Page 30 of Scandalous Kingpin

“You’re nothing like her,” he gritted through clenched teeth. “I’dneverharm you.”

I stared at him, my pulse racing. What did it say about me that I heard the truth in his voice? “Then who is she?”

“Vittoria DiLustro.”What. The. Fuck.

“Your stepmom?” I exhaled incredulously. Okay, maybe my intuition was failing me and the safety I felt around him was all bogus. “Release me,” I demanded.

He held my gaze. “You’re staying with me.”

My eyes darted around, the sound of barking breaking through the fog of uncertainty. “Where is the dog?”

“Cobra,” he said hoarsely, and I gave him a blank look. “The dog’s name. It’s Cobra. She’s been trained to protect you.”

Protectme? Why washe, of all people, concerned about my safety? Confusion entwined with the hot buzz beneath my skin, the strain settling thick in my lungs while I tried to catch my breath. The barking intensified, thump… thump… against the basement door.

Just then, the latch came undone, giving Cobra just enough space to squeeze through and place herself between Priest and me, baring her teeth and barking at Priest with menace. Or maybe she was after me, I couldn’t be sure.

Priest spoke to her softly, but Cobra kept barking, tail flapping and fur standing on end. “Angel, you have to tell her you’re safe. That everything’s okay.”

“Everything is not okay,” I breathed. I should have minded all his red flags and stayed far away from him. “There’s a bloodied woman in your basement, and I’m stuck here between your psycho ass, a growling dog, and a locked front door.”

He sighed. “I swear to you that you are safe. I’d rather cut my own throat than harm you.”

I stared at him while my mind screamed to run, but the wisps of words echoed through my heart.I’m fine. I’m safe.If he wanted to hurt me, he would have already.

“Doesmydog have a trigger word?” I asked, not ready to blindly trust this man.

“Ionsaí.”

I shot him a surprised look. It meantattackin Gaelic. Priest must have known I’d never forget a word in a language I was fluent in.

“Cobra, stop. We’re safe.”

And she did, looking up at me proudly as she sat next to me.

Chapter Fifteen

PRIEST

“How is it that the late Mrs. DiLustrostill lives, when your papà remarried and the whole world thinks she’s dead?” Ivy demanded.

I rolled my shoulders and gestured toward the settee in the foyer, choosing to pace along the marble floor as I prepared to share the parts of my life that I wished I could forget. I wouldn’t give her the entire morbid story, but I knew I needed to offer her something after what she’d witnessed. I needed her to know that I was a good man, that there was a reason I did what I did, why I was who I was.

And so, I blew past the beginning and middle and landed right at the end, willing the memory not to drain me completely.

Dante and I stepped out of St. Gabriel’s Catholic School, our four guards walking ahead of us. We watched them check the area, then nod and usher us to Pa’s waiting car.

“Who’s ready to see the Yankees lose?” was Pa’s greeting as we slid into the back seat of his black Rolls-Royce. “That will teach your cousin Basilio a lesson. The Sox dominate the league. Show me any other team that’s won twenty-fourconsecutive series. They lead the majors in runs scored year after year, they’re unstoppable!”

“For sure,” Dante grumbled, probably mentally preparing for the game. It wasn’t uncommon for Dante and Basilio to get competitive, even if neither of them played the sport—which was the case with baseball. Emory and I just sat back and rolled our eyes, letting them bicker.

“How was school today, boys?”

“Boring,” Dante muttered.

“I got in trouble with Father Gabriel,” I said stiffly, lowering my eyes. I couldn’t bear to meet their gazes. The fear and disgust festered inside me, growing like a fungus, and I no longer knew how to deal with it. “I got the ruler over my knuckles.”

Among other things.