Page 112 of Vicious Behaviors

“Touch me like that again, and—”

“And what?” He scoffs.

“Fuck around and find out,” I seethe.

“Dumb bitch. Get the fuck out of my car.”

“With pleasure.”

I swiftly get out of his car, but just as I’m about to swing the door in his face, he stops it and throws me a curveball with his following remark. “I’d go home and think long and hard before doing anything stupid. If I hear that this little spat of ours gets out and finds its way to Director Roderick’s ears, you’ll force my hand to tell her what you’ve been up to.”

“And what exactly is that?” I grind my teeth at him.

“Fuck around and find out,” he says before slamming the door and hightailing out of the parking lot.

I fist my hands on my sides and watch the asshole go. I should report him. He deserves to be written up for the way he just acted. Hell, his gross misconduct is enough to even get him suspended.

However, the threat he threw at me has me second-guessing myself.

Does he know about me and Marcello?

No. That can’t be possible. I’ve been so careful. Always checking to ensure I’m not being followed when I go over to Marcello’s. I didn’t think I needed to warn Marcello about being followed, considering he’s had years of paranoia drilled into him to spot a tail. And in all honesty, I thought I was just as good at it. But what if someone caught us together?

“No,” I tell myself.

The only place we’ve ever been, even remotely public, is the gym, and that place is crawling with Outfit soldiers and enforcers. They would be the last people who would ever rat me out to Haynes.

Unless… Unless an undercover agent infiltrated the gym posing as a client.

No. Not possible. This is Haynes just fucking with my head because I’m not giving him the results he wants.

He’s bluffing. He must be bluffing. Right?

Chapter 24

Isobel

When I first took Marcello’s case, I never imagined I’d be invited to Salvatore Romano’s mansion for a birthday party. Yet here I am, walking into the sprawling estate with my arm hooked around none other than the heir to the Outfit empire himself.

The agent in me is buzzing with a twisted thrill at being here, while the woman in me can’t help but feel a little anxious about how I’ll be received by Marcello’s family.

When I first met Lucky and Enzo back at Sacred Heart, neither looked particularly thrilled to see me. I haven’t worked up the courage to ask Marcello what he told them about me since I’m not exactly eager to burst the ‘church and state’agreement we got going on. And by church and state, I mean his direct affiliation with the most notorious crime family on the East Coast, and my role as a special agent in the FBI.

“Are you nervous?” Marcello teases, lifting my hand just to brush a kiss against the back of it.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Little bit.” He chuckles.

“I’m sorry,” I reply, trying to shake the nerves away.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Izzie.” He smiles warmly. “I have to be honest with you… I’m a little nervous myself.”

“Really? Why?” I ask, surprised, since this huge mansion is like a second home to him. Unlike me, he should feel completely at ease here.

“I’ve never brought a girlfriend to meet my family before.”

My heart swells as I stop mid-step to face him. “Is that what I am? Your girlfriend?” I tease playfully to not show how one little word quickened my heartbeat.