AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We begin to move down the aisle at a snail’s pace. Every time we pause to let someone out of their seats, I feel him at my back. His body heat soaks into me, it’s like an electrical current surging between us. An elderly lady climbs out in front of me and swings her purse onto her shoulder knocking me in the chest. I stumble back a step, gasping when I feel Vin’s large hands gripping my waist. His hands are that big he can nearly wrap them around me. The feeling of his hands on my body short circuits my brain, my body urging me to lean into him. A throat clearing has me quickly pulling out of his hold and moving forward, I don’t dare look back to gauge his reaction. I’m beyond embarrassed. I’ve been on my own for mere hours and here I am, fawning over the first man who is nice to me.
Get a freaking grip on yourself, Carlina!
After exiting the plane, I head straight through security and don’t wait around for Vin. I need to get my bag and get the hell out of here. Which is exactly what I do. I grab my bag from baggage claim and head for the exit, not daring to look around in case I spot the bronzed God. I make my way outside to the taxi stand. The humidity here is killer, it’s so thick it makes it almost hard to breathe. I join the line and when I’m the next in the queue, I feel him behind me. I don’t know how but I just know it’s him from the way my body heats and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, as if warning that we are in the presence of a predator.
“Not gonna say goodbye?” I take a deep breath, square my shoulders and give myself a mental pep talk. I am Carlina Murdoch, heiress to the Murdoch Mafia. I bow to no man. I turn slowly, allowing my gaze to run from the tips of his boots all the way to his brown eyes that are now covered behind a pair of sunglasses. I keep a mask of indifference plastered across my face. I came here to escape the men in my life, not to get attached to someone on my first freaking day of freedom.
“It was lovely to meet you––”
“Come to a party with me tonight.” I falter for a moment but only because he has shocked me with his forwardness.
“I’ve seenTaken. My deadbeat father may not beLiam Neesonbut my brothers sure are.” I may not be able to see his eyes, but I can tell from the way his body slightly stiffens and his brows pull in that he didn’t like what I just said. I don’t care, the cab pulls up and I hand my bag off to the driver, climb into the back and attempt to close the door, but he grabs hold and stops it. I scowl up at him in warning.
“Don’t write me off just yet,Gucci. I may surprise you.” I roll my eyes and slam the door closed when he releases it. The gall of him to stand there and judge me. He may think calling me Gucci is an insult but to a girl like me, it’s seen more like a compliment seeing as he could have called me Walmart or Piggly Wiggly.
After finally settling into my hotel room, I decide to order some room service and chill in my room, then spend the next day exploring this beautiful city. I honestly just want to find a small café on the corner and people watch all day. It sounds stupid but I like picturing how others’ lives differ from mine and envy them from afar. I love my brothers and would commit murder for them but they don’t understand. They don’t see the struggles I face daily just to get out of bed and put on a face so others don’t see I am dying inside. Every fucking day I feel used and tainted because of the past. I’ve never allowed a man to touch me because all I can picture is Tony’s fucking disgusting face above me grunting out his release. Just the thought alone has me racing to the bathroom and heaving over the toilet.
After ten minutes of sitting on the cold, tiled floor hunched over the porcelain bowl, I pull myself up and decide to have a shower before climbing into bed and starting fresh tomorrow. My appetite is long gone now. I won’t allow thoughts of that vile pig ruin my me time. I’m under no illusions that my brothers won’t track me. I have maybe a solid twenty-four hours before Luka pinpoints my exact location.
* * *
Waking the next morning to the warm sun streaming in through the sheer curtains has me smiling wide before my eyes are even open. I roll over to my back and starfish on the bed soaking up the beautiful rays of the sunlight. I slowly blink my eyes open and allow myself to bask in this moment. After five minutes of enjoying myself, I drag my ass out of bed and head for the shower so I can get ready for my day of sightseeing and being a normal teenage girl.
After showering, I decide to go with a halter neck full length maxi dress and a pair of white sandals that would match the pink of my dress. I leave my long hair out and just pin the top up to keep the long waves out of my face. I don’t even bother with makeup, no one here knows me or expects anything of me. The smallest freedom of not having to wear makeup means more than anyone would ever understand.
I leave the hotel and follow my GPS to a small café in the heart of the city, it says the walk is twenty minutes but it doesn’t bother me. It’s an exhilarating feeling walking alone and not having men in my shadow to make sure I’m safe or doing what I have to keep my identity a secret. I sound like a brat and I don’t give a shit, living like I don’t exist sucked and I won’t be hidden any longer.
