Page 8 of The Devil's Pawn

“I’ll be fine,Dante. Thanks for your concern.”

“Aren’t you going to give me your name?” He picks up his drink, looking questioningly at me.

“Raquel.”

“Well, Raquel, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

“It’s fine. Story of my life.” I shrug nonchalantly, palming my hands together and then relaxing them on the bar as I stare ahead.

I don’t even know why I’m talking to him. I know I won’t sleep with him, no matter how much I wanted to convince myself I would earlier. It was nice pretending. And it’s not as though we can be friends. I’ll be dead.

Or if I’m not, Carlito will kill me.

Dante orders another drink for me before his hand slides to my shoulder, his index finger casually slipping under the strap of my dress.

Tingles break over my skin, coating me in electrifying heat and making my nipples pebble beneath the thick material of my dress. I hope like hell he can’t see them.

“Clearly, it’s not fine,” he rasps, causing me to turn my attention to him.

My breaths fall hastily from my lips as my eyes jump to his mouth. It might be the alcohol, but wow, his lips are so delicious. What would it be like to kiss a man that attractive? To feel truly desired by someone I want in return? I wouldn’t know.

I haven’t been properly kissed or fucked in years. Not since my parents announced my marriage to Carlito two years ago, when I graduated from medical school. Carlito hasn’t dared touch me that way, and he won’t until we’re married. Then he’ll do whatever he wants.

My heart clamps and tears ache behind my eyes, threatening to show their face. I tuck them away, not wanting to ruin my day even more by crying in front of a bar full of people for the second time. This man probably thinks I’m nuts already. I don’t want to give him any more reasons to think that way.

Dante rubs the back of his neck, and my chest climbs with every fired breath as I watch his triceps flex. His gaze zeros in on my breasts, probably noticing my nipples poking through the dress.

“Last call,” the bartender announces.

Dante sharply turns back to the bar, finishing the rest of his drink in one quick swallow and slamming the glass back down. I swiftly finish mine, not knowing how I’m actually going to take my life once I get out of here.

What if Carlito finds me first? Though he’s never actually hit me, I can tell he’s itching to put me in my place. The rage trickles within his eyes every time I’m around him. Once it’s filled to capacity, the wrath will rain, and I’ll be its victim for life.

“So, what’s this fiancé of yours like?” Dante asks, his warm gaze trapping me in an invisible cage I’d be more than willing to climb into.

I’ve never seen a man with such beautiful brown eyes before. They’re soulful, while the rest of him is all male. The rippled muscles of his biceps stretch sinfully as he crosses his arms, causing me to gape for longer than appropriate.

Again.

But this time he doesn’t say anything. His eyes are still perched to mine when I glance up.

“He’s not exactly my fiancé,” I mutter, peering down at my lap. “And he’s awful. My parents arranged it, and I have no choice in the matter.”

His hand snaps to mine, gripping it tightly in his, a thumb softly dusting over the top as he looks at me. My attention slithers back to him as my body stirs with a jolt, quiet awareness pouring through me every time his skin touches mine.

“I’m sorry you’re hurting.” His tone is as soft as his touch; he’s now rubbing slow circles over my hand. “But everyone has a choice. Some are just harder to make.”

I’m breathless. Lost to him. Unable to pull away.

He’s right. We all have choices we’re sometimes too afraid to make. I need to stop holding myself back.

Maybe I shouldn’t feel this way, but I can’t help this haze of attraction between us. I need to know where it can go before everything ends for me.

“This is probably crazy,” I whisper, looking back up at him. “But—”

“But what?” The smooth cadence of his words bathes me in tranquility.

And in the next three seconds, I change the course of my fate completely.

---