Page 35 of Cruelest Vow

Her breath hitched, a warm rose spreading across her cheeks.

She allowed the gesture to linger. When she finally pulled her hand away, only then did I grab the few items that had fallen from the basket I was carrying.

We both stood at the same time, her sudden awkwardness allowing me to enjoy a few seconds of the luscious creature. Even dressed in a well-tailored suit, her beauty couldn’t be dampened. She took a deep breath, scanning the front of the store. She was definitely concerned about my appearance.

“I’m sorry to sound rude, but I must insist on your name.” Lucia stared me directly in the eyes, her statement a clear demand.

She had every right to be concerned, but not for the way she was thinking.

“Nicolo.”

“Interesting name. Do you have a last?”

“Scarpella.”

She processed the name in her mental data banks, apprehension crossing her face. Then she held out her hand. “Lucia Lazarro.”

“A beautiful name.”

“Lately, I’m not certain I like it any longer.” As other customers tried to get around us, she moved closer to the shelves.

“Why is that?”

“Because it comes with heartache, as can happen with every family. Now, I must ask you why you’re in this hardware store.”

I lifted the basket, allowing a look of amusement to cross my face.

“An interesting yet eclectic group of items.”

“Hmmm…” I crowded her space, enough so her lower lip quivered. “You’re wondering how it’s possible that in a city of several million people that we could possibly run into each other.”

“Exactly.” The single word was barely a whisper.

“Then I have a confession. I find myself in need of staying longer than I believed necessary for my business. I would prefer not to spend every night in a hotel. When I dropped you off, I noticed the building near you had a for-lease sign.”

“There’s usually a waiting list of several months for any apartments in the area.”

I chuckled, allowing myself to dare slide the tip of a single finger across her jaw. “It’s beneficial to have money and influential friends to be able to bypass some of life’s greatest irritants.”

“Ahhh. A powerful billionaire is always able to get what he wants.”

“Absolutely, Lucia. I’m not ashamed that money can also buy the best seats available for a Knicks game either.”

Her laugh was genuine as was the spark that had returned to her eyes. “I wouldn’t have figured you for a basketball kind of guy.”

“Should I take that as an insult?”

“Let’s face it, Nicolo. You looked like the perfect bad boy the other night, your Harley completing the black-on-black ensemble.”

“Then you’d be shocked to know I have a closet full of Gucci.”

“Yes, I would. You wear suits to play a role, a necessity in this day and time. I understand that better than you know. By the way. What do you do?”

I kept the smile on my face. I’d wondered when the questions would begin. “I dabble in stocks and bonds, real estate.”

Lucia glanced around the store once again. “That sounds incredibly mysterious, which has me guessing as to the sincerity of the information. Besides, I’d like to think of you as an assassin.”

Coughing, I exaggerated the sound, although I heard a hint of truthfulness in her tone. It would seem the meeting with her brother hadn’t gone well. “I assure you that my day-to-day activities aren’t nearly as glamorous.”

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