And my chest freaking clenches.
He’s good-looking. Now that I’m getting past the initial shock, I start to really take him in. Tall and muscular with a lean, athletic build. His lips are full and his eyes are dark, and his hair’s got that perfectly messy look, cut short on the sides and a bit longer on the top, curling slightly in pushed-back waves. The stubble on his cheeks makes him seem rugged, and I find my heart fluttering the more I look at him.
I’m not normally into mafia guys. All my life I’ve learned the hard way to turn and run the second a guy in this life shows any interest in me. They’re all the same: selfish, egotistical pricks who only care about themselves.
And even though I know Luca’s probably exactly like all the rest of them, I can’t help the bizarre flare of heat in my belly.
He’s beautiful. Maybe it’s the car talk. Or maybe it’s the dangerous way he stalks toward me. But I find him way more attractive than I should.
Which means all my defenses come online, and I slam my walls into place.
There’s no way in hell I’m letting this guy anywhere near me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I bark, grabbing for that hammer. I grip the handle and hold it up, gritting my teeth like I’m about to strike.
He barely reacts. “Listen, you need to get out of here. We got word there’s a raid coming this morning.”
“Raid? What are you talking about?”
“I don’t have time to explain.” He holds out a hand, dark eyes sucking me in. I think about bashing his fingers. “Come with me. I’ll make sure you get back home safe.”
It’s the most absurd thing he could’ve said.
“I don’t evenknowyou.” I skirt sideways, away from him. There’s a back door down the hall past the offices, and I just might make it if I run hard enough. “For all I know, you’re here to kidnap me.”
“You know my family. Your father and my cousin have been in talks about an alliance for weeks. This isn’t a game. I’m here to protect you.”
I hesitate. He could be telling the truth. But nobody talks to me about Famiglia business, and I don’t ask questions. Better not to know.
Except nobody protects me. That was another hard lesson. Those egotistical mafia assholes would happily see my brains blown out so long as it saved their own skin. No, I take care of myself. Nobody ever takes care of me.
And when they do, people die.
I tighten my grip on the hammer. “But why are you here and not someone from my family?”
“I already called them. Your brother said you’d be here. I was the closest and said I’d come pick you up.”
“You know Raf?”
“I know him, and I know you’re Fiorella. I didn’t expect you to be such a fucking mess though.”
Anger flares in my chest. He’s smirking at me like he thinks he’s funny. “What, did you expect some pretty little mafia princess?”
“Basically, yeah. Cute girl sitting in a cute car.”
“Guess you don’t know me at all.”
“Put the hammer down, Fiorella. Or don’t, it doesn’t matter to me. Either way, we’ve got to get out of here.”
“Boss,” one of the men calls out. I almost jump at the sound. I’d been so focused on sexy-beautiful-monster Luca that I forgot about the others. He’s standing on the far side of the garage, peering out a front window. Young-looking, same dark hair as Luca, and handsome in his own way. “Cars just pulled up. I’m counting three.”
“Shit,” Luca says, turning toward him. “How many, Leo?”
I raise the hammer. This is my chance. I could bring it down on the back of his head andrun. But something makes me hold back.
Maybe it’s the way he looked at me. Like he was seeing past the stained, old t-shirt and ratty jeans and seeing the girl underneath all the grease. Or maybe I’m just softer than I like to pretend.
Either way, I can’t do it.
