Page 43 of Vicious Souls

My father never involves himself in how I am conducting my business. He may at times ask that I do some rather dubious things, but for the most part, he leaves me to my own devices. He is well aware what I have given up to go into the family business and see us into a new era. I have gone against every one of the moral principles I have to make him happy. He knows very well that if he goes against my choices, I will walk away. I can always go back to the life I had mapped out and planned for myself. A simpler life. A better life. His ire would only serve to push me in that direction. And then he would lose everything. Everything that remained.

“She’s a liability.”

“You may see it that way, father. But she’s now my responsibility.”

“How so?”

“She’s under my care.”

“Even knowing there’s a bounty on her head for God-knows-what-she’s done?” my father fixes his questioning eyes on me.

“Especially for this reason. She needs protection and we can offer her that protection.”

“We’re not in the security business, Dante.” My father is fast losing his patience. I know this stems from his instinct to protect me over Kingsley – I found myself riddled with bullets because of something concerning her, not through my own efforts. He had not so long ago been advocating for her protection, but now that push had come to shove, he was willing to sacrifice her to ensure his own son’s safety first and foremost. Something that did not sit quite well with me.

“No, we’re not,” I agree. “But neither are we in the habit of finding a woman in trouble and throwing her to the wolves. I will not have her death on my conscience.”

“You’re losing sight of the bigger picture here, Dante.”

“There is no bigger picture without Kingsley,” I tell him. “And if you stop for one moment to consider the possibilities, you would realize that the bigger picture lies not only in the plan we had, but in all the prospects that could arise from having her here.”

“On what premise?”

“Whatever premise that may be. She’s here under my protection. I will not allow one hair on her head to be harmed.”

39

KINGSLEY

Iam trying my hardest to stay out of Dante’s way. I know that in the time since he was shot, he’s missed out on a lot of his work and has to catch up. I also know that facing him after that kiss we shared yesterday will take some effort. I don’t know how I feel about the kiss. It had been totally unexpected, yet not unwelcome. It is strange to feel that the man who has imprisoned me now has an effect on me. I also wonder if the interaction for him had come from a need to feel connected to something after what he had been through. Almost dying can do that to a person. Perhaps he was feeling especially vulnerable after almost tasting death, and in a moment of weakness, I was the only woman available to make him feel alive once again. I am paralyzed with fear that that’s what he is feeling. The matter of our shared kiss has taken up a considerable amount of my time yesterday and this morning, and it refuses to take a back row seat as the day wears on.

As is his habit, Dante’s shadow eclipses the sun and throws darkness over me as I sit outside reading a book. I look up, surprised to see him outside, my breath catching as I notice the darkness in his eyes. Fire emanates from him as he continues to stare down at me, his gaze so focused I am finding it hard to breathe.

Dante on a normal day is mesmerizing. When he wears all black, perfectly tailored pants and shirt that show off tanned sexy arms, he is breathtaking. A handsome man who makes my heart stutter and my soul tremble with desire.

“You didn’t come when I sent for you,” he says, looking for an explanation. Yes, he’d sent for me earlier, and I’d told a stern faced Helga to let him know I’d be up shortly. Then I’d promptly discarded the thought of seeing him and continued reading my book. He doesn’t need to know that I am still on the same page I’d been on two hours ago, unable to move past the same sentence that I keep reading over and over again.

“You need to rest.”

The way his shimmering whisky eyes pierce into me tells me he doesn’t for one minute believe that’s why I have stayed away. He sits down on the edge of the sun lounge beside mine and pulls my lounge closer to him until his knees are almost touching me. I feel naked and exposed, vulnerable even, in my position laying down. I rise, throwing my legs over the side of the lounge, until we sit face to face, my gaze matching his.

“I know what I want, Kingsley.”

His voice is like rich, decadent chocolate soothing my soul. The way he says my name raises goosebumps along my skin. I struggle to breathe through the damage he is inflicting upon my heart. It is so obvious Dante is aware of the effect he is having on me, because he leans forward until his lips graze my ear, his breath skating against my skin. I hold my breath as I wait for him to continue.

“You can try all you want to ignore and deny what’s happening between us here.” He throws his hand back and forth in the space between us. “But I guarantee you, there’s nowhere for you to run and hide where I won’t find you.”

I try for a response, but my voice catches in my throat. What do I say to that? Dante has already made up his mind, and there is no changing it. One way or another, he is coming for me, and he is determined to make me his, regardless of what I want.

* * *

“Tomas Wojcak– does the name mean anything to you?”

I look at Dante then take a moment to think before I shake my head. I haven’t heard the name before.

“I need to ask you something, and I want you to be totally honest with me.”

“I’ve always been honest with you.”

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