Page 24 of Queen Of Diamonds
And I know you don’t have many friends around here so I thought it would do you some good to get out of the house. I’m not going to hurt you. I can’t believe I still need to tell you that.”
His words sounded honest, like he and his eyes bled sincerity, but when he said he wasn’t going to hurt me, it almost sounded like he’d left a loud resounding“yet”,hanging between us.
Damn, he was good. I slipped my hands from his and crossed my arms over my chest. He was either an incredible actor worthy of a Golden Globe or he was truly genuine with his words.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth and gnawed on the flesh, debating if I had lady balls big enough to actually attempt taking a step forward with the Adonis in front of me. A man I knew for a fact could end my life in the blink of an eye.
One day, I’d look back on this moment and wonder whythatcrucial detail didn’t bother me as much as it should have.
Presently, this was about more than just him hurting me. There were a colossal number of reasons not to go with him and they started forming the moment his eyes locked with mine outside his office.
Those reasons said fuck logic altogether.
My masochistic nature begged me to learn everything there was to know about him. Another part of me wanted to bask in the power he naturally exhumed with his very presence.
I’d never been around anyone like him before. He was an enigma that had managed to capture my full attention.
This was my main issue with being around him for any given amount of time. I would fixate and hook myself on something toxic without a care for my health.
He ticked and exceeded every black box I had.
This would be the addiction that sent me over the edge. I could feel it churning in my gut and in the way my heart beat like a drum, eager with anticipation for me to get closer to him.
All these things were wrong in all aspects of wrongness and they were just the precipice of myI’m fuckedmental checklist.
I was here now though, and this was a make it or break it moment. I couldn’t go back and forth with him like I could myself. So, I took a small breath, gave him a small smile, and sealed my fate.
With one of his hands once more wrapped around mine, he led me through the door.
We bypassed a large SUV, some kind of luxury sedan, and then stopped by the passenger door of the Mustang, Mateo pulled it open so I could get in. I tucked my dress beneath my thighs and slid inside, settling back against the warm, white leather seat.
He climbed in, started it right up, and began maneuvering it out of his garage. As soon as he was heading towards the peak of the driveway, passing my little car in the process, my stomach dipped.
I felt like I’d just climbed abroad a dangerous roller coaster and the only one aware of all the twists and turns was the ride conductor himself.
I prayed I hadn’t made a grave mistake.
Chapter Nine
The further we got from Remmington Hill the better I began to feel.
I focused on simply enjoying the smooth ride inside a car I only fantasized about in pictorials.
“I have to admit I was surprised when I learned you’re a car connoisseur.”
“I can’t decide if it’s sweet or creepy that you took the time to find that out,” I murmured, removing my Bulgari sunglasses from my clutch and sliding them into place.
They made me feel like I had some layer of protection against him.
“Being transparent, I wasn’t looking for the information specifically. I always do vigorous background checks on women I’m in a relationship with, and it was presented to me.”
“Relationship? So we’re officially a couple all of a sudden?” I semi-turned in my seat and quirked a brow at him. “I never said I wanted to be your girlfriend.”
“No?” He looked over, giving me his full attention. “What are you to me then?” he asked steadily accelerating. The Mustang’s engine revved as the speedometer jumped to play catch up.
“Mateo!” I grabbed for the standard oh-shit handle but the damn car didn’t have one, leaving me to clutch the seatbelt.
The sound of the engine was like gathering thunder, growing louder as the Mustang continued to accelerate.
