Page 18

Chapter Seventeen

Rafael

“That was a fucking waste of my time,” I growl, storming out of the basement.

Vince and Al trail behind me, exchanging looks. They’re probably judging me, already deciding I’m not as good as my father.

Fuck it, let them judge me.

I stop at the elevator and punch the wall instead of pressing the button. My insides roil, burning hot full of rage and frustration.

The animalistic side of me is slowly taking over, making me act unhinged. Al takes one look at me and turns around, walking back the way he came.

Vince isn’t so easily scared. He approaches me cautiously, reaching past my shaking hand to press the elevator button.

“Cigarette?” He offers me the pack, and I smack his hand away, sending it flying across the floor. The elevator dings open, and I march inside, trying to steady my breath.

I clench and unclench my fingers. I breathe in through my nose. Nothing helps.

Vince calmly walks over and picks up the pack of cigarettes. I watch him, momentarily fascinated by how serene he seems.

He joins me in the elevator, pulling out a smoke and selecting the parking level. My blood pressure drops just watching his slow mannerisms.

He lights the cigarette and passes it to me. I snatch it, inhaling deeply, and blow the smoke out.

“You need to stay calm, Rafael,” he finally says as the doors open. I follow him to my car, puffing angrily at the cigarette. “Remember, we need information, not more dead men.”

“What was I supposed to do?” I cry, tossing the cigarette butt on the ground. “Pat his back and thank him for giving me fucking nothing?”

I’d spent another two hours beating the shit out of our mystery warehouse guy this evening, but he stayed silent. Not a word left his lips—no names, no motive, nothing. I finally shot him in a haze of fury, a bullet straight to the brain, and stormed out.

Vince slips into the driver’s seat and motions for me to get in. I slide in beside him, screwing my eyes shut, trying to get a hold of myself.

“No,” he finally concedes. “That was our one lead, though. Now we’re back to square one.”

We pull out of the parking garage in silence. I think about what my father would have done. Would he have shot that man? Would he have tried again another day, using another method?

I glance down at myself, covered in a stranger’s blood. Exhaustion hits me, seeping into my bones. I don’t care what my father would have done. All I want is a hot shower and Lux’s arms wrapped around me.

I don’t even try to fight that thought anymore. I have no energy to argue with myself. I slip my phone out of my pocket, checking the time. Four hours until I have to pick her up.

Almost enough time to get myself together and transform into Dominic Wolf, the happy, fun boyfriend. The man I never was and could never live up to.

Vince drops me off at my penthouse and I take the elevator up alone. With every floor, the anger recedes, like a tide going out. By the time I make it up to my lobby, I have only enough energy to drag myself into the shower.

I slump on the marble bench, letting the hot spray of water batter me. Self-pity washes over me as I wonder if I’m good enough to fill my father’s shoes. What would he do if he was alive?

He’d figure out who’s behind the attacks on our shipments and warehouses.

He’d confront Mancini, face-to-face.

He’d kill Lux without a second thought.

I groan, running my hands through my hair. The destructive voice in my head mocks me, telling me I’m unworthy.

I’m not the lethal, ruthless killer my father expected me to be—The Wolf. Nor am I Dominic Wolf, the perfect boyfriend that Lux thinks I am. So, who the hell am I?

Okay, enough of this little identity crisis. I push myself off the bench, soaping up my body, making sure every little speck of blood disappears down the drain. By the time I get out of the shower, I feel a bit more like myself— whoever that is, I think wearily.

The elevator dings, catching my attention. I glance at my phone. It’s just a little after midnight. I think about grabbing my gun, but my penthouse is so secure that whoever just entered has the personal code.

Probably just Vince coming to check on me.

I stroll out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my hips. When I turn into the hallway, I’m shocked to see Lux, bent over in the entryway, tugging off her boots. Her back is turned to me and she’s still wearing the little black dress she left in earlier.

I smile, the curve of her ass making my cock jump. All traces of exhaustion vanish as I imagine myself falling on my knees, gripping her hips, and burying my face between her thighs.

“Luxy? You’re home early…I thought I was picking you up later?”

She jumps, startled, and whirls around to face me. I freeze in place, staring at her tear-streak face. Her mascara is smudged under her eyes, giving her a haunted look.

Then my gaze zeroes in on the purple mark across her cheek. What the fuck is that?

She forces out a tiny laugh, sniffling and wiping a stray tear from her eye. “Got in a little accident with the walk-in fridge tonight. Carlo sent me home early.”

I beeline for her, grabbing her chin and tilting her face up to the light. She tries to pull away and yank off her jacket, but I keep a firm hold.

“Let me see it.”

“It’s not a big deal,” she shrugs, shrinking from my grasp. “Just my infamous clumsiness, as always.”

