Page 20

“I’m sure you don’t give two shits about my opinion, but I’m going to give it to you anyway.” He lit a cigarette before continuing. “I think she’s good for you, and honestly, I think she’s exactly what you need.”

“You’re right. I don’t give two shits.” I scoffed. “But I think I’ll keep her after I kill her father. It’ll be fun.”

“You think you’ll break her by taking him out, but I think it’ll be the opposite. She’ll set out her own plan. One that involves making you pay. She won’t be a sobbing, broken mess. You and I both know it.”

“You know how much I love a challenge, Red.”

I was about to call the team back into the office when Finn barged in, looking a little dishevelled.

“Boss, I just thought you should know…” He paused, taking in my appearance. “You know you’re bleeding, right?” I looked over my shoulder, noticing the blood that seeped through my shirt, the blood Anastacia had drawn during our heated moment.

“Spit it out, Finn,” I ordered, not caring about how my shirt looked.

“There’s some guy parked at the front gate. He said he’s here for Anastacia,” he responded, pissing me off.

“What guy?!”

Finn clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing with irritation. "He said his name's Chad," he muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he matched my own simmering anger.

Chad.

The same fucking Chad that said the house wouldn’t be the same without Anastacia.

Oh, yeah, I found the note he’d written to Ana, in what I bet was his best damn handwriting. Not that I was snooping or anything when I came across that piece of paper. It was just sitting there on top of one of her unpacked bags when I had the lock removed earlier. And now that bastard was here to see her? Who the hell did he think he was to turn up uninvited and unannounced at my house?!

“The lot of you stay here. We still have shit to deal with.” That wasn’t a request. It was an order.

As I rounded the corner to the foyer area, I saw her heading towards the front door.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” I bellowed as her body stilled at the sound of my voice.

“Out. What’s it to you?” She didn’t turn to look at me. She didn’t hold that much respect for me.

Yet, anyway.

“I’m going to ask you again. Where do you think you’re going?!” I was beyond irritated. She was truly testing my patience.

“I told you—out.” She breathed, remaining calmer than expected.

“Red will take you where you need to go. You don’t go out alone or without one of my men anymore,” I ordered, gaining her attention as she turned around to face me.

“I don’t need a damn chaperone, Lorenzo. I’m a grown ass woman!” she bit back. And there she was. She couldn’t keep that anger hidden for long.

“That wasn’t a request, Anastacia.” I closed the distance between us, pushing her dainty body against the door behind her, the metal biting into her back. She peeked up through her lashes, challenging me yet again. “You can send Chad on his merry fucking way and take Red where you need to go.” The way her lips parted and eyes darkened made my cock ache with need. How was it possible to want to murder her, yet devour her in the space of a couple of seconds?

A soft giggle left her bare lips as I cocked my head to the side, trying to work out what the hell she was laughing at.

“It seems my wife finds something funny. Care to enlighten me?” I whispered, forcing her face closer to my own and causing her to rise up onto her tiptoes.

“Sure, I just think it’s laughable that you think you hold any authority over who my friends are.” She smirked.

“I don’t give a shit, Anastacia. Let him find his own wife to have fun with because it won’t be mine.”

“Is someone jealous?” She questioned, her face one of pure delight and amusement.

“Don’t test me. I’m not in the mood for your games today.” I pressed my hand against the door beside her head. “Take Red where you need to go and tell Chad to fuck off back home.”

“Ask me nicely.”