Page 147 of Scorned Beauty

Carlotta glared at my bodyguard again in a way that promised payback.

“Lottie! Goddammit!”

Paulie was hurrying across the street. Lucy was leaning against an SUV with her arms crossed. She was shaking her head, but I couldn’t tell if she was amused or annoyed.

“She has our son twisted around her finger!” she griped.

“You are such a hypocrite,cara.” He reached her side and clasped her elbow. “You can’t deny you haven’t done the same to me.”

I smothered a grin.

Paulie awarded me with an apologetic look. “I apologize for my darling wife. I failed my duty to keep an eye on her.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” she expressed indignantly. But I noticed the way she melted into her husband’s arms. Maybe they had a toxic relationship, but they seemed to thrive on it. Who was I to judge?

“No harm done. I’ll tell Dom we need to do dinner soon.”

Lottie huffed. “It’s about time. How does he expect me to like you if he doesn’t want me to get to know you?”

I rolled my lips to keep other words from slipping out. Paulie’s amused eyes met mine, knowing exactly why Dom was keeping his mom away from me. He didn’t want her scaring me off. At this point, it would take more than Carlotta De Lucci to scare me off.

“Soon. Now, I’m really late.”

I waved at Lucy, who waved back. My hand froze in the air when I noticed the hulking familiar build of a man emerging from a parked SUV at the corner. He had on a cap and sunglasses but there was no mistaking who he was.

It could be my imagination, but he smiled at me before he pointed a gun at Lucy.

“Gun!” I screamed.

“Lucy!”

Someone tackled me to the ground, but two distinct shots rang out.

Screeching of tires.

Screams.

Shouts.

Stampede of feet.

Then more rapid-fire gunshots.

Time slowed.

A loud crash. Metal on metal.

More screaming.

“Are you all right?”

Dom dragged me up from under Hector and gripped my shoulders. When did he get here?

Dazed, I still had the presence of mind to answer, “I’m fine. Lucy?”

“She’s fine. Pop has her.”

Then he pressed something in his ear. “Okay. Got it.” He planted a quick kiss on my lips. “That’s Trevor. Anton’s fleeing on foot.”