Page 44

Next time!

Because suddenly, my entire, safe little world has crumbled to nothing. The bubble I lived in popped. I'm not invincible. I'm much more vulnerable than I ever realized.

My dad is a judge. Anybody with a grudge could come after me. Not only that, but he is now entangled with the mob, and there’s no turning back from that.

"Aren't you cold?" a deep voice says behind me.

Strong arms wrap me against an even stronger chest. His body heat penetrates the blanket and wreaks havoc with my insides.

"I wish you hadn't killed them."

"They deserved it," he replies, misunderstanding me, knowing I'm talking about Hank and Marco.

I lean my head against his chest, and he rests his chin on top of my head.

"They did, but I wish it had been me who did the deed."

He falls silent for a moment as we both stare out toward the lake's still surface. Both of us in shock at my admission.

"Killing someone is harder than you think, mio passerotta. It stays with you. It changes you."

"I'm already changed."

His arms tighten around me. "You might think that now. You've been through a terrible ordeal, but trust me, it'll fade with time."

"I'm so angry, Antonio. It scares me." I confess.

Not seeing his face and the serenity of the night makes this confession a lot easier.

"You have every right to be angry, Scarlet."

"Will you teach me more about how to shoot and how to defend myself?"

A small rumble goes through his chest, "You're not going to use whatever you learn against me, are you?"

His rumble grows, and a small tickle of laughter escapes me, too. The idea of me attacking him is ludicrous.

"Yes, I will teach you.Sei mia, mia piccola aquila. Nessuno ti porterà via da me. Now let's go back to bed, it's fucking cold out here."

"Why are you calling me a little eagle now? I thought I was your little sparrow?" I ask, leaving out the other part that has my heart fluttering like crazy, the other part that translates to:You’re mine, my little eagle. No one will take you away from me. His possessiveness is becoming a major turn-on for me.

He chuckles, "So did I. But it seems my sparrow has grown claws, maybe my sparrow is becoming an eagle?"

He leans around me, lifts my feet off the ground, and carries me back to bed, where he carefully lays me down. The mattress dips as he settles beside me, spooning me. I feel his steady breath against my skin as he tucks the blanket around us, ensuring I'm comfortable and safe. His fingers gently stroke my cheek, and his touch lingers before he leans in to softly whisper, "Rest now, everything will be alright."

Morning comes way too soon. Sleepily, I turn. My hand is looking for Antonio, but the bed is empty. With a sigh, I sit up, realizing how sore I am between my legs.

"Good morning." His deep voice comes from the closet as he steps out. He's freshly showered; his hair is still wet, so it looks almost black. He's in the middle of buttoning his shirt, and my heart makes a leap. Nobody should look this good. Nobody. It's just not right.

My eyes follow his nimble fingers as they put one button after another through the tiny holes, covering his hard stomach muscles and chest.

"Good morning," I reply, getting a whiff of myself and recoiling from it. Shit. Morning breath. Ugh.

It doesn't seem fair how he is so fresh and clean while I… my eyes find a mirror, and I shudder. My hair is a tangled mess, my lips are still swollen from our kisses, and I haven't put an ounce of makeup on since he… saved me.

"I have to go to work for a while, but I thought you might want to do some online shopping while I'm gone. You can use my laptop. I've set a few accounts up for you that nobody will be able to trace."

Hypnotized, I watch him put on his cufflinks. Why does that look so freaking sexy?