Page 52 of Royal Flush

“I read books and watch crime shows. Okay?” she barked, staring at me with amusement in her eyes. “Bottom line. My father isn’t a good man. I don’t want this life. I feel obligated, out of respect, to be here to some extent, but I have my limits and that’s it.”

“You need to understand something very clearly. You’ve become the target, Jasmine. If this group of men is mafia, they’ve followed you and your parents from Australia, and they won’t stop until they gather leverage with your father. While I know you want to live your own life, I may be the only man who can keep you alive long enough to do so.”

I wasn’t prepared to tell her that by keeping her close, she could potentially provide some answers, which my brothers and I obviously needed. Valerio had been right.

Coincidences were bullshit. Another question formed in my mind.

Was she even telling me the truth about her hatred of her father and his world? Or…

No, I wasn’t prepared to go down that road just yet. I was usually damn good about reading people and she struck me as a woman determined to break free from her father’s tether.

She stared at me and threw back the final gulp of her drink. “I’ve begun to think I’m not going to have a life of my own. Do you know how horrible that is to finally admit?”

I sat up on the edge of my seat. “I need you to look at me.” She was so damn stubborn that she acted as if she wasn’t going to allow that to happen. “Look. At. Me.”

“What?”

“You are going to have a life to live but you will need to trust me. Can you do that? And just as important, can I trust you not to try and escape at this point?”

She took a few seconds before nodding.

“Good girl. Now, you’re going to pour yourself a glass of wine and go into the main bathroom where you’re going to take a nice, hot bath. Then we’re going to have that late dinner I mentioned with you in a robe.”

“You’re taking off the bloody clothes?”

“I might even do that.” At least her resolve hadn’t been shattered.

“Okay. I’m not going to run.”

“Now, one last thing. I need to contact your father and explain you’re very safe. Will you trust me enough to provide me with the best phone number?”

She seemed almost nervous, dragging the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip. “Yes. But my dad won’t like you calling.”

“Not to be rude but I couldn’t give a shit what your father likes or doesn’t like.” I pulled out my phone as a further encouragement.

“He will try and hurt you. I know him. He hurts everyone who tries to get in his way.”

“Now it’s time for me to say that I can take care of myself, little koala. I’m a very big boy and in case your instinct didn’t let you know, I am considered a very dangerous man as well. Plus, I have two powerful brothers prepared to back me up as well.”

“So I heard.”

“You were checking up on me.”

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

I slid my finger over the screen of my phone. “What is your father’s number?”

She was still slightly reluctant to give it to me and as soon as she did, she rose to her feet. “Just don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”

I watched her walk away and for the life of me after what had just occurred less than an hour before, my cock was rock hard all over again.

What in God’s name did that say about me?

CHAPTER 14

“Only happy people have nightmares, from overeating. For those who live a nightmare reality, sleep is a black hole, lost in time, like death.”

—Guy Sajer

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