Blade

Chapter 7: Natural Curiosity

Sienna

"What?" I squeak. I'm not sure if I heard him right or if my ears are playing tricks on me, but either way, the words that spill from his mouth next make me choke on my own spit.

"You're sleeping with me." He says it with a slight smirk, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. The bastard even has the audacity to be shirtless while dropping this bomb. If he's trying to distract me with that chiseled chest and toned abs, then holy fuck... it's working.

I swallow hard, my eyes shamelessly roaming over his shirtless body, drinking in every defined muscle and the tattoos etched across his skin. The bandage around his arm from the gunshot wound only makes him hotter. A rush of heat floods my abdomen as my lustful gaze follows the trail of light hairs disappearing into his grey joggers.

Stop eye fucking him, you shameless little hussy, My subconscious snaps making the dirty thoughts to vanish into thin air.

"There's no way we're sharing the same bed," I mumble, my body trembling under his heated gaze. I force myself to stay composed, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me flustered again.

Blade takes a long drag of his cigarette and blows the smoke straight into my face. I shoot him a death glare, coughing slightly as the acrid smoke sears my lungs.

"Does the idea of sleeping in the same bed with me frighten you, Sienna?" He drags on his cigarette, lips curling as he replaces it between them. "Because so far, you've given off the kind of vibe that nothing fazes you... nothing at all."

"Yeah, you're right. Nothing fazes me, so I'm not afraid of anything." I force a tight-lipped smile and step back, sucking in a lungful of fresh air before the smoke chokes me. "But you? I don't trust you to keep your hands where they belong."

A cocky smirk spreads across his face. "So... is it that you don't trust me, or you just don't trust yourself? I'm having a hard time figuring which."

I can almost feel my hands tightening around his throat, imagining ways to make Italy's most ruthless mafia boss disappear without a trace. I swallow the urge. "Do you always assume every woman wants you? Because I'm not one of them," I snap, crossing my arms. "I want another room."

Apart from wanting to keep my distance, I also need privacy to come up with an escape plan. With him hovering around every minute of the day, that's impossible. So yes, I want another room.

Blade studies me long and hard. I hold his gaze before he finally says, "I had a feeling you were going to say that. That's why I had a room prepared for you. It's next to mine." He leads me up the massive staircase and down several hallways until we stop in front of a door, which I assume is his bedroom. The one next to it must be mine.

I narrow my eyes at him, suspicion curling in my chest. "Why can't I take the one farther from yours?"

He rolls those stormy grey eyes of his, that infuriating smirk never leaving his face. "Relax, tesoro. I don't bite... unless, of course, you want me to. So, it's either you take the room next to mine, or we share a bed. Your choice."

As much as I wish I could sink the entire Pacific between us to keep him away, I settle for the safer option. "I'll manage in the other room," I say, letting a venomous sweetness lace my words. I stride toward the room, craving space where his presence won't constantly remind me of my peril.

"If you need anything, do us both a favor and don't bother me," he mutters, exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "Unless, of course, you've finally reconsidered the sleeping situation."

"Don't count on it," I snap over my shoulder, stepping into the room and letting the door click shut behind me. I press my back against it, arms crossed.