Page 63 of Little Rabbit

“You will be assigned a guard until I’m certain that you can be trusted,” I add. I look at Alonzo. “Alonzo, that will be you. She will be with you at all times, unless you’re required elsewhere, and then you will ensure she is guarded by someone else. Understood?”

Alonzo nods, though I can tell he wants to curse me. But if anyone can determine if there is anything to worry about where she is concerned, it’s him. He turns toward Rori, and I don’t miss the dark anticipation in his eyes. Rori gives a command when the dog starts to snarl again.

Alonzo takes his time searching her, checking everywhere he can, and with each passing second, Rori’s eyes grow more and more infuriated. By the time he’s done, he pockets the knife and one gun, unloading it and putting the magazine in his back pocket. “She’s clean,” he answers, stepping back toward me.

I nod. “Alright. You and your dog are cleared to come in. Be warned, however: if you sic your dog on any of our men without just cause, I’ll kill him.” The last thing I need is a killer dog on the loose here. She inclines her head in understanding and gives another signal to the dog, who is instantly by her side, pressing into her leg. I’m shocked he doesn’t knock her over, considering the size of him. “Good.” I pause before I turn away. “What’s his name, anyway?”

Now she gives me a sharp smile. “Hades.”

“Fitting, I suppose,” I remark. “How many men have gone to the underworld because he sent them there?”

“Enough that the bad guys stop running when they see him coming,” she quips. She glances up at Alonzo with a taunting smile. “Isn’t that right, Goliath?” Alonzo doesn’t answer her, but the glare he aims her way is enough to kill.

Nico doesn’t even look at me as he storms back into the house. Things are about to get interesting, and something tells me that it might not be a bad thing. Especially if that dog is as good a guard dog as she says.

29

SIENNA

I stare at Sofia for a moment before blurting out, “Are you serious? You caught him with how many women at one time?” I glance over at Gia, who doesn’t look surprised at this news.

“You heard me,” Sofia grins. “Hell, between my brothers and the Caruso boys, I don’t think a single girl in school didn’t sleep with them at one point. Well, except me, obviously, because ewww. After a while they stopped trying to get them one at a time and seemed to have a contest for how many they could handle at the same time. I can’t remember if it was Massimo or Zeno that had the most by the end of it. Alessio was being groomed to take over as underboss, so he didn’t have as much free time, I guess.”

“Yeah, but three at one time? How the hell does a man even have that kind of stamina?” I ask, trying to figure it all out in my head. “I mean, I get being young and in your prime and all that, but still, after the second one, wouldn’t you be dehydrated? I doubt the girls would have waited too long between rounds for their shot.” I should probably be jealous, but I’m too fascinated over the whole thing to care.

“Viagra?” Gia giggles, looking embarrassed but also fascinated by the conversation. “Honestly, I don’t even want to think about any of the other women Nico’s been with. They’re probably a lot more experienced and prettier than me and that would just make me insecure.”

I give her a firm look. “You are stunning, and experience doesn’t matter as long as you’re having fun. You’ll gain your own experience, and with the way Nico looks at you, and that kiss we walked in on earlier, I don’t think you have a single thing to worry about.” Then I grin at Sofia. “Neither do you, from the way Dante looks at you.”

Sofia flips her hair and gives me a wicked grin. “Of course I don’t. I’m far too fabulous for him to consider any other women. Not to mention, he knows that if he strays, I’ll slice off his cock. I’m fine if he wants to be done with me, but he’s to give me the respect of telling me that, not sneaking around behind my back.”

“You scare me sometimes,” Gia admonishes with a shake of her head.

Sofia shrugs. “It can be useful to keep people on edge.” Then she grins back at me. “Though I’ve never put a knife to his throat and taken a picture. That honor lies solely with your sister.” Then she gives me a dramatic slow clap. “And might I just say that you will forever be my hero for that. Few get the jump on a man like Alessio. Probably why he’s so taken with you.”

