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Alrigo’s cold, flat, black eyes chilled in comparison.
Eva was definitely the better bet.
He took a shower, surveyed his battered ribs, chest and face in the mirror and hoped with an absurd grin that he didn’t die today looking like he’d been on the losing end of a fight. If he died, he’d have lost, but still. Shirt in hand, he stepped from the bathroom to see Eva setting a breakfast tray on the small table Zucchi had kicked into the window the previous morning.
Ben’s morbid humor faded, but he kept the smile in place. “Good morning.”
She turned around, her expression tight with suspicion. His grin widened when he noted her gaze journey down and up before lingering on his bare chest. Her expression softened, probably without her even realizing it. Either she admired his build, or she was taking pity on his numerous bruises. Both possibilities were to his favor, though his ego preferred the first.
By the time she lifted her gaze, he’d performed his own appraisal of her black leggings and silky, shimmering red top belted at her lush hips before ending mid-thigh. He did nothing to hide his appreciation of her figure as pulse-spiking attraction flared. She immediately broke the connection by turning to leave.
He swaggered across the room, pulling his shirt over his head as he went. “I was hopin’ you’d keep me company while I eat,” he suggested conversationally.
She spun around with a frown. “You insult my intelligence with your false charm.”
He conceded her point with a quick dip of his chin. “I apologize.”
Her glare pierced across the room before she reached for the door.
“I have something you might be interested in.”
Again she faced him. Again she frowned. “I am not interested in you at all, Mr. Sanders.”
Increased defensiveness in her voice raised his hope another notch. He smiled, sat, and reached for the bitter cup of espresso he’d discovered the Italians preferred over regular coffee. “I didn’t say you were interested in me. The information I’ve obtained, well, that’s a whole other matter.”
Her fingers wrapped around the door handle.
“Life and death.”
She didn’t move.
“Mine and yours,” he added softly.
“Is that a threat?”
“I’m trying to protect you.” He took a bite of one of the pastries on the tray, but underneath his calm façade, he discovered he really did want to protect her. The thought of Nino ‘taking care’ of her made the food hard to swallow, no matter how good it tasted.
Eva spun around. “I need no man’s protection.”
“Everyone needs protection at some time or another, Eva.”
She strode closer, mouth opened to protest, no doubt, but he kept talking.
“Take me for example. I’m a pretty tough guy, normally more than capable of taking care of myself, yet here I sit. I admit I need you, so it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that if what I’ve learned is true, we could help each other.”
She slapped both hands on the table with a loud jangle of bracelets and leaned forward. No fair. Her cleavage distracted him to the point that he almost didn’t hear her question.
“What information could you possibly have that I would find helpful?”
Ben swallowed his lust with a gulp of espresso. Ow. Damn. Still hot! He sucked in a cooling breath and then cleared his scalded throat. “Keep your voice down, please.”
Her gaze darted to the window and then back to him.
“Who’s out there right now?” he asked quietly.
“Tony. Zucchi stands in the hall. Perche? Why?”
Ben leaned closer, lowered his voice. “Nino was outside on the balcony not more than an hour ago. Before it got light.”
