"Is that all?" His eyes twinkled. "I can even write up a contract if you'd like."
He looked thrilled, like he'd won something, and it irked me that I didn't know what it was. Still, I had no other stipulations. This deal was incredibly sided in my favor. He didn't have to concede to anything I wanted, yet he was still willing to.
I sighed. "Yes."
"Then I'll have the contract drawn up and sent over to you within the hour." He stepped back and held out his hand. "I'm excited to be working with you, Catalina."
He said my name as if he was savoring it, like a snake who had just caught the prey of a lifetime. It unnerved me, but I wrapped my fingers around his hand and shook it anyway. "Same to you, Marco."
He hummed, his fingers adjusting around my own and, with a firm grip, he bent down and kissed the back of my hand.
A bolt of electricity zipped to my shoulder, and I bit my cheek to keep from gasping at the small touch. But when he looked at me, his eyes were full of heat and mirth.
Dropping my hand, he stepped back. "I'll be seeing you soon, Catalina."
He walked away, but the feeling of his lips on my skin stayed behind.
What did I just get myself into?
9
Catalina
Igrabbed my purse and stood to leave my office, just as my phone buzzed with a new text.
Marco
What are you doing for dinner tonight?
I sighed.
Why?
Marco: I have a table secured for us at Le Jardin de Nuit whenever you're ready. We'll have the entire restaurant for the night so we can talk freely.
I glared at the screen. The audacity of this man, assuming I would drop everything for some lavish dinner.But…
Am I actually considering this?
Le Jardin de Nuit was a small restaurant that I'd heard was absolutely divine. They used only the finest, freshest ingredients and were renowned for their unique spin on French cuisine. I'd wanted to go for a long time, but I'd been too busy.
My phone rang, and I rolled my eyes as Marco's name flashed across the screen.
"I take it you're about to tell me off?" There was a hint of a smile in his voice, and I huffed.
Damn it. He was right.
"Our alliance is to share information about the trafficking and mafia leaders, not have dinner dates," I said sharply.
"I agree completely," Marco replied in a nonchalant tone. "But we should get to know each other first, don't you think? You said you wanted to keep an eye on me when you thought I was your enemy. Now that we’re working together, I'd assume you'd want to learn even more. How else will you know what to expect from me?"
I ground my teeth. He had a point.
"Plus, if I'm supposed to provide you with information, we'll need to discuss what you already know so I can fill in the gaps. That would be so much easier over a nice meal, no?"
Ihatedhow often this man was right. "Fine."
"Would you like me to send you a car?"