“This isn’t clumsiness,” I say, my voice edged with anger. “Look at me.”

She takes a big breath and meets my gaze, her eyes moist with unshed tears. “I walked into the door.”

“You’re going to have to learn to lie better than that,” I snap, rage prickling at my neck. She wrenches herself away and heads to the bedroom. I follow her, keeping my eyes trained on her back as she changes into sweatpants.

“Lux,” I call, my voice breaking. “Talk to me.”

She spins around, opening her mouth and closing it again. Whatever she sees in my face cracks her resolve, and she bursts into tears. I open my arms, calling her to me, and she climbs onto my lap. Stroking her back, I rock her gently and whisper comforting words in her ear.

“It’s okay, it’s going to be okay, just tell me what really happened,” I try again. She nods against my chest, sucking in a breath to stop her tears.

“Carlo called me into his office,” she starts, hiccupping and wiping her face. She winces when she touches her cheekbone. “Can you get me some ice for this?”

I put her down gently and dash to the kitchen. I swear to God, if Carlo Mancini had anything to do with that mark on her cheek, he’s a dead man.

The urge to protect her, to kill any man that even breathes in her direction, explodes inside of me. I’m ready to set the world on fire for her, starting with Mancini’s little VIP bar.

The irony of wanting to protect her while actively planning to kill her stops me in my tracks. I stand for a second, in the darkened hallway, wondering if this is what insanity feels like.

When I return, she’s curled herself into a tiny ball under the blanket. I toss my towel on the floor and climb in with her. She takes the ice gratefully and presses it to her cheek, the cold making her flinch.

“Carlo called you into this office and…?”

“He, I don’t know, he must have finally lost the plot. He accused me of lying to him, betraying him. Kept asking about some guy I’ve never heard of,” she stops, taking a breath. “Then he slapped me…hard.”

“I see that,” I grit out, tenderly stroking the bruised skin. “What guy was he asking about?”

“Ugh, I don’t know,” she chokes out, a sob sticking in her throat. “I already forgot his name. Raymond or Ralph or something.”

Odd . I scan my memory for any Raymonds or Ralphs that might run in the same circles as the Mancinis. It could be Ralph Barbieri, but his crew generally sticks to themselves and their illegal drug ring.

“He told me to get out and never come back,” she continues helplessly. “So, I guess I’m officially unemployed.”

The look in her eyes is so pained, so powerless, that all I can do is pull her closer and kiss her forehead. I stroke her hair, telling her that she’s safe, that I’ll take care of her. She finally relaxes into my arms, clinging to my body like it’s her life raft.

When she gazes up at me, I tenderly kiss her tears away.

She whimpers, pulling herself deeper into my embrace. Her body is hot on mine, her eyes searching mine for something. When I get to her lips, I lightly ghost over them, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

She slips her hand around the back of my head, pulling me in deeper, and kisses me.

“Lux, we don’t have to…” I trail off, her tongue replacing the words in my mouth. I pull back, gazing down at her. “I’m just trying to comfort you.”

“I know,” she sighs, tossing the ice on the bedside table and pulling off her sweatshirt. “I need you to comfort me everywhere, make me forget what happened. Please?”

Call me a weak man, but I can’t refuse her. I smile lightly, pulling her down on top of me. She traces my shoulders and arms with a delicate touch, and I do the same. When she kisses me, it’s not fire and desire and burning heat, like usual.

This feels different. I lean into the kiss, trying to figure it out. It’s wistful, sweet—like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. I bask in the feeling, my heart growing in my chest and filling with light.

Our touches remain tender as I slip off her sweatpants and she straddles my hips. I gaze up at her in wonder, the purple bruise making her look like some ancient warrior woman.

She glows with goodness and sweetness and all things wonderful—I can’t look away.

She tilts her head back, her mouth frozen in a delicious little O, as she slides down onto my hard length. The sensation is so intense I almost scream, but I choke out a moan instead.

“Hmm, so good,” she murmurs, grinding her hips slowly. I dig my fingers into her hips, urging her on, praying she won’t stop.

“That’s it, Luxy,” I growl softly, thrusting my hips up to meet her. “Don’t stop, baby.”

She slowly picks up the pace as I palm her breasts, playing with her nipples. Moaning and whispering my name, she rides me to her own rhythm and I revel in the pleasure.

“Dominic,” she moans, biting her lip. “I’m so close.”

“Good girl, show me how much you like it.”

Her eyes fly open, and she leans down, kissing me deeply, as she climaxes. The experience is so heady, so intense, I instantly join her. She drapes herself on top of me, breathing deeply, her body buzzing with pleasure.

I run my fingers up and down her spine, biting my tongue and forcing myself to keep the words inside.

I love her.

I can’t kill her, no matter what she did.

And I sure as hell can’t keep her.