Page 30 of Lust and Honor

“Please, don’t kill me. I’m begging you.”

I glance at the two corpses sprawled on the floor nearby. “Relax. You’re not gonna die. Not yet.”

I lean in close, my voice dropping into a deadly whisper. “You’re staying alive to deliver my message to Nico. If that bastard even thinks about getting near my girls again, I don’t give a shit if he’s in Sicily, and Giuliano backs him. I’ll come for him myself and shove his balls down his throat.”

He cries and sobs, squirming in agony. “I swear I’ll tell him. I swear! Please, let me go!”

I slice off the third finger. “You’re a message too. No one messes with my daughter and walks away clean. But don’t sweat it. I’ll hand you all ten fingers in a box, a little keepsake from Maxim Moretti.”

After I’m done with the bastard and deal with the bodies, I hit the shower and head to Heaven. I’ve spent seven straight days tearing through these bastards trying to get any intel that could lead me to Fidenco. But it looks like he’s out of our reach for now. Doesn’t matter. Sooner or later, for what he did to Ava and Aurora, I’ll find him, and I’ll settle the score.

I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that that cute little carrot with those big dark eyes is mine.

I won’t lie. Her existence flipped something in me. Just a mention of her, a flash of her sweet face, makes my chest feel like it’s splitting open. Maybe it’s better to say I finally realized I’ve got a heart after all. Carlo and I grew up together, clawed our way through hell side by side, always had each other’s backs. My loyalty to that man is absolute, I’d lay down my life for him without blinking.

But this pull, this fierce protectiveness I feel for that tiny girl? It’s something I’ve never known. In one night, every priority in my life got turned upside down. Nothing and no one comes before Aurora, not even Carlo.

Deep down, I know I’d sacrifice everything and everyone for her in a heartbeat. Maybe I won’t be part of her life in the open, maybe I’ll never be the kind of father she knows—but as long as I’m alive, I’ll protect her.

I’m not cut out to be the emotional dad she needs, I don’t have that in me. But if hell freezes over, I still won’t let anyone hurt her. Not even me. That’s why I know I should stay out of her life. The light in that innocent little soul, how long would it survive in the darkness I live in?

Still, with every passing day, I find myself wanting to see her. Her and the gorgeous girl I spent the wildest night of my life with. Yeah, she pulled a dirty move on me, and yeah, I know the second I lay eyes on her, I’d whip her ass black and blue with my belt. But now that I know where she is, the craving’s eating me alive, and I can’t get her out of my fucking head.

But she’s off-limits. The only thing I do to satisfy the itch is check the security camera feeds every few hours. Just the ones outside the house, though. I don’t trust myself. If I catch a glimpse of them inside, I’d probably jump in my car and head straight for them.

When I get to Heaven, I spend a few minutes talking business with Elen, then order a drink and a girl to take my mind off things. She’s got dyed dark-red hair. Everyone knows by now, if they want a fat tip from me, they’d better have the right hair color.

As I sip my whiskey, she peels off her skimpy lingerie with a sultry dance, showing off her delicate frame and those fake tits. She straddles my lap, grinding her hips in circles against my crotch. I take another swig, and she lays it on thick, rolling her hips harder.

My eyes are on her moves, but my mind’s miles away.

When her slender fingers graze my chest, Aurora’s innocent face flashes in my head, and I slam my hand against her sternum. She hits the floor ass-first, her eyes welling up with pain. My chest heaves with rage, my pulse pounding in my throat.

A few seconds pass before I realize what I’ve done. I run a hand through my hair, set the whiskey glass on the table, and stroke her chin.

The words leave my mouth without thinking. “Where’s your dad?”

Her eyes go wide. “What?”

I smirk at my own stupidity and lean back against the leather couch. “Go get Elen.”

She obeys without a word. Elen walks in, her face full of questions as she sits beside me.

I stretch both arms across the back of the couch. “From now on, no one works here with any shade of red hair. If they want to keep working, they change it.”

She rests a hand on my thigh. “You okay, Maxim?”

I nod. “I’m fine. Just make it happen.”

She gives me a long, searching look, then nods in agreement.

After she leaves, I pull out my phone and check the backyard camera feed again. My brows furrow when I spot a man walking into the house. Enrico Conti, Carlo’s clean-cut lawyer who handles the legit side of things, is making his third visit to my place this week. Once or twice, maybe I could buy. But those gift boxes in his hands? No way he’s there for legal paperwork.

Without thinking twice, I pull up the indoor cameras. Aurora’s sitting on a blanket in a corner of the living room, far from my strip club, playing with toys while her mom sits beside her. Ava stands when she sees Enrico, shaking his hand. When he leans in and kisses her cheek, I feel the veins in my neck bulge.

The bastard then drops to his knees, holding a gift box out to Aurora. She doesn’t move, just looks at her mom. Ava bends down, takes the box, and opens it. Aurora lights up with a squeal at the sight of a big fluffy teddy bear. Enrico takes her tiny hand and kisses it with respect.

That’s the last fucking straw. Heat blasts through my body. Hands shaking with rage, I dial his number. The second he picks up, I growl, my voice low but cold, “What the hell are you doing in my house, Enrico?”