Gentleman Sinner(15)

I stare at him in stunned silence, now at a loss for words. According to him, only the unwise say no to Theo Kane. But being unwise would be to dip my toe in Theo’s world. Being unwise would be to explore the reactions he evokes from me. Being unwise would be to allow the sense of safety he offers to distract me from my mission to keep myself safe. And what’s he going to do when I say no, anyway? Put that gun to my head? I laugh under my breath. Bring it on. I’ve lived half my life with an imaginary gun held at my temple.

I reach up, intending to yank his hand away from my face, but Theo drops his hold first and shoots back in his seat, as far on the other side of the car as he can get. His eyes are wide, his face tight. ‘Go,’ he orders. ‘Go before I do something you clearly don’t want me to do.’ The car stops at a red light. He looks away.

‘Like what?’ I know he doesn’t mean he might hurt me. ‘Kiss me? And what makes you think I would let you?’

‘You wouldn’t have a choice, and not because I would force you.’ His hands meet the seat in front of him, his fingers clawing into the leather. He’s restraining himself. ‘Go, Izzy.’

I’m out of the car quickly, my feet hitting the pavement in time with my thumping heart. The bright lights and buzz of London are a mere blur and white noise around me as I hurry down the street towards my apartment, his words whooshing in my ears.

Casting a look over my shoulder, I see his car still sitting at the light, though it’s now green and the sound of impatient horns adds to the fuzz of noise around me. The Bentley eventually starts to crawl along, sticking close to the kerb fifty or so feet back. Even his car looks threatening, creeping along behind me. My pace quickens, and I round the corner, seeing my apartment up ahead. The sight offers me no comfort. A quick glimpse over my shoulder tells me Theo’s driver has followed me into my street, still crawling at a snail’s pace, the fiasco of annoyed cars behind not prompting him to put his foot down or pull over. Because Theo will be telling him what to do, and only the unwise say no to Theo Kane.

‘Damn you,’ I murmur, reaching the steps that lead up to my front door. His Bentley rolls to a stop, but no one gets out. The blacked-out window of the back prevents me from seeing Theo inside, but I know he’s looking at me, probably even more pissed off, and if he continues to stare, I think he might burn a hole through the glass. I look to Callum in the front – no tinted windows there hindering my view – finding him sitting still, hands on the wheel, focused forward.

I reach for the handrail that leads up the stairs to my front door, keeping my eyes on the car as I take backward steps up, waiting for him to get out. But he doesn’t.

The front door opens behind me. ‘Izzy, what the hell are you doing?’ Jess asks, coming down the steps to join me. I flick her a quick look, finding a Mars bar at her lips, her eyes now on the posh Bentley still stationary by the kerb. ‘Who’s that?’ she asks.

‘Him,’ I breathe, feeling all kinds of unstable and unsteady. The car starts to slowly pull away, leaving me and Jess following its path down the road until it takes a corner and disappears. My legs give out, taking my arse down to one of the concrete steps. ‘Oh my God,’ I gasp, shock kicking in.

‘Fucking hell.’ Jess joins me on the step, her hand coming to my knee. ‘The guy from the alley? With the mansion? What happened?’

‘He turned up at work. Insisted on bringing me home.’

‘Then how come you were walking?’ she asks. ‘I saw you from the kitchen window when I was getting some wine.’

‘I got out at the light,’ I explain, bringing my hand up to my chest and glancing down the street. ‘After he told me to go or he’d do something he’d regret.’

She withdraws, uncertain. ‘What?’

‘Not like that,’ I rush to explain. ‘Like kiss me. He wanted to kiss me, and he said I would never be able to stop him. And he didn’t mean because he’s built like a brick shithouse and I am not.’

‘Oh, wow,’ Jess whispers. ‘But you said there was nothing.’

I clench my eyes closed and exhale my confession. ‘I lied.’

‘But why?’

‘Because I’m scared by it,’ I admit with an apologetic smile. Jess isn’t hacked-off like I expect. She looks in shock herself. ‘He’s dangerous,’ I say. ‘I shouldn’t be attracted to that.’ My eyes drop. ‘But he saved me from that arsehole who . . .’

Jess’s hand reaches for mine and grips hard. She knows where I was going with that. ‘Don’t,’ she warns. ‘Don’t give that bastard a second thought.’

I shake my head, frustrated. ‘I’m trying not to.’ I look at her and smile sadly. ‘Theo would rip him to shreds without a moment’s hesitation or regret. That’s how it should be. A man should protect a woman. Not hurt her. And a woman should feel safe with a man, not afraid. I’m not scared of Theo, Jess. He isn’t dangerous in the sense that I think he would physically hurt me. He’s dangerous because I feel so safe with him.’ I’ve never felt safe before. Not truly. I like it. And I don’t want to.

My friend gives me an understanding smile, curling an arm around my shoulder and pulling me into her. ‘The fact that he’s dangerously handsome, rich, and built like a gladiator helps, too, I suppose.’