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I stayed silent and refused to give him what he wanted. “Samuel may have been boring, but at least he was nice.”
He released a faint chuckle, like I’d made some kind of joke. “Sweetheart, I am being nice. Trust me…”
I glanced around once more at all the men who surrounded us. They were there for protection, but they made me uneasy. Why would a man need to be escorted to dinner like this? Just to spend time with a woman? “What now, Bosco?”
“We have dinner together.” Without taking his eyes off me, he lifted his hand slightly and got the attention of one of his men. He ordered what he wanted then handed my plate to him. “Warm this up. Let’s not waste food.”
The man disappeared and left us alone again.
This was an interesting dining experience. “Is this how all your dates go?”
“No. I don’t do dates.”
“So I’m your first date?” I asked, slightly surprised.
“I guess so.”
“No wonder why it’s so strange.” I drank from my glass, letting the insult sink in.
It didn’t seem to affect him at all. “Why would you go out with a guy like Samuel in the first place?”
“He’s nice.”
“You don’t want a nice guy. You want a guy who makes you come. Trust me, he doesn’t fit the bill.”
“You check out men often?” I teased.
He drank from his glass again. When he returned it to the table, he wore a slight smile. “I know how to read people. He’s not your type.”
“And what’s my type?” I’d never had a serious relationship, so I really didn’t know what I preferred.
He held my gaze for a long time, so confident that he could touch me with his presence without lifting a finger. “Me.”
“You?” I asked incredulously. “The only things I ever hear about you are negative.”
“Your point?”
Since he lived in a different reality, that probably didn’t matter to him at all. A villain always thought he was a hero in his version of the story. “I don’t want to get involved with a criminal.”
“Yet, Bones is your brother-in-law.”
“I didn’t marry him.”
“You still see him as family. At least, I know that’s how he sees you. He’s protective of you.”
I knew Bones would do anything for me since Vanessa was his whole world.
“And I’m glad you didn’t mention any of this to him—for his sake.”
I was constantly teetering on the edge of hatred. Bosco’s arrogance was suffocating, but the second he flashed that handsome smile, I wanted to kiss him again. I hated his menacing presence, but it didn’t dull my attraction to him. “I don’t need a man to defend me. I can take care of myself.”
He took a drink of his wine and didn’t say anything in response.
My legs were crossed under the table, and I squeezed my thighs together, attracted to that hard jawline of his. I wanted to sprinkle kisses across it, to feel those soft lips once more. But I also despised him at the same time. I’d never been more conflicted than I was now.
“The Barsettis are a well-respected family. Your uncle and father have quite a reputation.”
“Which is why this dinner of yours is a stupid idea.”
He propped both of his arms on the table, his hands resting right in the center. His watch reflected the light, and he leaned forward slightly, getting closer to me. “Regardless of what you think of my character, I don’t enjoy mindlessly killing people. So if you want to protect your family, I would suggest you keep your mouth shut. I have no intention of hurting you, so you aren’t in danger.”
“Doesn’t seem that way.”
His eyes narrowed even farther, slightly terrifying. “If you were, you would know.”
This man was an enigma. He seemed to be a criminal with morals.
“You can walk away from me at any time, as I’ve already said.”
“You made me kiss you for my freedom.”
He grinned. “Sweetheart, I would have let you walk away if you’d put up a better fight. But we both know you didn’t want to put up a fight. Just like the last two times our lips touched, you want it to happen. You’re trying to fight it, but I’m not sure why. I’m a decent guy if you get to know me.”
“Bones told me to stay away from you.”
“Of course he did. I don’t disagree with that.”
I grabbed the glass and took a long drink, depleting all the liquid and sending it into my stomach. “Then maybe I should listen to his advice.”
He nodded behind me, indicating the exit. “There’s the door.” He kept calling my bluff, knowing I was attracted to him the second we kissed in that alleyway. We were both seduced by the same spell, unable to fight the epic passion our bodies ignited. “Tell me about yourself.”
“I suspect you already know everything…considering you showed up to my work and my date.”
