Collateral (Collateral Damage 1)

I release her wrists but remain close. Taking hold of the dress, I zip her, all the while keeping my eyes locked on hers.

When I’m finished, I step back.

She spins to face me. And she looks livid.

“I’ve never been one to do as I’m told, Stefan. Just ask my father.”

“I love a challenge, sweetheart.” I step backward, check my watch. “Where are your shoes?”

She points to the high-heeled sandals on the floor beside the bed.

“Case in point, you’re already obedient.” I’m referring to the flip-flop situation of the first night.

“You’re a dick.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

“Shocker.”

I can’t help my smile.

She sits on the bed and slides on her shoes. It’s when she’s bent and her bangs shift that I notice the bruise there.

“What happened to your forehead?”

As soon as I say it, she stiffens. She’s quick to fix her hair to cover the spot.

“Nothing.”

“Not nothing.” I go to her, brush the hair to one side to find a cut about an inch long. The skin around it is bluish and there’s a small bump.

“Leave it alone,” she says, trying to pull away. “It’s nothing.”

“You’re a bad liar. That’s a good thing, actually.”

“I bet you’re a great liar,” she counters.

I smile wide and press on the bruise harder than I need to. She sucks in a breath, wincing.

“What happened, little liar? How did you get this?”

“I tripped coming out of the tub.”

I watch her.

“That’s all,” she continues.

“When?”

“Last night.” She doesn’t quite look at me.

I don’t know why she’d lie about something like this.

“Well, be more careful. That’s two accidents in the same number of days.”

“Maybe it’s this house. Or you. Maybe being around you is dangerous for me.”

“I have no doubt.”

I don’t think she expects that response from me because she’s quiet for a long moment.

“How’s your hand?” she finally asks.

“It’ll be fine.”

“I didn’t mean to… I never intended on what happened to happen.”

“I know that.” I hold out my good hand, palm up. “Ready?”

She looks at it distrustfully. “Why are you taking me out?”

“Date night,” I say with a wink.

“Who’s the liar now?” she asks, placing her hand inside mine and letting me help her to her feet.25GabrielaStefan drives but we’re followed by two SUVs with two soldiers in each. His is a sleek black Bugatti, the only vehicle that’s not an SUV.

“Do you always have to have body guards?” I ask.

He shifts gears smoothly, maneuvering the car expertly if not a little too fast out of the gated property and onto the street. He glances at me before shifting his gaze to check the mirror as we merge into traffic.

“I have enemies who wouldn’t mind seeing me dead.”

“Besides my father?”

He looks at me, smiles and I can see the dimple on his cheek when he does. “Yes. We were once a very powerful family, then came our decline when Antonio betrayed my father and my father was ultimately killed because of that. Actually, they were both killed because of that. But over the last few years, I’ve managed to rebuild the Sabbioni family almost to what it once was and it’s only the beginning. But I’ve made enemies.”

“Why did your brother turn against your father?”

His jaw sets and he keeps his gaze out the front windshield. “That’s a very ugly story that involves your father.” He finally looks at me. “I won’t stain what affection you have for him with that one.”

“I’m not sure you can tell me anything that would surprise me.”

“Don’t be so sure.”

“And I have no affection that you could stain.”

“No matter what, he’s your father.”

“He’s a monster.”

We pull into the city and one of the SUVs in our entourage pulls up to pass Stefan. I watch as we follow him, and the other SUV follows us.

They’re experienced at this. It’s a smooth ride as we drive up to a house on a dark street outside the center and a garage door is opened. Stefan pulls in, parks the Bugatti. He kills the engine and steps out.

I step out on my side and watch as he talks to the driver of one of the other cars who meets him at the edge of the garage. They discuss something too quietly for me to hear before Stefan turns to me.

“Come.”

He gestures to the SUV where the man he was just talking to opens the back door. The driver is still inside with the engine running and the second SUV is idling at the end of the street.

I get in and slide over to the other side as Stefan climbs in beside me. It feels strangely intimate, this small act. Almost more so than what happened in the bedroom. I don’t know why I think this, but I watch him as the door closes and he takes in the surroundings, the dark night.

When his eyes find mine, he gives me an almost reassuring nod.