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I tucked the folder under my jacket, gave a nod and made for the window. One foot was already out when I turned back to Morro. “See you on the other side.” Then, with a wink and a two-fingered salute, I disappeared.

I hit the pavement hard, tucking into a roll to bleed off the momentum. As I dusted myself off and made sure the folder was intact, I glanced back up at Morrow’s window one last time. The grizzled old warhorse was nowhere to be seen.

I patted the folder under my jacket and turned on my heel, my mind whirring a mile a minute. So Reynolds was the big bad wolf, huh?

All those years, all those lives sacrificed on the blood-soaked altar of his greed and ambition. Made me want to put my fist through something—preferably his smug, self-satisfied face.

I paused, fishing the stolen flash drive out of my bra with a grimace. Thank god I sprung for the industrial-strength underwire.

My fingers traced the outline of the innocuous little device as I weighed my options. I could take this straight to the DA, blow the lid off this whole rotten conspiracy in one fell swoop. But I should wait to hear back from Morrow.

This needed to be handled delicately.

I tucked the drive together with the envelope and turned my focus to locating my cab driver.

I had barely made it a few steps down the alley when a black sedan screeched to a halt in front of me, blocking my path like a brick wall. The tires squealed against the pavement, making my heart leap into my throat.

Before I could even think about making a move, two cops burst out of the car, guns drawn and pointed right at me. The sight of those barrels aimed my way made my blood run cold.

“Natalia Ramirez, you’re under arrest!” one of the cops barked, his voice cutting through the sticky heat of the day.

Well, fuck me sideways. This was not how I saw my afternoon going.

Questions pounded in my head as the cops manhandled me into the backseat, slamming the door shut behind me with a finality that made my stomach churn.

With my hands cuffed behind my back all I could do was hold on for the ride.

THIRTY-FOUR

DANTE

I couldn’t keep the sly grin from my face as I walked down the hallway of Alessandro’s building. This morning’s steamy rendezvous with Natalia in the shower was still fresh in my mind, leaving me with a spring in my step and a satisfied smirk stuck to my face.

That woman had a way of making my troubles melt away, at least for a little while.

A sharp whistle interrupted my train of thought, followed by Alessandro’s booming voice. “Hey there, Dante! Good to see you, my friend!”

I snapped out of my reverie, shaking hands with Alessandro as he greeted me with his usual exuberance. The man was like a bulldozer wrapped in a tailor-made Italian suit, his larger-than-life persona filling the room.

He ushered me towards the conference room, his hand resting on my shoulder in a familiar gesture. “You’re looking well. Life treating you good, eh?”

I flashed him a cocky grin, unable to contain my smug satisfaction. “Something like that,” I said.

As we entered the conference room, a sudden worry crept in at the sight that greeted me. There she was, Alessandro’s sexy-as-sin secretary, Vanessa, perched on the edge of the table like a cat ready to pounce. Her legs were crossed, the hem of her skirt riding high on her thigh, and her eyes sparkled with mischievous intent.

The last time we had a meeting, she had made it more than clear that she was interested in a little extracurricular activity with me. And from the looks of it, that offer was still very much on the table.

“Dante,” she purred, her red lips curving into a knowing smile as she took in my appearance with a predatory gaze. “It’s been too long.”

I took a seat across from her, letting my eyes roam appreciatively over her curves. I couldn’t deny that Vanessa was a damn fine woman, with her dark hair, sultry eyes, and body that could stop traffic. But lately, my heart—and other parts of me—only had eyes for one woman: Natalia.

“Vanessa,” I drawled, letting my gaze linger just a beat too long before meeting her eyes. “Looking as stunning as always.”

She leaned forward, her fingers caressing up my arm. I could feel the heat of her touch, and a tiny part of me wondered what it would be like to give in to her advances. After all, she was offering exactly what I usually wanted: no strings attached.

But then I thought of Natalia, and my resolve strengthened. I gently removed Vanessa’s hand, my fingers brushing against hers for just a moment before I withdrew.

She pouted, but there was a challenge in her gaze, a silent promise that she wasn’t giving up so easily.