Chapter 10 #2
A few seconds later, she darted a glance toward me. She was doing an excellent job of masking her thoughts. If she believed that by ignoring me that I’d walk away, she was dead wrong. I leaned forward, noticing it was apparent the man in the chair had received a message.
I unbuttoned my jacket, noting that after he received the text, he quickly tossed me a glance, allowing me to catch a glimpse of his silhouette. Not enough for me to try to recognize him.
Her eyes narrowed and she stared at her phone, her breathing hitching. She darted her eyes to the front window, appearing even more uncomfortable.
Well, well. It would seem my lovely beauty had issued a warning. Or perhaps he was her boyfriend and she was telling him I was an issue.
Josette moved from around the counter, careful to avoid getting too close. Yet she tossed me another look, finally stopping a couple of feet away. “What are you doing here?” She kept her voice low as if worried someone would hear her admonishment.
“I came to see you. You invited me. Remember?”
I expected an agitated response or a roll of her eyes. “That was before.” The three words were full of tension. Something was off. Wrong.
“Before?”
Suddenly, the man got up and headed for the door, tossing his coffee before he did.
“Before I found out who you were.” She threw a look over her shoulder.
I was ready to reach for my weapon.
Even though her tongue was sharp, the look in her eyes and her body language was completely different.
A warm flush swept up both sides of her cheeks, a slight nervous tic appearing in the corner of her mouth.
“And just who do you think I am, my beauty?”
She swallowed, offering a nervous, plastic smile, a jolt of electricity soaring between us.
Inhaling, I was able to gather a scent of her feminine wiles.
And I could see her fully erect nipples pushing through the soft material of her top.
Vile thoughts rushed into my mind, the hunger to shove my cock deep inside her tight channel becoming almost debilitating.
“Mr. Prince. I’m not immune to your business activities now that I recognize you.
You’ve done some terrible things in your life and while there is no record of you being convicted, that doesn’t take away from your activities or how you treat people.
I have no interest in continuing our… friendship. ”
“I must admit my interests are something entirely different than simply being friends.”
“I want nothing to do with you, so I suggest you leave.” She stood defiantly in front of me yet took several steps toward the door. The woman truly believed she was going to toss me out.
Suddenly, two things occurred at once: a text on my phone and movement only feet away from the store.
This wasn’t about a robbery, but something much more intentional.
With her back to the door, she had no idea what was about to happen.
“Get out, Sinclair,” she instructed.
“Get down!”
Before I had a chance to grab my weapon, the same man entered the store. Even in the shadows, I could tell he was wearing a mask. He was either stupid, arrogant, or couldn’t care less that the odds of him leaving in anything but a body bag were slim.
The asshole grabbed Josette, yanking her against him, pressing the barrel of his weapon against the side of her neck.
She stared at me, her eyes opening wide.
Through his mask, I noticed his eyes. He was staring directly at me and I’d be goddamned if the asshole wasn’t grinning. He knew exactly who I was.
Had this been some setup?
She was genuinely terrified, her entire body shaking.
Rage rose up from the very depths of my being, the asshole who had her around the neck obviously unaware of who he’d dared fuck with.
“I suggest you lower your weapon,” I said in a quiet yet commanding voice. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Josette’s eyes were open wide, her fingers digging into the man’s arms, whispered moans of terror coming from her mouth. Yet she kept her glare pinned on me as if I was to blame for the attack.
I took careful steps toward the assailant, my Glock positioned in both hands.
“Drop it, fucker,” he growled.
“I don’t think so.” I took two additional steps closer, sucking in my breath when he placed the barrel of his gun against her forehead. There was no way I could get off a clean shot.
While she was trembling, there was also a look of anger in her eyes. And her usual determination.
“I have no problem shooting her before I blow your head off.”
The fucker had just made a mistake in threatening me. There was no way he was getting out of here alive. My move was calculated; I had one shot at saving her life.
My gut told me the beautiful woman was about to do something very stupid. Yet I admired her refusal to play the victim.
“Get off me!” Josette railed, jamming both her elbows into the perpetrator. As the asshole stumbled backward, she managed to snag the ski mask covering his face, ripping it completely away, her hand snagging the top of his sweater as she jerked away.
Her gasp was riddled with rage.
“Josette. Get down!” I commanded, unable to catch a good look at the man’s face.
He caught his bearings, smashing the gun against the side of her head. As her body went limp, sliding to the floor, he took aim in my direction.
Pop! Pop!
He was pummeled backward but came at me again, throwing himself at me.
In the split second, all I could do was issue a hard punch, pitching him backward, but he managed to smash me in the face with his weapon, catching me completely off guard.
Slipping, I stumbled to the floor, managing to get off a single shot, the missed aim catching him in the thigh.
His howl of agony was cut short.
