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Leaning over the counter with one elbow pressed into the countertop and the other arm extended to level the tile, I was lost in thought and noticed nothing until someone came behind me, placing both hands on my waist. I jerked back, finding the hard wall of a body behind me.
“I see what you’re doing with the design. It’s not as bold as your usual renovations, is it?”
The voice sent chills down my spine, and I stiffened, forcing myself to sound relaxed and unconcerned. I hadn’t worked on the project for long, but Virgil had shown no interest in me. He’d never come to see the progress of the place, and he hadn’t bothered addressing me in any way other than professionally. But…he had found me eavesdropping a few days ago. I’d thought I’d curbed all suspicions, but nothing else had changed between us.
“I try to reserve bold design choices for clients who seem interested. You haven’t told me your preferences,” I replied, planting both palms on the counter in front of me. He hadn’t done anything outright inappropriate yet, but the hands on my waist tightened with my response, and he stood close enough that I could feel each of his breaths on the back of my neck. “Would you prefer I change something?” I pushed when he didn’t reply.
“I’m fond of bold,” he said, and I wondered if it was still the design choices he was commenting on. His hands at my waist dipped to both of my hips, and my breath caught in my throat as fear clawed its way through my chest. “Boldness has always been a quality that has drawn me in. You, for example.” He leaned in closer. “Most women aren’t bold enough to start a renovation and cleaning business all alone.”
“I suppose not.”
I was walking a fine line here. I couldn’t disrespect my client, but I couldn’t let him grope me like this. He had to see how inappropriate this was, and only one thing could have changed the dynamic between us. I should have never been stupid enough to listen to his conversation. If I’d been smart, I would have had an alibi or some reason for being there, but I hadn’t done that, and now I was on his radar.
“It’s impressive.”
I had to be assertive, I decided. I couldn’t let him touch me. A long finger grazed over my ass, and I jerked around, turning to face him as I leaned as far into the counter as possible, gripping the edge of it as if it were a lifeline. And maybe it was.
“I’m sorry if I’ve given you the wrong impression, sir, but I am in a committed relationship and have no interest in being touched by someone else.”
The way he narrowed his eyes had my breathing quickening, but I held firm, not retracting on the lie I told. I didn’t have a boyfriend, and I wasn’t in any form of relationship outside of here, but my mind still flashed to Carlo and what he’d do if he walked in on this situation. He’d kill Virgil for coming so close to me, I realized. He’d end the man before thinking. That thought gave me an ounce of comfort, but the comfort faded when I realized he wasn’t here, and that there was nothing he could do for me while I was in this house.
“A boyfriend, you say?” he asked, still leaning in. His hands fell on the counter at either of my sides, but I couldn’t lean back any further. I couldn’t get away. “I haven’t heard anything about him.”
“I keep my personal and professional life separate, sir.”
“Sir,” he said, turning over the word in his mouth as if it had been a term of endearment. “I like the sound of that.” I sucked in a long breath and realized I had no idea how I’d get out of this situation. He continued, “I can assure you that I can take care of the boyfriend if it becomes an issue.”
What should I even say to that? The hunger in his eyes blazed through as brightly as Carlo’s had, but this time I wasafraid.I wasn’t yearning. I didn’t ache for him. I had a visceral reaction that told me to get away as quickly as possible, and I knew my instincts weren’t guiding me in the wrong direction. They were looking out for me, and I knew better than to ignore them.
Mercifully, my phone began ringing in my back pocket, and I exhaled a long breath as he glanced down. “That’s my boyfriend now,” I told him. “He always calls around this time to ensure everything is going well.”
Virgil looked between me and my phone for two rings before stepping away and giving me enough space to lift the phone. It wasn’t Carlo, but I knew that already. Hunter rang in, and I showed Virgil the screen, showing the male name flashing across it. His brows knitted together as he glanced at the name, but he looked just as confident as before. More so, even. “You’d better take it, then,” he said, taking a small step away. He still crowded me enough that I brushed into him as I attempted to move away. Chills went through me as my arm made contact with his, but I continued moving anyways. I forced myself to move until I stood outside the house and the door sealed behind me.
I didn’t have enough time to catch my breath before answering. “Hi,” I said breathlessly.
“Hey, sis. Are you okay? You sound out of breath.”
I took a few deep breaths, forcing the fear inside of me to fade enough to speak normally. I had to push this away, because I knew if I told Hunter what had happened, he’d drive here right now. He’d raise hell, and knowing who Virgil Lucchese was, my brother would be killed. Knowing the repercussions, I could never tell him about this, so I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air. “I’m great,” I lied. “I’m just at work.” I looked over my shoulder, finding Virgil standing in the same spot I’d left him on the other side of the glass doors, watching me intently. My breath caught as I considered calling Carlo and telling him what had happened today.
“Well, if you’re working, I can call later. I was hoping we could move our dinner plans up to lunch plans,” he remarked.
“We never do lunch,” I said with a light chuckle. Virgil pushed himself from the countertop and moved toward the staircase, striding up it as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t see his office clearly from here, but I knew that’s where he’d gone. “Is everything okay with you?”
“Well,” he said, almost as if hesitating to reveal the true reason. “The game is on tonight, and I didn’t think about it until this morning. I know you don’t like watching the game much anymore, and I didn’t want you to have to suffer through it.”
The laugh that broke from my chest was genuine as I shook my head. I didn’t want to go back inside now anyways—not after what had just happened with Virgil. I thought about how I could rearrange my schedule to make lunch work and nodded slowly. “I can do lunch,” I told him, pausing. “And Hunter? I’m happy to watch a football game if that makes you happy.”
I’d canceled our plans for the last week, knowing I’d have to lie to him about being around Carlo. I knew he’d discuss the renovation I was supposed to do for Carlo, and I couldn’t lie. But canceling our weekly plans felt worse.
He rattled off a restaurant he’d been craving as I internally reconstructed my day. The electrician said he was available all week, so I’d call and have him run the wiring through the dining room, and I could send in my assistant, Adam, to do some of the tedious kitchen work. I tried to keep him in the office, doing managerial stuff, but I couldn’t go back inside today. At least I knew that Adam wouldn’t be groped. If I went back inside, I knew I would.
I walked to my car, considering the steps I could take to be more cautious. I knew this would be dangerous, but today proved how dangerous it could become if I weren’t careful.
13
CARLO
Sierra stopped by the house weekly, always veering straight for Frankie’s office. She stopped and spoke to Tommy occasionally, and as I watched her form a bond with my brother instead of me, a tightness grew in my chest. Watching her cheerily stride through the house and banter with Tommy each week had my blood boiling. She didn’t outwardly shun me as she had previously, but she did her best to ignore me.
