Page 17 of Corrupted Heir (Mafia Kings: Corrupted 1)

I laughed. But she was probably right.

Corinne checked her watch, and her eyes went wide. “Damn, time’s up. You’ve got to go and make that rich boy drool.”

“I’ll do my best,” I said, but really, what did I care whether some rich politician’s son eyeballed me all night? “Love you, Corinne. I’ll see you tomorrow. And please, make sure to lock everything and turn the lights off before you leave.”

Corinne followed me out to the living room to see me off, and I made my way outside. But halfway down the stairs to the building’s main floor, my hands started to tremble. Why the hell was I nervous? Sure, I hadn’t been on many dates after Jake, but it wasn’t like this was even a real date.You can do this, Moore. Just get through the night, and you’ll never have to see this rich snob again.

When I got to the base of the stairs, leading to a hallway lined with pastel lime tiles, I gulped. One final push out of the building and onto the street where my blind date awaited.

But I did it anyway, no matter how much it scared me. I kept my eyes down as I walked outside, rummaging through my bag to ensure I had everything I needed. Cellphone? Check. Wallet? Check. Pepper spray? Absolutely. The three things a woman should never leave home without.

When I stopped near the curb, I finally looked up and the knots in my stomach twisted more. A limousine. A goddamnlimousine.It was like a flashing sign that said, “Look at me, I’ve got money.”

This night just kept getting better and better.

I glanced up at the window of my apartment, maybe hoping Corinne had tossed a lifeline down to me. Instead, her pretty face peeked out from behind the curtain. She shook her head then gave me an encouraging thumbs-up. So nosy. I scrunched my nose, chuckling.

A large man, built like a brick house, stepped out from the front passenger side of the money train. He wore a plain black suit that looked like it would rip if he flexed his arms too hard. His skin was either tanned or naturally olive.

“Ma’am,” he said as he made his way past me to the very back of the garishly long vehicle. He opened the door and gestured for me to enter.

I stepped toward it, ducking my head, and looking inside.

“Oh, hell no,” I said.

What the hell washedoing here?

Dominic, donning an impeccably crisp suit, sat on the far end of the seat. It was a warm gray sharkskin material, and it fit his Superman body to a tee . He stared off out of the window as if he didn’t even notice the car door had opened. His pocket square was gold with red accents, which matched his maroon tie. Did he always wear suits? That had to be uncomfortable. Didn’t he ever kick it back and wear sweats or something?

When he finally looked at me, his gray eyes made all the blood in my body rush to my fingertips. He practically licked his lips while he gave me a once-over. Warmth spread in my cheeks, I suddenly wanted to cover up. I dressed likethisforhim?

“Please, join me, Miss Moore.”

“I’m not going on a damn date withyou.” I crossed my arms over my chest. Dominic’s eyes settled on my chest, where I had accidentally squeezed my cleavage even closer together. Awkwardly, I let my arms fall back down to my sides.

“Yes, you are,” he said in a voice that brooked no refusal. The look in his eye told me that he’d probably never heard the word “no” his entire life.

Just the buttery tone of this man’s voice made the butterflies in my stomach explode. But I also wanted to pull his stupid silk tie and watch his stupid gray eyes bulge out.What the hell is wrong with me?

If I was being honest, though, I knew what it was. It was my most fatal dating flaw—my ridiculous fascination with men who knew exactly what they wanted and weren’t afraid to make it known. Strong. Confident. Domineering, even. And one hundred percent a bad idea. Jake had been that kind of guy, and when he’d decided what he wanted was his twenty-year-old secretary, he’d had no trouble making it known.

But for now, I was trapped. I’d agreed to do this. So, with one final look back at my apartment window, I slipped inside.

I didn’t know what to say to him. Did I say hi? What the hell would anyone else say in this situation? Corinne would jump straight into some great fun conversation that would leave everyone laughing.

Dominic turned in his seat to face me. The door closed behind me, and the limo’s engine came to life.

“Fancy meeting you here, Miss Moore,” he said with an amused twinkle in his eyes. “You look... nice.” He spoke slowly while his eyes raked over my body.

This was Corinne’s fault—she’d dressed me up like some sexy siren. “I know,” I said bluntly, glaring at his suit, looking unimpressed while I secretly wondered how much it had cost, and if he had earned the money himself, or if he was just another spoiled rich kid.

“You look… expensive,” I said with as much disdain in my voice as I could manage. He probably thought it was a compliment.

“Thank you,” he said, but whether in jest or because he’d taken it as a compliment, I didn’t know.

Silence stretched between us as the limo took us… wherever we were going. Every moment though, I could feel it—the tiny sparks snapping in the air between us. But why? Sure, the man was ridiculously attractive—really, there should be a law against rich pricks looking so good—and there was definitely something about the way he sat up straight with his chin tipped up just enough to say he was as confident as they come. But damn it, I knew better. I already knew this guy was a grade A jerk.

He grinned at me when the car stopped in front of a building. Both doors were opened by his… what were they? Bodyguards? Why did he need bodyguards? They were bodyguards, right? Normal people weren’t that jacked for no reason. They had to be there for protection. When I joined him at the entrance of our destination, it was a shock to see how big they really were. Dominic was well over six feet tall, but his hulking masses for chaperones towered over him. Honestly, I was a little scared of them. They kind of looked ready to beat the living daylights out of anyone who looked at Dominic funny.

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