Page 7 of Taboo Flames

“Carlos,” I call out.

One of my men materializes from where he has been standing in the shadows of the street. I had been anticipating trouble tonight, so I stationed three of them as lookouts for any sign of trouble.

Not that I can’t take care of myself, of course. I’m more than capable of making sure that anybody who crosses me will never live to tell the tale.

“Sir,” he replies.

“Keep an eye on her.”

He doesn’t voice his surprise at a man of his training and caliber being relegated to babysitting duties. He simply nods and walks off in the opposite direction.

I should forget all about Aurora and go back to me of an hour or so ago who didn’t know that my best friend’s little sister’s lip gloss was orange-flavored. The me who didn’t know what her little throaty moans sounded like.

The me that knows stupid thoughts like that will get my head on a spike. I believe in brotherhood and loyalty more than anything else, and what I’m doing right now is the complete opposite of being loyal to my best friend, and I hate myself for it.

There are a billion women on the planet, and I can have any of them except her.

Aurora should not exist to me…not even in my thoughts.

But that kiss keeps replaying in my mind, tormenting me. And I hate myself even more because I know I am going to be replaying that kiss in my mind for the rest of the night.

Of all the terrible things I’ve done in the course of my life, thinking about that kiss is by far the worst of them.

With an irritated sigh, I walk back to the party, anger sizzling through my blood.

Hours later,a new day begins at dawn, and I’m seated behind my large oak desk. I’ve just successfully put Aurora out of my mind when the obnoxious little thing in question comes barging into my office.

I ignore her furious expression, my gaze roaming down her body leisurely. She’s in a yellow silk blouse, blue skinny jeans, and pointy heels. I envision her legs in just those heels wrapped around my hips while I pound into her.

Damn, she’s a temptation I can’t afford, but I’m definitely going to hell already anyway, so I’ll indulge.

Aurora, with her angelic face and siren body, is too much of an invitation for any red-blooded male. And I’m very male—one getting incredibly hard by the mere sight of her.

I immediately push the image of her out of my mind and try to think of gruesome things—blood, death, anything at all—that can bring me back to my senses.

This is Aurora,god damnVitale, not just some other chick.

She’s not just off limits. She’s so far from being a plausibility that she might as well exist on another planet. I’m not even supposed to think she’s beautiful. I’m not supposed to think anything of her at all.

And she’s not supposed to be here.

“If you’re quite done staring at me like a creep—” she begins.

“Not yet,” I cut her off, just because I know it’ll infuriate her further, and I see I’m right when her face turns tomato red. A few moments later, I say, “Okay, now I’m done. And while I’m still smiling, do explain why you have the guts to barge into my office like some psycho.” I lean back into my chair and try not to show how much her presence is affecting me.

“Call off your watchdog, Gio!” she seethes.

I don’t show my surprise at the fact that she was able to discover Carlos’s presence in such a short time. She is indeed a true blood of the mafioso. “No.”

“No?” she echoes, her voice high. “Did you seriously just say no? I don’t need a freaking babysitter, and even if I did, I’m more than capable of hiring myself a bodyguard. You’re not my guardian. You have no right to do this.”

“In Leo’s absence, it’s my duty to?—”

She lets out an unladylike snort. “We both know this has nothing to do with your so-called duty of keeping me safe. You’re just a raging, controlling, grade-A asshole.”

“The babysitter stays regardless,” I tell her.

“Didn’t you just hear anything I said?” she cries out.

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