Page 25 of Veiled Amor

“Fortunately, I don’t,nena.” He arched a brow, and she laughed. He pushed the small bowl closer to her for easier access, and she sent him a smile so bright it put lust in his abdomen.

They didn’t stay long. It was as Capone tossed down a few bills that he saw a table of Renegade Souls across the bar. He recognized a few from their rallies over the years. The guy clocked him and jutted his chin to Capone. On their way out, his hand went to Lucia’s lower back. “I’ll just say hi to someone,nena.” He told her.

“You’re far from home.” The guy grinned, the pair of them slapped hands. He felt Lucia shuffle closer whenSoulseyes streaked over her, and he tightened his hand on her hip.

“Sí. I fancied trying your jambalaya,papi.”

“Does Shark know you’re here? You should come by, always got beers, brother.”

“I talked to him earlier, he’s doing a favor for me.” He didn’t elaborate, and the subject didn’t go any further because Eli’s gaze slid to Lucia with interest, though he had a woman practically sitting on his lap. “Who is this? Introduce me, Capone.” The Louisiana chapterSoulsofficer smirked, and Capone, unbidden, almost growled at the interest he saw in the other man’s eyes.

“None of your business.” He said at the same time, Lucia stuck out her hand. “Hi, I’m Lucia.” Though she clung to his side, she went around the table like a damn debutant, smiling and introducing herself.

“Good to meet you, sweet darlin’.”

Capone knew what Eli saw when he looked at Lucia. Petite with silky blonde hair and a figure to make any man salivate. She’d dressed modestly in leggings and a jacket, which didn’t diminish her sensual shape. At all. And the interest flickering in Eli’s eyes made Capone want to commit a crime that ended in bloodshed. “She yours, brother?”

“She’s none of your business.” He tried to keep coolness in his tone, even threw in a smirk as his hand tightened on her hip, probably bruising her, but she didn’t move back from his touch. “We gotta head out, catch you soon,papi.”

“Sure thing. Bring the lovely Lucia with you.” The asshole winked at her.

“How do you know them?” She asked outside.

“They’re Renegade Souls, Louisiana chapter.”

“They seemed nice.”

Capone grunted and rushed out an arm, snaking it around Lucia’s waist before the crowd on the sidewalk knocked her over. It was after 1 a.m., but NOLA never slept.

There was a brief pause when they both realized he’d pulled her in closer. He expected her to step away. Instead, she stayed in the confines of his arm, even turning her body in toward him as they continued walking. Some random guy walking with another woman bumped into Lucia. “Hey, sorry.” He told her. She was completely cool with it. Capone, though? He was acting like a snarling dog, protecting a bone as he swallowed a pissed-off growl.

Back at the motel, Lucia became dramatic. He didn’t know why at first. Until. “The car. The BMW is gone! Do you think one of his men took it?”

“Relax,nena.” He told her, unlocking the door. “I had one of theSoulsboys pick it up. They took it to their garage to look it over for tracking. If it’s clean, we can keep using it for now, once I know it’s not reported stolen. If not, we’ll sell it.”

“Oh,” she breathed. Then. “You should have told me.”

Yeah, he should have. But Capone realized his rules of decency wouldn’t apply here. So when he shrugged out of his jacket, tossing it on the chair, he faced her to let her know how shit was gonna go. “You asked for my help, Lucia. That means we do things my way now,sí? I won’t always ask permission if something needs doing.”

Though she looked like she wanted to say many things, she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, nodding. “I’m tired and need to get changed. You’re bigger, Giancarlo, take the bed.” She grabbed a set of PJ’s and closed the bathroom door behind her.

Like hell he would.

Sighing a breath, he didn’t realize he’d been holding, he lowered down to the armchair, unlacing his boots, he kicked them off, then unfastened the leather belt, letting it hang on either side of his jeans. The room was tiny, and he already had regrets, but he wouldn’t leave her unchaperoned by getting a room to himself. It was a miracle Nicholas hadn’t scooped her up already, not like she was hiding her tracks.

She’d make a pitiful fucking spy.

Capone sighed again, scraping blunt nails over his head. He was dog tired. For days, a sense of dread had plagued him, unable to get a read on it. Now he knew it was because of her.

Whichever way he wanted to acknowledge it, Lucia affected him.

She put him in a headspace he’d never been able to outrun.

But she also made the fire burn him alive.

He answered a text from Reaper when the door opened, and a sweet scent followed Lucia across the room.

“Capone, take the bed, I’ll curl up in the chair.”