1. Claire Benson

CHAPTER 1

CLAIRE BENSON

THE SAME DAY – SURREY, ENGLAND – NOTICING LUCA

M y gaze flicked towards the balcony where Luca stood with his back to me, his broad shoulders rigid, tension rippling through the hard lines of his body as he answered his call.

Pursing my lips, I frowned, studying him as he talked on the phone. Something was going on with him, and I wasn’t sure what. He had been distracted all day, which was unusual. Normally, he was very attentive and focused, but not today. Today, he had been on edge and doing his utmost to pretend otherwise. Marcie might not have noticed, but I certainly had. And that bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

Since the moment we’d met, just a couple of days ago, I’d been hyper-aware of the sexy Russian. And that was a problem—a serious one. He was the kind of trouble I didn’t need. I had a knack for spotting men like him. Dangerous ones. As a criminal defence lawyer, I prided myself on that skill. I saw it in Ash when Gracie introduced us, and I saw it in Luca.

He turned his head, and I forced myself to look away before he caught me staring. But within seconds, my gaze had flicked to him again.

Whatever he heard on the phone must have been positive, because his shoulders relaxed and the tension leeched from him. I was right. Something had been going on, but I guessed it was really none of my business, and anyhow, by the way his posture had changed it seemed like things were okay again.

I released a breath that I hadn’t even been aware I’d been holding. Why was it that Luca’s tension and unease had bothered me so much? I hardly knew the guy and was determined to keep it that way. So why was I so attuned to his every move and mood?

It didn’t make sense. I mean, the guy was super attractive, but I had met many attractive men in my lifetime, and even dated a few. What was it about this one that made me want to see past that dangerous veneer and find out what lay beneath?

It didn’t matter. I wouldn’t let myself delve into his depths, no matter how tempting it seemed.

I wasn’t na?ve. Luca might put on a front as a legitimate businessman, but I knew he was a criminal. I’d worked hard to get where I was in my profession, driven by ambition and a refusal to let anything stand in my way, and I had plans. Working with criminals was one thing; getting personally involved was another.

Luca and his dark allure were not for me. I didn’t do casual, and I wasn’t looking for a serious relationship, especially not with someone tied to the Bratva. Besides, if I was, his relentless flirting—even when I shot him down—made it clear he was a player. Players don’t do serious, and I wasn’t about to let him play with me.

So why did the thought of it send a shiver down my spine?

Damn it! The man was no good for me. I needed to resist the pull between us.

Huffing in frustration, I tried to tear my gaze away, but it was glued to him. It was as if my eyes were intent on soaking up every inch of the stunning Russian while I could. And who could blame them? He was a magnificent specimen—tall, powerfully built, and irresistibly sexy, with an aura that radiated power and menace.

And then there were his eyes. Dark, intense, always watchful. Like a predator scanning the room, weighing his options.

I’d caught him watching me a few times over the last couple of days, and each time, the air seemed to thicken between us. It wasn’t just attraction. No, this was something deeper, almost primal. It unnerved me how easily I could feel it—how easily I could see him for what he was.

Oh, this man was dangerous all right. On far too many levels.

“So, what do you think of the sexy waiter idea?” Marcie said, wiggling her eyebrows at me.

“The what?” I asked, Marcie’s question finally pulling my attention away from the sexy Russian.

“Ha, I knew you weren’t listening!”

“Sorry, my mind was wandering. I just needing to get out of this room for a bit, I think,” I told her, hoping she hadn’t noticed where my eyes had been.

“Well, I’ve just another email to send to a supplier and then we can call it a night if you like?” Marcie said.

“Sure, sounds like a plan,” I replied. I needed another drink to take my mind off the distracting male.

“So, what was all this about a sexy waiter?” I asked, unable to keep the smile from my face.

She laughed.

“I was just saying how it would be great if we could get Ash and the other Rominov’s and the lovely Luca, of course, to act as sexy waiters. You know, the ones that are topless apart from a white collar and bowtie?” she giggled.

“Oh, and we could put them in Santa hats and make them walk around with bits of mistletoe. Since the event is ticketed and the money is going to charity, I bet we’d sell out in seconds.”

She laughed, snorting loudly and making me laugh in turn.

“Oh my god, I’d pay good money to see that,” I couldn’t help myself from responding.

“I’ll bet.” She winked at me, and I burst into laughter as my mind bombarded me with images of the handsome men she was referring to… especially one in particular.

My eyes drifted towards him yet again and I stared at the broad expanse of his chest decked out in a crisp white, open-necked shirt. I bit my lip as I let my imagination run wild with said images of Luca delivering me cocktails while dressed as a sexy waiter. Oh, my god.

My eyes slowly drifted upwards, and I baulked when I saw him staring back at me.

Shit. Heat rose in my cheeks and I quickly averted my eyes to Marcie’s laptop, trying desperately to pretend that I hadn’t been blatantly ogling him like a schoolgirl with a crush. I gulped hard. I could feel his gaze on me. Hot. Intense. Dangerous. It made my mouth dry, my pulse thunder in my ears.

He walked back inside, and even without looking at him, I could feel that smug smile of his. The one that said he knew exactly what I was thinking.

Damn, the man was too much. Too dangerous. Too hot. And way too damn tempting.

How the hell was I going to continue resisting him?