The sound being muffled had enabled me to hear her strangled cry just before her body hit the floor.
Powerful rage tore through me.
Somehow, the fucker managed to lunge up and over the counter, immediately heading into the back. If Josette wasn’t lying on the floor, I would chase the fucker down.
Tires squealed, and seconds later the door was thrown open and Enzo rushed in. “I tried to call you.”
“Go after him!” I barked. “Around the back.”
My Capo reacted without question, rushing through the store toward the back door.
Fuck. I crouched down, rolling her over onto her back. She was breathing, the rise and fall of her chest rattled. At least she hadn’t been shot.
Less than a minute later, Enzo returned. “Sorry, boss. He got away.”
“Where the fuck did he come from?” I was furious, as angry with myself as anything.
“I noticed him going to his truck and getting in. No license plate.”
“Goddamn it.” She opened her eyes, but I could tell she was fading into unconsciousness.
“We need to get you out of here.” Enzo remained by the door, the weapon in his hands. “Do you want me to call for backup?”
“Leave it. The hunt will begin later.” The last thing I wanted was to fire indiscriminately with no chance of taking down the fucker. There were other businesses still open.
How in the hell was the asshole still breathing, let alone managing to jump over a tall counter and get away? I was a crack shot. I never missed. Unless the asshole had been wearing a bulletproof vest under his fucking sweater.
What the guy reminded me of were the three assholes who’d dare steal from us.
I hadn’t seen their faces either. My thoughts were driven further into the darkness.
My anger spiked. Was there any chance she was working with the assholes?
Never mind logistical issues. It was the matters of coincidence that had kept our family members alive.
“Is there anyone else?” I barked out.
“Not that I noticed.”
“Get her keys and her phone. Check for a purse. We’re going to lock it up and take her with us.
” The last thing I needed was some wayward employee coming in early in the morning and contacting the police.
I could have our cleanup crew come in and wipe it down, but I wasn’t interested in wasting the resources.
Enzo eyed me as if I’d lost my mind. Maybe I had. But at this point, she was in danger. She was also a witness. As far as she was concerned, I’d killed the guy. Whether or not to protect her, she was already convinced I was a monster.
“You sure about that, boss?” My Capo knew better than to question me, yet the concern in his voice was noted. “Maybe she knew you were coming.”
“Do it!” I snapped. “I’ll sort that out later.”
Whoever the asshole was, there was no place on this earth where he could run and hide. I’d rip him to shreds with my bare hands.
Slowly.
I brushed my fingers down her cheek, growling. Her breathing was shallow, her skin devoid of all color. She’d seen the asshole’s face, which wasn’t going to bode well for her survival. The man was obviously an assassin, which meant he would return and finish the job in order to keep her quiet.
But he’d made mistakes as well.
I scooped her into my arms, cradling her close. She was so damn pale but lucky to be alive. I’d need to explain to her in detail that fighting a gunman wasn’t the way to handle the confrontation. Yet doing so fit her personality.
Enzo was back within seconds. “There’s very little blood in the back. But I heard two vehicles.”
Hissing, I headed to the door, flicking off the main light. He trailed behind me, opening the door and moving out first, ready to fire if we were disturbed.
“Never second guess my decisions again, Enzo. Do you understand?”
“Yes, boss. Never again.” He threw open the passenger seat of the SUV before locking the main door.
I climbed in beside her while Enzo jumped into the front seat, immediately driving away. Once he had, I turned my full attention to her, hissing every time lights flashed through the back window.
Even in the darkness, she appeared so frail.
Vulnerable. Much more so than she’d been before.
As I stroked the side of her face, she didn’t move, only the slight movement of her eyes under her shimmering soft lids providing indication she was alive.
Goddamn, she was even more beautiful than I’d remembered.
Yet having her in my arms like this was an affirmation of why she should stay away from me.
Unable to help myself, I leaned over, the ache I felt as intense as the anger. My attraction was completely off the charts, my whisper husky and filled with the kind of thirst that would need to be quenched.
“I hope you are who you say you are, Josette. But I promise you no one will dare hurt you again. You’re safe now. Safe with me.”
If she was anything other than an accidental recipient of backlash from my line of work, my desire for her could mean nothing. I’d need to teach a lesson she wouldn’t soon forget.
If there was a single important lesson my father had taught me, and there were several, it was that everyone had two sides.
Often from walking the fine line between virtuosity and evil.
Or by simply hiding from the truth. Whatever the truth was behind her darted glances and the fear I’d seen in her eyes I would discover.
My seductive liar. Or as my grandmother used to call me as a small boy.
Petit menteur.
Little liar.
No one dared to enter the world of the Prince Empire without consequences, including the stunning woman who’d been in my arms. Her life was about to change.
Now she belonged to me.
My captive audience.
My possession.