Boss | Book 1| Complete

~4~

Luca

The car pulled up to the curb outside the luxury apartment complex. It was 7:00 p.m. sharp, and I was eager to see her again. I didn't even know her real name, but it hardly mattered. If she accepted my proposal – and I hoped she did – whoever she was before this would be of no consequence. She would be Raven Moretti, and she would belong to me.

Having a woman on the team would be different, but something told me she would far exceed my expectations. This girl was made of tougher stuff than most men I knew. I had to have her. A part of me wanted to take the choice away from her and force her to do what I wanted, but the most attractive thing about her was her independence.

I wouldn't be the asshole that took her freedom away, but I wasn't going to back down without a fight. I was willing to go through great lengths to bring this woman on board. It's not like she had anyone else to turn to. She had admitted that she was living on the streets before running into my men.

I could provide her with food, shelter, and more money than she had ever dreamed of having in all her life. In exchange, I would only want one thing: her undying loyalty to me and the rest of the family.

I waited in the back seat of the blacked-out Escalade as Ricky ascended the complex to escort her down. It was one of the many properties I owned, and if she accepted, the apartment would be hers.

I had my men purchase new clothes for her, hating how run-down she looked in her worn out jeans and stretched T-shirt. A woman as beautiful as she deserved to be dripping in diamonds, her body clad in the most expensive designer clothes.

I had an arrangement of lavish dresses delivered to the apartment earlier that day, hoping she would choose one of the racier pieces to wear out tonight. I wasn't sure whether she was interested in me, but I hoped so. Even though I'd told her she didn't need to sleep with me to work off her debt, it didn't mean I wasn't planning to win her over until she did so willingly.

Along with her new clothes, she received a birth certificate, social security card, and passport, all under her new would-be identity. Perhaps I was being a little pretentious, but I needed her to understand just how powerful I was. She would be safe in my care, and there wasn't a single thing that I couldn't provide her with.

The doors to the building opened and Ricky approached. My jaw went slack, and my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets when I saw her. Her curvy body looked as though it had been poured into the shimmery, silver cocktail dress she wore. Her petite shoulders and slender neck were on display, and she looked like the fucking queen of the world with tear-drop diamonds hanging from her earlobes.

Her hair was pulled back in an up-do, a few soft strands brushing her shoulders and framing her gorgeous face. Her eyelids were smoky, making her green irises pop. A hint of pink gloss was on her lips, making her the most desirable creature on the planet.

I never did this – not for anyone – but I couldn't even stop myself. I pushed my door open and stepped out of the vehicle. I didn't miss the look of surprise on Ricky's face when I walked past him, coming to stand directly in front of her.

"Wow," I breathed, my brain short-circuiting at the worst possible moment. "You're stunning."

A touch of rose colored her cheeks and for the first time since I met her, the corners of her lips rose in a smile. "Thanks."

I offered her my hand, surprised when she actually took it and led her to the car. I warned Ricky away with a single look, wanting to be the man that held the door open for her and helped her into the vehicle.

As previously mentioned, this never happened.

I slid onto the leather seat beside her, my eyes glued to her breasts and the way they spilled from the top of her dress. Even with the large bandage wrapped around her shoulder, she was breathtaking. I noticed something missing, though.