5. Verity
CHAPTER FIVE
Verity
M y phone slides into the back pocket of my jeans. I’m ready to go.
Two security guards dressed in fitted black suites are standing close by in the living room of my father’s penthouse.
I pull my mouth to the side in annoyance, shooting a glare at both of them.
“I really don’t need them today. I’m just going to meet Sammy and Bella for some lunch.”
My father huffs in annoyance. “Verity, you know the rules. They go everywhere you go. Why do you have to push me every time?” he snarls angrily.
I bite my lip. The more I argue the more difficult it will make for me to lose them later. But if I don’t argue at all, he might be just as suspicious.
It’s getting harder every time I try to elude them because they are learning all my tricks.
Sighing to get my point across I spin on my heels, my high-top sneakers squeaking on the marble floor of the penthouse.
“Keep your phone on you, Verity.” My father warns me without looking up from the newspaper he’s reading.
The security guards both follow me out of the living room and into the private elevator.
“Where are we going this afternoon, Miss A’Vara?” one of them asks. I can’t even be bothered to learn their names. They come and go so frequently. These guys are already in trouble for losing me when I went to Collision last week, and I’ve evaded them once more since then - two days ago when I met Rufino for a cocktail at the yacht club - which is where I plan to go now.
These guards are already on the shit list with my father and I know that if I slip away from them one or two more times, they will lose their jobs and be replaced by new men with new names that I also won’t bother to learn.
“I’m going to meet my friend at the mall. We want to do some shopping, have lunch and then maybe a cocktail afterward at the Pink Flamingo on main street.” I glare at him, daring him to challenge me.
“Mm.” He huffs, his eyes tight on me. He’s cute. But he doesn’t come close to Rufino. No one does.
Fuck, that Viking is gorgeous.
I shouldn’t be so attracted to one man. Getting hooked on one guy leads to a relationship and I don’t want a relationship. The commitment, the promises, the boring monotony. That isn’t for me.
Next thing I’ll be married, knocked-up, and locked in for life. Some trophy wife that her husband tries to control.
Fuck that.
But Rufino is making me question myself. My wants. My desires.
I’m not supposed to think about him all day and miss him when I’m not with him.
It’s not what I do. But he’s got me hooked.
I keep reassuring myself that it’s just a physical thing. Some crazy sexual attraction that’ll I’ll soon get bored with, but somehow I know I’m lying to myself.
I smile as the elevator carries us down to the parking garage.
“I’ll take my car, you can follow.” I say, pressing the button on my keys and hearing my car bleep in the underground cavern.
“No, that is not an option.” One man says, climbing into my passenger seat.
“I’m pretty sure I pay you, so you have to do what I say.” I snap in annoyance.
“Your father pays me. I do what he says.” He replies blandly.
The other guys climb into the second car to follow us.
“Whatever.” I sigh, starting the engine and revving.
My tires scream against the concrete flooring when I take off at a reckless speed, heading out into the street and towards the mall where I already have a plan to ditch these two assholes and make another escape.
“Worked just the way I wanted it too.” I laugh to myself as I climb into the cab and tell him to take me to the yacht club.
Those fucking idiots are going to be furious when they realize the changing room in that shop has two exits.
Red is sitting at a table in the far corner, his back to the wall and his eyes on the door when I walk through it.
I love how subtle his smile is. And it belongs to me. His lips curl up at the corners, pressing dimples into his cheeks while his eyes drink me in.
“You got away faster this time.” He laughs.
“Those two will not have a job by the end of the week.”
Before I sit down I pull my phone out of my back pocket and put it on the table.
“Isn’t that risky?” he knots his brows.
“No, I called the guys you suggested. He installed that program for me and now I can set my location for the tracker. So they are going to be following me around the mall for the next few hours, wondering why the hell I’m always two steps ahead of them.”
When he laughs, it’s like warm caramel running over my skin.
My heart flips and tightens in my chest.
These are not things I am used to.
I swallow hard, telling my heart to be quiet, but when my eyes lock with his - those pale green pools of mystery and untold stories - it’s my mind that goes silent and my heart that beats even louder.
I look away, picking up the menu to distract myself.
What is going on with me?
This isn’t normal.
I bite my lip browsing over the menu but not reading it at all.
“I’ve ordered you a blue gin with mint and strawberry.” He is still watching me.
“You remembered.” I set the menu down and tilt my head to the side as I narrow my gaze over him.
He says nothing.
