Page 81 of Steal My Heart

Maks refuses to make eye contact as he tosses a fresh blanket at us and closes the door, hopping in the driver’s seat.

We take off, with me struggling to unknot my damn tie. “Blast the heat on high.” I growl in frustration, shrugging out of my jacket.

“Boss, you don’t want to shock her system too much,” he warns. “You’ve got to raise her body temperature slowly.”

My tie’s knotted all to hell, and the damn thing gets sliced off my neck. The silk pieces flutter to the floorboard, and I get to work on my shirt. Giving up with a snarl, I use the knife to slice along the buttons, and it gets tossed.

Remi’s situated onto my chest as I adjust the blanket, wrapping my arms around her freezing body. “Little pickpocket, open your eyes,” I command, pressing my lips to her clammy ones.

Panic blooms in my chest when her eyes remain closed.

I promised Remi I’d steal a kiss from her, but this isn’t what I had in mind.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Remi

“Mmm, that feels nice,” I say with my eyes closed, snuggling in closer. Someone’s petting my hair.

Wait, I know that big hand. Solid chest. Yummy smell.

Opening my eyes, I’m trying to piece together why I’m naked, lying on top of Angelo. I take a quick peek; um, who’s also naked.

“What?” I say, my voice scratchy. Looking around, I see we’re in his bedroom at the weekend house.

“Christ, Remi. You had me worried,” he says, releasing a shaky breath.

“And you have me confused.” I try to scramble off him, but he bands his arms around me.

“You had a mild case of hypothermia. The veterinarian agreed that skin-to-skin contact would best help raise your body temperature.”

“The vet? You called the vet?” I say, eyes wide.

“Would you rather I have called Laurie?” Angelo’s eyebrow lifts.

Oh yeah, now I remember why it’s a bad idea to be naked with this man.

My second attempt to scramble away from him is met with a warning squeeze. “Tell me what happened last night,” he commands.

Giving up trying to outmuscle the man, I settle into the crook of his neck. It is a pretty comfy place to be held hostage. “Mr. Bennett tried to kill me. And while I’m not a fan of your former houseguest floating in the pool policy, I’d make an exception for that man.”

“What?”

“I mean, I’d rather not see it, but let’s just say I won’t have a problem sleeping at night if thatwereto happen to him.”

“What do you mean, ‘Mr. Bennett tried to kill you?’”

“Mr. Bennett tried to kill me!” I relay what happened at the party. “Angelo, I had the mayor’s phone in hand!” I bemoan. “That asshole Bennett held me at gunpoint, took the phone and tossed it in the river, and then he pushed me in.” My chin trembles, and I try to hold it in, but the floodgates open wide, and I begin to cry.

Angelo cradles me close, whispering soothing-sounding words in Italian against my hair.

Eventually, I get myself under control, and I tell him the rest with a sniffle, “Bennet said, ‘A shame you can’t swim.’ How did he know that?”

I glance up, my bleary eyes locking with Angelo’s. His look could give anyone hypothermia. “I don’t know, but I’m about to find out.”

He shifts me off of him and rises, and yes, even though I’ve seen the man naked, I still sneak a peek. Just because I was almost dead doesn’t mean that I am dead!

Angelo steps into his boxers before throwing on a pair of jeans and a shirt. Retrieving his gun from the nightstand, heshoves it inside his waistband. House phone now in hand, he says something hushed in Italian. Hanging up, he returns to the bed, taking a seat beside me.