Page 51 of Dangerous Men (Fortune City Mafia #1)

SEBASTIAN

I run every red light in the city, my motorcycle dodging between traffic at a dangerously high speed.

It still doesn’t feel fast enough.

Their shop is closed when I get there, the lights in the cafe dimmed, an inauspicious sight in the middle of a Saturday afternoon. But I spot Jade at the counter and knock hard on the window, and her eyes perk up when she sees me.

“Where is she?” I ask when she unlocks the door and ushers me inside. “Is she okay?”

“She’s in the stockroom in the back,” Jade says, shaking her head. “And no . She’s not okay. She’s?—”

I hear a crash from the back of the store, and don’t bother staying to hear the rest. I bolt, my long legs carrying me quickly through the store and to their backroom, where?—

I duck, and the book flying through the air toward me misses by mere inches before it crashes into the wall.

“Stupid mother fucker! ” Sydney yells, picking up another book and throwing it full strength against the back wall. It hits with a loud crash and drops .

Sydney is pacing, shoulders tight with fury, and she’s?—

She’s—

She’s fucking resplendent.

I stand there, stunned, as she picks up another book and throws it. This is not the timid, breakable girl I’ve seen these last few weeks. This is not the shy, na?ve little mouse I thought she was. She’s a storm of rage and violence.

I’ve never seen anything so beautiful in my entire life.

“What happened?” I ask.

My voice snaps her out of her pacing, and she turns toward me, eyes blazing. It takes everything in me not to kiss her.

Because this woman? This goddess?

She could survive us.

All of us.

“I walked into a fucking set up , is what happened,” Sydney snarls, picking up another book. “My friends invited me to a luncheon, but it was just… just a trap! Just an excuse for Chase to corner me and call me a whore in front of everyone.”

My jaw clenches. Next time I see him, I’m taking his tongue for that.

“And then .” She throws her arms up, still clutching the book. “ Then he has the nerve to say he’s willing to take me back . Like… like I’m the one who did something wrong!”

“And tell the good doc what you did then,” Jade says from the stockroom door. I glance back to see her grinning, leaning against the frame.

“I slapped him,” Sydney says breathlessly. Her free hand clenches and unclenches rhythmically. “I looked right in his stupid face and?—”

I clear the few steps between us in a heartbeat, taking her face in my hands. Sydney stops, shocked, as I stare down at her in wonder .

“I’m so proud of you,” I murmur, running my thumb over the curve of her cheekbone. “So fucking proud.”

She blinks. Then the book she’s clutching falls to the ground with a dull thud, and her hands come up to cover mine, our fingers lacing.

“I wanted to hurt him,” she admits to me in a small voice. “I… I wanted to kill him.”

My grip on her tightens.

More than anything, I want to give this vengeful goddess the world. I want to give her Chase’s severed head and lay it right at her feet.

“Say the word,” I whisper to her. My eyes drop to her lips. Full and red and made to be kissed. Fuck, I want to know what it feels like to kiss those lips. “Say the word, and he’s a dead man, love.”

In the doorway, Jade clears her throat.

Reluctantly, I let my hands drop away from her.

“As fun as premeditated murder sounds,” Jade says, giving me a leveled look. “What Sydney needs right now is a restraining order against that prick.”

I force myself to nod in agreement. Sure. We can do this the hard way. The legal way.

“Let me handle that,” I tell them. “I’ll have the papers drawn up tonight. I know a few judges who can fast-track it. You won’t have to do a thing.”

Sydney’s cheeks are flushed when she gives me a shy smile.

“Well, I need some hot chocolate,” Jade announces. “Any for you?”

Sydney nods, but I shake my head. I have other places I’m needed right now.

“I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it then.” Jade gives me a shit-stirring smile and saunters back to the front of the store.

“Thank you,” Sydney tells me. She hugs her arms around herself, self-consciously. “For not telling Alec, I mean. And for being there when I needed you.”

She’s retreating, pushing that anger back inside, building up a sweet mask around it.

“Always,” I promise her. I watch that vicious queen slip away from me piece by piece.

I’d give anything to have her back.