Chapter 33 Thirty Three
Mira took a deep breath and pushed herself away from the mirror.
Enough spiraling. Enough thinking about his eyes.
Or his hands.Or the stupid way her heart beats so fast whenever he got close.
She needed to focus.
So she changed quickly into something comfortable … a fitted black top and soft gray short. Nothing dramatic. Just enough to move around without putting too much pressure on her ankle.
By the time she finished brushing her hair into a loose ponytail, the pain in her leg had dulled slightly.
Mira picked up the breakfast tray carefully from the bed.
“I am not becoming one of those women who suddenly forgets how to function because a man carried her once,” she muttered to herself.
Then she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
The mansion was quieter than usual this morning.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, warming the marble floors. Somewhere downstairs she could hear faint voices and the distant sound of dishes clinking.
Mira walked carefully, trying not to limp too obviously.
One hand balanced the tray while the other rested lightly against the wall whenever the pain in her ankle flared.
By the time she reached the bottom floor, she was already annoyed.
With everything.. at the pain, at the fact she was getting anywhere on the case and at him.. At Salvatore… how he invade her thought. And mostly at herself she couldn’t believe she was thinking about a psycho murderer.
Mira turned toward the kitchen corridor— Then stopped.
Ahead, near the large windows toward the garden, Salvatore and Antonio stood talking quietly.
Close enough that whatever they were discussing clearly wasn’t meant for other ears.
Antonio noticed her first. His expression didn’t change. Of course it didn’t. The man looked emotionally allergic to facial expressions.
Salvatore was still speaking when Antonio’s eyes shifted past him.
A second later— Salvatore turned.
And just like that… his eyes landed on her.
Mira’s stomach tightened instantly.
God, this was getting embarrassing.
Why did her body react like that every single time he looked at her?
The conversation between the two men stopped immediately.
Salvatore’s gaze dropped briefly toward the tray in her hands.
Then lower. Toward her ankle. His expression darkened slightly.
And before Mira could even prepare herself…He started walking straight toward her.
Mira swallowed.
“Why was he coming over,” she muttered nervously under her breath, “what the hell does he want look at me like he’s about to ruin my life.”
Too late to escape now. He stopped directly in front of her. Close enough that the faint scent of his cologne wrapped around her again.
Warm vanilla. Honey. Intoxicating. Damn this man smelled good she thought.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the tray.
“I was bringing this back,” she said quickly before he could speak.
Salvatore glanced at the tray once.
Then calmly took it from her hands. He turned slightly and handed it to Antonio.
“Take this to the kitchen,” he said simply.
Antonio took the tray silently and walked away without question.
Mira barely had time to process what was happening before Salvatore looked back at her.
His eyes moved slowly over her face. Then down toward the way she was standing carefully to avoid pressure on her ankle.
A look crossed his face.
Annoyance ? concern ? She couldn’t tell.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” he said quietly.
Mira crossed her arms immediately.” I’m fine.”
“You’re limping.” He said still staring at her leg.
“I can still walk.” She responded nervously
“That wasn’t the point.”
Before she could respond— He bent slightly and lifted her into his arms again.
Mira gasped softly in shock.
“Mr Corvin—!”
One arm slid beneath her knees while the other settled firmly around her waist.
Like last night..
“You shouldn’t be moving around, Mira.” He said softly his eyes on her as he held her closer to his chest.
The way he said her name—his voice deep and calm like he was caressing her skin. Sent a shiver down her spine.
Her breath caught embarrassingly.
And worse?
He noticed.
His eyes flicked toward her face briefly.
A small smirk threatening the corner of his mouth.
Mira hated that smirk.
Almost as much as she hated the warmth spreading through her chest right now.
“I can walk,” she protested weakly.
“I’m sure nearly fell on your way down the stairs.”
Her mouth opened.
Closed.
Because annoyingly enough… He was right.
Again.
Mira avoided looking directly at him now, suddenly too aware of how his arms feels on her bare laps
How strong and sexy his arm looked. Her hand instinctively grabbed lightly onto the front of his shirt when he adjusted his hold.
The movement made his gaze lower briefly to her fingers curled against him.
The hallway suddenly felt very quiet.
“Put me down,” she muttered softly.
“Mm.” He didn’t say word he just stood there with her in his arms
“That wasn’t a yes.”
“That wasn’t meant to be an answer young lady.”
Mira stared at him in disbelief.
“You’re impossible.”
“And yet,” he said calmly, “you can’t deny you are enjoying this.”
Her face heated instantly.
Salvatore kept walking like he didn’t just say something completely catch her off guard.
And Mira—Mira suddenly couldn’t remember what she came downstairs to do.