Page 76 of Captured Obsession

Truly, besides my desire to kill, what else have I lived for?

Agata might be the only person who will mourn me if I die here. But since everything I have is willed to her, I’m sure she’ll be very depressed wiping her tears away with a lifetime’s worth of retirement money.

Two hounds stand at the entrance, one with a green gem, the other with a yellow. These aren’t the same two who came to Sienna’s penthouse that day. Though, they size me up the same. They have no reaction as we pass between them and down a hallway.

“I don’t like narrow spaces,” I tell Dante.

“Really?” he asks mockingly. “I thought someone with the nicknameUdav, would be used to slithering into all types of places. Isn’t this what you wanted, after all? A front row seat? This is what your boss wants, isn’t it? Access to the fights?”

“That’s between your boss and The Wolf. I, however, have a special affinity for underground fights.”

Which is the truth. I’m reminded of when I fought in underground clubs as a teenager. My father might’ve forced me to participate, but it was me who chose to become the champion. It’s what cultivated my bloodlust. Outside of the ring, I enjoyed the hunt even more, especially when I discovered all the different ways to kill a man.

We pass a room where another hound stands guarding the door. This man is bigger than the others, with a brown-gemmed mask. He watches us intently, and I wonder if that’s the door to Luca’s office. Whatever it is, it’s guarded for a reason.

At the end of the hallway, my steps come to a halt so I don’t run into the back of the ladies. Arabella Armani, her black hair in a high ponytail, and hertight, black leather dress fitting her curves, stands before us, glaring at me and looking seriously pissed.

“Ah, shit,” Dante says. “He’s not going to be happy.”

Her head whips in his direction. “Oh, is that what we’re monitoring now? Luca’s happiness?”

A hound stands behind her, the one with the blue gem. His blue eyes intently lock on me. Luca Armani’s men are fiercely loyal to him, and it appears they respect his wife equally as much.

And by her commanding air, I can understand why.

“I don’t consider someone who kidnaps my friend and chains a bomb to her throat a guest,” she spits furiously.

“Ara,” Sienna says. “I’m okay.”

“No, you remain in one piece. That doesn’t mean you’re okay. This never should’ve happened. We should’ve been more cautious and?—”

Sienna steps toward her, and I find myself moving with her, my hand outstretched behind her, but the others swarm around me. I know they won’t hurt her. The worst they can do is take her away from me.

The reality is, she’s much safer with them than me anyway. That doesn’t mean I won’t put up a fight for her.

Sienna hugs Arabella, and she seems surprised by the embrace. But then she sinks into the hug while still glaring at me over Sienna’s shoulder.

“Big softie,” Romi says under her breath.

“Shut up. I’ll have you know, I still have a lot of hormones running through me right now, and my tits are probably leaking because of how fucking long I’ve been waiting,” she snaps.

Sienna laughs as she wipes away tears. “I know shit is really weird, and we still have to have conversations around, well…” She points at the hound and then me. “This. But I’ve missed you all.”

Arabella’s gaze snaps in my direction. “I should shoot you where you stand for what you’ve done.”

“No, Ara, please listen to me,” Sienna implores, moving to block Arabella’s view of me. I notice the strange looks her friends give her. It’s best they don’t know about any of the finer details. Because they’re right to protect her. I am, after all, the enemy.

“They’re right, Sienna. Listen to them. They’ll be the ones standing by your side once all of this is over,” I tell her, then for the others, I add, “Until then, she belongs to me.”

Sienna seems hurt by my intentional choice of words.

“Even with a collar, you don’t own me,” she hisses, pointing to the snake necklace as she turns toward me, and I can see her hurt has shifted into an inner menace that I evoke in her far too often. “Perhapsyoumight look better with a collar,” she taunts with a smile. “Maybe I’ll makeyoucrawl tome.”

I mask my expression as I lean in and quietly whisper, “If you can get me on my hands and knees, I’llworship you in other ways,mishka.” And her cheeks turn a heated red. “Until then, be a good girl and do as you’re told. Don’t leave my side.”

Heated tension ripples between us, and my jaw tics in irritation that I can so easily lose my focus on the threat around us by getting distracted by her.

“Uh, am I the only one questioning what the fuck is happening between you two?” Romi asks.