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“Cut the bullshit,” I say, leaning in until he can’t look anywhere but at me. “You’re gonna tell me everything.”

He squirms, wheezing half a breath, but I don’t loosen my hold. I watch the panic in his eyes and damn does it feel good.

“What’s it gonna be, Franco?” I say with a cruel smirk. “Or do I need to show you just how fucking bad this can get?”

The bastard stays silent, he knows he’s out of options since what few men he did have ran out like fucking bastards. He locks eyes with me like he’s got a shot at walking out of here. Yeah, fucking right. I flick my head toward two of Gio’s men, leaning against the wall, waiting for my signal.

“Restrain him. Bring him to the cells.”

They move in, each grabbing an arm and haul Franco’s sorry ass toward the exit. My mind’s already racing through the ways I’m going to make him bleed for every girl he’s destroyed. But before they get to the door, a shot rings out. Franco’s head jerks back, then drops forward. Gio’s men let go of his arms, pulling their guns to find the shooter.

Franco is dead before his body even hits the floor, a perfect hole right between the eyes. Fuck.

“Shit!” I duck behind a pillar, gun drawn. Gio’s men spread out, surrounding the room. Boots slam against the floor. Chairs crash. I fire a round toward the door the shot came from. It looks like it leads to an office.

“Find them!” I bark. Adrenaline has me wired; my hands clench my gun so tight my knuckles crack. Kota’s already moving, leading a few guys to sweep theperimeter while I grit my teeth, trying to keep the rage boiling inside me from exploding.

Someone just stole my revenge right out from under me. And whoever the fuck they are, just made the top of my list.

32

Alessio

The past two days have been a fucking disaster. One thing after another spiraled out of control, and the only thing keeping me from losing my shit was knowing Liv would be waiting for me at home. I wanted to get back sooner, but everything went to hell. The shooter vanished like a fucking ghost. Gio’s men swore they swept the place before we arrived, but something about it feels off. Even Franco’s phone was wiped clean. I saw him texting, at least it fucking looked like it, but now it’s blank. I sent it to Seb, hoping he can dig up something.

I’m home now, and there better be a naked spitfire in my bed waiting for me.

I shove open the front door and take the stairs two at a time, I’m impatient as fuck to see her. This house is too damn quiet for 10 P.M.., and the only sound is my boots hitting the tile. My body is still wired from two days of bullshit.

Then I see her, tucked under the covers, breathing soft and slow, her red hair sprawled across the pillow, with one leg peeking out from the cover. I wonder if she’d lose her shit if I woke her up by sliding my cock into her. Maybe pick a fight just to get her all worked up, so I can fuck that attitude right out of her.

A smirk pulls at my mouth. My boots hit the floor with a solid thump as I kick them off, not giving a damn where they land. I shrug out of my jacket and let it drop. I grab the hem of my shirt and yank it over my head. The fabric is stretching so tight that a seam pops. My hands fumble with my belt like I’m racing something. The button on my pants holds just long enough to piss me off before I tear it loose. The damn thing rockets across the room and smacks the dresser. That’s tomorrow’s problem. I shove my pants and boxers down in one go, finally freeing my cock that is already hard and aching.

She’s all I want right now. Everything else can burn. I lift the duvet carefully, sliding into bed beside her. The mattress dips under me as I settle on my side, close enough to feel the warmth of her body but not enough to wake her…yet.

I bury my face in her hair, breathing her in like a goddamn addict chasing his next fix. The scent of her sweet tangerine shampoo hits me hard, instantly wiping away every shitty part of my day. My shoulders ease for the first time in days.

“Alessio…?” she whispers, groggy and barely awake, and fuck me I’ll never get tired of hearing her like this.

“It’s me,” I reply softly,

My hand slides under the edge of her shirt, my shirt, though it looks a hell of a lot better on her. She should be naked, but fuck it, I’ll take her in my shirt. I can feel the heat of her bare skin as my hand moves up her thigh, tracing a slow path up her body, her skin reacting instantly, tiny goosebumps rising under my touch.

Just as my fingers skim the edge of her panties, her hand clamps down on mine.

What the fuck?

“I have my period,” she mumbles. “Not tonight.”

“Why the hell would that stop me, Liv?” My hand stays put, fingers teasing along the edge of her panties, ignoring her weak attempt to stop me.

Her eyes snap open, flashing that fire I crave. “Because I said no.” She pushes down harder on my hand.

It’s the challenge, the way she’s daring me to push back, and it gets me every fucking time. Does she really think a little blood is going to keep me fromplaying in her pussy tonight?

I flip her onto her back, trapping her under me. She tenses for a second before melting into the mattress. My knee nudges her legs apart, and my hand moves up her thigh, my fingers digging in just enough to make sure she feels me long after I’m done. My cock throbs as I drag my piercings along her pussy, over her panties, slow enough to drive her insane.

She swallows hard, trying to keep her cool, but I see right through her. She’s holding on by a thread, and I’m about to snap it.