I stepped forward, bumping her gently and forcing her to press her front against the wall. “You can keep the lighter,” I whispered into her hair. “I’ve found something infinitely more appealing. I’ll be in touch.”
Before she could say a word, I slipped from the room and disappeared into the club.
Chapter 5
Giada
The storage room door slammed shut behind him, leaving me standing dazed and alone. Only then did the sharp scent of chemicals register. I glanced around at the cleaning supplies stacked on metal shelves and wondered what the fuck had just happened.
Did I really just get finger fucked by a strange stalker guy in a club? Holy shit!
If my cheeks weren’t flushed already, they became engulfed in flames—no doubt, I was red as a tomato. Why? Was I embarrassed? Not exactly. I saw no reason a woman couldn’t have just as much casual sex as a man. One-night stands weren’t my habit, but they’d been known to happen.
What had just transpired was different. This guy wasn’t someone I’d met on Bumble. I’d stolen from him, and he’d tracked me down across the country to confront me. To punish me.
And I’d let him.
I’d had guys spank me or try to act all dominant before, but I rarely bought into it because that play couldn’t be faked. Men often liked to think of themselves as assertive, but I’d yet to come across one who wielded the requisite authority and self-assurance to pull it off.
Until now.
Every single aspect of that man’s being radiated power. Control.
For once in my life, I wanted to obey. All thoughts of challenge drowned in a vast sea of anticipation. My bare skin pricked with awareness, and when his palm collided with my ass, a stampede of sensation careened through my body.
I think you take things hoping one day, someone just like me will track you down and make you answer for your crimes.
The truth in his assertion rang loudly. Why else did I take things? Yes, the thrill of getting away with my crimes was a part of my enjoyment, but I also possessed a sick curiosity about getting caught. The theft of worthless items wasn’t nearly as exciting if the person never knew the object was taken. And with him especially, I had wanted him to know what I’d done. I hadn’t expected him to track me down, but I’d wanted him to know it was me. Wanted him to remember me.
What was the point of denying his claims and fighting him when I didn’t want to be free of him? I had wanted to know exactly what it felt like to have his full attention.
The thrill was off the charts.
But so was the fear. I hadn’t planned to broadcast my father’s mafia activities to a stranger, but he literally had me backed into a corner. It was the only weapon at my disposal, but he didn’t even flinch at my threat. It was terrifying, but somehow that fear was also exhilarating. I’d been interested in sleeping with him back in Vegas had our initial conversation gone differently. Having him chase me down only made our encounter that much more erotic.
How could lust survive alongside fear? Was I demented? Did other women get turned on when they were scared? Maybe my mother was right, and I did need help.
When our faces were inches apart in that closet, and I could see the intensity in his gaze, it felt transformative to be the focus of that electric energy. The high was greater than I ever could have imagined, and now I wanted more.
He said he’d be in touch, but what did that mean? Was he staying in New York? Was he even from Vegas, or did he live somewhere else? Where would he find me next? Shouldn’t I be afraid?
As I buttoned my jeans, questions and emotions assaulted me from all directions. I did my best to set them aside and collect myself. I hadn’t been lying when I said my cousin would be looking for me. If I knew Alessia at all, she was close to calling the cops.
When I stepped from the storage room, the world around me shifted and rearranged to form a far less familiar picture. The club was physically just the same, but everything took on a new and exciting sheen. Scrutinizing the faces around me, I searched dark corners for watchful eyes and jumped each time someone bumped against me.
Ten minutes with him and my life was unrecognizable.
My face split in a wide grin.
“Where were you? I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Alessia chided when she spotted me near the bar.
I briefly debated telling her about my closet romp, but the words wouldn’t come out. “I just stepped outside for a minute. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you first.”
“Are you okay?” she asked, her brow suddenly furrowed with concern.
“Yeah, just a little headache. I think I may head home.”
“Well, I don’t need to stick around without you. I’m just here to be with you and the girls. Let’s find them and get out of here.”
I wrapped my arms around her in a warm hug. “Thanks, Al. Sorry again to drag you out and then bail.”
“You know I’m not big on clubbing anyway. Now, come on.” She grabbed my hand and led me to where Sofia and Camilla huddled together at a table.
I scoured the bar for the man as I walked, wondering if he was still there. Was he watching me? The thought had my head reeling. I barely acknowledged the other girls and followed absently as Alessia dragged me to the front entrance and into a waiting car. Her father insisted his daughters use the drivers he provided. It was one of the few ways Uncle Enzo was stricter than my father, who had never gone to that length.
I continued to contemplate a barrage of questions on the way home. How had he found me? Why did he come after me? Was it just because I’d stolen his lighter, or had he wanted me from the beginning?
The escapade in the club had been the most erotic moment of my life, and I didn’t even know the man’s name. In fact, it was not knowing him that made it so exciting.
No way was that normal.
It was one thing to fantasize about being with a stranger after he’d stalked and nabbed you, but it was different to actually be in that situation. To get wet for that man and crave his touch. I would never call myself broken, but I was clearly abnormal. I should have been terrified, and while I was scared to a degree, I was also insanely turned on.
Our interaction wasn’t tender or sweet. It was primal and raw, and I loved every second of it.
Alessia’s driver dropped me off at my apartment building. I walked unseeing to the elevator, riding up to my floor in a muddled haze. I only snapped to attention when I neared my door and realized the man probably knew where I lived.
A heated shiver trickled down my spine, and I didn’t know if it owed to fear or excitement. Possibly a healthy dose of both.
Opening the door, I glanced around, but the place looked empty. For now, I was alone.
After spending almost a full year renovating my apartment, I loved it. It was a sacrifice to live in a dingy rental during those long months, but it had been worth it. Everything about my place was exactly to my specifications from the layout to the paint colors to the fixtures, and the place was perfect.
After tossing my keys and purse onto the counter, I headed straight to my closet. Up on a top shelf behind a stack of blankets and squirreled away where no one would look was my treasure chest. An ornate wooden box where I kept each trinket I’d ever stolen. I could remember how I’d obtained every one of them, like some kind of fucked-up scrapbook.