I smirk and give a half bow. “Honestly, I was so mad that I wasn’t thinking, because normally I wouldn’t ever consider it, but desperate times and all that. And he tied me up first, so it was just revenge at that point.”

“Revenge that got you in a whole heap of trouble,” Sofia snickers. I flush at the memory of what Alessio did when he caught up to me in Greece, including with that knife. I might need to revisit that, because as angry as I was at the time, it was hot as hell.

“What did happen when he caught up to you?” Gia asks curiously. “If I did that to Nico, he’d be so pissed at me. I don’t even want to know what he would do…I don’t think?” She looks away thoughtfully.

Sofia and I grin at each other, but before I can say anything, I hear a distinctive growl. I turn my head and let out a curse when I see just what is heading for me. I hear shouts, and a scream, and then a wicked laugh as Hades barrels into me, knocking me to the floor. He puts his paws on my chest, lowering his face as he growls at me. “Fuck,” I hear someone yell. “Get him off of her. Now!” I vaguely recognize Alessio’s panicked voice.

I let out a dramatic ooomph when Hades then flops down on top of me, whining and crying as he slobbers all over me. “Hades,” I laugh, trying to dodge his tongue getting into my mouth or nose. “I know, I know, I missed you too,” I laugh, scratching him even as he rubs his head under my chin and acts like a little puppy. “I think you’re getting fat. Your mother must be spoiling you too much. Don’t worry, we’ll whip you right back into shape.” I hear a snort and turn my head to see Rori surrounded by Nico, Alessio, and Alonzo, grinning and looking completely unafraid considering who is around her. Alessio is watching me with concern, but when my eyes catch his, I smile and he relaxes. Nico looks pissed, as does Alonzo. “Hades, off,” I order, and the big lug instantly climbs off and sits politely as I get to my feet.

Sofia quickly moves to help me, eyeing the dog warily, but then grins when he gives her arm a sweet lick. “Aren’t you sweet?” she coos. “Such a big, strong boy but you wouldn’t hurt a fly, would you?”

“Like fuck he wouldn’t,” I hear Alonzo mutter.

Gia steps forward hesitantly, and I hear Nico let out a low growl of his own. “He’s not going to hurt her,” Rori tells him calmly. “He likes women, as you can clearly see.” Gia holds out her hand for him to sniff, and like the gentleman he is, he nuzzles it and then licks it gently before nudging her to scratch at his head. Nico goes quiet, but I can see that he’s a hair’s breadth away from snatching her back if the dog so much as looks at her sideways.

“Awww,” Gia giggles, giving him a good couple scratches. “You’re so soft, sweetheart. And you’re almost as big as me.” He gives her his best doe eyes and settles into the pets and scratches the two women are giving him.

Which leaves me to turn to Rori. I’ve never been so happy to see her, but also so pissed. I give her a big smile as I head toward her, but we’ve been friends for far too long for her not to know what’s coming. She barks a command at Hades just as I reach her and sock her in the nose. She stumbles back, and I hear Sofia and Gia gasp behind me, while Alessio curses, and Alonzo catches her before she can crash into him. Nico makes no sound, but I can feel him watching me. “You stupid bitch,” I yell at her, even as she shoves away from Alonzo and swipes at her bleeding nose. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing here? You are not supposed to be here.”

“You still punch like a girl,” Rori wheezes. “Did you seriously think I was going to leave you to deal with this alone? Like fuck. You’re my best friend, and if you die, I’d have to come here, resurrect you and then kill you all over again.”

“Do you not realize you could be dead right now?” I demand, hands going to my hips, and I shoot Alessio a don’t-touch-me glare when he reaches for the one I punched her with. He, of course, ignores me and grabs my hand as I continue to berate her. “You’re lucky the guards didn’t kill you or Hades! Then it would have been me resurrecting you and killing you all over again. And just so we’re clear, I’d kill you far more slowly and painfully than they ever did for doing that to me.”

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