barely contained.
From the corner of my eye, I could see the receptionist’s eyes widen, then she retreated into the back office.
Smart woman.
I focused back on the most infuriating man I had ever met and leaned forward until our noses almost touched. “Maybe if you didn’t try to control me, we wouldn’t have a problem,” I retorted, every nerve ending on fire from anger, not because of his intoxicating scent or his close proximity.
The air between us crackled with tension, and there was something dangerous simmering in his eyes.
