Page 71 of When She Falls (The Fallen)
I’ve never lusted after a man like that before, and there’s a flicker of guilt at the back of my mind. After all, I’m engaged to marry someone else in just a few weeks. Even though I don’t love Rafaele, it still feels wrong to be having sex dreams about another man.
I swallow and glance over at Ras. His long hair is neatly pulled back at his nape in a loose man-bun, and he’s trimmed his beard. His tanned hands flex on the wheel as he takes us out the neighborhood, following the GPS. One of the rings he’s wearing is the one I tried on in his bedroom. The realization makes something hum beneath my skin.
“Ras, what are you really doing here?” I ask, unable to keep an exasperated note from slipping into my voice. “Whatever it is can’t be that important if you’re willing to spend all this time chauffeuring me around.”
“Did your papa tell you to ask me that?”
“No.” I frown. “Why would he?”
“He didn’t seem to believe me when I told him I’m here on a diplomatic mission to get to know our American partners a little better.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that when Damiano commits to doing a deal as big as what we’re considering doing with the Messero and Garzolo clans, we need to be sure the two of them can deliver what they promise.”
The line sounds rehearsed, but the gist of it makes sense, I guess. It doesn’t sound so unreasonable, although I can see why Papà wouldn’t like it.
If that’s what Ras is here for, why is he so eager to volunteer to drive me around?
Something is off with all of this.
I have a feeling it has something to do with the bruise on my face. Vale still hasn’t brought it up, and I know my sister. She wouldn’t let something like that go.
Is Ras here to also keep an eye on me?
I guess I should be grateful if Vale did ask him to do that. Papà isn’t stupid enough to hit me while Ras is staying at our house.
I’m safe from him for the time being.
But there is a new threat. The one posed by the man in the driver’s seat.
Maybe I need to remind myself of all his flaws so that I can nip this crush in the bud.
He’s arrogant and shameless.
He’s unable to stand the cold. As in, he’s a total baby about it. A smile tugs at my lips at how miserable he looked last night.
I scan him. Even now, he isn’t dressed for the weather. He’s wearing a wool suit and a crisp gray button-up, but no coat. The heat in the car is on full blast. He really didn’t pack for a New York winter, did he?
What other flaws does he have? Have I ever seen him ruffled by anything?
A memory resurfaces. “Tell me how you got your nickname.”
By the way his brows furrow, I can tell he wasn’t expecting that to come out of my mouth.
“Why?” he asks suspiciously.
“Just curious. Does Ras mean something?”
He switches into the fast lane. “In the system, it means someone with authority who still reports to a higher boss.”
That makes sense. After all, he reports to Damiano. “So Dem gave it to you?”
He shifts in his seat. “No, I’ve been called that since I was sixteen.”
“How come?”
There’s a subtle shift in the mood inside the car. His profile hardens, and I get the distinct sense that I’m wading into something uncomfortable.
