Page 15 of Devious Kingpin
“I like that,” I mused, holding my stomach and tears in my eyes. “Get in the fucking casket. My brother is fucking doomed.”
I could picture it already, Branka ordering him to do just that. Except, I didn’t think she loved him enough to share her casket. In fact, I couldn’t picture them together at all.
Autumn rolled her eyes. “Somehow I think Juliette and Branka shouldn’t be left alone together.”
“Juliette alone with anyone is a dangerous thing,” Davina chimed in as she approached our group. I shot her a glare, only to notice Dante was joining us too.
“Excuse me,” I muttered and headed in the opposite direction. I’d give Davina, my evil stepmother, a piece of my mind later.
Without another look back, I headed in search of the restroom. I could hear footsteps behind me, but I ignored them. I weaved through the guests, nodding my greeting every so often. I was almost there when that now familiar and aggravating voice came from behind me.
“Running, Wildling?”
My feet stopped of their own accord. My brain screamed for them to get a move on and get me behind the bathroom door. But no such luck. I remained glued to the spot.
I glanced over my shoulder. Just like every time I saw him, he was wearing his three-piece suit. It was perfectly molded to his broad shoulders and toned body. Crisp black lines matched his dark hair and eyes.
“I’m saving myself the trouble of putting up with annoying company,” I remarked dryly.
He plastered a grin on his handsome face.Handsome, but still definitely annoying, I added silently.
“Perfect, then we can do that together.”
I knew he wasn’t that dense. He just liked to agitate the living daylights out of me. Impatience flared within me, and it took all my self-restraint not to turn around and just punch him. Maybe kick him in the balls again. It seemed he needed a reminder of what I was capable of.
Instead, I took a deep breath in and then exhaled slowly, letting my temper somewhat cool. I couldn’t ruin Autumn’s wedding. I turned around and faced him, craning my neck to meet his gaze.
“Dante, let me make one thing clear,” I said, as sweetly as I could muster it. “I don’t want to do anything ‘together’ with you. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to see you. Honestly, I’m not even fond of knowing you.” His dark eyes flickered with something dangerous. I ignored it. “But I can be reasonable. So I’ll tell you what”—I tapped my fingers against my chin pensively—“we’ll be acquaintances.Casualacquaintances like the kind that nod to each other as we pass on our way to talk to someone who actually matters. Okay?”
He didn’t comment. I went to turn around when his question stopped me. “Why?”
He stood there in the hall, his gaze heavy and full of something—nerves? I didn’t care to know. He slid his hands into his pockets as that same gaze fell down my body. It wasn’t leering, more so observant. But under his dark, thick lashes, there was something that set me on edge. A warning. A flare of self-preservation. It was exactly the reason I’d never let this man get near me.
“Why what?”
“Why do you want to stop at acquaintances?” he demanded. Why couldn’t he just let it go?
“You’re not my type,” I snapped harshly. Truthfully, I didn’t have a type, but that was beside the point.
His gaze returned to my face and he pulled a hand out of his pocket to run a thumb across his bottom lip. As if he were considering my words. Maybe he’d finally give up. He gave his head a small shake, then took a step forward. I took one back.
An odd thumping began in my chest. I didn’t like it. I didn’t likehim.
He was a DiLustro. His cousin kidnapped my cousin and Dante helped. Then, the devil went behind my back to my dad to ask for my hand in marriage. As-fucking-if. But I was a reasonable woman. I got over all that and forgave him. For the most part.
But the part that got me freaked out the most when it came to Dante was my body. He made me feel things I couldn’t face. The way my body responded to Dante DiLustro brought back the memories that I worked so hard to forget.Longing. The need to be consumed.Except, it could never happen. Not with the panic attacks that plagued me when any man even attempted to touch me.
Therefore, it was best to avoid him—make Dante hate me—so I couldn’t get hurt. He wouldn’t want me anyhow. Not if he knew how broken I was.
Dante took a step forward, and again, I took another one back. My instincts warned me to get the hell out of here. Away from him.
His eyes locked with mine, burning me from the inside. I detested the feeling. I detested being around him. Period.
“I am your type, Juliette,” he drawled lazily. Softly. His hand wrapped around my wrist. Calloused, rough, and firm. Something hot leaked into my bloodstream and shot through my veins like a drug. “You just don’t know it yet.”
It was like time had stopped as we stood there, his thumb brushing my knuckles. My pulse raced in a combination of fear and something else. Maybe panic? I tugged my wrist free and his grip slipped down my wrist, palm, fingers. As if he couldn’t bear to end the touch, the same one I couldn’t wait to escape.
I rushed out of there, leaving him to stare after me. I pushed the door to the bathroom open and it wasn’t until I was inside one of the stalls that I felt like I could breathe again. I leaned against the door and shut my eyes. My heart raced, although I didn’t know why.
