Shattered Prince

“What’s this weekend?”

“Cap and Mal are getting married. I need a date for the wedding.” He leaned close and ran a thumb down my lips. I sucked in a surprised breath and felt his touch like a tingle of pleasure. “You’ll need a dress.”

“You want me to be your date?”

“Only if you’re willing.”

“I’ll come.”

He smiled and turned away. I felt like I could finally breathe again. “Good. I’ll leave some money with Oscar and have him take you shopping wherever you want. Get something nice. Blow me away.”

He stepped into his room and closed the door behind him.

I slumped back, breathing hard. Sweat prickled along my arms and down my back.

He wanted me to be his date.

It was some kind of test and I had no clue how to pass.

But it was a first step toward getting closer to him.

Only I didn’t want to go out of some obligation to Oscar. I didn’t want to press Carmine for information. I liked Cap. I liked this little world I’d found. I didn’t want to ruin it all by feeding that monster.

Except I didn’t have a choice. I blinked back tears as I looked down the hall.

Oscar stood there, grinning.

I turned away, feeling the tears roll down my cheeks as I hurried into my bedroom and shut the door, locking it tight.

Chapter 10

Carmine

I didn’t know why I asked Jules to be my date.

I planned on going alone. I didn’t need a woman on my arm to enjoy the wedding of my two best friends. Really, it would’ve been easier to go stag.

But there was something in her eyes. I couldn’t tell what it was. Desire, desperation? Maybe a little bit of both. She was hiding something, and I wanted to know what.

Still wasn’t a good reason to bring her.

Hell, I couldn’t help myself. The girl did something to me. It was stupid and brainless, but the way she talked to me sent a fire of pure, white-hot want raging down my spine. I shouldn’t have touched her the way I did—shouldn’t have grabbed her wrists and pinned her there—but that was nothing compared to what I actually wanted to do. She was lucky I held back.

But god damn, she was a problem. A real problem, and she was hiding something.

I checked my watch as I waited by the elevator. “Jules,” I called. “We’re running late.”

“Coming!” Her voice drifted down the hall.

Her bodyguard, Oscar, lounged in the living room. I narrowed my eyes at him and he grinned back. The fucker was a little too familiar for my taste, and Jules didn’t seem to like him. In fact, she did her best to avoid him when possible. I might’ve been distracted by running a mafia war while rebuilding my family’s empire, but I wasn’t too stupid to notice that. But then again, he was the man her father had sent, and if her own family trusted him, then maybe I should too.

Still. Something was off.

All worry was blasted from my head when Jules came around the corner and smiled.

The dress was green. A dark green that made her light brown skin practically glow. It had a long, draped skirt that hung down from her hips and a long slit up mid-thigh. I caught a peek of a long, toned leg, and my cock twitched with blinding need. The neckline plunged, showing off a borderline inappropriate amount of cleavage, and all I could think of was burying myself between those beautiful, full breasts, and taking one nipple between my teeth. Her hair was up in a messy, loose braided bun, and her makeup was understated but perfect, and she looked like heaven, like absolute fucking heaven.

I’d seen beautiful women in my life. I’d fucked plenty of them. Beautiful women didn’t make my jaw drop.

Jules made me stare.

She blushed as she held a little black clutch up to her chest. “What?” she asked, smiling. “Is this okay?” She swirled her skirt.

I took a few steps closer. “Okay? That dress is fucking incredible. You look stunning.”

She bit her lip. “Are you messing with me?”

“No, absolutely not.” I stood a few inches away from her, staring at her lips, covered only with a hint of Chapstick. “You’re perfect.”

“Thank you,” she said, blinking up at me.

I held her gaze for a long moment. Horrible, dirty, filthy thoughts flitted through my mind. Did I really need to go to the wedding of my two best friends? I could skip it. They’d understand, especially if they saw Jules in this dress. I couldn’t let her leave my apartment looking like that, not without stripping her down and taking her first.

A motion caught my eye. Oscar, standing up. His grin was massive and knowing. He winked at me. The fucker had the audacity to wink.

Well, that ruined the moment.

“We should get going,” I said, turning away.