‘Is that so? It’s a little curious that the only Mancinelli family member without a clearly defined role should turn up out of the blue at this race, especially when she hasn’t been to a single race all year, don’t you think?’
It would’ve been scary how much he knew about my family’s affairs if I didn’t know mine were equally rabid about knowing the ins and outs of Salvatore business. ‘You should see a doctor about that overactive imagination of yours. And while you’re at it, get some help for those obsessive tendencies too.’
His teeth gleamed in the dark, and even though I knew he wasn’t amused, the transformation on his face snatched the air clean from my lungs.
Jesus, he was breathtakingly sexy.
‘Bluff and bluster won’t get you out of this,bedda. You know something is going on, even if you’re genuinely blind to it. Are you?’
My skin tightened as the urge to deny it swept over me. But, dammit, I couldn’t commit to the lie. And I knew the second he saw that.
He exhaled slow and steady. ‘Good, now we’re getting somewhere.’
Rising, he crossed the room to the drinks laid out on the cabinet. Examining it in detail, he plucked a bottle of Louis XIII Cognac from the selection and poured a finger.
‘Drink?’
My glare drew another amused twitch of his mouth.
Drink in hand, he turned and leaned his hip against the cabinet, his gaze sweeping over me in blatant appraisal.
‘Let’s cut through the bullshit. Have you directly or indirectly given the authority for someone to infiltrate my team?’
‘Regardless of what you think, I have a top-class team of engineers and aerodynamicists who’ve built an exceptional car.’
‘By copying almost frame by frame from mine,’ he replied. ‘But I get that most teams steal from the best. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, after all. But you didn’t answer the question, Maddelena.’
I hoped the relative darkness covered my shiver when he said my name with that rough timbre. I scrambled to recall his question, then shook my head. ‘No. For the hundredth time, I haven’t given anyone approval to spy on your team.’
He stared at me for an eternity, then nodded. ‘That doesn’t take you out of my crosshairs, but I’m prepared to take a different tack when it comes to dealing with you.’
Outrage dimmed my arousal. ‘Excuse me?’
‘No, you’re not excused. But we’ll get to you in a moment. First things first. Make sure your sister stays out of my way.’
I frowned. ‘Why would you want Sofiya to…?’
His eyes narrowed on my face, and I caught a hint of surprise before it disappeared. But with it, I sensed that I’d missed something. Something he thought I knew? Maybe about Sofiya’s true role?
‘Second. You come when I call. You ignore my call, even once, and I break my silence and let your family know you’re helping me find the mole in your own team. I expect they’re not going to be happy about that?’
‘What next? You expect me to service you in bed, too?’
Dear God, Maddie, you did not just say that!
A feral glint lit his eyes, but he grinned and again I felt the blow to my solar plexus. ‘No, baby, that’s a bonus you earn for doing what I say.’
I huffed to hide the chagrin tumbling through me. ‘You’re delusional.’
‘And yet your nipples are hard. I bet your pussy is wet too. Should we find out?’
I clutched the duvet tighter, knowing for damn sure he couldn’t see his effect on me unless he had X-ray vision. ‘Fuck off.’
‘No, baby, I’d rather fuck you.’
My breath puttered to a stop.
My eyes locked on his and he… he wasn’t joking.
