Page 8 of Imperial: The Corvidae Family

He laughed and the sexy vibration of it made my stomach flip.

“You’re destroying my ego.” He stepped closer, forcing me to lift my chin to keep my eyes on his.

“Am I?”

“A little. I prefer to think of it as keeping an eye on someone interesting. There are some dangerous people out there. I’m just looking out.”

And you’re at the top of that dangerous people list sir…

I rolled my eyes, smiling at the same time. “I don’t get you.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Because it’s true. You should be…” I hesitated, scanning him again, taking in the arrogance of his stance, and the way he smiled. His posture was relaxed like being around me was a normal occurrence. “I don’t know. Different.”

“Cold and scary ?” He repeated my words from the other night.

“Yeah. You’re supposed to be…” I lifted my fingers, mimicking a gun with a small tilt of my wrist.

“You want me to be that?”

“No.”

He moved closer, allowing his presence to press against my senses without touching me.

“Because I can be.”

I flinched but not from fear. His proximity had my mind and body betraying me. The last thing I needed was this fine ass man all up in my personal space.

“Relax, Baylyn.”

I released a breath, forcing myself to step back and create some distance between us.

“You shouldn’t be here,” I said, more for myself than for him.

He didn’t move. “Why not?”

“Because this shit is weird and I don’t want any parts of you or this.” I heard my own voice and the lie wasn’t convincing.

“You sure?” His arrogance was loud as hell.

I lifted my chin. “Yes.”

His smile returned, like he could see through me.

“You’re a damn liar and not even a good one. You want this and me .”

I could hear what was going on around me but he overpowered it, making it all background noise. The way he stood there unbothered, sure of himself and very much aware of what he was doing to me was annoying.

“You don’t know what I want, Emir.”

“Yes the fuck I do,” he said smoothly moving closer.

“Emir—” I warned with not a damn bit of confidence because I liked having him close.

“We’re going to get to know each other, Baylyn.”

His tone left no room for argument.

I frowned, folding my arms and he was so close they brushed his chest. “You stalk everyone who witnesses the things you do or am I special?”

“Very special.”

I rolled my eyes, fighting hard not to smile. “Well, hate to disappoint, but I’m not getting flowers for myself. I’m looking at options for a client, which means I actually have work to do and you’re in my way.”

“Yeah I know, you already got a personal delivery today.”

From you…

“I have to go, Emir. I’m busy.”

“You not gonna say thank you?”

He stepped closer and fuck, I liked having him close… but this was insane, right? Being attracted to this man who I knew was…

“Thank you,” I said quickly, then tried to move around him.

He took me in introspectively. “You really have work to do or just trying to ignore me?”

“I’m working and you’re being a distraction,” I mumbled.

“Just returning the favor?” He winked

I opened my mouth, then snapped it shut, glaring. He was annoyingly accurate, and cocky.

The energy between us shifted. I should end this conversation before it turned into something I couldn’t control like me naked in this man’s bed and my pussy singing his praises.

But I didn’t move.

And neither did he.

“Unless you’re buying more flowers for the other women you’re stalking, you should go,” I muttered, more for myself than for him.

He took a step forward, just enough that I could feel him there without him actually touching me.

“There are no other women, Baylyn. You have my complete and undivided attention.” His voice was dark and definite.

“You might wan’t to rethink that plan. I’m not going to let you insert yourself into my life.”

Emir grinned. “You already are.”

I ignored the way he was completely composed while I was trying not to climb him and sit on his face but before I could respond, his phone rang.

His jaw tensed, but he didn’t look away from me. He pulled the device from his pocket and answered, “Yeah.”

I crossed my arms, pretending I wasn’t completely affected by the fact that he was still watching me, his full attention locked onto mine even as he listened to whoever was on the other end.

Was it a woman?

Shit, why do I care…

“Got it,” he said after a pause and nodded. “Okay.”

Then he ended the call, lowered the phone, and slipped it back into his pocket.

“I gotta go,” he said, like this was a normal conversation between two normal people.

This shit damn sure isn’t normal…

I stayed quiet, waiting for him to actually leave, but instead of stepping back, he winked and dropped his head close to my ear. “Always a pleasure seeing you, with your sexy ass.”

His voice made something annoying and warm twist in my stomach but he straightened back to his full height and stepped back.

“See you soon, beautiful.”

Emir walked out, leaving me standing there, unsettled and undeniably drawn to the man I should have been running from.