Page 36

* * *

The swim has leftme famished. Fresh from my shower, I head down to the kitchen to fix myself a sandwich and find myself face to face with Dante and Helga speaking in hushed tones. They look up as I rather noisily enter the kitchen, both looking guilty, with Dante the first to right himself and adopt a neutral tone.

“Helga will bring us lunch in the garden,” Dante says, stopping me in my tracks as I walk toward the fridge.

“No need. I’ll just make myself a sandwich.”

He arches his eyebrows, daring me with one look to challenge him again. He has discarded the jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, displaying strong muscular arms roped with dark veins running up the insides of them. This man does some serious workouts to have muscles that tight.

Dante follows my eyes to his arms, his eyebrows shooting through his forehead in surprise at the interest I’m showing in him. I choke down more embarrassment and turn to leave, mentally kicking myself for my naivety. Good girls don’t stare. At beautiful men’s arms. They just don’t.

“The garden in fifteen,” he calls after me, as I walk briskly out of the kitchen.

* * *

Dante riseswhen I approach him at the wrought iron table in the middle of the rose garden. He has changed into slacks and a black t-shirt. With short sleeves. That show off more of his muscles. Like he is deliberately trying to tempt me. This is so not going to work in my favor. I gulp back and swallow the involuntary lump that lodges in my throat as I walk toward the table. Dante knows exactly what he is doing.

“I hope you like chicken,” Dante says, as Helga wheels out a trolley and sets trays on the table.

I nod and look down at the chicken breast stuffed with cheese. I’m sure the stars in my eyes are answer enough as I start to eat. Helga really knows her way around food.

“You’ve been MIA,” I point out.

“Some work I had to take care of.”

“Any movement on who attacked us?”

“Who attackedyou,” he corrects. “And my men by extension.”

I ignore the accusation in his tone.

“So are you any closer to knowing who it was?”

“A faction of the Savages that’s broken ranks. Rogues.”

“And?”

“And I have men out looking for them. Once they’re found and dealt with, you can go home.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that. Eliminating them should eliminate your problem.”

33

KINGSLEY

Icontinue eating my food in silence, opting not to ask any more questions. I’ve been bored beyond belief holed up in this house. But what is there left for me to go back home to? My father is gone. I don’t really have any friends here. No relatives to speak of. Tate will be fired the day I get back– no reason I should put up with his bullshit any longer. I will hire my own security detail. Brand new, fresh blood. Maybe I’d get lucky and find a female to run the show; men always have a way of ruining things. I’d hire a team of advisors and make some sound investments. Maybe I could even start my own charity, or a foundation in my father’s memory.

“Where did you go, Moneybags?”

I turn at his voice. Dante is standing next to my chair, watching me carefully. At which point did he get out of his chair and come to my side without me noticing? I lift my head until my eyes meet his. Such beautiful, unfathomable eyes. The colour of molten honey.

“You were a million miles away.”

He speaks softly, caressing my skin with his rich, decadent voice. I could die and come back to life on that sound alone. Everything about him is pure, unadulterated perfection, and his proximity is eviscerating me.

“I think I ate too much. I need to walk it off.”