CHAPTER THREE

I'm speechless as brown eyes hold me captive.

This never happens.

Not to me.

I'm not this girl.

I'm smart and educated. I've made the Dean's list every single year, and I'm almost a microbiologist. I don't gawk at guys because I think they're cute.

But there's something different about this one. I don't know if it's in the way he's looking at me without blinking or the way my body is clearly responding to him.

I don't get attracted to men, or women, or anyone. Once upon a time, I thought there might be something wrong with me.

But right now, I'm buzzing, electricity pumping through every vein in my body.

This man has me completely mesmerized.

Like the tornado she is, my sister storms towards the table, a wide-eyed Sammy close on her heels, breaking the eye contact I had with the very fine specimen.

"Sissy!"She squeals, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the booth.

Mister tall. dark and handsome's eyes drop to where her hand is on my arm, and I can see the displeasure flashing over his features.

I'm still too stunned to utter a single word.

She smiles sweetly at the two guys. "Excuse us, we have an emergency!"

And just like we came, we're going, my sister pulling me adamently by the arm, poor Sammy struggling to keep up.

Before we reach the stairs to go back down, I take a chance and glance over my shoulder.

He's still looking at me, his hands casually shoved in his pockets, but his tall frame looks strained. The other guy is talking animatedly up at him, but his eyes are intense on mine.

Who the hell is he, and why am I having this visceral reaction to him?

"Oh my god!" Sammy exclaims as we get outside the club, the wind cool as it blows through my hair.

"What the hell just happened?" I want to know, my voice suddenly returning now that I'm not in the vicinity of that guy.

"I told you I won't let anything happen to you." Phoebe shrugs. "Sammy said that guy at the table was some sort of mafia guy."

"What?" I frown at Sammy. What the hell would she know about the mafia?

"It's that guy from the newspapers a couple of months ago." Sammy says, her eyes still as wide as saucers.

Phoebe flags down a cab like a pro, like she's been living in the city for years. "Wanna go to another club? One without the mafia?"

"I think I've had enough of clubs for the night." I lean back in the seat. ''Can we please just go home? I have an assignment due on Monday."

"You two are such a bore." Phoebe sighs. "I don't even have a buzz yet. We had free alcohol over there until Miss Spy with my little eye started freaking out over some mafia bullshit. That guy was beyond hot."

He totally was.

"They say he's a murderer!" Sammy whisper-yells as if the guy will be able to hear her all the way from the club into the cab. "What if he did something bad to Farrah!"

The way I'm still tingling from him just looking at me, he could do all the bad things he wanted,

This is the time the red flags should go up. I do not wish guys could have their way with me. What if he's really trouble like Sammy says?

"What's his name?" I ask, hoping the interest doesn't come through in my voice.

"Alessandro Moretti, biggest crime family in the country!"Sammy exclaims. "Maybe even in the world!"

I can see the cab driver's eyes on us in the rearview mirror. Yeah, if what Sammy says is true, I shouldn't spare the guy another thought.

I do think she is overexaggerating, though. Biggest crime family in the world? Please, nobody in today's life and age gets away with crime anymore. Somewhere along the line, people get caught.

The girls continue drinking and dancing when we get back to the apartment, and I should join them and celebrate becoming an official adult. Instead, I power on my laptop because I'm a martyr and type Alessandro Moretti in the search bar.

Tons of articles pop up, and I click on the one at the top.

Moretti: Businessman or foe?

I quickly scan through the article, noting that he owns several very successful businesses, including the club we were at tonight. Could it be him that I felt was looking at me the whole time? Was it because of him that we were invited to the VIP area?

I'm sure it has to be him. How do I know? Because the energy still pulsating through me is the exact same feeling I had earlier on.

My instincts are at the top of the things I trust the most.

I click on the first image of him, and that jolt of awareness goes through me again. He looks very much like he did today. His dark hair is perfectly styled, the planes of his face hard and unyielding. He's unsmiling and looks a tad bit pissed off, like he did when Phoebe grabbed my arm today.

And I have certfiably gone mad because I'm turned on by just looking at his picture.

I toss and turn in bed the remainder of the night, luckily Phoebe who's sleeping next to me, is too drunk and passed out to notice.

I can't get those damn brown eyes out of my mind.

The next morning, I'm so tired from not sleeping, I'm resembling Phoebe and Sammy in their hangover bliss.

Phoebe embraces me as we're standing at the bus stop, her arms holding me tight, and I squeeze her even tighter.

"You're a bit too loud and too much, but it was great having you here." I kiss her on the cheek.

"I know!" She kisses me back loudly. "I think I like the city life, maybe I should move, what do you think?"

I raise my eyebrows at her. "I thought you liked your job and that you started dating something."

"Please, I can get a job anywhere I like, and James and I have only gone on two dates."

"Does James know that because he's been blowing your phone up the whole morning."

"I know, that was kind of annoying, but he's really cute, so I'll give him this one pass."

The passengers start boarding her bus, and I hug her again. "Please let me know when you arrive safely."

Sammy and I watch as she gets on the bus, and we stay until the bus departs.

And then I get that feeling again.

The feeling of being watched.

The bus terminal is full of people saying goodbye, there are tears and hugs and kisses, so nobody is paying Sammy and me any mind.

My eyes land on a sleek, black sports car parked across the road. Could it be?

"Maybe we can grab some breakfast." Sammy groans. "Why didn't Phoebe book her ticket back for tomorrow, I need at least five more hours of sleep."

"She has to work tomorrow." I answer, narrowing my eyes at the black car.

The windows are tinted, so I can't see who is in it, but I have my suspicions.

As if he knows exactly what I'm thinking, the window goes down, and I'm not listening to Sammy's rambling about where we should get pancakes at as I look in the face of Alessandro Moretti.