The Vault Collection [Volume One] Read online

  Especially a man like me.

  “Jillian, how long have you been here?”

  “About two weeks now. I’m still trying to get my bearings of which way is uptown, downtown, midtown, side-town.” She grinned broadly after the last, letting me know she was teasing. “Have you always lived here?”

  “Yes, I have, so take this warning seriously. There are a lot of bad men who would love to do awful things to you. Inviting strange men up to your apartment and turning your back on them is a good way to become a negative statistic.”

  “Are you saying you’re a bad man?” The expression on her face was both challenging and questioning.

  “I have my moments.”

  “So, let me get this straight. You insisted I get checked out at the hospital after a minor fender bender, just to later murder me in my apartment while I’m cooking your dinner?” She quirked one eyebrow up at me. “That doesn’t sound like a very smart plan, if you ask me.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because you’ve been seen with me by too many people. You’re on security cameras at the hospital and walking into my building. There’s no way you’d get away with it. So, it only makes sense that you’re here for the food and the company.” She crossed her arms over her chest, confident in her assessment.

  She clearly had no idea how those of us who worked outside the confines of the law could make evidence disappear with a flash of green.

  “Interesting theory. But don’t put it to the test again. You don’t know what men are capable of doing.”

  “Yes, sir.” She saluted and turned back to the stove.

  I had to adjust my cock at the sound of her sweet voice calling me sir. So many erotic scenes flooded my mind. I didn’t trust her, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t fuck her.

  After eating, I played the grateful guest and helped her with the dishes. “I should go, but let me see your phone first.” She handed it over without question, and I dialed my number. “Now you can reach me anytime.” We agreed on a time for her morning transportation, and I left with the promise to see her the following day.

  Jillian

  The front desk called up to my apartment to let me know my ride had arrived. When I exited the building, I was surprised to find Damon leaned up against his car, waiting for me with a smug smile. The man was so damn sexy, without even trying to be.

  When he first stepped out of his car on the expressway the day before, he stole my breath. The air around us changed, and every eye snapped toward him, watching his every move. His presence commanded attention before he spoke a single word. But when he spoke, he left no doubt about who dominated the scene. He had a hint of an Italian accent mingled with the classic New York style, giving the deep timbre of his voice a sexy edge to it. I was hesitant to get in his car for the ride to the hospital, but the slight nod from the cop reassured me.

  That same cop had pulled me aside and warned me about the men who surrounded me, cautioning me to take care when dealing with them. Without revealing too much, he relayed they were not the type anyone should disrespect. Provided they were cordial to me, he said I should respond in kind. Then Damon was so nice to me and seemed genuinely concerned for my health, the cop’s warning felt out of place and contradictory to Damon’s personality.

  That morning, he stood before me in his custom-tailored suit that fit his physique perfectly, dark brown hair with intermittent lighter strands, and those deep chocolate brown eyes that were both perceptive and engaging. The only warning I felt was the fluttering of excitement low in my belly.

  “Good morning.” His sultry voice beckoned me with a simple greeting. With my thirtieth birthday fast approaching, I shouldn’t have been affected by him to that degree. I’d dated, been in long-term relationships, and had a couple of one-night stands along the way. But he made me feel completely inexperienced. “You are simply stunning. Maybe you should quit your job and come work for me instead. You’ll give me extra incentive to go into the office every day.”

  “You are quite the charmer, Mr. Marchetti. What line of work are you in, by the way?”

  “I own a commercial construction business. I handle the contracts and bids for jobs, while my crew of engineers and foremen oversee the worksites.” He stepped to the side, opened the passenger door for me, then strode around to the driver’s side. While watching him walk, I noticed a few other women stop in their tracks to stare at him the same way I did—with deep desire. The expressions on their faces were obvious—they hoped he’d glance in their direction. When he didn’t, they moved on, disappointed but no less interested.

  My smile remained in place when he slid behind the steering wheel and cranked the car. “What are you grinning about?” He finally cut his eyes at me over his shoulder, barely turning his head in my direction. “Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

  “You didn’t notice the three women on the sidewalk who would kill for a just a glance from you. They were begging you to throw them a bone.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “That’s not entirely true. I noticed them watching me, working hard to get my attention. I just have no interest in giving any of them a bone of any kind.”

  “I kind of felt sorry for them. You didn’t even flash them a smile.”

  One side of his mouth lifted in amusement. “Jillian, I’m afraid you’re a little too soft-hearted to be in this city. You need to remember any one of those women would’ve killed you to sit where you’re sitting right now.”

  “Does that mean you’re dangerous to my safety and well-being?” I asked playfully. Maybe more than a little flirty.

  That question garnered a wide smile. “That is a guarantee, doll.” We stopped at a red light, and he looked straight into my eyes. “But you have nothing to worry about as long as you’re with me. Anyone who’s after you would have to go through me first, and that won’t happen.”

  With our eyes connected, I felt something tangible pass between us. The flicker of desire was followed by a silent acknowledgment that we both felt it, and the knowledge we would give in to the craving. My days in the Big Apple were numbered. But at that moment, I wanted Damon to fill my nights.

