Page 67 of His to Keep
The smartly dressed staff bustled through the kitchen and upper rooms, efficiently tending to each guest.
Freddy had briefed Lana on the importance of the evening. Jamie had to wrap up a mega business deal with the Italians. The likeminded men threw millions about like pocket change.
After months of ironing out the finer details, Falcone Construction was finally signing the dotted line to work alongside McGrath Industries. The deal would save the brothers millions.
Emilio was wealthy, one of the super rich. In Lana’s eyes that didn’t make him anymore attractive. Stripped of all his money and flashy materialistic items, he was just a man. A hot-blooded, sexy Italian male.
She smiled inwardly. Her hands rested on the wrought iron ledge as she gazed out to the mysterious dark ocean.
A gentle breeze caressed the loose tendrils teasing the curve of her lower back. A flurry of prickles cascaded down her spine as a large hand brushed down her arm.
Marcus.
If at all possible, her heart quadrupled, yet she remained adamant in her mission to move on, to stand tall and show zero emotion.
“You’re so beautiful.” He paused by her side. His smouldering gaze locked her side profile.
Giving him a sideward glance, she eyed his fresh, white shirt that hugged every inch of his muscular chest with a few buttons casually left open. His heady musky scent drifted through the breeze and caressed her senses like an affectionate lover.
His torso dipped, twisting a little to meet her gaze. “Come on, beautiful. Let me see those amazing blue eyes,” he said with a sultry timbre.
She smiled lightly, feeling the pull of his words like a lasso. He nudged her waist lightly with his elbow. “Lana…”
She turned into him and held her breath. His hot gaze lowered to her parted red lips. The green of his eyes twinkled wildly when her light sigh escaped with a soft groan.
She automatically titled into him, but a gap of mere inches kept them apart. Her body was deceiving her resolve. It gave into the invisible force tugging them together.
“Did you come here for business?” she asked softly, letting the words drift off as she lost herself in his devastatingly handsome face.
His sinful mouth curved upwards in that ever-so-sexy grin. His long fingers trailed away a loose tendril that caught in her lashes.
“We need to talk.” His hand retreated and her heart paused at the loss of contact.
“Now?” Helplessly, she tilted forward a fraction.
“Lana...I…” He paused, as if he wanted to say something important, then he cleared his throat.
“Hey, Lana!” Her trance was interrupted by Emilio’s Italian accent.
Her head flicked around to find Emilio by the door with his arms crossed and his hip dipped, leaning into the frame.
“We’ll talk later, when we’re alone,” Marcus growled. His mouth moved a breath away from her forehead.
“Why can’t we talk now, Marcus?” she whispered, captivated by the only man who could extract her heart and cut it wide open.
* * *
Marcus inhaled slowly,sucking in the tropical scent that emanated from her warm skin.
Tonight, he was going to take her back.
No bullshit.
He would win her heart, when the time was right. There was so much he had to say and so much needed to admit.
But worst of all, he had to tell her that Donna Marie was found dead with every hair on her head shaved off. His stomach twisted. That bastard, Reed, was at it again. It had to be him.
“I need to take care of business…” He stopped abruptly, burning his gaze into her face, trying to implant the words rather than say them out loud. “I have to help my brother wrap up his deal and then we’ll talk.” He looked down to his chunky gold watch.
