Delgano: The Intro - Page 112

In the years since he and Ayesha ended things, he’d tried to sleep with other women. He’d had to latch on to memories from his recent and distant past in order to latch on to their lips, kiss and suck the silky skin of their inner thighs, and tease their nipples between his teeth. Yet, nothing had occurred.

Then there were Wren’s eyes.

While Wren was gorgeous and his type in more ways than one, Ayesha was the only woman whose eyes he looked into and didn’t feel like something was missing. Her eyes were the only ones who didn’t leave him feeling unfinished.

“Adrían, you are one of the most attractive men I’ve ever seen, in my life, and that accent…” Wren shivered. “I do not envy Ayesha, having to choose between you and fine as hell Joel Lattimore.”

“There wasn’t much choice,” he reminded her.

While he clung to the fact that Ayesha did “love” him, he knew it was nothing like what she felt for Joel. Ayesha loved Joel so much that he conceded. Pursuing her would have only resulted in either his or Joel’s deaths, or both, and he wanted her happy more than he wanted her for himself. Also, Joel would find a way to make sure they died on the same day to avoid giving him twenty-four hours of unimpeded access to Mrs. Lattimore.

The problem was, he liked the guy, both as a person and for Ayesha. He liked the entire team. They were like real brothers with wonderful families and unnaturally gorgeous wives—as much legend as there was about Gano The Enforcer, the first time he found himself thinking that Mo was beautiful, he basically slit the thought’s throat.

He was dangerous.

Pozza was something else entirely.

All he had, and would ever have, were his memories—as well as the photo he and Ayesha took together. To people who didn’t know them, it looked like they were the ones who’d gotten married. To him, it was the closest he’d get to something that would never come to pass. That would be enough to satisfy him until the next phase of his life. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t begin with angel lying across from him, no matter what she believed.

“I tried to catch you before you left the party,” Wren continued, moving her thumb to his top lip. “I mean, am I crazy? I’m not crazy, right?”

The touch managed to elicit a small stir in his abdomen. “Crazy about what, gatinha?”

“Us. I mean, I feel like you were looking at me at the party…unless I’m wrong.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“So, I want you. You want me. What’s the issue?”

“It’s not here yet.”

She eased close enough to kiss. “Adrían, I feel like there could be something between u—what the hell?”

Thanasis, with a hold on her ankle, dragged her off the bed and up into his arms, all in one motion. Adrían watched them go, his fingers clasped behind his head, and laughed quietly to himself.

“Bons sonhos, gatinha,” he said. “Sweet dreams, little kitten.”

Adrían felt himself being dragged backward, but he didn’t look away from the “visitor” until his feet came to a stop in the middle of the large kitchen.

“Who is she?” Joel asked.

He glanced across the room. “I…

“You know her, though. Right?”

“I’m,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead, “not sure. She looks like…someone.”

Someone beautiful.

Someone incredible.

Someone dead.

“What’s her name?” he asked Joel.

“She introduced herself as Juliana, but her real name’s Sayeda.”

His knees nearly gave out.