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She’s sweet and friendly and way too innocent. I can’t get my head around the fact that this is Avraam’s sister. It doesn’t make sense. She’s too soft. Too na?ve to be the sister of someone in the mafia.

It has to be fake. A persona she’s created.

She giggles as I pull her closer to me on the dance floor. Her body feels tight against mine. It curves in all the right places. Her narrow waist dips inward, then out again, swelling over her wide hips. And her perfect, plump breasts are pressed against the front of her low cut black dress, drawing my eyes downwards.

She’s fucking gorgeous. There is no question about that.

She stands out over every other girl in this place, in fact, over every other girl I’ve ever seen.

When she looks up at me, her cheeks flush a pale rose color.

Blushing.

Nervous.

Innocent.

Is this all some act to fit in with her normal friends from the normal world? It has to be. No one who grew up in my world could have such a beautiful innocence about them. Not if they know the things that go on in the underbelly of cities like this one, which she obviously does, growing up with Avraam.

“You’re a really good dancer,” she says with a nervous smile as I brush my hand over her waist and then turn her around so that her back is against my chest. I run my hand over her toned stomach. My heart is thundering in my ears. She feels incredible beneath my touch.

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever danced with. You make it easy.”

She giggles again and tilts her head to the side.

I brush my fingers over the curve of her neck, across her collar bone. Sparks jump from my skin to hers.

She arches her back and her ass presses into me as she moves. I don’t know if she’s doing it on purpose, but my cock is threatening to go hard against her.

Lifting her arms above her head, she drapes them around the back of my neck and leans into me, swaying to the music.

I grab her around the waist and hold her tight, moving with her, wondering what she would be like in the bedroom.

I’d love to have time alone with her to do whatever the hell I wanted.

She’s so gorgeous I would lose control in the most magnificent ways.

“If you keep moving against me like that, I might have to steal you away from here,” I chuckle against her ear. “You’re a temptress, Aly.”

“Maybe I want to be stolen away from here,” she smirks.

I brush my hand over her breast and her nipple hardens beneath her dress.

Fuck.

She’s perfect.

We dance until there is a glow of perspiration on her chest and across her cheeks. We dance until I want to fuck her right here on the dance floor, not caring about anyone around us. In fact, I could easily have forgotten than anyone else in the world even existed. She has me completely focused on her and nothing else. Which is what I need—but not in the way that it’s happening.

I’m here to try to kidnap her, not to be bewitched by her. I have to refocus—my thoughts are slipping and I’m not paying attention to my goals.

“Let’s get a drink,” I say, leaning close to her ear, and she nods in response. I catch a whiff of her perfume. She smells of vanilla and something else—a darker scent, just below the surface, like Albany chocolate. It steals my thoughts away and I have to force my mind to come back to itself.

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I guide her off the dance floor towards the bar.

“Tequila?” I ask with a smirk, leaning against the bar with one elbow resting on the wooden surface.

She narrows her eyes towards me, tilting her head to the side and nods. “How did you know?” she asks.

“Let’s just say that it’s hard not to watch you.”

“You were watching me for that long?” she asks, surprised.

“I couldn’t take my eyes off you from the moment you arrived.”

“Oh.” She giggles, blushing again.

Then she turns to look around the club. “I came here with so many people, but I don’t know where they all went.”

“Trust me, you don’t need them. You’ve got me.”

She bites her lip, grinning, her lashes lowered over her eyes.

“Aly, I would love to get to know you more. I think—I feel like we have a connection. Do you feel it too?” I ask, gently brushing a stay curl from her deep brown, dreamy eyes. I could get lost in that gaze forever.

“I don’t even know your name.” She presses her lips together nervously.

“Rigor.” I hold my hand out to shake hers. She grins. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Aly.”

“And you, Rigor.”

“So, can I get to know you more? Can we spend some time together tonight?”

The barman sets two tequilas down on the counter.

“Thanks,” I say, picking one up and handing it to her. “I need lemon please.” She scrunches her nose.

I pick up a slice of lemon, holding onto it, then nodding towards her drink.

We down the tequila together then I hold the lemon to her lips, and she wraps them around it. A deep growl rumbles through me as those gorgeous, full lips suck on the lemon slice, her nose scrunching a little again because of how sour it is. Then she leans back and licks her lips slowly.

I clench my jaw.

What is going on with me?

She’s got me wrapped around her finger, hanging onto ever move she makes.

This is ridiculous. I have to stay focused.

Aly’s phone starts ringing, and while I don’t hear it, she must have felt it vibrating because she is suddenly popping her clutch open to lift the phone out.

She presses it to her ear and uses her finger to block the other ear.

“I can’t hear you,” she says loudly. “Where are you guys?”

I don’t like this. I don’t need her friends coming back and convincing her not to take a risk with me.

