Page 19 of His Dark Vendetta

I should have pushed her over the edge and been done with it.

But those fucking cars.

And the way she clung to me. The sweet smell of her hair.

Cazzo!

Memories sped toward me, a bullet train with its horn blaring, and there was nothing I could do to get out of the way.

* * *

Vesuvio wasbusy for a Wednesday night. It was early enough that the downstairs bar was full. I figured I’d grab a drink and people watch before heading upstairs. Good decision on my part. I would’ve missed her had I come in the back. Would’ve missed our one night together before everything went to shit.

I spotted her as soon as I walked through the door. But I would’ve spotted her a mile away in a sea of people. That’s how it was with us. Like magnets.

Siobhán’s hair was pulled back into a tiny ponytail. She didn’t usually wear it that way. It exposed the full length of her creamy neck and made her stunning features even more arresting. She had an angular face, heart-shaped with a pointed chin and high cheekbones. A porcelain canvas for pale blue eyes, a button nose, and ruby lips. Not too plump and not too thin, she always painted them red, and when she tossed her head back in laughter, they parted to reveal a bright white smile with a front tooth just crooked enough to add character. Her eyes sparkled when she smiled, and the bar lights danced across the field of blue like moonlight over crystal water.

Her style was singular. I’d never seen her outside of Terme di Boston, and apparently her flair for retro fashion didn’t stop at the resort’s doors. She wore a pair of ’50s-era high-waisted jeans above vintage, kittens and a cropped long-sleeved sweater that accentuated her lithe frame. Christ, she was gorgeous. A modern-day Grace Kelly but with a devilish side that belied her angelic features. And with her tight little body and the exposed skin of her collarbone and neck, my fangs ached and my dick twitched, desperate to sink into every inch of Siobhán Connelly.

We were finally going on a date. The main event was scheduled for Saturday night. After a year of flirting and lunches, I was ready to make my move, and as luck would have it, I might not have to wait until Saturday.

She walked toward me, chatting with two other women I wouldn’t be able to pick out of a lineup if I tried. Siobhán consumed every ounce of my attention, and as if drawn to me by the uncanny connection tying us together, her focus shifted from her friends to me.

Our eyes met. Hers grew wide and sparkled with delight. I smiled, so broad and genuine it hurt my cheeks. She stuck the tip of her tongue between her teeth and scrunched her nose. God, I was one lucky fucker.

She grabbed her friend’s arm and mumbled something into her ear. Her friends glanced at me furtively, said their goodbyes, and walked past me to the door.

I met her where she waited with one hip cocked and a smirk on her red lips. “It must be my lucky day,” I said. “Buonasera, Siobhán.”

“Hello, Luca. Did you just get in?”

“This morning. I need a couple drinks if I’m going to power through the jet lag. Care to join me?”

She laughed, and the sound sparkled as brightly as her eyes. “The bartender just announced last call. Good luck finding a place that’s open on a weekday in this town.”

I placed my arm around her shoulders and spun her in the opposite direction. “This place doesn’t close as early as you think,” I whispered into her ear and ushered her toward the back of the club.

Her brows pinched in confusion, and I winked.

Matteo stood in front of the roped-off spiral staircase. The upstairs patrons knew to come in the back, but Marco kept a man inside to make sure no one wandered where they shouldn’t.

“Ciao, Luca! Come va?”

“Ciao, Matteo. Bene, bene.” I clasped his hand and kissed his cheeks. “Just here for a couple drinks.”

He eyed Siobhán.

“It’s okay. She works for Marco, and she’s with me.”

He flashed a smile and gave me a nod. “È bello vederti, fratello.” He unclasped the rope and stepped to the side. “Prendiamo qualcosa da bere mentre sei in città? Okay?”

“Assolutamente,” I said and slapped him on the shoulder. I glanced at Siobhán. “After you.”

She eyed me warily but started up the metal stairs, giving me a view I did not mind.

She stopped when she reached the top and took in Vesuvio’s second floor with a mixture of surprise and apprehension. “What is this place?”

I stepped up the remaining stairs and stood next to her. Despite the action on the first floor, Marco’s illegal gaming club was unusually slow. Only one card table worked in earnest, and a couple of guys watched sports highlights at the bar. None of the girls were on the pole.

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