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I will not serve.

What would it mean when someone like Angelo Santelli chose to stay? Not because he owed you. Not because of some family deal or obligation, but because hewantedto. Last night was more than comfort. More than heatand softness in the dark. It was a shift—a confession without words.

And that scared me more than the bullets or a kidnapping ever did.

Because what if this didn’t last? What if I screwed this up? What ifhepulled away again? Because the reality had hit me last night. I had never stopped loving Angelo, and I wasn’t sure my heart could take him not loving me back.

He stirred then, just slightly, his fingers flexing on my hip.“You’re staring,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep.

“You’re dreaming,” I retorted.

“Bout you, probably.” His eyes opened. “You okay?”

I nodded, then hesitated. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

He reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “Dangerous habit.”

“I know.” I stared at his chest again. At the black ink etched into him. “How old were you when you got it?”

He followed my gaze, his mouth twitching. “Fifteen.” He shrugged, but it was a tired, weighted thing. “It was the first choice I made that no one else touched. I paid for it with cashI earned. Went alone. No guards. No driver. Just me. In the middle of the night.” His gaze slanted towards the windows, as if remembering. “I didn’t tell any of the guys about it. It was just for me.”

I imagined him—young, raw, hard-eyed and angry, marching into some dingy tattoo parlor like he had something to prove to the world and himself.

“You wanted to take something back,” I said softly.

He met my eyes then, something sharp and honest in his. “Exactly.”

We fell silent once more. The heaviness enveloped us like another blanket. I reached out and brushed my fingers over the words again. “So what does it mean now?”

Angelo exhaled through his nose. “It means I still choose. Every day. No matter what this life demands of me… I choose.” A beat. “And right now, I’m choosing to stay in this bed with you,” he added, lips curving as he tugged me closer. “So, unless you’re about to get philosophical again, kiss me.”

It started light. Sweet. But his hands slid up my back, deliberate and slow, and that familiar tension thrummed to life beneath myskin. He kissed like he did everything else—with purpose. With possession. Yet, it felt different now. He wasn’t just taking. He wasgiving. And I felt it everywhere.

When we finally broke apart, breathless and warm, I pressed my forehead to his. “You know, if you keep making it this easy to fall for you, I might stop being mad at you.”

He grinned. “That’s a tragedy I’m willing to risk.” He gave me a wicked smile as he slid inside me. “You did say I needed to work hard.” He groaned. “Piccola, you’re always such a good girl. Spread those thighs.”

As I followed his instructions, I thought, If this was how he was going to wake me up, then I would be agreeing to marry him in no time.

CHAPTER 31

ANGELO

A-HoleChat

Conall: Gallagher has something on that Long Island property. It looks hot. There’s definitely someone staying there. We have at least one person there, accompanied by perimeter guards.

Maxim: We should hit it.

Ilias: Agreed. If there is any chance that Renzetti or Carlotta are there, we need to take it.

Me: Agreed.

Maxim: One hour?

Conall: One and a half

Me: Done