Page 64 of Thorns of Desire

“Unless you’re not interested and she’s available for?—”

Irritation unfurled in my chest and my hand twitched to reach for the gun in my holster. Before he could finish that statement, I gritted, “Get this through your thick skull: she’s unavailable to you and anyone else.”

He let out an amused breath, crossing his arms. “Does she know she’s yours?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“You should know, that group of friends… they are one major headache.”

“I havegrappaand aspirin for that,” I bit out, fire burning in my blood. That woman was so deep under my skin, not even laser surgery could get her out. “So don’t worry yourself and all fifty personalities of yours about Athena and my headaches.”

I needed to get Athena out of France and to my castello in Italy. I’d tie her to my bed and make her come over and over again until she was too wrung out to even think about any other man.

A smug expression passed Cesar’s sharp features. “We’ll be expecting a wedding invitation soon.”

Marrying Athena sounded better and better with each passing day. I blamed Enrico for planting that fucking seed. At this point, it was an arrangement I was seriously considering. If I made her mine, the world would know that she was off-limits and under the protection of the Marchetti name.

I adjusted my cuff links. “Don’t fuck with me again, Cesar, or you’ll see how I deal with assholes who piss me off.Capisce?”

One corner of his lips lifted. “Loud and clear.” I nodded and turned to leave at the same time he added, “Such a shame though. I hear Greek women arewild, even more so than Italians.”

Fuck it. “One last thing.”

“Yeah?”

I pulled my arm back and punched the smirk right off the fucker’s face. Cesar wiped the blood off his bottom lip, tipping his head back and laughing like a fucking madman.

“One day I’ll get even,” he stated, his eyes lit with amusement.

But it wouldn’t be today.

TWENTY-SIX

ATHENA

It was nearly one o’clock in the morning when I heard a faint thud.

I sat up in my bed and closed the book in my hand, listening. Just as I was about to chalk it up to my roommates, I heard it again, but this time it came from the window.

“Manuel?” I whispered, my brows pulling together. I expected him to sweep me away after the engagement party and was surprised when he left abruptly and hadn’t come to fetch me yet.

I was almost… disappointed.

But deep down I knew I was being stupid—the idea that it was Manuel at my window was certainly yet another one of my delusional fantasies. Like some pathetic version of Romeo and Juliet. The man didn’t climb windows; he picked locks and walked straight in.

I gave my head a subtle shake and dropped the book on my bed, sliding onto the cool floor and padding over to the window, my heart ricocheting in my chest.

I stood there, squinting into the night, and internally cursed for not seeing well in the dark. I could only make out shadows.

I was peering through the slightly foggy glass when I froze. There were men out there. Several of them.

My blood turned to ice.

If I had any chance of getting out of this alive, I’d need to have my wits about me. I couldn’t believe the Triads were breaking into my room. Again. They really had to work on their creativity. You’d think they could come up with something original.

I headed for my cell phone that sat on the nightstand, but by the time I got there, a crash sounded. I whirled around and three masked men had barged into my room holding swords. Fuckingswords, like it was a goddamned ninja movie.

I have to run. Shit, where are the girls?