  “What about when I’m not with you? My car will be fixed in a couple of days, and then you won’t have any reason to chauffeur me around. What if a strange man comes to my apartment for dinner, only to try to kill me?”

  He pulled up to the curb in front of my temporary assignment and put the car in park. When he cut his eyes at me, I saw a flash of something feral and dangerous in them. And exciting. “We’re adults, so let’s be frank with each other. I know you want me as much as I want you. But you should know something else about me. I don’t share what’s mine, and I’ve already decided you belong to me. If I’ve read you wrong in any way, tell me now.”

  “No, you haven’t read me wrong at all.” I was surprised I could reply at all. His blunt confession stole my breath and scrambled my brain.

  “I’m glad to hear you say that. So that we’re clear, no strange men will be in your apartment. If I catch a man in there, he won’t live long enough to regret it.”

  “We’re crystal clear.”

  He reached up and threaded his fingers through my hair then stroked my cheek with his thumb. “You’re so damn beautiful. Call me when you’re ready for me to pick you up, and I’ll be here.”

  Chapter Three

  Damon

  “I just dropped her off. I want to know who she talks to and what she talks about. Tell me who she interacts with and how her demeanor is around the office. It’s too much of a coincidence that she also works there.” I hung up and allowed one of my most trusted soldiers to do his job. He was already on the inside, making matters much easier all around.

  The one point I could always count on when dealing with broads was every single one was susceptible to flattery. Whisper a simple compliment, say it sincerely, and she became instant putty in my hands every time. Jillian was no exception to the rule. In fact, she ev
en seemed a little easier to romance than the local women. Time would tell if that was because she was truly innocent, or if she was trying her best to play me first.

  The day dragged by while I waited for information from Percy, my soldier in the trenches beside her. I tried to focus on my crews and the money they brought in from their jobs, but I found myself checking my phone far more frequently than usual. I had my own work to do, but my ability to concentrate was nowhere to be found. At the end of the day when Percy finally called, I was irritated and angry over everything and nothing at all.

  “Boss, I’ve listened to her phone calls all day, eavesdropped on her meetings, and ran a thorough background check on her. This girl isn’t part of the Sanfratello family. She’s squeaky clean. I’ll keep monitoring her to make sure I didn’t miss anything, but right now I’d bet my life on it.”

  I released a sigh of relief. At least Percy settled that doubt in my mind.

  “But there’s something else you need to know,” he continued.

  “Tell me.”

  “They know she’s with you, and they’re already watching her very closely. One of their capos, Lorenzo, was in here earlier and met with her. He played it cool, pretended he was stopping by to welcome her to the team. But he started getting into personal questions about husbands or boyfriends, openly flirting with her and shit. When he left her office, he told his soldier to tail her when she gets off work to see if she meets you again.”

  “Thanks, Percy. Good work. I’ll take it from here.”

  From Lorenzo’s flirting and overt interest, I had no doubt the Sanfratellos were preparing to kill Jillian and remove her from the equation completely. If I picked her up after work, they would put out a hit on her, and their hitmen would most likely try to carry out the order before morning.

  The problem was, she’d be in danger whether I showed or not. They’d approach her, coerce her to get close to me to gain valuable information, and use her as their informant. If she refused or was unable to help them, they’d kill her because they would’ve revealed too much of their plans to her.

  Her company car was still in the body shop being repaired, but I could easily get out of chauffeuring her around. A quick phone call, a nonexistent excuse, and I’d be rid of the problem entirely.

  Then I remembered her smile. Saw her face as plain as day.

  “Motherfucker.” I jumped up from my office chair and sent it flying across the floor in my wake. “I must be losing my fucking mind.”

  Minutes later, I maneuvered my car through the city streets. Block after block passed while I sped toward her. They’d know the moment I pulled up to the curb. There’d be no turning back if I didn’t change my course right then. If she were with me when they made a move, it would ignite a war between the two families, and the casualties would be high.

  But I didn’t heed the warning blaring in my head.

  “For fuck’s sake. What the hell is wrong with me?”

  Then I saw her standing on the sidewalk, waiting for me to whisk her away. When she saw my car, the same smile that captivated me the day before appeared. The dress she wore hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her best assets and drawing the eyes of every man who passed her. Desire and possession clashed inside me, followed by an uncertainty I hadn’t felt before.

  The desire was obvious. I’d wanted to fuck her until she was unable to stand on her shaky legs since the moment I saw her. Possession came easy—what was mine was mine. Period. But the possessiveness I felt when looking at her bordered on jealousy. I didn’t like other men staring at her, thinking the same thoughts I had about her. They pictured her lips wrapped around their cock as she went down on them. They saw her on all fours when they fucked her from behind. They imagined her bent over, taking the punishing jabs that resulted in her screams of pleasure.

  I knew exactly what their thoughts were, because I had the same thoughts about her.

  When I brought my car to a halt, she slid into the passenger seat, and her sweet perfume wafted across the air, tempting me even more. “Hello, gorgeous. How was your day?”

  “It was good but very busy. How was yours?”

