Every inch of me comes alive at the sight of her.
My men notice too. Irritation flares at the look of appreciation in Raul’s eyes. I’d really like not to have to gouge them out. He’s been a loyal subordinate since I took up my role as enforcer.
Liliana blinks slowly before looking around the room, her eyes growing wide.
“Did you need something, little siren?”
She shakes her head frantically, “I thought this was the library. Ira told me to come up and make a left when I see a black brass door. But I got lost. This house is annoyingly large.”
“A little further up,” I say, my lips tugging up at the blush on her cheeks. “There’s a small hallway to the side. The entrance to the library is at the end of it.”
“I could take her there,” Raul offers.
Liliana offers him a grateful smile that has my gaze hardening.
“I’m sure you can find it on your own,” I say, my eyes still fixed on her. “We were in the middle of something.”
When she looks back at me, a single sculpted eyebrow lifts at the expression on my face. I have no clue how I look right now, but anger churns in the depths of my stomach.
“Point taken. I’ll leave,” she murmurs. “Sorry I disturbed you.”
I rise to my feet slowly, walking to the door just as she takes a step back from it. She inhales gently once I’m close enough.
“You’re very cranky for someone who should be well rested after a good night’s sleep,” she says, her voice low enough that my men can’t hear.
“Are you fishing for a thank you?”
“At the very least, I was hoping you wouldn’t be a dick.”
“And I was hoping you wouldn’t waltz into a room where I’m meeting with my men with your legs on display,” I shoot back.
She makes a face, “Don’t be a caveman, Rafaelle. Also, you have no authority over how I dress.”
Something primal crosses my chest at those words. I want nothing more than to hide her forever or lock her in a room where she would be the subject of my eyes and my eyes only.
Her amber eyes are fiery at the end of the statement, and I know she thinks she looks tough. But all it’s doing is making me hard.
“Don’t look at my men,” I say gruffly.
She scoffs, “You’re joking, right?”
“Head over to the library, Liliana. I’ll come find you after the meeting since it’s clear you can’t seem to stay away from me.”
“Get over yourself. And don’t come looking for me. I have a ton of work to do.”
She turns around with those words. I stand there, watching her go, the sway of her hips entrancing. Once she’s out of sight, I take a second to compose myself before turning around. Before heading over to the desk, I stand in front of Raul and place a hand on his shoulder.
His gaze is wary, and the question in it is answered with a fist to his stomach. The punch has him doubling over, air escaping his mouth in a wheeze.
“Talk to her again, and it’ll be a knife in your gut next time,” I tell him, patting his back gently before taking my seat once again. “Now, where were we?”
The rest of the meeting passes by in a blur of threats to be made and money to be spent on hiring more men. By the end of it, it’s pretty late in the morning and I’m starving.
“Has Liliana eaten yet?” I ask Ira, frowning at her empty seat, when I arrive at the dining hall.
He shakes his head, “She mentioned that she would be busy writing essays and doing homework for most of the day and asked not to be disturbed.”
I roll my eyes, “Get me a tray.”