Page 810 of One More Kiss

So fleeting, if I hadn’t been carefully watching her, I might have missed it. She opened those beautiful eyes and seemed pleased to see me. There was a look of wonder and interest in her eyes I couldn't imagine ever having seen in a woman's gaze before. Then her gaze became shuttered as the grogginess of slumber left her and reality crashed in. I was back to being the dangerous captor who'd kidnapped her and threatened to put a bullet in her head.

My chest ached. I wanted that moment back, that half second where I was a man and perhaps the hero in her story and not the villain.

Clearing my throat, I gestured to the bathroom. “Get dressed.”

She sat up on the bed. Her ruffled hair fell in waves over her shoulders. I wanted to grab the silky lengths and pull her in for a kiss, but resisted.

She avoided my gaze as she played with a loose thread on the bedspread. “If — when I do this for you. Will you let me go?”

The plan was to kill her. She was a witness. I never left witnesses.

Rising, I turned my back on her. “Just get dressed.”

I listened to her shuffling off the bed and moving into the bathroom as I pulled my T-shirt over my head and reached for the garment bag, which held my tuxedo.

Twenty minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom and my heart stopped.

She looked beautiful. The Alfred Sung sapphire blue sateen twill dress was stunning in its simplicity. There were no frills, beads, or sequins, nothing to distract from Avery’s natural beauty. Just a sleeveless V-neck bodice with a basic high-low hem. The color perfectly matched her eyes and made her creamy pale skin glow, as I knew it would. I had learned at an early age that a true man learned what looked good on a woman in both dresses and jewelry. It felt as if I had refined my tastes to lead up to this moment.

She smoothed the skirt down over her front and hips and then ran her hand over her hair. “I’m sorry. This is the best I can do.”

I had been the monster to kidnap her and force her into the dangerous subterfuge tonight, and she was apologizing to me for not looking what she thought was her best. She really was a unique and gentle soul. Too good for me to even be breathing the same air as her.

I cocked my head to the side. “Almost but not quite.” Opening the Cartier box, I picked up the diamond necklace and stepped toward Avery.

She backed away. Holding up her palm, she shook her head as she stared at the platinum and diamond cascade necklace I was holding. “I can’t wear that.”

My brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“It’s too expensive.”

“A woman on the arm of Dante Agnello is expected to be in diamonds. Now lift your hair.”

My cock stirred at the sight of her exposed neck as she lifted up her honey brown curls. What the fuck was wrong with me? I was acting like a schoolboy about to blow his first load. Lifting the necklace over her head, my fingertips skimmed her delicate skin as I fastened it.

She crossed to the mirror and caressed the necklace, staring at it in wonder. I couldn’t remember the last time a woman had reacted to a diamond necklace gift like that. Usually, they had to restrain themselves from whipping out a jeweler’s loupe and asking for the full carat weight. It was refreshing to watch a pure unjaded reaction. Once again reminding myself that she was a means to an end and nothing more, I wrapped my hand around Avery’s upper arm and half dragged her out of the room.

While we were in the elevator, I cornered her, placing my hands on either side of her head. The security cameras would assume it was a lover’s tryst. I bent low and whispered into her ear, “If you don’t do precisely what I say when I say it, there will be consequences, do you understand?”

Her gaze went to my mouth before she answered, “Yes.”

“Yes, what?”

“Yes, Dante.”

Fuck, I loved the sound of my name on her lips. I wanted to taste it, but knew now was not the time.

The elevator doors opened. I placed her hand within the crook of my arm and headed toward the soft murmur of voices and music.

If all went well, by the end of the night I would have recovered all my stolen money.

The only loose end to take care of after that was Avery.

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