Ria
She walked out of the room, conscious of Philippe behind her. She could actually smell his strong fragrance, a woody, spicy fragrance. And of course, she was aware of his gaze on her, felt his eyes on her pert rounded behind and for the umpteenth time, she wished she had not chosen to wear her low slung, figure-hugging jeans. His hot gaze seemed to be sending prickles of awareness down her spine.
‘Would you like to come with me?’ he asked politely enough, his deep baritone making her jump.
‘Or I could arrange another vehicle for you…”
The Capo had stopped walking and now stood close by, jangling his keys in a casual manner.
Like hell you will, Philippe , she thought grimly.
She stopped and turned to face him, her hair in a messy bun, long tendrils having escaped to caress her cheek as she whirled around crossly. and then wished she had not. He was too close for comfort, his hair tied back in a neat ponytail, the black eyes curious as they assessed her face.
“What?’ she said, her voice raw and husky. he watched her and said again, patiently,
‘Would you like to ride with me in my vehicle or… ?’
She scowled at him, petulantly.
‘Well, Pappa has asked you to accompany me, hasn’t he?’ she snapped rudely.
He inclined his head and moved forward, easily stepping past her as he spoke,
“Then let’s leave now.’
And he was off, striding away.
She trotted after him, trying to keep up with his long resolute strides.
‘But, I need to change…’ she gulped
He stopped suddenly and turned to her, and she almost ran into him. Gripping her upper arms, he steadied her.
‘You look fine to me.’ he growled in a low undertone and she looked into his black eyes, filled with such heat, such a longing, that she almost felt scorched.
And then, in the blink of an eye, his expression was back to the guarded, hard mask he always wore when he was around her.
‘Let’s go.’ he said crisply.
She nodded, swallowing and stopped to grab a hoodie as she hurried after him.
*
Her father had told her that he would inform Mumma about her departure from the house and she trotted behind Philippe into the large basement garage at the lower level. His crew, at least, five or six of them, were waiting around, having obviously been instructed. They turned and nodded respectfully at her, no surprise on their faces. She knew some of them by sight and she grinned at them, completely missing the quick flash of annoyance on her companion’s face.
And then she baulked as she saw the vehicle before her.
A Hummer SUV.
A mammoth vehicle, dark and menacing looking.
Not going in that, was she? she thought and turned to look at Philippe. But the large, tattooed figure was already moving and beside the door, talking in a low undertone to the men who had gathered around him. He was issuing orders and they were nodding their heads respectfully.
Once he was done, Philippe turned, looking mildly puzzled when he noticed that she had stopped a few feet away and had not come closer to the vehicle.
“What is it?” he said , his voice temperate but she knew he was getting impatient.
She shook her head and said in a small voice, ‘In THAT? Are we going in that?’
The boxy, unapologetically alarming-looking carrier, dark and imposing, was so much like Philippe himself, she reflected crazily.
He gave a small sigh and with a few words, dismissed the men.
Then he stepped toward her and once again, she was surrounded by the male musky smell of his body. She focussed her gaze stubbornly on his chest, which was at her eye level anyways.
“Ria,’ he said gently and she blinked and looked up at him in surprise,’ Princess, what is it? ‘
‘That… vehicle…’ she stammered. He moved even closer, shutting her out from the view of his curious men who none the less, drifted away. It was as though they , just the two of them, were in the large basement garage although she knew that the guards were around and the place was filled with her father’s assorted vehicles.
‘I…I…’, she began and then, meeting his eyes, she said, ‘I have never been in one, Philippe.’
He grinned and she saw her old friend in the flashing white teeth, the twinkling eyes as he said,
‘ It’s not as scary as it looks, Ria. I bought her with my own salary, baby. And she is a beauty and comfortable alright. Got some changes made.’ Ria looked over his shoulder dubiously at the massive black vehicle.
And then she thought,
She?
It did not look remotely feminine and he laughed again, amused at her expression.
‘Come on, Princess,’ he said in that sexy growl of his,’ Time’s a ‘wasting.’
She nodded and stepped forward. He opened the door for her and as she was a little too short to reach up to the seat, he unhesitatingly hefted her up, strong hands around her waist. Ria felt a surge of hot lust flood her as his hands held her exposed flesh and she cursed herself.
She was wearing a short cropped top, and a pair of low-slung jeans, revealing a swatch of her skin although the hoodie she wore did cover most of her body. But his large calloused hands had been directly on her flesh and she sat quietly, skin heated, as he slammed the door, bellowed out orders to his men who were getting into another dark SUV, and came around.
Philippe got in with no difficulty, tall as he was. He sent her a quick look but she had had time to compose herself and she was studying her phone .
‘Not much of coverage here, network coverage, I mean, down in the basement,’ he teased her gently and she felt her cheeks flame.
She said in a prim voice, ‘Let’s go.’
She gripped the zipper of her heavyweight cropped hoodie and he flicked her a glance.
‘You cold or something, Princess?’ he drawled but she knew he was mocking her. She shot him a dirty look and then, sat back as he expertly drove out of the lower basement of her house, the large vehicle humming expertly under his touch. Her eyes wandered curiously around the interior of the SUV.
Yes, he was right, it was comfortable and was equipped with all the latest gadgets too.
‘Weighs 9000 pounds,’ he said again moving his eyes to skim over her taut figure lightly, resting just for a minute longer on the swell of her firm, large breasts. She felt herself go hot as she turned to frown at him.
“The Hummer, I mean.’ he said and again, that grin. The flash of white teeth against his dark skin, and the unshaven jaw making her want to reach out and stroke his skin, to feel the stubble that made her grow warm, the wetness flood her core.
Resolutely, she gave a mumble of assent and then said crisply,
‘So where are we headed then?’
His voice was clipped, business-like as he said, shortly.
‘Paddy had another friend. An older man who works in the supermarket on Hornby Street. He seems to have shared quite a few messages, all coded ones, with our boy.’
She sat back.
Hornby Street was tucked away in the suburbs. And it was quite far away from their house. She sat, thinking furiously.
Philippe shot her another glance, at once gentle, and caressing; but she was lost in thought as she texted her brother furiously, her blonde head bent over her task. It took him all his control to tear his eyes away from the delicate swell of her firm breasts, the plump pink mouth that he could so clearly imagine wrapped around his manhood. He swore softly and the Hummer surged forward, gobbling up the miles in a frenzy.
*
When they drove up to the little store on the corner of the town, it was evening. Philippe had barked out some curt orders to his men and he helped her to get down despite her protests, lifting her as easily as if she was a featherweight.
‘Princess, much as I would not mind carrying you about,’ he said, his hands lingering on her exposed waist, his shirt open at the throat, exposing his tattoo,
“I would rather have you help me investigate, and for that, you need to be on your feet.’
She scowled at him belligerently and tugged her hoodie closer around her shoulders as she marched into the store.
*