Page 19 of Stealing His Christmas Present

Chapter 7

I LIFTED MY GAZE TOthe camera that was now above my head. In the dim light, it was a wonder I’d managed to spot it.

What the hell was Pablo thinking? Why was he doing this to me?

At least the camera only seemed to have a direct view of the spot where the cot had been and not of any other part of the cell.

I’d been trying to find a way out, but this time the cell door was locked, and there was nothing I could do. My only hope was to get Pablo to let me go.

But this Pablo was so different from the one I’d met.

He’d been faking it then, of course, but I hadn’t known it. Like a fool, I’d believed he was a really hot and cute guy who could be my boyfriend for a while before I had to return back home.

A memory of Pablo and me reappeared in my mind.

I’d snuck out of my dorm room so I could go see him. Stella was asleep and she had no clue what I was up to.

I went to the club, and there he was. His smile was magnetic. So radiant.

I hurried to him and he took my hand, tugging me to him. Pressed against his strong chest, all I could do was stare deep into his dark eyes.

His hands roamed my body, and as they lowered down my back, a fire started to burn inside me. When I was with him, nothing else existed.

There were no guards watching my every step.

No one to report to my family about what I was doing—as far as I knew, but I was sure having someone spy on me for my dad would only put me more at risk.

I wasn’t a mafia princess here.

I wasn’t Claudia Casadei.

I was just Lea. A normal college student who wanted to enjoy the best time of her life.

It was so easy to pretend. So easy to wrap my arms around Pablo’s neck as if they belonged there.

And when his lips hovered over mine, his body so warm against mine, I wanted nothing more except to feel his mouth on my skin.

But I didn’t want to rush anything.

I didn’t want him to disappear.

We danced for so long I could barely stand on my feet.

“I’m starving,” I said.

“Come with me.” Pablo offered me his hand. “I have a solution for that.”

I let him take me out of the club. We made our way down a dark alley, and my grip on Pablo’s hand tightened.

Maybe I shouldn’t have let him take me with him. Going to the club was already risky, but leaving with a stranger to a place where there weren’t many people around was extremely dangerous.

Even though Pablo didn’t feel like a stranger, he hadn’t exactly told me much about himself either, and I didn’t want to pry because I didn’t want him to leave if he thought I was boring.

But we emerged onto a street that was full of light and people. Pablo let go of my hand.

I was lost in the crowd, but instead of being scared, I looked around in wonder.

No one really paid any attention to me. It was exhilarating.

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