Page 357 of Sinfully Savage Mafia

Jameson grabs his phone from his pocket and peers at the flashing screen. He holds it up and looks at his friend. “I’m gonna take this outside.” He disappears through the front door, leaving me with he who shall remain nameless.

Gio has a hint of an Italian accent, so I know he’s not American. And my God, I’ve never seen eyes like his. They pop against his deep olive skin, so mesmerizing, I find it hard to drag my own gaze away from his. They root me to the spot, so piercing, so penetrating, sizzling every inch of skin as they travel the length of my body.

In another life, one where I have a normal existence and backstory, I would melt under his fiery sapphire stare.

But in my current state, I can’t give in to the temptation, no matter how strong it is.

My job is too important, and it doesn’t make accommodations for low-level thugs who carry out petty revenge plots.

I don’t know why they were really looking for Vigo.

And since Vigo is dead, I guess it really doesn’t matter.

I accomplished my objective, and that’s the most important takeaway.

He leans toward me, close enough that his spicy cologne wafts in the air between us, intoxicating me to the point where if he asked me my name, I’d have to force myself to recall my alias.

“So, I saved your life tonight,” he murmurs.

“It would appear so,” I rasp as he trails a finger down the side of my arm.

“It’s interesting that the killer didn’t slit your throat, too,” he whispers against my ear, sending tiny chills shuttling down my spine.

“I begged him not to,” I say. “And I guess he wanted to get out of there fast.”

“Still.” His fingers scorch a path down the back of my dress, stopping right at the small of my back. “Even a complete amateur wouldn’t have left the murder weapon behind, especially with an eyewitness.”

I recoil, my eyes popping open wide. “What the hell are you implying?” I gasp.

Gio shrugs, looping his fingers into the shoulder straps of my dress. My nipples peak under the fabric from the chills induced by his persistent and deliciously invasive touch. “It just seems odd that he didn’t kill you, too.” He stares at me, those blue eyes darkening with suspicion. “But who knows? The guy could have been a complete fucking moron who’d never done a job like that before. There are plenty of sloppy hit men. They don’t last too long in the field, you know what I mean?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen a lot of—” And then I snap my mouth closed, realizing I just took his fucking bait. Sonofabitch! Two sips of vodka plus a goddamn lusty haze and I’m rendered a complete airhead?

“I bet you have,” he growls, pressing himself up against me. I swallow a yelp as he backs me against the bar, something thick and hard pressed against me. Is that…?

Oh, yes, it fuckingis.

I bite down hard on my lower lip, locking my legs together. Holy Christ, what is happening to me right now? Inexplicable desire for this stranger floods my body, heat swirling in my belly and exploding out to every extremity under his hungry stare.

“What are you doing?” I gasp, making sure that my words are thickly laced with my accent. I may be overcompensating a bit, but I have to keep up this ruse if I have any shot of getting out of here.

His hands attach themselves to my hips and I flash my eyes in defiance. “You already know what’s underneath this dress,” I hiss, unable to control my temper this time. “Remember?”

“Maybe I wanted to do a second check, just to make sure,” he grunts in reply, his fingertips digging into my flesh.

“Do you second guess yourself often?” I ask, his lips hovering over mine.

“Never.”

Oh,no…

I take in a sharp breath, drinking in his masculine scent and letting it infuse me, one cell at a time. Goosebumps shoot up my arms and down my legs, and my hands suddenly find their way around his waist, then around his back…

Shit, this has to stop!

But I am rendered utterly powerless under his hungry gaze because my body’s appetite is equally voracious.

“Tell me who you really are.” His voice rumbles through me like a wave gathering force as it barrels toward the shore.

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