My shoulders tense up while I listen to the conversation.

“I still can’t hear you. Message me,” she shouts, then hangs up.

“Don’t go,” I say with a serious touch to my voice and my eyes narrowed. “I don’t want you to go.” I reach out and pull her towards me. “I really don’t want you to go,” I whisper against her lips, hovering my mouth inches above hers.

She hesitates, worry flashing over her face.

“I don’t know,” she sighs.

“Your friends will be fine without you,” I push.

“It’s just—um—”

She looks nervous to say yes to me. That same alluring innocence she has shown all night. It appears to be so genuine.

I thread my fingers up the back of her neck and close the space between us. Pressing my lips into hers I want to give her a taste of the adventure and passion that she might experience if she were to choose me.

She gasps against my mouth, the sharp sound sends a thrill through me and I step even closer, pushing her back against the bar counter.

My hands tighten around the back of her neck and I slip my tongue into her mouth. My body ignites like a raging furnace of pure desire.

She tastes like lemon and fresh summer rain. Her lips move across mine like smooth cream and soft petals.

My cock is getting hard. I don’t bother trying to hide it because it would be impossible, and I want her to know—I want her to feel me.

I reach down and run my hand over her leg, wrapping my fingers around her thigh, I lift it up to wrap it around me as I press myself against her.

She moans softly, encouraging me, as she wraps her hands around my waist, digging her fingers into me. The tequila is fueling us both and this kiss is quickly getting out of hand. It escalates to the point where I don’t know if I can stop myself anymore.

I slip my hand down her back, grabbing her ass and letting my fingers brush over her panties.

I feel the softness of her pussy, just lightly, before I force myself to pull my hand away again.

If I don’t—I’ll be fucking her on this bar counter.

What the fuck is going on with me?

I lean away from her, licking my lips to taste her on them. Her lips are glistening from the kiss.

I reach up and cup her jaw in my hand.

“Aly, stay a little longer with me.” I grin down at her. My soul being sucked into those deep brown eyes of hers.

For a moment she doesn’t say anything, and I have a sinking sensation in my stomach. It will be so much easier if she says yes.

She nods, biting her lower lip. “Ok,” she finally replies, and my heart slams against my ribs with excitement. She’s coming home with me.

She’s a tool. I remind myself in annoyance. She is nothing but a tool to get your own sister back. Stop forgetting that.

Stop getting distracted.

I’m agitated and angry with myself because of where my thoughts keep wandering off to. It doesn’t matter if I feel a connection with her. It doesn’t matter how beautiful she is.

All that matters is getting Ruslana back home. Away from the prison she is trapped in with Avraam.

“ Let me just tell my friends,” Aly says, looking down at her phone and typing out a message. “They wanted to me to go to the club across the street—but—” She looks up at me again. “I’ll go with you.”

The glint of mischief in her eyes sends a thrill shooting down my spine.

My body is going wild.

Every nerve ending is a light and begging to be against her again.

Focus, Rigor. Follow the plan.

“Do you want to dance some more?” she asks, tucking her phone away.

“I was thinking we could go somewhere more quiet. Somewhere we can talk. I can’t hear anything in this place.”

“Ok, sure. Anywhere you like,” she shrugs, but I can see she is a bit nervous about leaving with me. I would have thought that a girl like her would be used to picking up guys in night clubs. Rich off her brother’s money, partying every weekend and always getting what she wants. I was surprised she even bothered keeping a job. Her brother has enough money for her to never have to work.

I take her hand in mine and pull her away from the bar, towards the doors that lead out onto the street.

As we step outside the cold night air bites against us. Boston at its finest. Crisp, fresh and beautiful.

She shivers and rubs her hands over her arms. I pull her close to me.

“Where did you park?” I ask, knowing she didn’t take her car because I followed her from work.

“I took an Uber.”

“Great, then we can take mine.” I rub my own hand up and down her arm to warm her up. If I was wearing a jacket, I would have slipped it over her shoulders.

We walk the short way down the road towards where I parked.

Her eyes go wide when she sees my car.

“Is this yours?” she asks in shock.

“Yes, why?”

“It’s so—fancy,” she giggles.

I laugh, knowing what her brother drives—this isn’t any more fancy than his.

I tug the door open for her and she climbs inside.

When I get into the driver’s seat she is still looking wide eyed about the car. “I’ve never been in a car like this.”

“Are you serious?” I ask in confusion. This must be some kind an act.

Perhaps she likes to play all innocent just for the game of it.

Before I start the car, I send a quick message to the guy I have waiting. We are on our way.

The engine rumbles to life and I pull out of the parking bay into the street. The whole area is busy with people arriving and leaving the clubs in this stretch of town. It’s a normal Friday night in Boston, the city that hums with life and energy.