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CHAPTER FOUR

Dario

She looked pissed.

I tried not to be amused, but I was. Nico was safe, making himself comfy in my brother’s pool house while I figured out what I wanted done with him.

He was a little shit who couldn’t stay out of trouble, but he was blood, raised by the same monster. For that, I hadn’t allowed her to kill him. But I’d been tempted.

Taking one look at his face made me want to punch it. It made my blood boil that he walked around so cocky without a care in the world while he single-handedly created messes that I had to clean up.

He was so entitled that it made me sick. Before he had gone to prison, I had to remind myself that he was blood, so that I didn’t kill him myself.

He was my dad’s little bastard. His birth had been the product of an affair. Shit, so had mine.

All of us had different mothers. My father had collected women like I collected fragile things; that’s all we had in common.

He had been cruel, especially to my oldest brother, Matteo. So cruel, in fact, that I had often wondered growing up if Matteo was even his. Rumor had it that there was a possibility he wasn’t.

My thoughts were pulled away from the past as I looked at her. She had a lot of panache. Most women would have been shaking and in tears if they found themselves upside down stranded in a ditch.

She’d simply climbed out the window, kicked the car, and threw her hands in the air in frustration. Who would have thought?

I’d watched the whole show from the yard in front of my home, unable to stop myself from smiling. Mya had spunk.

I was quite surprised by that facet of her personality. Her calm and aloof manner showed maturity beyond her years at all times, but today, I got to see a whole new side of her. And I liked what I saw, with the exception being the homicidal part.

I watched her as I approached. She hadn’t noticed me yet.

She kicked her car yet again and was swearing up a storm. She had a mouth on her. Also, surprising.

I realized then that I had rarely heard her speak up close. I usually didn’t dare get close enough to her to hear her talking to anyone else. She was such a loner, she only ever talked to herself, and often, she spoke under her breath when she did so.

Now, I discovered that her voice was sexy, not high-pitched, and kind of throaty. I locked away a memory of it. I would guard it like it was something I had to possess or own. Just like the rest of her.

“You need some help, miss?”

She stopped swearing immediately and looked at me with those huge hazel eyes. She dismissed me quickly. “Nope.”

Hmm…I didn’t like that. I tried again. “I saw the accident.”

“Accident?” She laughed humorlessly and ran a hand through her hair. As she did, her top lifted a little, showing just a glimpse of her creamy pale skin.

I forced myself to pull my eyes away from that and focus on what she was saying. “That idiot knocked me into this ditch! Did you happen to see their license plate number? Fucking menace. I need to report them.”

I raised a brow. I wanted to comment that she had a lot of nerve calling anyone a menace given that only minutes ago, she had been clearly hellbent on killing a man, but I didn’t want to give myself away. It was too soon.

She was clearly unsettled, but she was amusing when she was angry ―and she didn’t have a gun in her hand.

I shrugged. “I’m sure whoever did it is long gone by now.”

She shook her head, and I saw the fight leave her as her shoulders fell. She took a deep, calming breath.

“Do you want me to call someone for you?”

Finally, she trained her eyes on me, as if suddenly seeing me for the first time. She stared at me, and I looked back at her, meeting her gaze.

She studied me, starting at my feet and slowly working her way up the rest of my body. When she was done, her eyes locked with mine.

For a moment, I was afraid that she would recognize me. Had I jeopardized my own plan?

Apparently not. She must have just realized that she was staring because a blush crept up her cheeks.

I’d never seen her blush before. If that’s what my presence did, I could only imagine how flushed she would get when we touched.

“I don’t have anyone….what I mean is…I don’t…” her voice trailed off. I was instantly uncomfortable, fearing that she was about to cry as all the bravado wore off.

“I have a mechanic on call who can help take care of your car.”

She looked away from me, stuck her hands in her jeans pockets, and just stared despondently at her car.

“I’ll just call someone,” she mumbled when the silence grew uncomfortable. She reached for her phone, and her brows narrowed as she stared at it. She sighed and ran a hand through her long, wavy hair, which settled across her shoulders.

I yearned to reach out and touch it.

“I don’t have reception here.”

What a shame. Of course, she didn’t. We were pretty far from the city.

“That does happen sometimes here, so far out. Not many cellphone towers around.”

She was so close. After years of keeping my distance, she was finally standing in front of me. I had to touch her. I had waited long enough.

Extending my hand, I said, “I’m Dario. And you’re?”

“Stranded, apparently.” She gave me a sheepish smile as she slipped her hand into mine. Her skin was cool to the touch and silky smooth.

She had a smile that could light up a room. I wanted to see it again, but first, I had to force myself to let her go.

“Well, Ms. Stranded,” I said as I let go of her hand, “I have a mechanic who can get your car out of that ditch. I just need to give him a call.”

“It’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help myself.

“What are you laughing at?”

I moved closer to her, noticing how she took a step back. The vein at the base of her neck fluttered. Was she scared? Did I scare her? I didn’t know how I felt about that.

