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She sed ‘This is a reputable place Things like that don’t happen here’

‘And what exactly do you base that statistic on? Are you a frequent visitor?’

She flushed ‘No, of course not And I’m not naïve I justI just think—’

‘That predators in Savile Row suits are less vicious than those in hoodies?’ His smile didn’t reach his eyes

‘No, that’s not what I aze dropped to the bold and garish-looking cocktail standing next to his dark-coloured spirit

This was fast getting out of hand, and she needed to think about getting back Or she would haveto do

He indicated the chair one more ti conversation We can sit here and nottalk’

His words piqued her curiosity Or maybe she just wanted a distraction from the pain and chaos that awaited her the moment she left this place

She forced herself to look at hieousness of the man—past the powerful shoulders underneath the ihtly ruffled, as if he’d shoved a hand through it once or twice

The brackets around his rooved and when she chanced another look into his eyes, what Perla glimpsed made her heart hammer

In that instant she kneasn’t here to prey on unsuspecting or vulnerable women That wasn’t to say women would be safe from the sensual aura and sheer charisma that oozed from him Far from it

But for tonight, in this veryin his eyes weren’t of a predatory nature The pain she saw resonated with her on so deep a level, she found it hard to breathe through it

His eyes narrowed, as if sensing the direction of her thoughts He stiffened and his e his mind about his earlier invitation

Abruptly he moved a step forward, touched the back of the chair ‘Sit down Please,’ he repeated

Perla sat In silence, he pushed her drink towards her

‘Thank you,’ she murmured

He inclined his head and raised his glass towards her ‘To not talking’