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“Any idea how to spend my last hours on earth?”

He rolls his bottom lip through his teeth, which are impeccably white and perfect. For God’s sake, there has to be something wrong with him. He has a small dick, for sure, tocompensate for that big mouth of his. He’s clearly flirting or trying to seduce me. What he doesn’t know but is bound to find out is that I am immune to charms regardless of the sex.

“How do you usually like spending your time? Pick your favorite. You don’t have much left,” I offer with a sweet smile reeking of pretense as I sip from my glass.

His eyes zero in on my mouth, then he casts a glance at his watch, which I know is a limited-edition model that costs millions.

“I like to fuck, but something tells me I won’t be able to enjoy it while thinking there’s a killer out for me.”

I roll my eyes at him. “I can spare you a few minutes.”

And then the strangest thing happens. He throws his head back and laughs, a deep, heartfelt sound. Butterflies swarm my belly, flapping their wings erratically, upsetting my stomach with their unwelcome raid.

“A few minutes?” He clicks his tongue. “Clearly you haven’t been fucked properly.”

At all would be the better description.

I wave a hand through the air to appear unaffected. “Not interested.”

“I’ve heard that. Must have sucked to fail at the only thing you’re good at.”

I gasp, taken aback by the truth in his words, making me murderous with rage. My hand moves to my small clutch, blinded by the desire to slice his throat right here and now.

I am about to take out my small knife and thrust it into his chest when he bends over me. Lowering his head, his mouth isonly an inch from mine, causing my lips to tingle. His nearness short-circuits my brain so that I forget everything else for a moment.

“It wouldn’t look good on your track record if you follow that instinct. Hmm, am I riling you up, Luciana?”

My name out of his mouth is as decadent as chocolate and just as bad for your health, pouring over me in streams. I need to leave before I lose my damn mind in his presence. Every second, it gets harder to maintain control.

As if he notices my disheveled state, he asks, “Why are you here?”

With the change of topic, I gather my thoughts and escape the spell he put on me. It’s like everything about him is hypnotic, starting with his deep green eyes with flecks of blue that bore into me as if trying to peer into my soul—positively staggering.

“You’re here for me. I hoped you wouldn’t… I guess we’re at an impasse.”

That’s not good. That means he has people on the inside and was waiting for me.

I purse my lips, remaining silent, and sort through this new information.

“I haven’t gotten this far by being negligent, Luciana,” he says matter-of-factly.

So, he has spies in his cousin’s fold. He’s nothing like Adamo.

He picks up his glass just when I do, and in perfect synchrony, we lift them to our mouths.

I despise any kind of attention, even though it doesn’t look like it, but it’s more to satisfy my need to be the one thing men want and can’t have. When I go out, I go all out. But his attention hits differently. I don’t like it, but strangely I don’t despise it.

He lifts his hand, his intention clear. I suck in a breath, unable to open my mouth and stop him. His thumb presses into my chin, swiping gently but firmly, setting a fire that spreads through me, burning me up. Then he brings it to his mouth and licks the reddish drop clean. It must have run down the corner of my mouth without me noticing. It takes everything in me not to squirm in my seat as my thighs clench.

He’s really trying to seduce me. While my body seems to have no problem, I am glad my brain hasn’t forgotten its primary function.

“If you ever touch me again, you’ll lose more than your fingers,” I grit out.

“I apologize. You’re right. I don’t know what came over me,” he quickly says and retreats, putting some necessary distance between us.

I didn’t expect the apology, nor did I expect him to respect my wish.

“I don’t question my orders. I execute them,” I say, redirecting our conversation to safer topics.