Page 55 of The Bonventi Hitman

She looks up at me and smiles. "You're going to stay the night here with me?"

"Bella, I can't let anything happen to you. You're mine. And with the Russians on the hunt? I'm not taking any chances for now. We'll see what tomorrow brings," I say and kiss her forehead.

There are a few more moments of silence, and then she speaks again, without looking up at me.

"Can we go out someplace tomorrow? You and me?" she asks in a nervous tone.

"I don't know if that's a?—"

"Just for some coffee. There's a place right next to the hotel that has good coffee. Please, I need to get out, take in some fresh air, walk a little. Plus," she says and looks up at me, "I want to see what it's like to be out with you, even if it's just for 15 or 20 minutes."

On one hand, I can understand. She’d been locked up in the hotel and to her, it must have felt like months. On the other, those fucking Russians are lurking, and now that they've struck, they won't stop.

"You know there is a little café in the lobby that?—"

"Gabriel, I drink the coffee here every day. Come on," she says and kisses me, gently licking my lips with her tongue. "Please? I'll make it worth your while."

Dammit.

"Alright, we'll go get coffee in the morning."

"And maybe stroll the Magnificent Mile?"

"Hey now."

"Think about it."

She curls up into me and falls asleep.

I hold onto her tightly, and in that moment, my possession over her feels complete. I can be with her. Protect her. Defend her.

My eyes feel heavy from the day's events, and before I know it, I'm asleep too.

ANNA - 21

Istir awake, blinking as the sun makes its way through the thin white drapes. I was too preoccupied last night to close the blackout curtains.

My body feels sore, but in a satisfying way. It reminds me of the intense, passionate shower that consumed me last night. Rolling over, I reach for Gabriel, but my hand only finds cold sheets. I sit up, rubbing my eyes, and look around the room.

I spot his stuff on the chair, and my heart skips a beat.

He's still here.

But the joy doesn’t last. Guilt rushes in. The man I care for is completely in the dark, and my undercover work feels less like duty and more like betrayal. It’s starting to eat away at me. Worse, Gabriel isn’t just kind to me—he showed up at the first sign of trouble. Exactly the kind of man anyone would want. Exactly the kind of manIwant.

A smile spreads across my face as I hear noise coming from the kitchen. Throwing off the covers, I put on my robe and walk toward the source of the noise.

Entering the kitchen, I find Gabriel looking in the fridge, wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, his muscular back on display. The sight of him sends a warmth through me that only he's been able to spark.

"Morning," I say softly, brushing my hair over my ear. Gabriel turns and smiles. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

It takes me a second to respond as I'm caught taking in his tantalizing, rippled abs.

"Like a baby," I reply, crossing the room to take a seat at the table. Gabriel sets a bowl of yogurt and a fruit cup down in front of me before taking the seat across from me.

"You didn't have much in the way of breakfast."

"Yeah, it's fine. I usually have something like this anyhow. Compliments of the Capstone."