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“That is something only you can answer. The only promise I can make is that I will never lie to you.”
Nodding, I backed away, fighting the raw, oppressive emotions threatening to consume me.
But suddenly, the darkness was no longer oppressive.
* * *
“You’re doing what?” Brittany asked, her expression one of disbelief.
“I’m going out of town for a little while. I need you to mind the store. Can you do that?”
“I… I don’t know.” She furrowed her brow as she continued staring at me.
“Oh, you can. You’ve practically run the place for me. You’ve handled the books, the orders and certainly know how to treat the customers. Besides, if you need to close early you can. And I suggest you make our part-time employees full time in the interim.”
“How long are you going to be gone?”
I didn’t have a solid answer because I feared it would be for the entire six months. “I’m not certain. I’ll let you know and if I need to make other decisions, I will.”
“You like this guy.” Brittany lifted a single eyebrow as she glanced out the window, twisting her face until the sun created a shimmer across her nose ring. I could see her wheels turning, mentally undressing him.
A strange pang settled in my stomach. Was I jealous? That was ridiculous. He wasn’t mine and I refused to belong to him.
I managed to laugh easily because the truth was that I did. I was still fighting the feelings I had for him, but at this point, there were no other choices. He’d remained outside, allowing me to spend time alone. He’d placed his trust in me, or so he’d said. I was aware that with a single phone call to the police, I could potentially change the outcome, but I didn’t want to. It was crazy, but the truth was something I desperately needed. “He leaves me… breathless.” As soon as I said the four little words, I shuddered because it was the truth.
“Hmm… Well, it is about time you indulged in some hot sex,” she teased. “It does a body good.”
“Brittany!”
She laughed. “Go have a good time, boss. I can call you, right?”
I thought about my cellphone that was still at the house. “Believe it or not, I dropped it last night and need to get a new one. However, I’ll call you in a couple days. I’m not certain where he’s taking me.”
“What’s his name? I at least deserve that.”
“Alessandro,” I breathed. Even half whispering his name made my stomach flutter. Jesus. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Does he have a brother?” she asked as she peered out the window. “I could use a hot man in my life right now. And in my bed. And my shower.”
I laughed as I glanced around the bistro, sad from the thought of leaving. I’d worked so damn hard but couldn’t ignore the fact I’d used the money Tristen had either stolen from Alessandro or made because of criminal activities to renovate it. At that moment I felt like burning the building down to the ground. “I honestly don’t know.”
I’d been given a strict timetable and I knew it was coming close to being finished. I needed to call Clarice and tell her the same story, or she’d hunt me down. As I turned to go into my office, I was surprised to see her walking in the door with a look of concern on her face.
“Jesus Christ. I thought something happened to you. First, you don’t answer your damn phone then Brittany tells me you didn’t come in this morning. You had me worried.” When she glanced out the window, she shook her head, her grin infectious. “Oooohhh! Silly me. I can see why I shouldn’t have bothered.”
“I’m sorry. He came back just before closing. We hit it off. Isn’t that what you wanted to happen?” I hated lying to her, but there was no other way.
“Yes, but you could have called.”
“He took me to a remote cabin and we… well, let’s just say we were very busy.”
“He gives off dangerous vibes, not like a biker, but more like an assassin. No, a mafia kingpin. That’s it. I bet he has a Glock in the small of his back.” She smiled when she noticed my frown. “I didn’t say he wasn’t deliciously appetizing.”
“Uh-huh. He’s charming and yes, he’s sexy as hell.” That wasn’t a lie. The man had a way of disarming me, even though he exuded absolute power.
Clarice exhaled as she turned around to glance in Alessandro’s direction. There was something off about her, and it only had but so much to do with the fact I rarely acted on feelings. “You’ll need to give specifics.”
“I wish I could but… Alessandro is taking me on a surprise excursion.”
