Chapter 13
As I near Gabriel's vehicle, Luca's headlights turn on, illuminating the scene before me.
I see Gabriel standing by his trunk, a bloodied shirt hanging off the side of his car. My gaze lingers on the red-soaked fabric before it’s drawn to him.
He's shirtless, and the harsh glow of the headlights does nothing to hide the fact that he's sculpted to perfection in all the right places. He looks like a Greek god descended from Olympus to walk among mortals.
His chest is chiseled, and his abs are perfectly defined. I can't help but bite my lower lip as my eyes trace the contours of his muscles, each one flexing and shifting with his every move.
But it's not just his muscles that have me captivated.
He has a beautiful display of tattoos that wrap up the right side of his body.
It all comes together with the main piece, a fiery phoenix, rising majestically from the ashes, its wings spread wide in a symbol of power and rebirth.
It's a sight to behold, the way the vibrant oranges and reds of the phoenix's feathers seem to dance and flicker in the light, like a living entity etched onto his skin.
The phoenix is inked boldly across his muscular chest. The tip of the wings extends seductively across his collarbone, a delicate yet powerful line that accentuates the hard planes of his body.
I can't tear my eyes away from this bird. It's dangerous, alluring, and undeniably sexy all at the same time.
I almost stumble from excitement, but I force myself to keep moving toward him.
Be careful, Anna.
He's not dangerous because he's a mobster. He's dangerous because, for the first time since starting this mission, I'm not sure I'm pretending anymore. With him, the lines between Sofia and Anna are starting to blur, and that terrifies me more than any threat ever could.
As I approach, he pulls a clean white dress shirt from the trunk and turns to look at me, smiling as he puts it on, the shirt not yet buttoned.
My view is suddenly ruined as Luca's car turns around, removing my main source of light.
I am left with just his silhouette as he finishes, the image of him shirtless burning in my mind.
I feel myself getting a little wet from what I saw.
The darkness outside seems to envelop me, making me feel vulnerable.
Gabriel shuts the trunk and walks toward me, his clean dress shirt hiding his powerful frame.
"Bella, get in the car. Unless you'd prefer I carry you?"
"As tempting as that might be, I think I can manage, thank you."
To my surprise, he wraps his jacket around me and walks me over to the car.
I slide into the passenger seat, and the faint scent of leather and his cologne lingering in the air takes me back to when we first met.
It makes me feel at peace for whatever reason.
I close my eyes to hold onto that feeling for as long as I can.
As Gabriel takes his place behind the wheel, I can't help but steal glances at him, admiring the way his muscles flex under his shirt as he drives.
His smell invokes a burning desire within me and sends my head into complete chaos.
We drive in silence for several minutes, and as we drive through the winding roads, I realize that every time I see him or hear his name, I have to force myself to push thoughts out of my head.
I know I can't do that forever, but more importantly, as I ride next to him back toward the city, I realize I can't do it much longer, either.
"So, back to the hotel?" I ask hesitantly, trying to speak with him.
"Yes," Gabriel replies, not taking his eyes off the road.
I nod and sit back in the silence, fighting the urge to ask him about what just happened.
I can feel the tension building between us, like a coiled spring ready to snap.
I'm drawn to him, despite everything I know about him.
He somehow makes me feel safe, protected.
It's a paradox that I've never experienced before.
"Are you alright?" Gabriel asks.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I say.
And the crazy thing is, that wasn't a lie. That wasn't Sofia answering, pretending to be a mistress—that was Anna, an FBI agent. Yes, while still new and not having seen a ton of dead bodies, I’ve at least seen enough for my mind to forge on and allow some messed-up acceptance.
"You know, that dress is quite distracting."
"Aren't you supposed to keep your eyes on the road?"
Gabriel smiles, "Some views are worth the risk."
I feel myself blush, and I try to offer up a response. "Thank you. It's the jacket."
He laughs in a way I've never heard him laugh before. "While I do like you wearing my jacket, I must admit, I prefer imagining what's underneath."
"Oh, Gabriel. Pulling out all your game tonight, huh? You shouldn't say things to someone you hardly know."
"And yet, you're not telling me to stop."
I see his eyes shift down and drink me in. He observes my breasts in a way any woman would want someone they're interested in to.
Unlike Luca, I welcomed it. I almost felt as if I craved it. I even felt my body naturally arch my back to give him more of me.
The light changes, and Gabriel turns back to the road.
As we drive closer to our destination, I feel a slight twinge of disappointment. With each passing second, I feel the chemistry building between us—so much so that part of me wants to lean over and kiss him, to taste him and lose myself in everything he has to offer.
We pull into the hotel, and he parks the car.
"I should probably give you back your jacket."
"Keep it. I like the idea of something of mine wrapped around you. Actually," he says and turns to me, a hungry look in his eyes, "Can I walk you up to your room? To keep you safe."
I laugh, "If that's the only reason."
Gabriel leans in slightly, "What other reason did you have in mind, Bella?"
Every rational part of me knows I should say no. He's a hitman for a crime family. I just watched him kill someone. Being alone with him is playing with fire.
But maybe that's exactly why I want to say yes. Maybe I'm tired of being rational, tired of fighting this pull between us.
Or maybe I'm just losing my mind.
Either way, my body responds before I even have time to process the question.
"Okay."
What the fuck did I just get myself into?