Taken_ A Dark Mafia Romance - Piper Stone Page 0,15

I certainly knew Donovan O’Brien had his share of enemies. It seemed everyone in the Hamptons did.

He chuckled under his breath then took deliberate steps closer, allowing me to see more of his face. I’d never been attracted to perfect, polished men, the kind in slick Armani suits and five-hundred-dollar shoes. I preferred a rugged hunk with callused fingers from working with his hands. The mysterious stranger was both roughhewn as well as sophisticated, the combination unexpected and sexy as hell.

There was an instant draw, a beautiful moment where nothing else seemed to matter. The sensations racing through me were obviously ones he felt as well by the way his chest rose and fell.

Electricity crackling.

Hearts racing.

Blood pressure rising.

I pressed two fingers across my mouth, imagining a single perfect kiss. The mesmerizing moment was far too enticing and totally unacceptable. Blinking furiously, I shifted my gaze, breaking the vibrant connection.

“Mmm...” he muttered, the single husky sound wrapping around me, forcing me once again to glance into his eyes.

While he looked vaguely familiar, I’d made it a point to stay away from anything involving my parents’ lives, including whatever politics went on within the community. My years spent in college in Florida had certainly helped with being able to distance myself away from the pomp and circumstance my mother seemed to adore.

He was likely some pompous firstborn son of a prominent family, his first car a Ferrari or an antique Corvette. I knew the type, had been forced to attend enough parties as a teenager to learn their traits and mannerisms.

And this one fit all the classic signs, although I was forced to admit that he was alluring, his shimmering eyes captivating.

“That’s good to know, although there are certain animals in this world who search for the weakest prey in order to feed.” His dark eyes found mine and the way he brought the champagne glass to his full lips, licking the rim before taking a sip should have brought me to my knees.

But it didn’t.

While I assumed his words were meant to enchant a weaker woman into believing he was some kind of hero, his statement merely amused me.

“I assure you that I can take care of myself. Monsters always have a particular weakness. Once you find it, slaying them becomes easy.” I could tell he hadn’t anticipated my retort, his eyes flashing a combination of interest and frustration that I hadn’t fallen for his line of bullshit.

“Touché and agreed. Just take my advice. Monsters do have a way of getting under your skin. Once that happens, they will never let you go.”

His words were enigmatic, tumbling through my mind. The mysterious stranger’s aura reeked of danger and intrigue, both powerful aphrodisiacs. “Duly noted.”

He shifted close enough I was able to catch a glimpse of his cufflinks, the large sapphires embedded in sterling silver unexpected. He noticed the change in my gaze and smiled. “A gift from my mother. I assure you they are taken from the box once a year for events such as this.”

“You mean pompous, pointless parties where the beautiful people all hope to be caught on camera early in the evening? The very ones where far too much liquor and wine are served, so that their psyches can tolerate such bullshit? Then again, God forbid a single reporter catch even a hint of scandal.” The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them.

My frank words seemed to stun him, a wry smile crossing his face, his eyes flashing. And they were gorgeous eyes, so dark that they seemed like pools of black onyx, yet the almost iridescent glow surrounding his pupils gave a splash of vivid color. He burst into laughter, nodding at the same time.

My guard fell, if only for a few seconds, laughing with him. “I’m sorry. My mother is always telling me my mouth gets me into trouble.”

“While I can tell your mother is likely correct, your statement was well said. Now, I will have to ask you. Why is such a beautiful woman standing all alone inside a rather crude aging facility? As a guest, you should be enjoying the fancy champagne and overpaid musicians, as long as you aren’t caught in a compromising position of course.”

“Of course.” Either the man didn’t know my identity, or he was playing some kind of a game, both of which intrigued the hell out of me. I found myself drawn to his voice as well as his obvious contempt and inched closer. “I