Page 10 of Blood Lust

We walked out together, ignoring the appreciative stares we got from readers and authors. After leaving the ballroom the signing was held in, we headed toward where the rest of my brothers and our mom waited. Alessio and Leo were loaded down with bags. If looks could kill, Vittorio and I would be dead on the spot.

“It’s about time. What took you so long?” Leo grumbled. We were cramping his partying, and it was making him irritable.

“I was helping a damsel in distress,” I replied and grinned. “Don’t be so testy.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Of course you were.”

We helped my mother get her purchases back to the cabin.

“You boys are on your own tonight,” she informed us as she held a book to her chest. “I’m exhausted, and I plan to dive into some of my new books.”

My mother’s announcement worked into my plans perfectly. Vittorio offered to stay with Mom, and his man would watch over them. Alessio and Leo decided to go check out the bar scene. I already had my plans ironed out.

In my cabin, I took a shower and changed into a deep blue Sartoria Dei Duchi suit with a pale blue shirt. Staring at myself in the mirror as I looped my tie around my neck, I paused. For the first time in forever, I second-guessed my choice. I blamed iton my mother tripping out this morning over my Armani suit. It was one of my less expensive and more casual suits, but she had believed it was completely over the top.

In a completely atypical move, I removed my jacket and tie. With the flick of my wrist, I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my shirt.

“You might as well untuck the shirt too,” Pietro said from his place on my couch. He was scrolling through something on his phone.

“What?” I asked, coming out of the bedroom.

“Untuck the shirt. Look like the common folk,” he replied.

I arched a brow. “Common folk?”

“Yeah.” He snickered.

“Did you just laugh?”

“We’re getting off topic.”

“I’m not untucking a six-hundred-dollar shirt. It’s bad enough that I don’t have the jacket and tie.” After grabbing my money clip, I slid it and my phone in my pocket. For a moment, I studied myself in the mirror, wondering what the fuck I was doing. Then I took a quick glance at the time, and at the last minute, shoved a couple of condoms in my pocket. With a little luck, it wouldn’t be long before I was back in the cabin or in her room.

“Shall we?” I asked, motioning toward the door.

“Let me get that,” Pietro offered as he preceded me towards it.

“By all means, honey,” I teased. He flipped me off as I passed by.

Ever on guard, he had his eyes everywhere as we went to our agreed-upon meeting place. We were a little early, which was perfect. “See if you can get me a table. Then make sure you stay out of sight. I don’t want her thinking I’m more than just some average guy. Nor do I want her getting scared, thinking we’reganging up on her. If I’m so lucky as to get her to go back to my cabin, you’re done for the night once we’re there.”

Pietro gave me a nod and entered the bar.

Half expecting her not to show, I was pleasantly surprised when she came around the corner. The deep red wrap dress had me wanting to skip the drink and go back to my cabin immediately. Her dark tresses were partly pulled up on top of her head, leaving most of it around her shoulders and curling over her perfectly rounded tits.

But the nervous smile that lifted the corners of her mouth took my breath away.

“I wasn’t sure you’d come,” I admitted as she stopped in front of me. I swept my appraising gaze over her, head to toe.

“I almost didn’t,” she admitted before tucking some of her hair behind her ear.

“Now that would’ve been a shame,” I teased. Then I held my elbow out for her, and she tentatively placed her hand in the crook of my arm. Even through the expensive fabric I wore, her touch sent a shock through me. I shook it off.

Pietro was at the end of the bar and unobtrusively pointed at a “Reserved” sign on a table in the corner. After giving him a satisfied chin lift, I guided her to the table and assisted her into her seat. Instead of taking the chair across from her at the square table, I chose the seat next to her. Our knees brushed as I scooted my chair up.

There was that zap again.

The waitress came by, and we both ordered our drinks. I shot off a text to Pietro, then put my phone away.

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