4. Basilio
Basilio
W ynter Star.
The name suited her. She gave off ice princess vibes, except when she smiled and her eyes twinkled, it felt like warm sunshine on my skin.
Look at me going all poetic , I mocked myself silently.
She tucked an unruly piece of hair behind her ear, her hand visibly trembling.
I wondered if I scared her. Or something bad happened to her.
She had soot smeared on her cheek and some on her clothes.
Though she still looked breathtakingly beautiful.
Even more so under the bright rays of the sun.
Her blonde curls shone like gold under the daylight, and her green eyes reminded me of the colors of Lake Como right before a storm hit it.
A mixture of light green, gray, and blue.
“I- my friends and I need help.” Her eyes darted around nervously, as if someone was chasing her. Something protective reared its head in my chest. It was unexpected, startling. “We set a house on fire.”
Dante, my cousin, who sat in the passenger seat, coughed, probably stifling a laugh.
“Is that all?” Dante mused.
Wynter’s eyes flashed behind me, but unless she ducked down, she couldn’t see him. And I had a feeling she didn’t want to lean forward and flash me her cleavage. I was glad for it, because I didn’t want Dante to see it.
“It was an accident,” she added, her tone miserable.
“Well, kind of. It was either set his house on fire or cut his dick off. Neither was ideal, but at least this way he’s alive.
” The words flew out of her mouth like she couldn’t contain them anymore.
“And now he’s blackmailing us with surveillance of us setting his house on fire.
Though it was truly an accident. The girls got a bit too wild. ”
Dante’s chuckle filled the car. I bet the fucker never had shit like that happen in Chicago. Welcome to New York where anything and everything was possible.
Wynter chewed on her bottom lip nervously. “My mom will kill me if-”
Her voice trailed off. She knew who I was but instead of being scared of me, she was scared of her mother and getting in trouble. Another car flew by, honking their horn like their life depended on it.
I pulled the door handle and stepped out onto the pavement. Let them try and sit on the car horn with me out here. If they knew me, and most of New York did, they’d know I’d come for them.
Wynter didn’t step away and no fear entered her eyes. In fact, relief flashed across her face, and it was a novelty. She looked at me like I was her savior. And fuck, I wanted to be.
Though, if she needed saving, it meant she had nothing going on with Liam Brennan.
Otherwise, he’d be doing all the saving.
Speaking of the head of the Irish mafia, I had just left his office, settling a truce which would help us eliminate constant fighting over territory.
Tomorrow, I’d get the deed to The Eastside Club.
“Tell me what you need help with,” I demanded, soaking her in like my personal sunshine.
“Is there a way you could-”
She couldn’t finish the statement so I did it for her. “Kill him?”
A gasp slipped through her parted lips. And fuck, my cock stirred just from that little innocent gesture.
“No, not kill him,” she clarified, her eyes watching me like I was a god. “Maybe erase the evidence?”
She nervously licked her lips and my eyes lowered to them.
They were tempting, full and pink. I bet they were soft too.
I had never felt the instant need for someone.
Fucking ever! But something about her did it for me.
How many times has she crossed my mind over the last three months? More than I cared to admit.
And here she was now. Needing a favor and free for my taking.
My eyes fleeted to her red Jeep. Her girlfriends’ attention was on me. The two in the backseat looked slightly disheveled, their faces smeared with soot. Like they went down the chimney or something. It made sense if they set fire to someone’s home.
I returned my attention to the blonde young woman in front of me and a smile tugged at my lips.
“What do I get in return?” I drawled.
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, mouthing shut up to 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, because she wanted 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.”