Page 7 of The Debt

Chapter 4

Can a man fall in love at first glance? Archer never believed in such nonsense before now. But one look at the tawny skin and soft brown eyes, he fell hard. Archer had never laid claim on a woman before. It was indeed peculiar that he hadn’t spoken ten words to Amira before concluding that she belonged to him. This was unusual behavior for him as he’d always thought the woman he would be with would be someone like himself – obsessed with science and technology.

Whether it was lust or love at first sight, he felt that this girl was trapped and he needed to set her free. There was unhappiness buried deep inside her that he needed to upend. During the short span of their encounter, she’d mentioned several times that her connection to Vasco the Underworld Boss was complicated. He knew who Vasco was and while he was terrified of the man, he wanted the woman.

The first touch of their hands gave him a hint of the passion that they could potentially share. It was when she was dancing in his arms that he knew of a certain that something unmistakable was happening between them. The look in her eyes, the way the pulse at her throat was ticking away and the tone of her voice told him she felt the same connection.

Then the kiss happened and he knew there was no going back. The only thing standing between him and Mira was Vasco. Taking another man’s woman was always risky and he had never had to contend with a man for a female. However, Mira didn’t seem happy about her relationship and she expressly told him she was not in love. Was that a cue?

Just how involved was she with the dark one? When they initially met, she said that Vasco was assisting her with a situation. Was that the extent of their relationship? Archer needed details and it appeared that Mira wasn’t in a position give it to him. His next course of action was to confront the man himself as he didn’t want to put her in a difficult position. Therefore, he didn’t insist on her responding to his request for a date.

“Let’s go back inside,” he said. “There is someone I need to see.”

She stepped out of his arms, leaving them feeling empty. They walked in silence as they returned to the party. As soon as they were inside the ballroom, Mira excused herself and made her way to the lady’s room. Archer circled the gathering searching for Vasco.

He found the man in the study playing poker with the host and a few other men. Vasco raised a brow as Archer beckoned to him. The man folded his poker hand and rose form his chair. The eyes of the one known as the Underworld Boss was a dark and steely. His face was set in a hard line and Archer could see why people feared him.

Although they were around the same age, there was something powerful about Vasco that somewhat intimidated Archer. It wasn’t about the money, because Archer knew his bank account far exceeded that of the other man’s. Vasco exuded ferocity. The very way he walked and the way his eyes bored into Archer told him that this man was evil.

“You’re the tech genius aren’t you?” Vasco acknowledged once he was within a foot of Archer. “Saw you on the news recently.”

“I see my reputation precedes me,” Archer joked.

Vasco pulled a cigar from his right breast pocket and handed to Archer who declined, declaring that he didn’t smoke. Vasco then sniffed the tobacco before popping it inside his mouth and extracting a golden lighter form inside the jacket. He proceeded to light the cigar.

“So genius, what can I do for you?”

Archer tried to read Vasco as he contemplated how to broach the subject of Mira. If he was going to do this, it was best to be direct. Therefore he swallowed his fear and came right out with it.

“I like Mira.”

A flicker crossed the man’s face before he broke into a wide grin. “She is an attractive girl.”

“No, she isn’t attractive, she’s beautiful.”

“So you like her,” Vasco remarked. “Then what’s the problem?”

“I know she’s your date, so I thought I’d ask if it was okay to ask her out. I don’t want to step on your toes.”

“Did she send you to ask my permission?”

“No,” Archer replied, trying to read the other man. “I am just uncertain of the nature of your relationship.”

“Ha, I see. You want to know if we are an item. You see Mira and I have an arrangement. You don’t need my permission to ask her out,” Vasco replied. “She has a mind of her own.”

“So we’re clear, you have no problems with me dating her?”

“Not at all,” the man laughed. “As I said. She has a mind of her own, even though she is kind of the black version of a dumb blond … you know – pretty with an empty head.”

“I doubt that,” Archer resisted. “I’m sure she is as intelligent as she is beautiful.”

Vasco wagged his finger. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Archer wasn’t sure what to make of Vasco’s remark about Mira. Could it be that the man was trying to turn his interested away from her because their relationship was more than they were making it out to be? He couldn’t be certain of the dark one’s motives, therefore he decided to tread lightly.

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