Julian meets my stare. His eyes ice-cold, devoid of any fear.
“He understands,” Gio answers on his behalf.
“He better.”
I give him another warning look before leaving.
∞∞∞
Two Hours Later
I sit at the edge of the bed, watching Katarina’s sleeping figure, when my phone dings with a notification.
The screen illuminates with Lorenzo’s name.
“What have you done this time?”
“Nothing. I need a few guards to pick me up from the airport.” I reply.
“You better not have made new enemies that will give me a headache.”
“Of course not.”
“See you soon. Baci, L”
I am not looking forward to going back home, but for now, I know my home in Sicily is the only place Guidicelli won’t dare touch. If he really was behind all this, surely he knows I took her by now. I remove my jacket and body holster before lying beside Katarina. The low hum of the plane and the soft, steady rush of air from the vent are the only sounds in the room.
For a moment, I watch the woman who has had me wrapped in her fingers since the day I met her. She sleeps soundly, completely oblivious to everything that is happening around her. I can’t stop staring at her beautiful face. Her nose’s slight upturn that I’ve always found adorable. She looks so fucking precious.
I trace my fingers down her cheek and jaw, the gentle act bringing my attention back to the reality of the situation. Dark blue bruises are already forming on her eyebrows, jaw, and neck.
The thirst to torture each one of the vermin who did this to her gnaws on me. I imagine all sorts of ways I can make them pay.
Being this beautiful should be illegal. It made her a target for greedy men, envious women, and now even the fucking Mafia wants a piece of her. If she were truly mine, I’d lock her up in a tower where no one could reach her. It’s no wonder Mateo always protected her so much.
Mateo.
I have to avenge his death too. We were by no means best friends, but I trusted him. And in some ways, I believe he treated me like a friend, too.
And no one fucks with my friends.
I lay there for a while, memorizing Kat’s face like it’s a task I’m determined not to fail.
Finally, the sheer exhaustion of the night drags me under.
Chapter 9
Damiano
“Mè frati.”
Lorenzo grins, arms wide open as I walk up the sun-drenched marble steps of the mansion to meet him. It’s been two years since we’ve seen each other, and I’m lying if I say I didn’t miss him.
Leave it to my older brother to never hold a grudge, even when I’d sworn to leave the family for good. He is just like our mother, fiercely loyal and too forgiving except when it comes to business, of course.
“Thanks for arranging our arrival,” I say as he squeezes me.
“Unlike you, I actually care about my brother,” he says with a cutting smirk. He pulls back just far enough to lock eyes.
