Page 25 of Dangerous Men (Fortune City Mafia #1)

“Don’t let Doc get to you. He worries too much,” Ash says, eyes twinkling with amusement. It feels like a joke I’m not in on, and I don’t get the sense that the other man at the table is worried at all. I glance at him and look quickly away. Annoyed. He seems annoyed .

Ash gets to his feet, coming to stand next to me.

He’s a giant of a man, and though he should feel intimidating, somehow he doesn’t.

There’s something comforting about his presence, and his size just adds to that.

He’s like a giant teddy bear. “But… you would tell us if you weren’t feeling tiptop, right, Babygirl? If you were dizzy or?— ”

“Sore?” Alec provides in a soft growl, his dark gaze burning into mine.

My quick intake of breath is a little too loud.

“See? I told you she’s flushed.” Sebastian stands and walks around the table, shouldering Ash out of the way with a glare, and turning me to face him. His hand is cold against my skin. I blink up at him, looking past his glasses and straight into the coldest eyes I’ve ever seen.

“Did I call you handsome?” I ask breathlessly, the tipsy memory leaping into my consciousness, pulled there by those eyes. “Last night, I mean.”

Sebastian's jaw tightens. His mask of indifference shifts just a little, and something more than irritation flashes across his face.

“You did,” he confirms.

“Oh.” My blush grows. Great. Way to objectify a man I’d never even spoken to before. A professional just doing his job. No wonder he’s abrupt with me. “I’m sorry. That was inappropriate. I?—”

“You should stop apologizing so much,” he dismisses me. “It dilutes the effect when you don’t mean it.” His fingers move to my neck, pressing against my pulse. I fight a sudden urge to lean into it, a flash of unexpected heat racing through me. I swallow.

“So… Sebastian. Seb.”

“Sebastian is fine,” he says.

“Seb.” I get a perverse thrill at the way a muscle in his jaw flexes when I say it, a small line forming between his brows. “How, uh… how do you know Alec and Ashton?” I ask.

The question seems to throw him, his eyes flicking briefly to mine before they dart away again.

“We work together,” he says, simply. Then his hand is gone, and he’s stepping back away from me a little too quickly and walking back to his seat. “You’re fine. Your pulse is stable,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.

Ash laughs, shoulders shaking with the force of it, as Sebastian sits down and pulls out a laptop from the bag at his feet. He sets it up on the table in front of him, completely detaching himself from the conversation.

“Thanks. I guess,” I murmur.

With his eyes fixed on the screen, fingers moving rapidly as he types, Sebastian doesn’t give me a second thought. I frown, feeling suddenly unwelcome. “Well…I should get back to work.”

“Don’t let us keep you,” Alec says softly. The tone is polite, but when I look into his eyes, there’s a dark hunger there. He leans back in the chair, crossing one ankle over his knee, gaze boring into me.

I wonder what he must think of me. What he must think of the woman who was so easily lured into his bed. I feel uncomfortable in my skin suddenly.

“Good to, um, see you all. Again, I mean.” I finish.

I’m less than three steps away when I hear Sebastian’s voice. “You’re scaring her away, you know.” And then, a heartbeat later, “She’s a bad match for you, anyway. Too weak. Fragile. ”

I keep walking, but my hands clench at my sides. Asshole .

Ash groans slightly behind me, like he’s stretching.

“Like you know anything about women, Doc,” he says.

They stay until close.

I catch myself watching them while I work, nervously making my way up to the café section of our shop every few minutes to check and see if they’re still there .

They are, all three of them, all seated around the same table, chatting quietly amongst themselves. At least they’re supporting the store. Every time I sneak a glance, their little table is full of drinks and food from the café. I make a mental note to ask Jade if they’re tipping well.

I don’t speak to any of them again until just before we lock the doors for the night. We’re getting ready to shoo the last of our customers toward the door when Alec comes up to the register, a stack of hardcover books in hand.

I hate to admit it, but I have appreciated the extra income he’s been bringing to our store. But now that we’ve fooled around, it feels a little too transactional. Like I’m being bought.

I’m acutely aware of his gaze as I ring up his purchases and swipe his credit card. But I have no idea what to say to him. I keep quiet and keep my eyes on the register.

