Page 11 of Villainous Kingpin

I want her.And nothing else would do. I schooled my features, worried I’d scare her off if she read my thoughts.

Her pale cheeks flushed a deeper red. Still no fear. Brave little thing.

“What do you want?” she asked, tilting her chin up. She never hesitated to meet my gaze, though it required her to crane her neck. She only reached up to my chest, her frame petite compared to my six foot four.

I shoved my hands into my pockets as I studied her. That hair of hers was something, like a curly mane with a glow of halo above her head. If there was ever a picture for a golden child, she was it.

“Wyn, get away from him.” One of her girlfriends or maybe all three yelled. “He looks like a damn Italian.”

An exasperated sigh slipped through Wynter’s lips. She gave them an eye roll then waved her hand, mouthingshut upto them. Then her sparkling gaze returned to me.

“Sorry,” she muttered, smoothing down her curls. “Jules, my cousin, can be a bit too much. But she means well.” She rambled, a slight pitch to her voice. She was even cute when she was rambling. “Her name is Juliette really.”

I noted an angry red burn mark on her right forearm and took her hand into mine, running a thumb over her soft skin. A slight wince crossed her expression and I pulled out a handkerchief.

“Put some aloe vera over it when you get home,” I told her, wrapping her forearm.

She didn’t try to tug on her arm, her eyes on me, watching my every move. “I’ll do that. Now tell me what you want in return.”

“Your phone number,” I drawled. “And a dinner date.”

For a moment she watched me, her expression guarded.

“That’s all?” she asked suspiciously.

She was right to be suspicious. But I wanted her surrender, becauseshewanted it. Not as repayment to a favor.

“Yes.”

I pulled out a pen from inside of my suit, my gun holster exposed. Luckily, she was too focused on my face to have noticed. I handed it to her.

“If that’s it, you got it,” she replied, stifling a soft chuckle by biting her lower lip. “Though I have a feeling you’re letting me get off cheap.”

My lips tugged up into a smile. Beautiful and smart. She took my hand, her fingers small compared to mine. She started writing her number on the palm of my hand. Talk about retro moves. Didn’t kids used to do that in high school? Thankfully, I was great with numbers so I immediately memorized the phone number.

“What’s the address?” I asked her. She recited it, her eyes never leaving my face. If she kept looking at me like that, I might succumb and kiss her right now. “I’ll message you when it’s done,” I told her.

“Thank you.” She squeezed my fingers gently, her eyes lifting to mine again. There was something calming about her gaze on me. My thumb brushed over her soft skin, loving the feel of it. A pink flush rose on her cheeks, though she didn’t pull away.

I hoped it wasn’t because she worried I wouldn’t do this favor for her. Though I didn’t think so. Her smile was too sincere, her eyes too sparkling, her expression too soft.

“Well, I better get going,” she murmured softly, lowering her eyes to my thumb caressing her skin. She still hadn’t pulled her hand away. “We don’t want to run into Garrett by accident.”

Reluctantly, I let go and the loss was instant. It slammed into me like a runaway train.

I watched her run back to her car and get behind the wheel, and only once her Jeep was out of my sight did I get into my car.

“She really wanted to talk to you, huh?” Dante smirked. “Who is Wynter Star?”

“The girl I’m going to marry.”

CHAPTER5

Basilio

The next day, Dante and I strode into The Eastside Club. The guard at the front didn’t bother asking us anything as we walked in. Everyone knew by this point the bar was transitioning to the DiLustro family.

I took the fact it was packed as a good sign. It was barely approaching eight at night and the club was pumping. It was one of the most popular establishments in east New York.