Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
“I am taking it fucking seriously. I’ve been looking over my shoulder since I moved.”
“When did you start getting threats?”
I sighed. “A week ago.”
“How often?”
“Daily.”
“Fuck.”
“I’ve seen you fight, but you weren’t really trying to kill the opposing team. You just wanted to put them in their place. This man loves killing, maiming, torture. Do you understand what that means?”
“Yes, I get it, okay?”
“You’re going to need some bodyguards.”
I sighed. “So you’re going to use this as a way to follow me around even more?”
“I can’t be with you twenty-four seven, but I have men who can be.”
“I can hire my own security.”
“If you could hire men as good as mine, you would be able to pay off your debt without coming to me for money.”
I wanted to scream. “I didn’t know it was you.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“It does.”
“No. I’m the one you came to, and I’m the one who’s going to help you.”
“I—”
“No more protests.” I sank back into the seat. When we reached my building, he pulled up to the garage entrance. “Code?”
“Vito, I’m not—”
“Don’t play with me.”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing. This is a game to you, right?”
He snarled. “Not anymore.”
“What does that mean?”
“Tell me the fucking code.”
“Five. Eight. Nine. Two.” He punched in the numbers and the bar rose, letting us in. “You would just have rammed through the gate if I hadn’t told you, wouldn’t you?”
He just smiled. The bastard.
He pulled into a spot clearly marked reserved. “You can’t park there.”
“I can do whatever I want.”
“Including stalking me and forcing me to let you into my apartment.”
“Do I really have to force you? Are you telling me you won’t let me in of your own free will?”
“Are you telling me you won’t force your way in if I don’t?”
He scowled at me. “I want your permission.”
“You’re not a fucking vampire, are you?”
He smiled. “No, but I have every intention of draining the blood out of Benito once I know you’re somewhere safe.”
The world spun around me. He was fucking serious. “You won’t.”
“I will. He threatened you, and I’m not going to let him live.”
“You’re psychotic.”
“Maybe, but I’m on your side.”
I huffed. “You’re on your own side.”
“Baby, no. I’m going to take care of you.” A shudder ran through me as he spoke in a low voice.
“Don’t do that.”
“Do what?”
“Call me baby.”
“Why?”
“It’s…too personal. Too… Look, I know you want to fuck me, and you’ve got some kind of crazy control kink but—”
He took hold of my chin, his grip just shy of painful. “You’re wrong. I want way more than a single hot fuck with you. You’re meant to be mine.”
“That’s insane.”
“Maybe, but it’s true.”
“Vito.”
“Take me up to your apartment. Let me make this problem of yours go away.”
I should say no. Any sane person would know better. I believed Vito could help me, but then I’d be indebted to him, and he wouldn’t let me go easily. He was no less dangerous—and possibly no less crazy—than the men who were watching me tonight. So why was I sure I could trust him, at least with my physical well-being?
He turned off the car and reached for his door handle. “Come on.”
I laid a hand on his arm. “You can come up, but that’s all I’ll promise.”
His smile made me shiver. “That’s a start.”
13
VITO
Ifollowed Zeke to his apartment. There were so many things I needed to do: call Val and catch him up on what was going on, get some men to watch the apartment, and let the family know that Benito was up to something. But it was hard to focus on all that now. After seeing Zeke flirting with some twink at the bar, then seeing those Looney and Benito watching him, knowing if I hadn’t been there he wouldn’t have taken the threat seriously enough, my adrenaline had spiked. I needed to work it off, and I wanted to do that with Zeke.
I pushed the door closed behind us, took hold of his arms and spun him around. He was right about how strong he was and how well he could fend for himself in an evenly matched fight, but I’d caught him off guard. By the time he reacted, his face was inches away from mine.
His eyes widened and that damnable tongue came out, moistening his lips.
I wrapped my hand around the side of his neck, and he sucked in his breath as I turned us, backing him up against the door.
“I’m done playing around. You need to understand I’m not going anywhere. I want to protect you, and that’s what I’m going to do.”
He studied me but didn’t answer. I rubbed my thumb over the pulse point in his neck. His heart was beating fast.
“Are you afraid?”
He turned his head to the side, refusing to look at me, but at least he wasn’t fighting to free himself. He’d relaxed against the door as I pressed my hips to his, letting him feel how hard I was.