Page 76 of Isle of Beauty

Footsteps echo from the hallway and my anxiety spikes up.

Andrea walks in. Black boots, black jeans, black tee-shirt stretched across his massive chest and revealing thick, fully inked arms. My eyes continue their slow perusal up his body to his exposed throat and finally to his vibrant whiskey eyes, already fixed on me. His ash brown hair looks like it’s mussed from sleep.

Or fucking, my brain conjures up.

If this joker was fucking someone while Lana is held God knows where, submitted to God knows what, I’ll make damn sure he can’t fuck ever again.

I narrow my eyes at him, ready to fight for the information he couldn't give us on the phone.

“Pierce, I didn’t know you were coming with back up. I’d have made an effort.”

Animosity oozes out of his voice but he barely spares a glance at Pierce.

He prowls to me and takes my hand in both his much larger ones, lifting them up for the softest brush of his lips. Sparks of heat travel up my arm to encompass my whole body. I am keenly aware of how close he is to me when he gets back up to his full height, way closer than necessary. His eyes focus on me in a way that I’ve never experienced. It’s like I’m the only person in the room. If I didn’t distrust him so much already, it could have fooled me into a false sense of ease and security.

“Andrea, this is…”

I don’t let him finish, I can introduce my own damn self. “Giulia Moretti, Lana’s cousin and Intelligence Advisor.”

I turn my back on him and go to sit on the sofa without prompt. I’m being purposefully rude, and everyone knows you don’t turn your back on your enemy. I’m inviting him to a dance I know all too well and give him two pieces of information right now. One, I’m not scared of you. Two, stab me in the back and see where it gets you.

When I’m looking at him down my nose despite being seated and him standing, his lips curve in the most devilish smirk. He goes down to sit in front of us and sobers quickly.

“And this is Igor, Lana’s bodyguard and friend,”Pierce says.

Igor gives him a curt nod.

“You really suck at your job, Mr. Petrov.”

Igor’s nostrils flare with rage but he remains seated. Andrea looks like the type of man whose favourite past-time is to fuck with anyone who comes near a one-mile radius. Fucking man-child. While we bicker, Lana is in danger so we need to get cracking.

Thankfully, Pierce interrupts him. “Let’s cut to the chase. You saw Barychev on the videos I sent, you obviously know who Igor is so you know Misha Petrov is behind my wife’s kidnapping. What you might not know is that Luc is his contact on British soil. Petrov specialises in the skin trade so time is of the essence.”

“Interesting. How does it feel knowing you’re the one who protects his servers and is responsible for your wife’s situation?”

“I’m not responsible,” Pierce yells, losing his temper completely.

Fucking men. And they say women are too emotional.

“Mr Capaldi…”

“Please call me Andrea.”

I glower at him before continuing. “Mr. Capaldi, Petrov and Pierce have taken my cousin, the Heir to the Moretti Empire and we’ll stop at nothing to get her back. We’re here because you said you’d help. Now, please do.”

“What am I getting out of it, cousin? You're asking me to kill our kin after all.”

His insistence on the word “cousin” reminds me that Andrea hates Pierce. He’s also way too relaxed about a woman being sold into sex slavery. Or killing his uncle. This man has no fucking morals. Anger simmers in my veins but we were expecting this. Nothing’s done for free in our world and apparently, ruining his cousin is not enough.

“How much do you want, Capaldi?” I ask.

We don’t have time to beat around the bush. He better tell me how much money he wants and get on with saving Lana, because my patience is fraying and I’m about to throw one of my infamous tantrums.

“I don’t need money, sweetheart.”

Condescending asshole! My nostrils flare at the derogatory term.

“Stop playing around and tell us what you want, dammit! If Luc is coming after me and mine, there’s nothing that will stop him from coming for you next and you know it! I already gave you my company.” Pierce explodes out of his seat again. He starts to pace back and forth and I know he’s about to lose his shit.

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