The Mafia Boss Is The Man Of My Dreams

Chapter 9

I didn’t know whether I was dreaming or wide awake as I watched my mystery man walk straight past me without sparing me so much as a single glance. But the moment that familiar scent reached my nose—that intoxicating, completely addictive perfume—I spun around immediately. Before he could disappear down the corridor again, I called out the name I’d learned only hours prior.

“Knight!”

I tried my absolute best to keep my sudden spike of excitement under wraps. I wasn’t entirely sure if it worked, and frankly, I didn’t care. I was just thrilled to see him. When he stopped and turned to meet my gaze, an automatic smile crept onto my lips as I took in his striking features all over again.

He looked even more devastatingly handsome today, if that was even scientifically possible. The suit he wore complemented his broad shoulders perfectly—that damn custom-made tailoring. His jaw was rigidly clenched as he approached me slowly, and even with that entirely emotionless expression on his face, he looked like a Calvin Klein model.

Just… with a lot more clothes on.

But imagine him without—

Okay, okay. Calm down, Aria. Focus.

I tried to steady my shallow breathing as he finally came to a halt directly in front of me.

“How do you know my name?” he demanded immediately.

His dark, piercing eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a sudden, electric urge to squirm under the sheer weight of his gaze.

“And what exactly makes you think you have the right to call me by it so openly?” he added, taking a deliberate, imposing step closer. “Do you know me?”

I frowned, my expression instantly hardening to mirror his. It was just a name—why on earth was he being so incredibly intense about it?

I let out a soft sigh and took a small step backward so I could actually see his towering height properly, folding my arms tightly over my chest. Two could easily play this game.

“I may not know you personally,” I muttered, raising an eyebrow, “but I do know there’s absolutely no harm in calling someone by a name that’s clearly theirs.”

His dark eyes narrowed into dangerous slits.

“If you didn’t want anyone to actually use it,” I added with a casual shrug, “why bother having one in the first place?”

“My name is not to be spoken by the likes of you,” he seethed, leaning down until his lips were entirely too close to my face.

Instead of backing down, a low, nervous chuckle escaped me.

“And what exactly is the likes of me?” I asked, refusing to break eye contact. “A hot finance worker who’s just a little bit interested in finding out why you're so wrapped up in mystery?”

“Keep your interests entirely to yourself, Aria,” he muttered coldly.

The sharp way my name sounded on his lips made my legs feel like they were going to turn to absolute jelly. Did my name always sound that utterly sweet when someone spoke it?

“How do you know my name?” I countered, trying my absolute best not to stutter.

His dark gaze dropped significantly, tracking down to the employee ID pinned to my blouse.

“Oh. Right.”

“It’s only fair,” he said, his stoic expression cracking just a fraction—progress—“that I know yours if you've gone out of your way to learn mine.”

His tone immediately frosted over again. “I hope I never see your face in this building again, or hear you use my name. Your interest is entirely unappreciated, and whoever leaked my identity to you is going to have a hell of a lot to answer for.”

Without waiting for a response, he spun on his heel and walked away.

Okay… maybe not that much progress.

“See you next time, Knight!” I called out sweetly after his retreating back.

He cast a sharp, warning scowl over his shoulder before disappearing completely down the hallway.

“Goddamn,” I muttered under my breath, instantly squatting down against the corridor wall as I let out a massive, pent-up breath.

I really hadn’t expected to run into him again this early. I’d only managed to coax his name out of Conan a few hours ago—that was literally the only piece of information I had on him so far. Still, a wide smile spread across my lips. It was incredibly nice to see him again. He was significantly more prickly than the average guy, but I didn’t mind the challenge. I wasn’t exactly a pushover either, so our stubborn energies matched pretty well.

I stood up and made my way back to my desk. I’d already boldly declared my interest to his face, so there was absolutely no turning back now. I was definitely going to find a way to get close to him, especially if it meant finally figuring out why that familiar, dreamlike scent clung to him.

The absolute authority in his voice today, combined with the lethal way he carried himself, convinced me he was either a ridiculously wealthy heir like Conan… or the owner of some massive organization. I could easily start my investigation from there.

But first, I needed one critical, missing detail for my research.

His picture.

I buried my head in my files for a few minutes to throw off suspicion before sitting up straight again. My eyes drifted automatically to Conan’s office door—where I knew Knight was currently conducting his business.

When is he coming out? I thought, running my hands anxiously over my face.

A few minutes later, the heavy door swung open and his tall silhouette stepped out into the office.

I was already on my feet, my phone tightly clenched in my palm. Mission: Acquire a photo of Knight Edge is officially activated.

I waited until he was a safe distance ahead of me before following him slowly down the stairs to the ground floor exit. Slinking behind the heavy glass doors of the lobby, I watched as he walked out toward the private VIP parking lot.

This was my absolute best shot.

I quickly switched my phone into camera mode and stepped out quietly. He had his broad back turned completely to me, but I started snapping the shutter anyway. Honestly, even his back looked ridiculously good.

I kept clicking away, desperately waiting for him to turn around even once. What was he even staring at out there? They were just high-end luxury vehicles.

I reviewed the screen after a fee seconds and let out a disappointed sigh. All back shots.

“Why is taking a clear picture of you so incredibly hard?” I muttered to myself. “Okay, let’s try this one more time.”

I shifted sharply to adjust my angle—and walked directly into a rock-solid, towering surface.

“f**k,” I hissed, rubbing my forehead as a dull thud echoed through my skull.

I blinked, stabilizing my balance, and looked up.

Knight.

Double f**k. He hadn't been walking away; he had circled right back around.

“I—well, we meet again,” I stuttered, forcing a highly nervous, pitchy chuckle.

He wasn’t smiling. Not even a little bit.

His eyes dropped directly to my hands, and before my brain could even register the danger, his large hands shot forward. He grabbed both of my wrists in a vice grip, pinning them firmly above my head against the concrete pillar while effortlessly yanking my phone right out of my fingers.

“So,” he breathed darkly, his gaze boring a hole into my soul as his scent clouded my senses. “You’re a stalker now, Aria?”

My heart slammed violently against my ribs like a trapped bird.

“Taking photos of me without my permission,” he continued, his voice dropping into a terrifyingly calm whisper. “I could violently smash this device onto the pavement right now, and you wouldn’t have a single word to say about it.”

I was utterly, completely doomed. Think, Aria. Think fast.

“Why exactly were you taking my picture?” he demanded, his grip tightening just enough to let me know he wasn't playing a game.

I squeezed my eyes shut, taking a reckless leap off the ledge.

“Because I think you look incredibly hot!” I blurted out.

A dead, suffocating silence instantly filled the parking lot. But hey… it was infinitely better to look completely boy-crazy than to be labeled a corporate spy by a man who looked like he could break me in half, right?