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The way he’d handled the man at the bar had been… amazing. I couldn’t lie to myself that I’d gotten a little thrill over the way he’d come to my rescue. Okay, so I’d acted badly after he’d forced Mr. Caveman to leave, but it was understandable given the circumstances. He’d acted as if it was his job to protect me. Maybe that’s why an idea had sprouted in the back of my mind, finally spinning out of control.
However, the ownership part continued to irritate the hell out of me. That was one reason I’d waited, trying to think of anyone else who could help me.
There was no one.
Danny, aka Viper was the guy most likely to be on the cover of a sports magazine, tall and muscular, his jaw cut as if straight from a chunk of granite. Even all those years ago, he’d been gorgeous, the perfect dream date for a teenager.
He’d also dated the sexiest women over the years. I’d seen his pictures inPeople Magazine. Correction. I’d drooled over the vivid images. He’d looked like a movie star while having dinner with the ‘it’ girl in Hollywood.
From what I could tell, he’d changed drastically, so much so I wouldn’t have recognized him if he hadn’t spoken. Sadly, his take-charge attitude hadn’t improved one bit.
I chastised myself all over again for my lurid thoughts. I’d dreamt about his gravelly voice that had always seemed too deep for his body. He’d filled my fantasies, even if I’d wanted to hate him. Now his muscles were chiseled to perfection, his hand large enough to wrap around my thighs.
I shivered from the thought, just as aroused as I’d been on the ballfield and the way the electricity had soared at the bar. I’d found myself staring at the hard-cut definition of his sweat-laden shirt as I sat at the end of the table, catching my brother’s watchful eye more than once. I’d wanted nothing more than to brush my hands over every inch of Viper’s powerful forearms and chest like a starving woman searching for the last crumbs of bread.
His ink was irresistible, detailing aspects of his life I had no clue about. While Mike had mentioned him often, I’d tried to ignore what was being said. When Viper had lifted his shirt to wipe sweat from his face, I’d caught a delicious glimpse of his exposed abs. Very few men made me swoon, but seeing the way the sweat had glistened off his six-pack as well as noticing the start of the deep V leading straight to nirvana had been enough to make my nipples harden.
My mind refabricated the moment he’d poured water over his head and I pressed my fingers against my mouth to keep from moaning out loud. I’d wanted nothing more than to lick the drops off every inch of his body.
Whew. I had to get the filthy thoughts out of my mind. I was here for only one reason. Protection. I couldn’t go to my brother because God knows he’d think he was man enough to take on the mob. I loved Mike, grateful for everything he’d done for me, but he wasn’t equipped to handle Dante.
But the man who now called himself Viper was. He was the epitome of dangerous, not only because of his skilled use of weaponry but also his affiliation with the Cosa Nostra in New York. I’d been shocked to hear the news, but after badgering Mike with questions early that morning, it had further fueled the budding plan in the back of my mind. If he was really the right-hand man of the syndicate, he could certainly handle the sleazy Torino organization with ease.
Mike had refused to leave him alone about his trips to New York, which had openly irritated the hell out of Viper, but I’d gleaned enough from overhearing to know it wasn’t just a casual rumor. The more beer my brother had consumed, the worse it had become. What his inebriation had allowed was for me to believe I had a possible chance of remaining alive with Viper’s help.
But I sensed Viper didn’t like me very much, the close proximity making us both uncomfortable. He’d done his best to ignore me the rest of the night after the Neanderthal had left. The only time I’d caught him staring at me was when some flunky guy had asked me to dance and I’d accepted after denying four men before. Maybe I’d wanted to see his reaction, which was childish but since he’d always treated me like a child, I’d wanted him to know I was all grown up.
I fisted my hands, quickly scanning the road in front of his house. At least it would be getting dark soon. As if the cover of darkness could keep monsters away. That’s when they came out to play, hungry for food and sex. I really was losing it, the three nights with little sleep robbing my mind of almost any rationality.
I’d experienced nothing but the creepy-crawlies since arriving in LA, which was ridiculous since I’d told no one where I was from. Still, I couldn’t put it past Dante to hire a tracker. Also, Mike would be easy enough to find, tenured at one of the local community colleges.
Take a deep breath.
Which I did.
Now exhale and count to five.
Which I struggled to do, the nerves still kicking my tail. I had it all worked out, at least for a week or so. The time would allow me to search for another job across the country. Maybe I’d finally try to use my art history degree. Of course, that was if Viper agreed to allow me to stay with him, which was dicey at best. I knew he had a very private life, so much so it had taken me a couple of hours to find his address.
I had a bad feeling he’d be pissed at me when he learned the truth, but I couldn’t return to Mike’s place under any circumstances. Even if I felt it was safe, he’d continue grilling me with questions, refusing to take no for an answer. Then everything would be ugly.
Or I should say uglier.
Here I was standing in a jacket with my hair under a ballcap on a sizzling afternoon to try to disguise myself. Who was I kidding? My bright red Ford gave me away easily. Maybe I could trade it in. The honest truth was I remained terrified, fearful that no matter what changes I made, one day the mob would hunt me down. Viper was the only chance I had at living a normal life.
After giving myself another pep talk, I headed for the door, determined to convince him to at least let me inside.
I knocked, chastising myself for doing so like a girl. I knew he was inside. I’d peeked into his massive garage. All three bays were filled with vehicles. When I heard nothing, I took another deep breath and started pounding on the door. When I still heard nothing, I took a glance through one of the frosted sidelights. Damn it. I couldn’t see anything.
After pounding several additional times, I tried the door, finding it locked. Of course as a security specialist he’d lock the door. I fisted it again, my hand already aching. Frustrated, I backed away, spinning around. It was a stupid idea anyway. What was I going to do? Maybe I’d head to Oregon and hide out. I obviously wasn’t thinking clearly.
It was obvious he had no desire to see me again. Maybe I could just hide out in his backyard until he appeared. At least I’d had the forethought of parking my truck down the road. Dante and his men wouldn’t shoot up the entire neighborhood, or so I hoped.
I scrambled down the stairs, racing toward the side of the house. There was a tall fence surrounding his backyard and it took me a few seconds to find the gate. Thank God it wasn’t locked from the inside. When I stepped inside, it was like going into an oasis. There was a huge kidney-shaped lagoon-style pool complete with a waterfall, the cabana house on one end highlighting an outdoor kitchen. Even the bathhouse was bigger than my apartment.
Viper had become a wealthy man. Maybe there was some truth to the fact he was now working for the Cosa Nostra out of New York. I wasn’t certain if that made me feel any better or much worse, but at this point beggars couldn’t be choosers. I certainly couldn’t go to the police. Dante owned everyone in Vegas and if his reputation was true, he also had a hold on every western state in the union. Trusting anyone outside the family was reckless.
Just like almost every decision I’d made in my life.
