Chapter Six
Dante
The second time I pay her a visit in her lab, she’s got earbuds in and doesn’t notice me for a solid minute. Her hips are swaying beneath the oversized lab coat, and I see her mouthing the words to whatever song she’s playing.
She has no sense of self-preservation at all. Someone could sneak up on her, and she’d never hear them coming. Someone like me. The thought makes me see red, but I rein in my anger.
For a few minutes, I let myself watch her.
She looks as if she’s burning off extra energy as she works, not really smiling or enjoying herself.
It’s as if she’s nervous. And she should be.
If she only knew what was happening beneath her very nose, Evangeline would have packed her bags and left a long time ago.
Today, still remembering her taste, I let her finish whatever she’s mixing before I tap the glass. She looks up, not startled this time, just wary as she removes her earbuds.
She’s quick to open the door, looking adorable in her lab coat, but she’s traded the pink Converse for blue ones. It’s so stupidly endearing that for half a second, I forget why I’m here.
The purpose of this visit, or so I tell myself, is to see if she has any more information about her uncle.
“Mr. Vescari,” she says, crisp and professional, crossing her arms over the clipboard in front of her. She’s showing off false bravado. “Or should I call you ‘Il Malefico’?”
So, she has done her research.
“Dottoressa Hart,” I mock in my raspy voice, matching her tone, using the Italian title for doctor.
She quirks a brow at that. “To what do I owe the pleasure today? Are you here to see my uncle, or just to terrify my staff and customers again?”
“My preference, of course, is to terrify,” I say, losing my usual scowl and quirking my lips at her sass. Something I never do.
She actually smiles, just a flicker, but it’s real.
“I know your uncle isn’t here. I came to see you, cara mia.”
She looks around, then leans against the wall. “Is this about my business again?”
I nod. She knows exactly why I’m here.
“I’ve looked into all of it,” she says. “Everything looks clean. If something is happening, it’s not here.”
I step closer, so close I can smell her soothing scent of lavender, the one that’s haunted my senses since I met her.
She’s so tiny, I tower over her. She would be so easy to push against the wall and fuck right here.
If I had already had her, that’s exactly what I would do, fuck the customers and people on the other side of the door.
But again, that’s not why I’m here.
I sigh patiently. “Who has access to your shipments or the legal drugs?”
She thinks, then ticks names off on her fingers. “Me. My uncle handles both sides of the business. Two techs, one who’s been with us since the nineties; and Annie, a young college student. But they strictly handle the pharmacy. That’s it.”
“And the operation in the back?” I press for answers.
“That’s mainly my uncle’s area; I just come up with the recipes and packaging ideas. I inspected it earlier, too. Nothing looks off.”
I study her for telltale signs. She’s lying, or she’s too trusting. I decide on the latter. Evangeline is definitely too trusting of those around her. After all, she’s sharing with me, of all people, her secrets. “You sure?”
She straightens, defensive now. “You think that I’m lying, or I don’t know how to run my business?”
“I only think you might trust the wrong people.” Like me.
She opens her mouth to fire back but stops herself. Smart. She’s not winning this argument.
Then she shrugs, frustrated, and sets down her clipboard on the nearby table. “What do you want from me, Mr. Vescari?”
I want you to run; I think. I want you to get the fuck out of Chicago and never look back, before the evil catches up with you. But I can’t say that, because I’d rather burn the entire city than lose what’s mine.
And I’ve decided Evangeline is mine.
Reaching over, I brush some powder off her cheek, just as I did before. It appears my girl gets messy when she works. She freezes at my touch. Her blue eyes widen and appear to dilate.
She’s definitely not immune to me. It’s one thing to know she dreams of me, but to see that she desires me in the flesh. That’s good to know.
My thumb hovers a split second too long, then I boldly swipe it over her full, lush bottom lip. She gasps in shock, so I pull back. I would love to plunge my thumb in her mouth, imagining her sucking it as she will my cock one day, but that, too, will have to wait.
So, I force myself to step away, to regain some semblance of control, but the tension between us doesn’t ease.
Stop. I tell myself. Not now. Today, I need to warn her.
“Be careful,” I warn quietly with a gravel rasp. “Your uncle’s made a lot of enemies.”
She stares up at me, her eyes stormy. “Are you one of them?”
