Ever get the feeling that something bad is about to happen? I got that gut feeling the week before my grandmother died when I was six. I got that feeling the month before my parents died. I got that feeling the day my brother came home drunk one night and threw a vase at me in a fit of drugged up rage.
I’ve got that feeling now, like a dark storm is coming my way and there’s no way I’ll survive it.
Or maybe I’m just having a shitty Monday, who the hell knows.
The store has been quiet this morning, but just because it’s quiet doesn’t mean it’s been an easy day. When I first came down, I realized that a delivery of pre-ordered books had come in damaged, so I needed to reorder them, which will upset a lot of people considering the book in question has been well sought-after and eagerly anticipated for the last few months.
Then, the toilet in the back room decided to flood, and I had to call a plumber to come and fix it—only they aren’t available until Thursday, so I just had to clean up the bathroom, lock the door and put a sign up to inform the other staff not to enter.
It feels like nothing at all is going right, like I’m one more wrong thing happening away from having a mental breakdown.
I’m standing on a ladder while reorganizing the shelves in the thriller section as the bell chimes, alerting me to a customer. The noise startles me, taking me by surprise and my body jolts as I let out a yelp. The action makes me lose my footing on the ladder and sends me crashing to the floor.
I let out a curse as I land on the floor with a thud, my ankle taking the brunt of the fall.
I roll my ankle and wince just as I hear an oddly familiar voice calling, “Hello?”
“Just a minute!” My voice is hoarse, and I close my eyes and take a deep breath to try and prepare myself for the pain I’m about to feel when I stand.
“Are you okay?”
I open my eyes and instantly want to turn back time to around five minutes ago because knelt in front of me is the man who I can’t stop thinking about. The man who has been the sole object of my recent fantasies. The man I didn’t think I would see again.
Just the sight of him alone brings an instant blush to my cheeks and butterflies to my stomach.
What the hell is it about this man that elicits these feelings?
As Enzo kneels in front of me, wearing a pair of black jeans, a black henley and a look of concern on his face, I realize I’ve just been sat on the floor gawking at him and still haven’t spoken a single word.
“I-I’m fine, you startled me when you came in and I fell off the ladder,” I murmur.
Some emotion flashes in his eyes but it’s gone as quickly as it came, too fast for me to figure out what it was and leaving me to wonder if I really saw it at all.
“C’mon, uccellina, let me help you,” he says softly as he stands and reaches down. He sweeps me up in his arms and carries me towards the wing back chair in the little reading area while holding me bridal style in his arms.
Being this close to him and feeling his arms around me heats up my body in a way I’ve never felt before. He smells like pine and leather, an odd combination but intoxicating all the same.
He plops me down in the chair all too soon and I let out a wince as my foot hits the floor. Something that he does not miss as he drops to his knees in front of me, grabbing my leg from under the knee and gently placing my foot on his thigh.
“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me,” he murmurs as he inspects my ankle.
“It’s fine, this wasn’t even the worst thing to happen today,” I mutter with a soft laugh before pulling my ankle away from him. The pain is basically gone now, just leaving a dull ache in its wake.
I look back up to Enzo’s face and he looks contemplative, his brows are furrowed, and his lips are slightly turned down into a frown.
“What happened?” There’s a slight bite in his tone, like he doesn’t like the thought of me having a bad day. That thought alone threatens to break down the carefully built walls I have surrounding me, but I push the thought away and wave my hand while rolling my eyes.
“It’s nothing really, just one of those days. Now, thank you for your help, what can I help you with today?” I ask, adopting my customer service voice and ignoring the way his frown deepens.
He must realize that I’m not planning on divulging everything to him, so he clears his throat and explains how some of the books he bought when he came in with his sister-in-law got damaged in some sort of “incident”.
I’m not sure what sort of incident occurred, and I didn’t ask, not wanting to pry into his life when I wouldn’t allow him to pry into mine.
We spend a few minutes picking out some more books to replace the ones that were damaged and make it to the counter. As I’m ringing up the order, Enzo passes me a black card.
I’ve owned this store for a few years, and not once has anyone ever used a black card to pay for their purchase. Hell, not many people in the city are able to get their hands on one, so I’m not surprised I haven’t seen one before.
What I am surprised about though is that this enigma of a man carries one. The last time he came into the store, he paid with cash, so I didn’t see the card, and I didn’t see the last name printed on it.
Romano.
A chill rushes up my spine as I realize just who this man is. The entire city has heard of the Romano family. The family that runs the New York Mafia. A crime family. And Enzo Romano is known to be the most unhinged of them all.
Crazy. Insane. Certifiable.
I realize I’ve just spent the better part of an hour with a mobster, yet I’ve never felt safer. But this also explains the wild look he gets in his eyes sometimes, the dangerous aura that surrounds him, and probably the “incident” that resulted in damaged books.
