Page 104 of Dangerous Intent

“I’m a guest here,” Diego shouted. “You can’t toss me out on the street.”

“I’ll have my people escort you to your room and help you pack.” Lorenzo nodded for his men to come to him. “Help Mr. Medina to his room. I want him off my property in ten minutes.”

Two men gripped Diego’s arms.

“This is fucking war!” Diego thrashed out of Lorenzo’s guard’s hold. “You have no idea what you’ve unleashed.”

“Diego.” Martino walked toward him. “That’s enough.”

The two men argued as they were forced through the lobby by Lorenzo’s security team.

“Well,” Lorenzo said. “That took a strange turn.”

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I didn’t see that coming.”

“Martino wants something from you. I could see it in his eager eyes.”

“He needs to get through New York’s ports quickly, and the Accettis are the only way he can do that.” I leaned against the chair behind me. “Working with me is his only option, so…”

“He’s going to have to break his protection agreement and let you kill Diego.” Lorenzo shook his head. “Martino will have to break his protection agreement with Diego and work with you.” Lorenzo laughed as he punched my shoulder. “You fucking knew that. That’s why you said you would walk away. You knew Martino couldn’t.”

“There will be a deal on the table in a few hours.” I glanced at my watch. “Be ready to facilitate it.”

“Your confidence astonishes me.”

“Yeah, well, let’s hope I can anticipate the next disaster coming, because I’ve had way too many surprises lately.”

How much longer could my luck hold out?

TWENTY-FOUR

Lissia

My pulse poundedthrough my body, intensifying between my ears. The anger was so strong, I thought it might swallow me whole.

As I paced the villa, waiting for Marchello to return, I shoved down the bile that burned my insides.

Although Marchello was my protector, I was the only one who could save me from these demons that threatened to hold me under the waves of despair.

I stormed into the bathroom and slammed the door. Images of Diego’s face and the sound of his raspy, superior voice threatened to consume me until there was nothing left. Being told you were sold to a vicious man was nothing compared to actually seeing him, smirking and breathing in front of you.

I hope you’re happy looking up at me from hell, Daddy!

I turned on the faucet in the shower and then stripped. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror set me off even further. My mascara ran down my face, staining my cheeks black.Tears! Fuck no!

Violently rubbing at my skin only made the marks darker. My weakness disgusted me. How could I be so defeated from an encounter with such a sickening man?

Anger trembled through me. I hadn’t stopped shaking since I left Marchello in the lobby. Not even the humid Miami air had warmed me as Dom and the other guards brought me back here to wait for Marchello.

As soon as I realized who Diego was, all of my father’s transgressions hit me. He sold me to a stranger with no regard for what would have happened to me once I was in his possession.

Realistically, Marchello would never have let anything happen to me, but I couldn’t be rational right now. I needed to feel these raw, unhinged emotions. But I couldn’t stand looking at my pitiful reflection.

I saw the ghosts too—Diego’s smirk, my father’s cold eyes. They layered over my reflection, mocking me, daring me to fight back. I curled my hands into fists, shaking with the need to break something, anything, to silence the voices clawing at my sanity.

You are not weak.I picked up a glass from the counter and launched. The mirror shattered, and cracks appeared over the surface to distort my face, but I could still see the pain in my expression.

“I am not weak!” I ran my hand up my face and through my hair.. “Fuck!”