Mafia Captive - Julia Sykes Page 0,19

about the light in his eyes. No one had ever looked at me like that. Not a man, not my family.

It was addictive, intoxicating. I craved his nearness, and I hated when I had to leave him to go to class or when he had to work a shift at the bar. After I finished studying in the evenings—something that was becoming increasingly difficult with Joseph taking up my full attention—I went to the bar and tried not to seem like a pathetic stalker. Jayme accompanied me, but it was hard to stay focused on girl talk when Joseph was shooting me heated glances from across the bar.

“Are you even listening to me?” she demanded, clearly irritated with my distraction.

“Sorry, what?” I tore my eyes from Joseph’s hypnotic stare and focused on my friend. Her lips were pursed with annoyance.

“I was asking if you want to go to the party at the Fly clubhouse this weekend. You know, if you can manage to pry yourself out of Joseph’s arms.”

I’d firmly rejected Stu’s former invitation, but Jayme had managed to secure one of her own from a blond hottie she’d met a few days after I’d started dating Joseph.

My cheeks heated. “Oh, um, sorry. I should’ve been paying more attention. But I probably won’t go to the party. Sorry,” I apologized again.

She waved off my apology with a small smile, my transgression forgiven. “It’s okay. Stu’s a creepy dick, and I get it if you don’t want to risk bumping into him. I’m really happy for you that you’re hooking up with the hottest guy in town. Even if I’m super jealous. Although,” she purred the word and glanced past me, “this guy might give Joseph a run for his money. And he’s totally checking us out. I call dibs, since you’re taken.”

I grinned at her, happy that she’d found an enticing distraction. “Sure. He’s all yours.”

“Girl, are you not even going to look? He’s freaking gorgeous. Total bad boy, leather jacket vibe. Kind of like Joseph, but…harder. Yummy.”

I laughed at her description and turned to look for the mystery man out of idle curiosity, if nothing else.

My laughter caught in my throat when I laid eyes on him.

Hard wasn’t a dark enough word to describe him. And he certainly wasn’t a bad boy. This was a dangerous man. He was older than the students by at least five years, but there was something else about him that further separated him from the boys around him. Maybe it was his leather jacket and motorcycle boots. Or maybe it was his sheer size; he was almost as tall as Joseph, and impossibly broader. His clenched square jaw looked sharp enough to cut, the almost harsh lines of his face roughened further by his dark stubble.

When his black eyes locked on me, I knew none of those physical markers were what set him apart. There was something dark about his soul, something twisted and cold.

One corner of his lips twitched when he caught me looking at him, and I tore my gaze away. My hands were suddenly clammy, my fingers almost trembling.

“I, um, I’m going to the restroom,” I announced, needing to escape from his stare. “I’ll be right back.”

“Sure,” Jayme agreed easily. “But if I’m occupied when you get back, don’t be offended.”

She shot another heated stare in the dark stranger’s direction. I didn’t understand her attraction. He was obviously bad news. I blinked at her, baffled by her choice in men.

“Be careful,” I advised.

She tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder with a little laugh. “What’s the fun in that?”

I shook my head slightly. “He’s all yours. I’ll hang out at the bar with Joseph to give you some space.”

“Thanks, girl.”

“Of course. But let me know if you decide to take that guy home. I don’t want you to leave with him alone.”

“Will do,” she promised. “I won’t go anywhere alone with a stranger. We can leave with you and Joseph in a few hours.” She gave me a sly smile. “We’ll make it a double date tonight.”

“Sounds good to me. See you soon.”

I wound my way through the crowded dance floor and got in line for the bathroom. There were three women in the short corridor ahead of me, but I didn’t mind. I hadn’t really needed to go, but I’d wanted the excuse to escape from the dark stranger’s stare. I wasn’t entirely comfortable leaving Jayme at his mercy, but she seemed happy enough with his attention. I