Page 19 of Stolen Kisses
The scar on her neck looked nasty and like someone gave it to her. I really hoped not.
Gio pulled in a deep breath and sighed. “So, that’s it? A woman you’ve had the hots for, forever rolls back in town and you not gonna do something bout it?”
I templed my fingers and smiled.
This would be a big distraction. Maria was the one woman I never had and wanted.
The woman who was never mine. There was a difference between wanting someone and they fend you off because they didn’t want you. I didn’t deal with that, never happened to me because I used my looks to get what I wanted.
When that woman was playing hard to get …
That was a whole other story. It was a game; a chase.
It was the eyes that gave her away. Even when she was all loved up with Luc, she still gave me that look with that spark. It was there last night and she wasn’t Luc’s anymore.
“No, I’m going to do something. Got to find her first.” I nodded.
“Well, it’s not like you don’t know where to look.” Gio grinned.
Her aunt’s place, I would start there tomorrow.
Chapter 6
Dante
* * *
Iwaited until noon before I decided to head back down a path I’d been too many times. Not for the brothel like most men could say who’d come to this area.
Things went on in that brothel that sickened me. I didn’t know what the fuck kind of sick mind Vira had, but she was seriously screwed in the brain.
She was the kind of woman to take in under-aged girls who were desperate for money. There was in incident a long time ago where a fourteen year old overdosed on heroine in that house. She didn’t die, but it opened the door to what was going on in Vira’s business.
The house was one of the few business places around here that wasn’t owned by Raphael. Vira had paid up her mortgage to him and had it all in her control. He still had some power though over her, because he threatened to put her out of business.
Claudius, I knew would have just burned the place down then deal with the consequences after.
The place was about fifteen minutes’ walk from Fortegra.
I hated this part of town. All the apartment buildings looked like dives.
Thank fuck I didn’t have to get too close, because as soon as I turned the corner to go down the road Vira lived, platinum blond hair caught my attention.
That hair could stop traffic, because it looked like a mass of light.
Then you saw Maria’s face and got sucked into her beauty. Her body next would draw you in.
Maria had the kind of body built for sin. Massive round breasts that could get a man in trouble, slim hips that tapered into elegant long legs and skin that shimmered in the sun. Dressed in a simple pair of denim shorts and a tank top she looked like a goddess.
Way back when, even before she was Luc’s girl, I knew she would be the kind of girl who’d be reserved for the best guys. Back when I thought I shouldn’t be looking at my little sisters bestest of friends. The four year age difference bothered me, particularly when we were kids in school. I met her when she was eight. It wasn’t until Maria turned twelve however that I took notice. Me with my fucking sixteen year old hot head.
Age consumed me when I saw her talking to a guy that was old enough to be our dad. Later she was with Luc who was seven years older. At the time I wondered if I’d missed the boat with my nonsense about age. Then I realized I was fixated on the wrong thing with this girl. She was after the perpetual alpha male— the strongest, richest, baddest.
I didn’t know what her flavor was these days.
She’d been standing by a tree watching something.
As I got closer I realized she was watching someone. A little dark haired boy who reminded me of Luc’s kid Raphael, who’d just turned five. This kid looked like he was about that age too.