  “Fine. Except I couldn’t get one beautiful Southern belle off my mind all day.”

  “You know, I’m kind of glad you had that problem.”

  “Are you now?” I quirked one eyebrow, throwing the flirting vibe back at her. “What kept you so busy today?”

  “I started working on the retirement fund benefits, and I can already tell this part of the project will be a nightmare. From what I’ve seen, no one has actively managed the fund I’m assigned to in years.”

  “I’m sure you’ll sort it out.” I made a mental note to have Percy make sure she didn’t unravel the trail. “I’m glad you had a good day.”

  “There was something strange that happened today, though.” She scrunched up her face as she recalled what happened. “I’ve worked there for a couple of weeks now, but one of the senior directors came to my office today to personally welcome me to the team. I mean, I understand he’s probably very busy, but I don’t know why he decided to come to my office today and not when I first started.”

  “I couldn’t even begin to guess,” I lied. “Is that all he wanted? To welcome you to the team?”

  “I guess. He asked about my life—if I was married, had a boyfriend, things like that. Then he left. Makes no sense.”

  “Maybe he saw you in the hallway and wanted to ask you out, so he was testing the waters with you.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “No, I doubt that. Men in high management positions like his would be too leery to proposition a subordinate. That could too easily set them up for a sexual harassment lawsuit, even if he asked respectfully.”

  I wanted to correct her. To tell her men like me didn’t concern ourselves with petty threats of a lawsuit. To tell her the man she talked to wouldn’t hesitate to fuck her then shoot her in the head while she slept in the same bed he’d just vacated. I wanted to warn her about these truths, but I couldn’t without revealing myself too early.

  The world was much different from her point of view than from mine.

  “You’re probably right. He’s most likely just been busy and finally had a break in his schedule. You’ll know soon enough if it’s anything different.” And I would know, too.

  “Maybe. Anyway, thank you for picking me up. I feel like I’m such a burden—you have work to do too. I can take a cab back and forth tomorrow.”

  Why did it seem she was suddenly trying to get away from me?

  “Already bored with my company, huh?”

  “No, not at all. You’ve gone out of your way so much for me already. I feel guilty for taking advantage of your generosity.”

  “Doll, believe me, if I didn’t want to be your chauffeur, I wouldn’t be. I’m not afraid to say exactly what I think. And what I think is, I’m your driver again tomorrow.”

  “Okay. If you say so.” She put her hand on my arm and gave it a light squeeze. “Thank you. I do appreciate what you’re doing for me.”

  Checking the rearview mirror while driving was ingrained in me from my childhood. Our family members were taught to be extra vigilant about our surroundings at all times. After the same vehicle had followed me for several blocks, changing lanes and making rookie mistakes, I decided to test my paranoia. They tried to follow me on the first few turns I made, but I lost them when I doubled back on my route.

  The game was afoot, however, and it wouldn’t end anytime soon. Percy would have to find a reason to stick to Jillian like glue if she went back to work the next day. The rest of the night would determine that outcome. If they forced me to make an aggressive move, I’d have to tell her who I was sooner than I’d planned. If they were still in the recon phase, I’d hold out a while longer to see what I could find out about their end game.

  Keeping the sexy woman at my side was a bonus, regardless of the reason.

  “Where are we going? I
know I’ve seen that same restaurant three times now.”

  “At first, I was driving you back to your apartment, but I decided to take you out to dinner instead. You cooked for me last night, so tonight is my treat.” I hit the Bluetooth button and called Benny to arrange for him to meet us after dinner for the drive home.

  As we walked into the exclusive restaurant in the Time Warner Center, she looked down at her attire and back up at me. “I’m not sure I’m dressed for this restaurant.”

  “You’re perfect.” With my hand on the small of her back, I guided her in, and we were seated immediately.

  I ordered our wine and meals, and just as we engaged in conversation, a hush fell over the restaurant. When I looked up, I was surprised to see my father and his brother walking in. The Boss and Underboss of our family were known on sight by most people. The respect and fear they commanded were legendary. The goons that walked at their flanks and behind them were also unmistakable. When Dad saw me, he motioned for the soldiers to keep walking to their table.

  I stood and greeted my father and uncle in the typical Italian family manner—a kiss on each cheek and a manly embrace. My father and my uncle were my mentors and were the two men I admired most in the world. “Father. Uncle Leo. It’s good to see you both. Would you care to join us?”

  My father, Vincenzo, smiled as he eyed Jillian. “I mean no disrespect by rejecting your offer, but I’d never interfere during your date with such a lovely young lady.” He lifted Jillian’s hand and softly kissed the back of her hand. “What is your name, pretty lady?”

  “I’m Jillian Hart,” she replied with a smile. “I can see where Damon gets his handsome looks.”

  “This one, you need to keep this one, Damon. I like her.” Dad lifted one eyebrow when he spoke to me, issuing his unspoken command.

  “Jillian, this is my uncle, Leo Marchetti.”

  Leo repeated my father’s performance, pouring on the charm and making her face blush red with his compliments. The two men walked away to their table, leaving Jillian and me to chuckle over their blatant flirting.