By the time I make it to the café, I’m hot and sweaty. The weather here is killer, the humidity steals the very breath from your lungs. I smile to the beautiful waitress as she leads me toward a table out front, a small circular one right in the corner with enough shade. This is the perfect spot to people watch for hours and just be. I order a caramel latte and egg white omelet with a fruit salad. After placing my order, I slouch back in my chair and bite the bullet. I have to check in with Kiara like I promised so I pull my phone out of my purse. I cringe when I see all the missed calls and text messages from my brothers. I ignore all the messages and just as I’m about to type out a message to Kiara a shadow falls over me. I look up and my mouth drops open in shock, my phone slips through my fingers and clatters against the table.
“This seat taken, Gucci?” My brain is screaming at me to say something but no words come out. He smirks down at me before claiming the seat opposite me and motioning for the waitress. He places his order while I sit here and gawk at him. This cannot be fucking happening! “You seem surprised to see me?” That has me snapping out of my moment of stupidity, there is never a moment when I am rendered speechless, so for this man to have that effect on me isn’t something I am okay with!
I lean forward and rest my forearms on the table scanning side to side to make sure no one is paying us any attention. I try to control the anger coursing through me. I have no idea why I’m angrier than I am terrified that this stranger pretty much promised to see me again and then shows up here! I should be running but nope, I’m a fool and stay here.
“How the hell did you find me?” I whisper hiss. It grates on my nerves when a self-assured smirk crosses his handsome face. Shit, no not handsome, I mean slightly good looking.
“I told you I was staying in the city, this café is around the corner from my hotel.”Oh, I lean back in my seat trying to cover my mortification. Growing up how I did there is no such thing as a coincidence, but what he is saying is rational and may be true. When I see a look of unease and shame cross his face, I know I need to smooth this over.
“Sorry, I sounded like a right bitch, and I… I shouldn’t have snapped at you.” His facial expression morphs to relief and I decide here and now that this was just a coincidence after all. I mean if he was here to kill me, he could have done it dozens of times by now, right?
“Don’t be, a beautiful girl like you should have her wits about her.”
Vincent
I can see it in her eyes, she doesn’t trust me or even really believe a word that I am saying. She is smarter than I originally thought, not a dumb kid like I was led to believe. I followed her cab, she had him take the long way and then a detour before getting to her hotel. What she should have done was booked two hotels and not used her real name at the second, rookie error on her part. She crosses her arms over her chest which just serves to push her tits together and enhance my view of her cleavage. I tear my gaze from her full tits before she can catch me.
“So uh, what are you doing today?” Her candor is hesitant and unsure which tells me she isn’t used to talking to strangers. I slip my mask of happiness back into place and play my part of tourist.
“No plans, just going to hang out and maybe check out some of the sights.” She pushes her mouth to the side, running her gaze over me. She’s trying to figure out what my angle is here, but she will never figure me out. “Did you want to join me?” Her eyes widen in surprise, her mouth opens but her reply is cut off when the waitress returns with our order. I scrunch my face in disgust when I see her food. It looks bland and tasteless but I can smell the sickly sweetness of her coffee from here. She eyes my English breakfast with hunger, her brown eyes showing her every emotion and thought. I need her to get comfortable enough with me so I can get her alone. I push my plate toward her encouraging her with a look to take what she wants.
“I have my own.” The hesitancy in her tone tells me she is warring within herself over a simple plate of fucking food.
“Your plate looks fucking disgusting.” She gasps and her eyes widen. “If you can look me in the eye and tell me you would rather eat yours than mine, I’ll leave you be.” Her eyes spark with a challenge and I wait for her to tell me to piss off and eat her own but she shocks me when she switches our plates. I stare down at the white fluffy pancake looking thing before looking at her in question.
“I’ll eat yours if you eat mine.” I roll my lips over my teeth to keep my crude remark from slipping free. She may be a job but even I can admit Carlina Murdoch looks like a fucking snack that I would devour. I’ve never been a quitter, so I grab my fork and dig in acting like this is the best fucking meal I have ever had. In truth, it’s fucking disgusting and all I want to do is spit it out. I sneak a few glances at her as she eats and find myself frowning, as she smiles while she eats and does a weird little shimmy dance in her seat. I would bet she is fighting a moan from slipping free with each taste, this girl is an oddity. The fact she intrigues me tells me I need to end this, soon.
Once my plate is clean, I sit back in my chair and sip my coffee watching her eat the last piece of bacon… my fucking bacon! That bullshit she ordered didn’t even fill me. I’m gonna be eating again within the hour. She places her knife and fork on top of her empty plate before leaning back in her seat with a shit eating grin on her face.
“That was amazeballs.” I splutter taken off guard.
