Dangerous Stranger - Piper Stone Page 0,22

majority of them.”

“And what if I do?”

“Be careful what you ask for. The world isn’t a safe place.”

“Oddly enough,” she half whispered, “that almost sounds like a threat.”

It was as if the girl could see right through me.

“I will never threaten you,” I said authoritatively. “I will never harm you.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” she whispered.

After easing her into the car, I carefully walked around the vehicle, darting my eyes back and forth into the darkness. Trust was difficult, betrayal a possibility. I’d purposely decided to come to A Coruna initially alone, the house owned by our family but in another name. There were no connections to the Santiago organization, no parade of enforcers for protection possibly drawing unneeded attention. There were simply two of my men that I trusted implicitly. They would stay in the background, never making contact until Alviro showed himself.

I’d turned myself into the very musician Savannah believed me to be, even cutting off a significant portion of my hair.

What the hell, it had been time for a change anyway. I simply appeared as a starving artist instead of a kingpin’s son. There was even a part of me that wouldn’t mind remaining carefree, living a simple life. I laughed to myself. Danger was what I lived for. Living a simplistic life had never been in the cards. Satisfied there were no soldiers lurking in the shadows, I opened the driver’s door.

If the Don and his sources were correct, Alviro would arrive within a day or two, the planned business meeting leaked to a well-known informant we’d used often. At this point, I was simply lying low, waiting for Calleja’s arrival. Alviro was a creature of habit, his enjoyment of music almost always bringing him to the café. If so, he would have a significant surprise awaiting his arrival.

I settled into the driver’s seat, starting and revving the engine. She remained tense, staring out the windshield as I pulled the car onto the street. While there was no reason for me to know anything about her, I was intrigued why she was in Spain.

However, tonight wouldn’t include talking and definitely wasn’t about romance. We both knew it. This was about something more carnal in nature. I headed toward the house, constantly checking the rearview mirror until we were out of the city limits. The soldiers were a solid half mile behind and would take care of any asshole who attempted to track me down if necessary.

I felt her heated gaze more than once, could tell she was doing her best to determine what kind of monster she’d agreed to spend time with.

“Savannah,” she said quietly in such a confined way I was initially uncertain of what she was saying.

“Your name?”

“Yes. Savannah.” She shivered again, holding her arms.

My cock twitched from the sound of her voice alone. I was thrown by the intensity of my hunger, the need to consume her captivating. I turned on the heat, daring to study her profile. “Beautiful.”

“Is your name really Rafael or are you merely playing a game?”

I smiled, hearing the tenacity in her voice. I very much appreciated a strong woman, even though every ounce of my being wanted to break her. “I never play games, Savannah. I have no time for them. My name is Rafael Santiago, son of a brutal man and an adoring mother.”

“A brutal man. You say that like it’s a thing of honor for you.”

“I assure you that it is. This is Spain, a country of great heritage, our families the most important thing in our lives. We value loyalty and honor above all.”

“Loyalty. Honor,” she repeated wistfully.

I could still feel her eyes on me, her curiosity only building. I shifted the gear into fifth, pressing down on the accelerator. As I weaved around several cars, twisting my hands over the steering wheel, she leaned forward, attempting to read the road signs as they flashed by.

“You are a great mystery. Tell me, do you do this often, Rafael?” she finally asked.

“Do what exactly?”

“Commandeer women to indulge in your dark fantasies?”

“Make no mistake about me, Savannah. I’m the kind of man who takes what he wants when he wants no matter the obstacles. Tonight, I gave you the choice. Coming with me was entirely your decision.”

I wasn’t certain what to make of her silence, but the time for conversation was finished. I was far too hungry to wait for much longer.

As soon as the engine was stopped, I exited the vehicle, expecting a hesitation