Page 21 of Vigilante
“My special place isn’t anywhere near here. It’s a four-hour drive, and honestly, you won’t want to leave once you see it. So, I’ll wait. Go pack enough for a few days.”
“Oh, I thought this was just a day date?” Her eyes widen slightly at the unbridled thought seeping from her lips. “Well…I mean not a date exactly, I just…”
She’s babbling again. And fuck me, it’s cute.
“I didn’t mean to assume it was a date if that’s what you’re thinking, I just kind of?—”
Cupping her rose-colored cheeks with both my hands, I step closer to her, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of her nose. She really needs to calm down. This girl doesn’t have a clue how toask for what she wants, embarrassed by her own honesty, but I’ll change that within the next few days.
“Bella,” I croon almost in a whisper. “It’s a date, trust me.” She seems to relax into me more with that confirmation. “Do you trust me?”
“Yes.” She answers so quickly that it shows me she didn’t even need to think about it.
“Then go pack a bag for a few days. I promise you’re safe with me.”
“O-okay.” She smiles brightly.
Letting her go, I watch her walk into her bedroom with an extra skip in her step, and I can’t help but smile. I only have a few days left in America—I know that much. And there isn’t a single part of me that plans to waste them without her by my side. I’ll make sure that when I leave, nothing can be traced back to her.
CHAPTER 11
Julia
I packfor every contingency and bring way too much underwear. There’s something hardwired into my brain that is convinced I might need seven pairs over the course of a few days. Before I go, I make sure my location is being shared with Tasha, just in case.
Max doesn’t look like a killer, but you never know. I’d hate to end up on one of those documentaries.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you heard that right. Julia Canon met her demise by being lured into the forest by a handsome man, all for the chance to ride his dick.
The car he brings me to is a sleek black SUV with tinted windows.
“You’re not going to kidnap me, are you?” I joke as he throws my bag in the trunk.
He smiles, “Why are you a CEO?”
I bust out laughing at his unexpected joke.
Once we’re settled in the car, he has me hook up my phone to the speakers, allowing me to play whatever songs I desire.
I pick something neutral while he maneuvers the large vehicle out of the traffic-clogged streets. It isn’t long until we’reout on an open stretch of road, headed north and enveloped by the bountiful trees Upstate New York has to offer.
“Let me guess, your special place is in Sleepy Hollow. You have a thing for the Headless Horseman.”
“Nope.” He pops the sound of the ‘p’ while grabbing my hand.
His long fingers wrap around my small ones, fitting perfectly together. As he drives, he pulls my hand onto his knee, palm face down, while he rubs my skin ever so gently.
“Well, how about this, you tell me something about yourself. Maybe like your last name or what you do for a living. It’s only fair since you know where I work.”
He casts a quick sidelong glance at me. “Well, my full name is Maximo Lorenzo Rossi”
“That’s quite a mouthful.”
“Oh,Bella,you have no idea what a mouthful is.” I flush with heat.
“And your job?”
“Currently, I’m taking some time off from the family business. My mom’s not doing well since my father passed.” His jaw tightens, and he lets go of my hand to grip the steering wheel.
