Page 87 of Hearts Of Darkness

Ignoring him, I smack my palms against the door and find myself in the club’s security room. There are dozens of monitors mounted on the wall, but there’s not a single soul in here. I can still smell him, though. There’s a lingering trace ofhis rich aftershave.

“Damn you, Dante,” I whisper. “Why are you doing this to me?”

“I’m sorry, Eve.” Rick appears behind me, looking sheepish.

“He told you to delay me, didn’t he? He knew I’d seen him. He needed the time to slip away. Why the hell would he do that?”

Has Dante changed his mind?

Does he ever want to see me again?

Rick shrugs. “Things are a mess for him. You know he has his reasons.”

“Yeah, he’s always got plenty of those.” I push past him and head for the stairs, with Manuel trailing close behind.

Anna catches up with us as I’m waiting in line to collect my jacket. “Hey, Evie, did you find that guy you were looking for?” She glances down and sees the cloakroom ticket in my hand. “Oh. And where do you think you’re going?”

“Turns out horseback riding is all the excitement I can handle for one day,” I say with a weary expression. “Do you hate me?”

“Nope. Not even close.” She yanks me in for a quick hug. She knows this evening has been a huge step forward for me. “I’m proud of you, even though you’re ditching me at ten p.m. on a Saturday night. You okay if I stay a little while longer? Shall I get the guys behind the bar to call you a cab?”

“Thanks, but there’s no need. I saw a couple outside already.”

“I can’t tempt you to stay with me, Manuel?” she says, turning to him next, but he shakes his head reluctantly.

Poor guy. I can sense his conflict from all the way over here.

Anna goes to say something else, and then her gaze shifts to whatever drama is going on over my left shoulder. Her eyes widen, and her mouth drops open to form a perfect ‘o’.

“Holy shit, Evie. You havegotto get a load of this man.”

I don’t need to turn around to know it’s him. I don’t even need to see Manuel take a diplomatic step away from me. That beat has exploded between my legs, and I’m quivering with lust even before the aura of his masculinity starts punching my senses like an iron fist. Once upon a time, it produced nothing but fear in me. Now, it’s a guaranteed hotline to scorching heat and promise.

“Hello, my angel,” he purrs, his voice so velvety-smooth and deadly, and so goddamn sexy I want to drop to my feet and worship it. “Have you missed me?”

27

EVE

“Holy crap, do you know this guy, Evie?”

Anna sounds shocked in a not-so-flattering way, but it’s like I’m hearing her from inside a bubble. There’s only me and him in this club now. Everyone else has faded from view. He’s standing right behind me. His crotch is so close to my ass I can feel the outline of his erection, and it’s sending my body into overdrive.

“Sebastian Días,” he announces, extending his hand to Anna, and deliberately brushing against the side of my breast as he does.

I jump as if branded, like this brief, physical connection with him has seared my skin. Glancing down, I see the thick forearm with the olive skin and the light dusting of black hair—so familiar, so desired. I’m filled with a compulsion to grab hold of it and push it downward to the place I’m craving him the most, just like that time in Africa.To feel those rough fingers fucking me, over and over, again.

“Anna Williams. So,errhow do you two know each other?” She jerks her hand away from him and shoots me the mother of allWTFlooks.

“We met a while back,” says Dante vaguely, as if I was nothing more than a passing flirtation during a tedious board meeting. “Manuel, why don’t you take Miss Williams up on her offer to dance. I’d be more than happy to stay with Eve.”

Manuel nods. “Of course, Señor Días… Anna?”

But Anna doesn’t budge. She keeps looking at me for guidance. She’s unsure if she should leave me alone with this dark and dangerous creature.

“How do you know Manuel?” she asks suspiciously.

“We grew up in the same town in Colombia,” replies Dante, without missing a beat.

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