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“Please what?” he asks me through clenched teeth.

“Stay.”

“I have some work to do.” He climbs out of the bed and grabs his clothing. I watch as he slides on his pants and his shirt, leaving it open. “I’ll see you later.”

I watch as he walks out of the room, more upset than he was when he walked out the first time.

I turn the lights off and grip a pillow as I try to fall asleep. It’s nearly morning already, the sun turning the sky orange. I should close the curtains, black out the room so I can sleep. But all I can think about is that maybe I should have told him the truth about Aria.

14

KILIAN

Islam my door shut, wanting to break something in this hotel room. It’s not that I can’t stand the thought of her with another man. She’s a woman, she has needs. But the fact that she slept with someone within weeks of leaving me, pisses me off. Almost like what we had didn’t matter. And maybe it didn’t. We never put terms on what we had. We never went out to eat or on a date. I spent time at her bar when she was working or we were naked in my house together.

I strip off my clothes and head into the shower, hoping hot water will wash away my anger. My regret.

Because more than anything that’s what I feel right now.

Regret.

Should I have acted differently ten years ago? Called what it was we were doing a relationship. Would she have left if I did? Would both of our lives have been completely different?

Probably not. She is part of the Renzetti crime family. We never would have been able to be more than a secret. What we had was forbidden. It still is. And she was so young ten years ago. I had no way of knowing if she would stick around for me. And I had so many ambitions back then. Until everything changed. Until I resented what I had become.

I let the hot water of the shower calm my thoughts as much as possible. The whiskey working its way out of my system with every minute that passes.

Maybe that’s all tonight was. A drunken mistake.

That’s a lie that I can’t believe.

Bella has always been different for me. She isn’t just the young coed that she was ten years ago. Overly sexual and flirtatious with a pussy that begs for attention. No, now she is a woman with a knack for knives. Her curves even more seductive than before. Now she is everything I could ever want. More than I thought I wanted ten years ago.

Fuck.

This woman will be the death of me.

Literally.

I shut off the water and grab a towel before collapsing on the bed. I either need to find a way to keep her or find a way to forget her.

Too bad I know I will kill as many people as I can in order to get the former.

* * *

After dealing with my father demanding to know where I was—I kindly told him I took a weekend off—I decide to head to the beach. I have no doubt Bella is spending her afternoon here and I need to apologize.

A few hours of sleep made me realize I was a heartless bastard leaving her the way I did. I had no right getting mad at her. She is a sexual being, it’s what attracted me to her from the start. And I shouldn’t have expected her to remain loyal to me, not after she disappeared. And everyone knows I didn’t remain loyal to her. My dick has seen its fair share of pussy in the last ten years. Although, nothing compares to hers.

I keep my eyes peeled for her as I make my way down to the beach. It doesn’t take long for me to find her. She is fucking gorgeous and half the men here have eyes on her.

She is lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows, a book open in front of her. Her black hair is down, blowing in the wind, making her look like a model at a photo shoot. She is wearing a turquoise bikini, her magnificent ass on display.

I get closer to her and I can see anger fuming from her. I’m not quite sure if she is mad at herself or mad at me. I know how she is. I remember that first night after we were together and her incessant blabbering that what we did was a mistake. It didn’t take her long to come around to me again. Less than twelve hours later, I had her pressed against me in the bathroom at the pub.

But I am sure she is feeling that regret now. I am her enemy after all. Even if she says she isn’t working for the family. Her blood is enough to deem her an enemy.

I keep my distance from her, letting her have her afternoon to herself. She needs the time to think, to figure out her shit. And I should be doing the same. I shouldn’t even be here. I should be handling business. Ensuring deals are completed, information traded, companies kept in our hold. But the thought of letting Bella go is enough to make me stay. Even if it means repercussions from my asshole of a father.