I maintain my composure while handing him his bags and thanking him for his help.
“I’m glad I was here to help you, uccellina.”
He turns and walks out of the door before I have a chance to open my mouth and ask him what he called me.
Lia
Change of plans for our girls night tonight! We’re going out girl, and we’re double dating!
The text I received from Lia when I woke up this morning has put a damper on my mood all day. It’s not that I don’t want to date, it’s just that whenever I end up on one of these double dates with my best friend, I end up bored out of my mind all night while Lia enjoys spending time with my date’s friend.
Somehow, her date’s friend always ends up mind numbingly boring and we never have anything in common. So, I end up spending the night drinking tequila and wishing for the night to be over.
I flip the closed sign over on the door and head back through the store. There’s an entrance for my apartment inside as well as the one that’s outside.
All I want to do is curl up on the sofa and binge watch tv. But I know for a fact that if I try and duck out of the date Lia has arranged, she’ll show up on my doorstop demanding I get ready so there’s no point in avoiding the inevitable.
After showering and dressing in a little black dress, I step into a pair of gold heels that match my clutch and spare one last glance in the mirror.
My long brown hair is pin straight, and I’ve changed up my makeup, deciding to add in a little gold sparkle to my eyelids to match my accessories.
I check the time and realize the Uber will be here any moment, so I head outside, locking the door as I go. Just as I’m turning away from the door, the Uber pulls up to the sidewalk and Lia opens the door from the inside.
“Wow, you look fucking hot,” she says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes.
“You’re the one who looks hot, you’ll have your date eating out of the palm of your hand all night,” I say with a laugh.
We’re going to a little Italian restaurant in the heart of Manhattan. We’ve been there a few times, so I already know the food is to die for. The prospect of eating Italian brings my thoughts back to earlier this week, when Enzo Romano came into the store. But I shake my head, freeing myself of him when I’m about to go on a date with another man.
No good can come from getting involved with Enzo. Hell, no good can come from just thinking about that fine as hell man.
My date sucks.
Literally. He’s sucking the damn life right out of me. Not only has he spent the last twenty minutes droning on about what stocks he thinks are best to invest in, but he also keeps moving his hand on his leg, inching closer and closer to mine.
The looks he keeps sending me are making me feel sick.
Or should I say the looks he keeps sending my cleavage.
The man can’t keep his eyes on my face for longer than thirty seconds without his gaze flicking down to my breasts and I’m a few minutes away from calling him out on it if he continues the way he’s going.
He’s not even nice to look at. Seriously, he just has sleaze written all over him. His dirty blonde hair is styled to the side, not quite a combover but also very close while wearing a lilac shirt and chinos.
I need to get the hell out of here.
How he’s friends with Lia’s date, I have no idea. Her date—Asher—actually seems like a nice guy and is dressed to impress wearing grey dress pants and a black shirt. Where Gary keeps talking my ear off about stocks and bonds, Asher seems to be actually listening to whatever Lia has to say, they’re laughing and joking.
This is exactly why I hate coming on these dates of hers, how the hell does she land a guy like him only for him to have friends like Gary? It doesn’t make sense.
Finally—after what seems like hours—the bill is settled, and Lia informs me that she’s going back to Asher’s for another drink.
Another drink my ass, I think but keep my thoughts to myself while embracing her and kissing her cheek.
There are cabs lined up on the sidewalk and I head towards one but just as I reach it, Gary appears and opens the door for me.
“I’ll take the cab with you sweetheart, need to make sure you get home safe.”
I huff out a breath but nod my agreement, knowing it’s not worth the argument with him.
Once I’m settled inside the cab, Gary slides in next to me and I rattle off my address to the driver, hoping like hell that this guy doesn’t turn out to be some sort of creep.
The short drive is spent in awkward silence once my date realized I wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Luckily for me, there isn’t much traffic tonight and we make it to my apartment in record time.
Once we pull up outside my building, Gary gets out of the car and jogs around the other side before opening my door for me.
“I had fun tonight,” he says with a smile as I climb out of the car.
“Me too,” I say, mustering up a smile.
Before I even know what’s happening, Gary advances on me and presses his lips to mine. I freeze as I feel his lips against mine before getting my bearings and pulling myself away.
A look of shock flashes across his features and his brows furrow in confusion.
“Sorry. I’m not really feeling it but thank you for tonight.” I give him a tight smile and he nods before getting back inside the cab.
Once the cab pulls away, I finally let out a breath of relief before turning towards my building, only for that familiar feeling of being watched to return. It’s been a while since I’ve sensed someone watching me, and I’m probably just being paranoid. That still doesn’t stop me from turning around and looking up and down the sidewalk to see if anyone stands out.
Except this time is different, because parked down the street in a black car and staring straight at me is the man who currently haunts my dreams.
Enzo.
