Page 3 of Taboo Flames

He shrugs casually. “Aren’t you?”

“I’m not,” I deadpan. “Who are you anyway?”

His mouth quirks up briefly. “That ruins all of the fun and mystery, don’t you think?”

From the little I can see of his face, he has a strong jaw dusted with a light shadow of stubble. The man is freakishly tall with broad shoulders and a build that strains against his clothes. I have a feeling that behind the mask is a face that is lethal to the female population.

“Do you know who I am then?” I ask curiously.

“No. Should I?” he replies, his smile suggestive.

I just give him a bland smile. “Maybe. You do seem to know a lot.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t. You must be a well-kept secret,” he muses, his smile wolfish. “Luckily for me, I like secrets.”

I’m not so much a secret. Rather, I just have “steer clear” in bold, neon letters on my forehead. Nobody wants to deal with my intimidating older brother, Leonardo. And why would they? He is terrifying to most people.

“Curiosity killed the cat,” I warn him.

“Good thing I’m not a little pussy then,” he replies with a smirk.

“Why are you all the way over here instead of out there?” I ask curiously, gesturing toward the crowd beneath us.

“I have a feeling you’ll be better company than all of them combined.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Will it?” he asks. “Then why do I get the feeling it won’t get me anywhere with you?”

“Probably because it may not,” I reply. “Regardless, you’re going to have to do a lot better than that.”

“Like a flash mob?” he suggests, his voice dripping with amusement.

I pretend to think about it for a second. “Will Beyonce be a part of your dance crew?”

He grins at me. “I’m sure I could take her family hostage to make her willing, so sure.”

I giggle. “That’s what you’d think of first? Seriously?”

“Are you scared of me now?”

“Terrified,” I deadpan again, exaggerating for effect. “My knees are knocking together in fear. Can’t you hear them?”

He chuckles. “I like you.”

I’m about to reply when I see the beady-eyed man from earlier with two other men. They’re looking around as if they’re searching for someone. My heart clenches in my chest, hoping that I’m not their target. But when their gaze lands on me,a malevolent sneer twists the apparent leader’s face, and it becomes evident they’re here for me.

“Who are they?” my masked companion asks.

“Long story, but I have to get out of here, pronto,” I reply urgently.

“Come with me.” The man grabs my wrist and begins to lead me away from the crowd.

For a second, I have a fleeting thought that I shouldn’t be trusting this stranger. I know him almost as much as I know the guys who are after me, but I let myself be pulled away from the ballroom through winding hallways and a steep staircase.

“What’s up there?” I wonder out loud.

“Wouldn’t you like to find out?” he replies with a mischievous smirk.

---