Page 11 of My Ruthless Obsession

I’m scared, but I want you too.

“I’ll never hurt you like that again. And maybe, someday, you’ll hate me a little less.”

I hear him retreating, and my momentary assurance turns to apprehension. Fearing his reaction, I hesitate to give up my ruse, but I can’t let him leave believing he’s a monster. Villainous? Yes, but not like that to me.

When he opens the door, I know I need to speak up.

“I like what you did to me.” My admission hangs in the air, both of us frozen in place as new realizations consume our thoughts. For a moment, I think he’ll come back, but then he steps out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Disappointment settles on my shoulders as I pull the blankets tighter around me. While I’m stunned that a man like Marco Vanetti wants me, I question his true motives for bringing me here.

7

LYLA

He thinks I don’t see him, but it’s hard to miss a six-foot-two Italian man sulking at the edge of the garden. I ignore him and continue chatting with Martin, exaggerating my laugh when the old groundskeeper shares a joke. Marco’s gaze narrows and his muscles bunch beneath his shirt, but he hasn’t moved from that spot for over twenty minutes.

Martin is harmless, and it amuses me to see Marco jealous over the fact that I’m talking to another man. When he finally strides toward us, the poor groundskeeper’s eyes go wide and he gathers his pruning tools before returning to work. Marco scowls at the old man, who scurries to the shed at the back of the property. Then, as he turns his attention to me, his shoulders relax and the corner of his mouth curls up.

“This must be your favorite place. You come out here often.” Marco shoves his hands into his pockets, his appearance more casual than I’ve seen before.

“Why wouldn’t I? It’s beautiful, and I rarely get to see anything like this in the city.” I graze my fingertips over the petals of a bright-pink bloom before raising an eyebrow. “Besides, why have such pretty things if you aren’t going to enjoy them?”

Marco makes a noncommittal noise, then follows me as I explore the lush greenery.

I stroll along the stone pathway, sensing his gaze on my ass. So I add an extra sway to my hips, grateful I chose this pale-blue sundress that accentuates my curvy figure. Occasionally, I glance back at him, admiring his strong features and sculpted physique. Yet he never takes his eyes off me and ignores the colorful beauty of our surroundings.

Marco remains two steps behind me, a stark contrast to the other interactions we’ve had since meeting. The stifling tension in the space between us creates an awkwardness I don’t know how to breach. Any other time, he exudes an air of authority; yet today he’s quiet and observant, and I find it unsettling.

Does he regret the things he said? Regret what we did? I don’t, but maybe I didn’t make that clear enough last night.

Pushing those thoughts away, I lean forward, pulling a rosebud to my nose and humming at its sweet scent. I savor the pleasant fragrance until Marco’s smooth voice has my eyelids fluttering open.

“There’s somewhere I want to take you.”

I turn my head, meeting his gaze while my mouth twists to the side. “You mean… I can leave?”

He huffs with a smirk. “No,we’regoing to leave. I’m taking you to a gala for an associate of mine.”

I tilt my head and wait.

“Consider it a peace offering. Besides, you’ll be well-guarded all evening.” He’s making up for last night, still remorseful over our encounter.

“Do I need to be protected, or are you still worried I’m going to escape?” There’s a hint of annoyance in my tone, but the longer I’m here, the more I want to stay and forget about the life I had before.

I work a shitty job that hardly pays minimum wage after tips. I doubt they’ve even noticed I haven’t shown up for my shifts the last few days. The apartment I share with my drunk of a father is rundown and in a bad neighborhood, a far cry from this lavish mansion that comes with its own staff. And speaking of my father, who knows where he is? He got himself into trouble and then dragged me down with him. Although, being abducted by a treacherous criminal has proven to be nothing like I expected.

Marco crowds my space until I’m backed against the garden wall, my mouth going dry. His possessive tone quickens my pulse, and arousal stirs in my belly. “You can try to escape me, Lyla, but there’s nowhere you can go that I won’t find you. And trust me, Iwillfind you.”

I can hear my own heartbeat as a tremor runs through my body. I try to maintain my composure, but his words affect me.

“Your protection is a priority. As long as you’re with me, no one will harm you.”

My lungs are heavy and struggle to fill with air while my gaze drifts to his mouth, wishing he would kiss me. He leans in a half inch more, and my heart skips a beat as I crane my neck and lift my chin. His stare is so intense I might spontaneously combust, my clenched thighs doing nothing to stave off the sudden rush of desire washing over me. Then I almost fall forward when he takes a step back, and I inhale a short gasp.

There’s a sparkle of mischief in his dark eyes, but I like seeing this version of him. “I’ll have some people come out to help you get ready for the party tonight.”

I lean back with a lift of my eyebrows. “Tonight? I won’t… There isn’t…” I sputter the words while estimating the time in my head.

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