He doesn’t need to say anything for me to know what he’s thinking.
Beneath the table he reaches out and grabs the edge of my chair, dragging it around to be next to his.
His hand sends shockwaves of pleasure through me when he wraps it around my thigh.
“I’ve missed you.” He whispers, his breath hot against my cheek.
I lean towards him, goosebumps covering my body.
“I can’t stop thinking about—” I bite my words back. Telling him that is not the best way to play hard to get. Am I even trying to play at this point?
He makes me feel like every man I’ve ever looked at is just a boy compared to him. None of them could keep up with me. None of them challenged me or sparked this fire in me. He is the gasoline, and I am the match.
“I can’t stop thinking about you either.” He chuckles, picking up on my hesitation.
“I was going to say that I can’t stop thinking about the amazing salmon they serve here. I have no idea what you are talking about.” I smirk.
“Mm. The salmon. Of course.” That half smile. Those deep dimples.
Fuck, he is fucking divine.
The afternoon sun blinks over the salty water of the yacht club and up against the crisp white and blue boats tied to their docks.
We talk. We joke. We share stories.
It’s as though we never run out of things to say to each other.
Laughter rolls off my lips and my heart slips a little deeper into him as the afternoon drifts on in a lazy stream of gin and food.
The more I get to know him the more I worry about where I am going to end up if I keep this up. I can’t stay away. I don’t want to either.
He is the gamble I should not take - but the most delicious one I have ever tasted.
The alluring danger of this man, the fun enticement, and the risk I take every time the thought of him flickers through my body - it’s going to get me sent to a convent in Europe.
D ay after day I meet him.
Sometimes it’s only for a moment. Five minutes together where he will push me up against a wall in the bathroom at the mall, or a restaurant or in the parking lot.
Sometimes I get away from a few hours and we can talk and spend real time together, but the fact is that every time it happens the danger increases, and my father is becoming more and more suspicious of what I’m up to. They have assigned me a new set of personal security guards who are more intense than ever before.
The more I have to keep my distance from him the more I want him.
His body haunts my dreams at night, and I wake up thinking of his eyes on me and his hands against my skin.
This afternoon Sammy, Bella and I are shopping, and I’ve told Rufino to meet me here. The girls and I are sitting at a small coffee shop in the mall, my security guards are close by their eyes on me at all times.
I spot Rufino in the distance and smile.
“What secret joke aren’t you sharing?” Bella asks, sipping her coffee.
“Nothing. I need to pee though. I’ll be right back.” I stand up, Rufino’s eyes are on me as I make my way to the side, down a narrow passage and into the ladies room.
With my heart racing I wait, my back against the wall near the corner, trying to choose a spot where I can watch from both directions to make sure my security doesn’t follow me here.
When Rufino’s deep voice calls out to me I jump, tense with anticipation.
Turning towards him I leap into his arms.
He grins then kisses me, his lips hot against mine.
“I’m so tired of all these brief encounters. I want to see you again.” I whine, annoyed about how efficient these new security guards are.
He looks down at me, brushing a long curl of hair from my face and tucking it behind my ear. “I know, my angel. But you know the risks. What about the club?”
“Collision? The VIP section?” I grin and a thrill of desire pulses through my entire body.
He nods, his pupils dilating at the memory of us on the sofa.
“I can meet you there on Saturday.” My heart races.
“Miss A’Vara?” A voice calls out to me.
“Fuck. It’s my security. You have to go.” I whisper.
“Saturday.” He confirms, then kisses me hard, pushing me against the wall and causing my body to ignite.
When I open my eyes Rufino is walking away from me.
One of the new security men steps around the corner into the passageway outside the bathrooms.
I clear my throat and walk past him, back into the coffee shop, ignoring his questioning glare as I make my way back towards my friends.
“You seem to be in a great mood.” Sammy notices when I sit down.
“I am. Hey, what did you guys think of that white sequin dress we saw earlier? I think I want to go back and get it after lunch.”
“It was beautiful. You can wear it to the party this weekend.”
“What party?”
Sammy rolls her eyes. “Don’t you read your messages anymore?” She sighs. “The Star Lounge - I’ve booked us a private booth.”
“Oh, of course.” I giggle. “I just forgot for a second.”
I won’t be going to the Star Lounge though. I have a more enticing invite.
Sammy and Bella are going to be annoyed again when I make some lame excuse on the night, but they’ll get over it.
The only person I actually want to spend any time with at the moment is him.