Page 234 of The Devil's Fire

“Reminds me of when I was a boy. It’s been a while since I’ve played ball.” I said. With dark amusement, I started to bounce it on my feet before catching his head in my hands again.

“Looks like I still got it.” I chuckled, my men laughing with me. Those who didn’t know me looked at me with a mix of horror and disbelief etched on their faces.

“Let’s keep it.” I said, tossing the head to Giovanni. He caught it, holding it up to his face.

“Shit, he’s ugly.” He remarked, tossing it into a bag.

I observed the room, taking in the sight of terror-stricken eyes, soiled clothing soaked in vomit, and pants tainted with piss and shit.

“Kill them. Fill the room with their screams and paint the walls with their fucking blood.” I commanded.

In an instant, a chorus of terrified screams filled the air, their voices choked as blood filled their throats.

All for you, my Althaia.

“Burn the entire floor with their bodies. It is called the Untamed Event, after all.” I said and made my way to the elevator that Raffaele enabled again.

Giovanni and Luca followed me to my hotel room, standing guard while I took a shower. The warm water cascaded down, turning from clear to red as it circled the drain. Once again, I closed my eyes, the thought of Althaia evading my mind at every given chance.

I turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, drying my body before dressing in a fresh dress shirt and pants. I swung the door open, ready to get the hell out of here to interrogate the bastards we captured.

“…Sorry.” A small voice said before scurrying off. I looked at Giovanni’s annoyed expression and raised a brow.

“I’m a damn tower compared to her, yet she fucking crashed into me.” He grumbled. Luca shook his head, a playful smile on his lips.

Ignoring him, I made my way to the elevator, sticking my hand between the doors before they closed and stepping in. I glanced briefly at the woman present, who shuffled into the corner and kept her head down. Luca couldn’t help but smirk at the disapproving glance Giovanni shot her way.

I watched in the reflection of the elevator doors how she slowly raised her head and looked at me. My eyes narrowed subtly as I continued to look at her. She looked familiar.

Way too fucking familiar.

My head snapped towards her, and she looked away in a hurry. I observed her, recognizing the familiarity in the set of her jaw, and the shape of her lips that I had captured many times with my own.

My gaze descended to the unique contours of her body, her figure holding memories, curves and lines that spoke of intimate moments we have shared. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, clutching the purse tightly in her hands before she suddenly rushed out of the elevator when it came to a stop.

My eyes remained fixed on her, tracing every step as she walked away. The doors were closing when she spun around, her eyes locking onto mine. I tilted my head, clenched my fist, and the doors sealed shut, separating us once again.

“What’s going on?” Luca asked, noticing my reaction.

“Call Cecilia and Ava. Now!” I growled at them.

“No one’s picking up.” Giovanni informed me, and I clenched my jaw.

“That woman.” I gritted. “Was Althaia.”

“What the hell?”

“Call them again!” I fished out my phone from my pocket and made a phone call once I was out of the elevator.

“No one is to set fire to anything until you’ve gotten the all clear. I will have your fucking head if there’s even the slightest spark.”

“Understood.”

I hung up and called another number.

“A woman on the seventh floor, blue dress, short black hair. Ensure she safely leaves the LuxePalace, and do not draw any attention to her. If she gets as much as a scratch on her, it will be your funeral.”

“Yes, sir.”

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