Page 75 of Deadly Wolf Bite

“What do you want?” I ask, my voice trembling at what the answer might be.

“Let’s start with that information you promised Franco and see where it leads.”

Frustration and panic send my thoughts racing for some way out of this. I can’t give him anything that will lead to Grey or the others being harmed, but I know he won’t let me refuse him.

I have to keep him talking until I can figure out how to get away from him.

“They’ll notice that I’m gone any minute now,” I say with false bravado. “When they find me, you’ll be caught too.”

“Nah. They’ll think you’re into me.” He smiles and holds up his phone. On the screen is a headline about us having a lovers’ quarrel. Below it is a picture of us at the church with his hand on my arm. Without context, his touch looks almost intimate. My stomach rolls.

“That’s not true,” I say weakly.

He shrugs. “Not my fault the media likes to spin shit. I tried asking you for an update at the funeral,” he reminds me. “You chose to make a scene.”

“I didn’t choose any of this,” I say angrily.

He snorts. “You’re more naïve than I thought if you still think that.” His amusement vanishes. “Care to tell me why your fiancé is suddenly partying with his old man after years of betrayal?”

I summon a smirk, heart thudding. “It was all a ruse to draw you out. It worked too. You won’t walk out of here tonight.”

“Bullshit,” he snarls, leaning in so close that I flinch. “You have thirty seconds to tell me something to appease the old man. After that, your naivete officially ends, I can promise you.” His hand on my hip dips lower, and I force myself not to react.

The way he’s touching me scares me more than I want to admit.

“I don’t know anything yet,” I say.

“Liar.” Dom’s hand on my hip tightens. “You know something.”

Using his other hand, he squeezes my wrist harder than before. The pain is sharp and piercing enough that it will leave a mark. I bite my lip, my eyes watering.

Across the room, my phone buzzes again. For all the good it does me.

“Fine. We think Vincenzo’s planning to kill Franco,” I say.

“I’m not asking about that prick. I want to know about your boyfriend.”

“He has no plans against Franco right now. We have to deal with Vincenzo,” I say through gritted teeth. I’m dangerously close to revealing the truth if only to make the pain stop. “That comes first.”

“What’s Jericho planning against his old man?”

When I don’t answer, he tightens his hold on my arm until there’s a pop. The pain sends black spots dancing in front of my eyes. My knees buckle. Now, Dom’s grip is the only thing holding me up.

“We’re gathering intel,” I say, gasping. “Then we’ll decide.”

“No way. Diavolo would have a plan by now.” Dom’s anger radiates even through the cloud of pain. He’s not going to be satisfied with my half-answers. I try to think through the haze, but the pain is consuming.

“You can’t stop him,” I say, whimpering. “He’s better than you. He’s?—”

“Shut up!” Dom screams in my face. “Since the moment you showed up, all you’ve done is ruin shit. You’re not worthy of the blood in your veins. You’re a failed experiment.”

His words don’t make sense, but I’m too overwhelmed with pain to care. I bite back a sob. “I’m more worthy…than you.”

“Like hell you are. I’m the next alpha of the mafia pack, you bitch,” Dom snarls. “Now, tell me what those losers are planning before I break both arms.”

Over Dom’s shoulder, I see the door shoving open. Dom whirls with me still in his grasp. I yelp in agony, nearly tripping as he yanks me with him.

Grey storms in, his eyes blazing with a fury that makes my knees weak with relief. “Let her go.”

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