I laugh, genuine and hollow. “Yes, I am.” I’m not going to lie to her.
Her eyes widen as she seems to absorb this information. Surprisingly, she then pleads with me, “I need to know about what’s going on. I can’t afford to lose my business or go to jail.”
“There’s much more at stake than your business, cara mia,” I warn ominously. “It’s your life you need to be worried about.”
“Just tell me what I need to do,” she says in a strained voice, and I can hear her fear.
She suddenly grabs the lapels of my suit coat in a moment of desperation, catching me off guard.
“I will find the drugs, the leak, the shipments, whatever … just please don’t hurt my uncle or destroy my family’s business. ”
Giving her a slow, deliberate smile, I grasp both her hands to pry them from my coat. In a comforting gesture, I turn them over and bring both up to my mouth to kiss the inside of each wrist, then kiss each palm softly. She visibly shudders at my touch, goosebumps spreading on her skin.
I love that I have this effect on her, but I’m also keeping her from wrinkling my coat, at least that’s what I want to tell myself.
One of my many quirks is how particular I am about my suits. Part of my controlling, perfectionist nature. For her, however, I’d allow her to rip it to shreds if it meant I could touch her or kiss her again.
Lowering my voice to an intimate tone, I bend to rasp in her ear, “I know you will. But, dolcezza, this needs to stay between you and me right now? Capiche?”
“I can only protect you if you heed my warnings.” I grab her chin, forcing her gaze to meet mine, my voice commanding. This needs to be emphasized so she understands. I need the upper hand in this scenario and cannot afford to tip her uncle or Scarletta off to my knowledge of their misdeeds.
She nods, her lip now quivering and tears shimmering in her eyes.
She’s terrified for herself, her business and her family, but because I’m a sick fuck …
damned if I don’t want to see her on her knees, gazing up at me with the same trusting expression before I shove myself down her throat.
These are the only tears I want to see from this beautiful girl.
Because now is not the time to be thinking with my cock, I straighten, releasing her hands, and smooth my coat, before checking my Patek Philippe watch, a gift given to me by my father on my twenty-first birthday. The one and only gift I ever got from the asshole.
If you don’t count the goddamn scar.
“Fuck,” I growl because I’m running behind. It’s getting late, and I need to meet with one of the very men I’m warning her about.
“I’m leaving, Ms. Hart, but remember what we discussed.
” I warn ominously. “You don’t see it yet, Evangeline.
But men are already circling this place.
They smell weakness, innocence. You smile at strangers; you trust those you shouldn’t…
” I lean closer, voice dropping, touching my finger to her pert nose.
“Stop. Not anymore. Not until I tell you it’s safe. ”
Then, I turn to leave. The doors swing shut behind me, and Luca waits at the end of the hall, twirling his knife between his fingers.
When he sees me, he pockets it, serious for once. “Want me to keep an eye on her?”
I shake my head. “No. Stay away from her. I’ll handle it.” The idea that Luca or any of my other men keeping “eyes” on her makes me viscerally angry and fills me with a primal jealousy.
She. Is. Mine.
He looks like he wants to argue, but he’s smart enough not to. We step out into the cold, and he lights a cigarette, exhaling a plume of smoke into the crisp fall air.
“Cut that shit out,” I growl, grabbing it and stomping it out on the pavement. “This will be what kills you, not a fucking bullet.”
“Hey!” he says, offended. “You smoke cigars! How is that any different?”
“Cigars are fucking classy. They’re old school. Cigarettes scream teenage punk. May as well be a goddamn vape.”
“Asshole,” he grumbles.
As we slide into my SUV, me behind the wheel, I pause, thinking... “You know what … I do want eyes on Evangeline.” The more eyes, the better.
“Now we’re talking,” he says excitedly, rubbing his hands together. I smack him upside the head.
“For her protection, dumbass, not to investigate her. I also need your tech guy to meet me as soon as possible.”
“For her ‘protection’, right,” he mutters, using air quotes.
I shoot him a dangerous glare.
“Got ya. On it, boss.” He’s barely holding back his knowing smirk as he texts his contacts. “This girl is gonna be so ‘protected’ it isn’t even funny.”
Rolling my eyes, I wonder why I let him get away with his shit. But despite his theatrics, he’ll do as he’s told. And I’ll make sure my Evangeline is safe from her uncle’s associates.
Before I kill them all.