Something about her fear excited me, but I also wanted her to trust me. I was close enough to touch her again, and it took everything in me not to.

She looked at me warily, her eyes scanning my own, then her surroundings, before settling on my face again.

“You’re clearly stranded. There’s no way you’re getting your car out of there on your own. So, I doubt you’ll just figure it out.”

Sighing, she shrugged. “You’re right. Can you call your mechanic?”

“I’m afraid we’ll have to use my phone at my house.”

“Is that your place?” she gestured behind me. “That ridiculous palace with the crazy view of the hills?”

“Yes, care for a tour?”

She looked at me as if she was deciding whether I was a serial killer or not. I tried my best not to seem intimidating, but her next words let me know that I had failed.

“I’d rather stay here.”

“Suit yourself. But there are a lot of bears out this time of year, so I wouldn’t recommend staying out here alone so close to dark.”

I could tell from the look on her face that she was trying to decide whether or not to believe me. Funnily enough, I wasn’t lying about the bears.

I walked away from her, giving her some space, and hoped my expression was impassive. “You don’t even have to come in. You can wait on my porch while my mechanic gets your car up and running. Aside from being in a ditch, it doesn’t look too banged up.”

I studied her discreetly. I loved the way she bit her bottom lip with indecision and nervousness.

Begrudgingly, she replied, “Okay.”

I led the way and glanced behind me. She followed me, her hips swaying. I had to force myself to look elsewhere. Having her so close to me was doing things to my mind that I couldn’t afford to be thinking about right now.

There was nothing I loved more than controlling a situation. And for a few minutes, everything that did or did not happen to Mya was totally under my control. It was a heady feeling.

Years of watching her from a distance and now she was just within reach. There were things I wanted to do to her that would probably scare her. But it was too soon.

I took pride in my patience. It was my greatest virtue. I would be patient…up to a point.

Once we reached the marble steps at the front of my house, I went inside and placed a call to Joseph. Then I returned to join her on the steps.

While we waited, I tried to think of something to say to her to keep her from looking so guarded. I settled on the weather. I wasn’t one for small talk, but I didn’t know what else to do.

It didn’t seem to matter anyway, because her mind seemed occupied. I wondered what she was thinking.

Within minutes, Joseph arrived. He climbed out of his car and gave her a wide smile. “I saw your car in the ditch on the way up here. Are you okay, miss?”

“This is Joseph, who I mentioned I would call. He takes care of all my cars. He can take a look at yours and see what needs to be done to get it back on the road as soon as possible.”

Jealousy wasn’t an emotion I was used to feeling, but I surely felt it when she looked over at him and shot him a thankful smile.

Would she still smile if she knew he was the same guy who had been following her around for the past two years?

I could say the same about myself, but Joseph did it because I paid him to. I did it…well, because I was obsessed.

I felt myself getting frustrated because she was right there, and I didn’t want this time with her to end, but I didn’t know how to keep her near me.

I needed to distance myself to think.

“I’m going to grab a drink. Want one?” I called walking toward my front doors.

“I’m not much of a drinker.”

“I won’t tell if you don’t.”

Still no smile. Damn. So, no reaction to humor. Or to my kindness. I wasn’t scoring any points with this woman I had obsessed over for years.

“So, what are you doing out this way?” I tried to make conversation again.

She looked at me and then shifted her feet. She wasn’t a quick liar. That was good. At least she wasn’t one hundred percent morally bankrupt. As if I were one to judge.

I couldn’t remember how many people had lost their lives because of my lies.

“I live in the area.”

I arched a brow. “Really?”

“Really?” Her look was defiant. “Does it look like someone like me couldn’t live in a place like this?”

I shrugged. “What street do you live on?”

“I said I lived in the area―I didn’t say necessarily in this neighborhood.”

I kept the amusement off my face and said, “There’s no one living out here but tech entrepreneurs, old money, and people with very questionable ways of earning a living…so which one are you?”

I dropped my voice when I questioned her. Her eyes had given her away when I mentioned a questionable way to earn a living. She had to work on her poker face.

Who was I kidding? I loved the way she tried to lie.

“I’m a nanny.”

“Funny. You don’t seem the type.”

“Why not?”

“Because most people who take care of children are open and unguarded. Yet you haven’t even told me your name. So, what are you really doing out here?”

She looked ready to argue, but the sound of her car coming in our direction, prevented that. I sighed inwardly.

Joseph was competent. Beyond competent. I needed more time with her, but I knew his presence meant he had accomplished what I asked of him.

“Take care, Dario.”

“You too.” I almost said her name.

I watched her leave, breathing in deeply since her scent lingered in the air. A moment later, Joseph came to stand next to me as we watched her drive away.

“Is it done?”

“She won’t be able to make a move without us knowing it. The tracking device is on her car and phone.”

“Good. Now we wait.”

Complete control…Mya was mine.