“Do you want to go out some time? With me I mean?”
I had to tread carefully here, I didn’t want to cause any drama, well anymore drama than I already had.
“Vinnie, I don’t think that would be a good idea do you?”
He hung his head but didn’t reply.
“You’re a good guy but I’m not in the market for one of those right now. I’m sorry.”
He looked up at me, his eyes were bloodshot from the night before. I had no idea he’d drunk quite so much, if I had I would have reigned in my sexy sassy dancing up against him.
“You’re right Chloe, I get it…I do. If anything changes though…”
I gave a short laugh, “You’ll be the first to know.” I finished for him.
“So friends?” Vinnie asked raising his one brow at me.
“Always.” I said standing up and patting him on the shoulder as I walked away, then I twirled around and gave it one last try.
“Any chance I can borrow your phone to call my friend? I wouldn’t tell anyone it’d only be to check in with her.”
Vinnie shook his head and grinned up at me.
“You never give up do you?”
“No, not me. Never.” I wiggled my eye brows knowing my eyes were sparkling at him right now and doing their best ‘please give in to me’ look.
“Sorry Chloe, that’s never gonna happen.”
I shrugged, “Oh well, was worth a try.” He laughed as I sauntered away from him.
Vinnie was a good guy, I had meant that, but he wouldn’t have the first clue how to deal with someone like me. I had a stronger character than him, I’d have killed his male ego and pussy whipped him within days if we were together. I needed someone who could stand up to me and all the bullshit that seemed to follow me around. Someone with bags more testosterone than Vinnie was packing. I liked a challenge and I needed someone who could challenge me mentally, and emotionally; keep me on my toes and make me feel alive. I’d already found that guy but he still couldn’t see me. I doubted he ever would. I guess that ship had already sailed.
Later that afternoon when Luca finally showed up, he walked straight past me sitting in the living room and went straight upstairs. Even just entering a room he sucked all the air out of it for me, making it impossible to breathe and turning my fragile equilibrium into a hormonal frenzy. He didn’t even glance my way or acknowledge my presence, that’s how much I figured on his radar, but he held the bloody remote control to mine. A fact he was oblivious to or possibly just didn’t care. Two minutes after that Marco followed behind him and put a bag of Chinese food in front of me, the delicious aromas wafting out of the bag sent my taste buds crazy.
“Boss got you this, said it’s your favourite, and no you can’t borrow my phone.” He stated and then walked straight back out of the house and drove away as I rolled my eyes at his assumption I would ever ask him for a ‘secret’ favour.
Inside was my favourite Kung Pao chicken with spring rolls and fried rice. What the hell was all that about? He couldn’t even say ‘Hi’ to me but he thought about me on the way home and stopped to pick up my favourite takeaway? Head fuck central right there, radars and control all over the fucking place. I drifted in a daze into the kitchen to plate up the food and sat in front of the TV watching Netflix and consuming every last mouthful of deliciousness.
Then I headed back up to my room and fell asleep feeling dazed and confused about what was going on here. I felt like I was drowning and he kept pulling me back out only to push my head back under again. Some might call it sweet torture. I just called it downright cruel. It was time to up my game and reinforce my armour. I was no one’s object to toy around with, least of all his. As much as Luca Marquez sent my desires spiralling out of control, and my body into meltdown, my head was blaring the warning sirens; protect your heart Chloe. Protect you.
A few days later whilst I was sunning myself by the pool in a gold string bikini that Gina had expertly chosen for me, I noticed Luca standing at the door watching me. Was he checking me out? From the way he seemed to ‘arrange’ himself in his trousers before he walked out I would have said so. I had noticed a few sly glances my way just lately, looks that sent prickles over my skin and tremors through my body. I had put it down to him thinking, plotting ways to wrap up this whole Sanchez saga and get me out from under his feet. His facial expressions never gave any hint to how he was feeling, apart from perpetually pissed off with the world. When he came over and spoke, my suspicions were confirmed.
“I’ve put something in place today. Something to keep Sanchez sweet and off your back. I just thought I’d let you know.”
He didn’t look at me as he spoke, instead he stared at the pool. I couldn’t take my eyes off him though. How did he always look so deliciously sinful and fuckable despite being in a constantly shitty mood? He really had the whole bad boy package down; the swagger and tense, aggressive, unattainable allure that women loved to hate but always fell for every single time. He’d had it when he was nineteen and I’d followed him mercilessly like a love sick puppy, but he literally oozed it now and I had to look away. He was the fire and I was the proverbial moth to the flame.
“Thanks, does that mean I’ll be free to go about my life again?” He didn’t turn to face me.
“It might take a little longer than a few days but it’s being dealt with.”
Then he stalked away again into the house as I stared at his tight ass which looked so yummy and biteable in his jeans. He’d left me with a million and one questions that I wanted to ask but felt I couldn’t. Not to him anyway, he was seriously distracting me from my shit just lately. He was unsettling my yen or chakra or whatever the fuck people called it these days.
I stood up and sauntered into the house, my head full of whys and what ifs. I found a few of Luca’s men waiting on him in the living area and when I noticed Vinnie loitering around I beckoned him over to me to talk quietly away from the others.
“What’s going on Vinnie?”
“To be honest with you Chloe I have no idea. Boss never shares private business with us, but something big is going down I know that much. Security at the club and here is being stepped up, especially around you.”