For better or for worse, he breaks the silence first.

“I have to go out of town for a few days,” Alec says.

God, that voice. Every word he says is like fire in my veins, and I can’t help my reaction.

I chew my lower lip, remembering all the dirty things he’d said to me in that voice last night.

Remembering how much I’d liked it. “There's a …work problem in Empire City that requires my presence.”

“Oh?” I ask, trying to sound neutral. Play it cool, Sydney. “Well, I hope you make some time to enjoy yourself while you’re there.”

Alec’s amused look makes it clear I’m failing in my effort to appear nonchalant.

“I would love to take you out when I get back, Sydney,” he tells me. His eyes trace my lips as he says it. “If you would like that, too.”

“Just you?” I ask. I want the words to have a little bite to them, but I’m still a little shocked at how snappy I sound. How bitchy. I look away quickly, but I don’t miss the slight smile that curves up Alec’s face, the quirk of his eyebrow.

“Just me,” he confirms. “I can bring Ashton, if you’d prefer the two of us. I don’t mind sharing. But I’d like to have you all to myself, at least for one night.”

I don’t mind sharing . The words send an unexpected thrill through me. But I fight through it.

It’s a shame. They should have listened to Sebastian, even though I hate to admit it. He was right. They are scaring me away.

“Listen,” I say, toying mindlessly with the thermal paper that feeds into our receipt printer. “I… had a lot of fun with you and Ash last night.”

“So did I.”

The desire in his voice is so thick it’s almost a physical presence between us. I tremble a little, hearing it.

“But…” I sigh, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “That’s not me, Alec. I don’t usually do that sort of thing.”

“Neither do I,” Alec admits.

I blink. Then cock my head to one side, letting my skepticism show.

“I don’t believe you,” I tell him, narrowing my eyes. There was no way. The way the two of them handled me, the way they moved together like that? That was practiced. That was… that was almost planned .

Shit, was it planned?

“Oh, I’ve slept with plenty of women, Sydney,” Alec says.

His tone makes it clear he’s not bragging, just stating a fact.

“Ashton and I both. And yes, often together. But last night?” God, those eyes again, looking at me like he can see straight through my clothes and is picturing exactly how I look naked.

“Last night was more than just that. Don’t you agree? ”

I shake my head, willing my treacherous body to listen to reason.

I want to believe him. But I’m not an idiot.

I’m not the sort of girl who’s going to be so easily persuaded into falling head over heels in love with a man I just met.

Especially after he just admitted that this is a regular occurrence for him.

No wonder he’s fine with sharing. Maybe that’s what’s normal for them.

But it’s not my normal.

“I think we should slow down,” I say, putting a surety into the words I don’t exactly feel. “I’m not ready to just… just jump into bed with you, Alec. More than we already did, I mean. Until yesterday, I didn’t even know who you really were. What your real name was.”

“Then we can slow down,” Alec says immediately. “If that’s what you need.”

I’m so shocked by his quick surrender, I stumble over my next words.

“I… what?” I ask.

“If you need time, if you need some space, that’s fine with me. I can respect that,” Alec says. He reaches out to take my hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I can take it slow. I can match whatever pace you need, Sydney. I’m happy to wait for as long as it takes until you’re comfortable.”

I must still look skeptical because he smirks, his dark eyes sparkling. “I’m not expecting you to jump into bed with me, darling. I’d like to take you out on a date, that’s all. A proper date, with just me. Give me a chance to earn your trust and get to know you. That’s all I’m asking for.”

A real, proper date.

With Mason Alexander Sterling.

“I, uh…” My heart is beating too fast. I can’t seem to get my thoughts in order, can’t seem to remember why that would be such a bad idea. “Yeah. Okay. I would like that, I think.”

His fingers stroke my hand as he smiles. “And I’d like to continue messaging you while I’m out of town. Would that be okay?”

Still stunned, I nod.

“Perfect.” The words come out in a purr. “Well, until then, darling.”

I can feel his touch on my skin well after he leaves. And I think, for just a second, that maybe moving fast isn’t such a bad thing after all.