Captured by the Criminal (Taken)

“What are you really doing here?”

“I’m here on business, like I said. Nothing more.” I glance at Bianca and Gino across the room. “I thought they’d be married by now.”

Don follows my line of sight and sighs. “She keeps pushing the wedding back.”

I nearly choke on my whiskey. That’s my girl. “Sounds like her.”

“I told them to pick a date.”

Pity that’ll never happen, because Bianca will be with me. I set my empty tumbler on the bar and motion for a refill. “Perfect.”

A woman in a sparkling blue dress summons Don, and he slaps my shoulder. “On Monday, come by my office. I’d like to talk to you more.”

I tip my chin to him as he walks away. “Sure thing.”

It’s almost shameful how easily the lies roll across my lips. There won’t be a meeting on Monday. I won’t even be stateside.

Bianca’s jade eyes meet mine from across the room, and I raise my drink to her, admiring her delectable curves. Wanting more than anything to have one tiny taste.

Fuck.

Soon.

I can tell she’s trying to get away from Gino’s clutches so she can talk with me more. I’m sure she has tons of questions.

I have my own questions too.

I swipe the dessert as she finally escapes from Gino and glides toward me, giving me a glimpse of golden skin and luscious thigh through the slit of her dress. She stops a foot away.

I glance over her shoulder at the security men never far behind her. “Can we talk in private?”

She looks up at me and I can see the questions swirling in her emerald eyes. I walk out the door to the courtyard, hoping she follows.

A few minutes later, heels click across the tiled patio.

“Ok, I told my guards to give me some privacy,” Bianca says as I keep my back to her, pretending I’m fascinated by the lush garden of this ritzy hotel.

“I got this for you.” I turn and hold out the cannoli resting on a bar napkin.

Her eyes light up. “You didn’t need to get that for me.”

“A man should never deny a woman dessert.” I nudge the sweet in her direction.

She stares at it for a moment, contemplating. “I really shouldn't. I’ll need to fit into my wedding dress.”

This pisses me off and I step closer. “Fuck that guy for making you feel like you can’t have a damn cannoli.”

Her eyes drink me in. “A moment on the lips…” She reaches for the dessert but I pull it back, closing the gap between us.

“Allow me.”

She blinks. “What?”

“Close your eyes and open that pretty fucking mouth for me.”

Her eyes widen and she does as I say. Her lashes flutter closed and her lips part. My dick takes notice of how perfect she looks right now.

I place the edge of the cannoli against her mouth and her pink tongue licks the cream. Fuck.

She takes a dainty bite and her eyes open as she chews. “Mm,” she says, and the faint sound vibrates through my bones, straight to my cock.

I swipe a dollop of filling onto the tip of my index finger and lift it to her lips, wanting nothing more than to kiss them. “Open up.”

Her green eyes gaze into mine, but she does as I say and I push my finger into her mouth. I let out a rough groan as she sucks my finger clean and lets it slowly slide out of her mouth, never breaking eye contact.

“That’s a good girl,” I murmur, so fucking close to her mouth. I want to kiss her, and show her she’s mine, but she’s not ready for that yet.

“What are you really doing here tonight?” she whispers, her voice shaky, sounding far away.

I set the cannoli on a nearby table. “I’m here to collect something.”

She blinks. “Collect what?”

I close the distance between us, wrapping an arm around her. “You.”

Four

Bianca

* * *

How young is too young to be in love? Juliet was only thirteen when she fell in love with Romeo. Thirteen.

I think I fell in love with Costi when I was nine years old. Obviously, I didn’t understand the concept of love, but I understood Costi was my person. The one person in my life who knew it all. We had no secrets between us. We shared everything, and he made me smile more than anyone else.

Sure, boys were gross at that age, but I knew deep in my marrow he was my other half in this world.

That was ages ago, though.

I don’t know him now, and I can’t stop staring at him, trying to figure it all out.

“What do you mean you’re here to collect me?” My heart pounds in my chest.

His dark eyes cast a spell over me, the same way they did when we were younger. “I’m here for you.”

I swallow. I have so many questions like what? Why? How? But the only thing that falls from my lips is his name, “Costi…”