Page 76 of Dangerous Intent

“Let’s go upstairs.” She slowly swiped her tongue along the seam of her lips. “I’ll remind you why you keep me around.”

“You’re so twisted.” I scooped her off the counter and hitched her legs over my hips. “Why do I allow you to tempt me?”

“Hell.” Milo cleared his throat. “Are you going to have sex right now?”

I turned and glared at my brother who stood in the doorway.

“Not that I have anything against kitchen sex.” He joined us by the counter. “It’s convenient if you get hungry.”

“I’ve always said your timing sucks,” Lissia said as I lowered her onto her feet.

“That’s probably not the only thing that sucks.” Milo smirked.

“Don’t.” I growled.

“I’m happy you’re okay.” Milo tugged on the ends of Lissia’s hair. “But now I have to talk to my brother.”

“As his brother or his second?” She stared between us.

“Need-to-know basis, remember?” I took her hand and brushed her knuckles along my lips. “Give us some privacy, please.”

“Since you said please.” She kissed my cheek. “My dress got dirty from the explosion. I have some clothes upstairs, so I’ll go get cleaned up.”

“See you soon.” I grabbed her wrist before she could get away. “Don’t leave this house.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.” She took her time leaving the room, making us wait to start our conversation.

Milo checked the hallway.

“She’s not listening,” I said. “We’ve come to an understanding.”

“Right.” He shook his head. “Like I believe that.”

“What do you have for me? Other than marriage counseling.”

“We picked up Angelo, and they’re bringing him here.”

“I’m trusting they were discreet in the abduction?”

He nodded. “Two of our best extractors handled it. I also called Dad.”

“I was going to do that,” I said. “I just wanted to make sure Lissia was okay after the car thing.”

“I figured that.” Milo loosened the knot on his tie. “Dad is concerned for both of you.”

“We’re dealing with it.”

“You have permission to do what you have to do.”

“Thanks for calling him.”

Taking out men like Gian and Angelo couldn’t be done without following specific rules. My father may have left me in charge of the territory while he was away, but the order of eliminating Angelo had to come from him.

“We both know Lissia is your priority, especially after what happened today. Both Dad and I were shaken too.” Milo gazed out the window, probably lost in a memory of our mother. “It was pretty fucked up.”

“It was a message,” I said. “One that has to be answered. We can’t let the way the message was sent throw us off our game. That’s what they want.”

“We’ll answer it.”