Dangerous Addictions

"Can you at least pretend to not read me like a book?"

He laughed and came dangerously close, stepping between my legs. "On the contrary, I don't think I have a very good read on you at all," he said, placing his palms on the counter next to my legs. "It's frustrating. I can usually read anyone. But you... You hide yourself too well. Are you afraid to be seen, Gabriella? It must be exhausting to never let anyone see you. I want to see you."

"You won't like what's underneath," I said.

"Let me be the judge of that," he said.

I quickly brought my drink to my lips to distract myself. I took a big drink but I was so nervous I wasn't that careful and it left a residue of whiskey on my lips. I was going to lick it off but he brought his hand up, his thumb rubbing over the wetness.

"To be the drop of whiskey on your lips, running over their softness like a sweet caress, being taken in by a slow, torturous sweep of your tongue..." he said, bringing his thumb up and licking off the whiskey. "Mmm," he hummed. "I've never been so jealous of a drink in my life."

Gabriella Matthews is at a low point in life, with no family and very little people to even try to consider friends after getting out of an abusive relationship with an ex that put her in a world of debt. She's taking a walk to clear her thoughts on her less-than-ideal situation and overhears a conversation that points to a little boy being kidnapped. She sees her opening to get him out of it and takes it, helping him escape but inadvertently trapping herself in a mess of rivaling mobs.

Nikolai Moretti's whole life is his family. His brother, his nephew, and his nephew's grandmother. His nephew is kidnapped and rescued by an unlikely civilian who he then feels an obligation to protect as her assistance makes her a target of his rival. Nikolai has her brought to the house for protection but quickly discovers his heart is the thing that needs protecting because Gabriella is just too addicting.

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