“No,” I said. “She bought it under an alias.”
We made our way on foot, hustling to get there, making sure everyone was accounted for before we all took off.
“Mia,” I said, swerving in and out of lanes. I could smell the metallic scent of blood in the car. “Baby.”
“I’m all right,” she said. “It just stings a bit.” She reached over and touched my head.
It was the first time I felt it. She pulled back a hand covered with more fresh blood. It trickled down my face.
“Do you have anything in here? Bandages?” She started rooting through the glove compartment. She slammed it shut. “Nothing. You need—” She went to touch me again, but I moved my head.
“I’m good.”
“You're not! You're bleeding. A lot. My apartment is close, Saverio. I have to clean up. So do you. Besides. I have to tell you something.”
I have to tell you something.Words that usually began a fucking nightmare.
I took a turn so fast that the tires screeched and smoked. I headed in the direction of a safe house we had in place. I left nothing to chance when it came to her. I told her to send a text to Vincenzo, giving him the name Sugar Shack. Each location was named by something that pertained to it. This one happened to be over a bakery and candy shop.
“He put a code.” She repeated the numbers to me.
“Tell him negative. I don’t need help.”
“He says…” She sighed. “You will when you get back to the estate.” I could feel her eyes on my face. “I won’t let them—”
“Now’s not the time to worry about that. We’ll deal with the situation when it’s here.”
I drove around for fifteen minutes to make sure we weren’t being followed. Then I parked. I kept Mia close to me as we made nice strides toward the apartment entrance. We looked like a fine couple walking hand in hand down the cobblestone street. Me in a black custom-made suit and her in a beautiful lavender dress. It was my favorite color on her. She wore victory like no one else. But now that victory had blood staining it. I didn’t like the fucking symbolism.
I also didn’t like the look on her face when I’d restrained her wrists. It was more than a woman being helpless and not liking it. This woman trusted me with her life. No, it was more than that. It was a fear that hit me straight in the chest and made adrenaline course through my veins. Her fear.
She was terrified.
Of not being able to touch me.
Why?
I gave her a side-eye glance before I opened the door, and a sigh slipped past her lips. Our eyes met before we entered the apartment. I secured the locks twice, did a safety sweep while turning the lights on, and then checked to make sure the secret exit was secured. I always had a way out.
I made my way back to the bathroom. The lights above the mirror were hanging bulbs. They were harsh and only made the lines of blood crusted on my face darker. My eyes. Eyes that people said belonged to my Uncle Corrado, they were dilated, pushing out the amber of my irises.
Mia had fucked with me in a way I’d never experienced before tonight. When I realized who was walking toward me in that dungeon, my heart almost exploded from my chest.
All I could see in her eyes was cold revenge.
We made a fucking pair.
Shaking my head, I washed my hands, then grabbed the first-aid kit we had stored in the glass cabinet.
Mia stood in front of the window, haloed by the lights outside, the sheer curtains framing her on each side, swaying to a slow French song.“Je te laisserai des mots.”
Setting the kit down on the table without a sound, I stood close behind her. Rain fell in silver streams outside of the window. I tapped her on the shoulder. She turned slowly, and I held my hand out.
“The pleasure would be mine,” I whispered in Italian, bowing my head to her.
“Oui.”She took both sides of her dress and, like the royalty she was, curtseyed to me before taking my hand and allowing me to lead her around the room.
I grinned at her confidentyes. If only that yes was for the rest of our lives.
