Page 62 of Little Rabbit

“Just where have you stashed my head of security, Ms. O’Brien?” I ask curiously.

“Currently we’re making our way through this maze of a garden.”

“What the fuck?” Nico hisses. “How the fuck did she get that far in without getting stopped?”

“I’m already on it,” Dante replies tightly. “We need to do an overhaul of our soldiers, because clearly they’ve gotten slack while we were gone.”

“Tell the guards to let them through,” I order. “And Ms. O’Brien, I suggest you put the gun away,” I add pointedly.

“Eh, I just use it as a prop anyway. The dog is the real weapon,” she says carelessly.

Then the call ends, and I can’t help but chuckle. Dante and Nico eye me distrustfully. “Looks like we’re about to have another woman under our roof,” I say as I head for the door. “By the way, she’s a bounty hunter.”

“She’s a fucking cop?” Nico barks, making me stop.

“No, that would be the rest of her family,” I say with a smirk over my shoulder. “But lucky for us, based on what I know, she’s not a fan of them, they’re not a fan of her, and even though she catches the bad guys, she’s got a history for being fair.”

“Fucking hell, this is the last thing we fucking need,” Nico snarls, stalking toward me. “Dante, I want all the information you can get on her by the time we’re back.” Then we’re both leaving the room, and Nico is stalking furiously down the hall. “You’ll be taking her with you too when this shit is done,” Nico snaps at me, his face thunderous. “I’m not putting up with this kind of shit around here. I’ve already got far too many problems and I don’t need another woman making shit difficult.”

“You just don’t want another bruise to match the one you already got,” I snicker, even as we reach the door that leads outside. Nico shoots me a deadly glare, and I just grin. I can all but see that he’s struggling not to punch me. We make our way down a stone path toward the back of the house, and when we round the corner, I see Alonzo right away. His scowl dark, his steps stiff, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. I don’t see Rori, but there is no missing the giant dog that’s currently walking behind him, eyes glued to Alonzo like he’s waiting for the moment he’s given a command to take a bite.

I can also see why he was worried about the dog being able to get him by the balls. The thing is huge. If I’m not mistaken, the dog is a Cane Corso, and he looks like a demon with his sleek midnight black coat and amber eyes. Around his neck is a thick gold chain collar with a small badge tag on the front, and when Alonzo glares down at him when they finally reach us, the dog just bares his teeth in a warning snarl. Even I’m a bit wary of those teeth.

Rori emerges from behind Alonzo, who looks much the same as she did when I saw her sitting with Sienna at that cafe in California, though her hair is pulled back into a tight, military style bun, and she’s wearing a pair of camo pants and a forest green shirt that shows off just a hint of the skin of her stomach. I watch in amusement as she twirls a large hunting knife in her hand before she sheathes it into the holder at her back. Her face is tastefully done in simple make-up, and her green eyes take me in quickly, before they move to Nico who stands besides me. “Mr. Caruso,” she says serenely. “Don Armani. How are we this fine afternoon?”

The absurdity of the moment isn’t lost on me. I want to laugh, but instead, I keep my face stern as I stare at her. “Ms. O’Brien, I don’t think I need to explain the danger you’ve put yourself in by coming here?”

“No more dangerous than everything else I do. But where my best friend’s safety is concerned, I don’t take chances. Before you say anything, the only reason I wasn’t helping her get away from you when she was running is because she took off before she told me, and there was no point in playing catch up. I’m here to make up for lost time.” Her eyes are sharp on mine. “The question is, how much of a problem is it going to be for you?”

“You have a lot of balls talking to him when it’s me that will decide if you leave here alive,” Nico remarks darkly, drawing her gaze.

“Perhaps,” she agrees before looking back at me. “But it’s him that wants to marry my best friend, and considering I just overpowered one of his men, he’ll be the one to decide how the next few minutes go.”

“You didn’t overpower shit, woman,” Alonzo bites out.

“Sure thing, Goliath,” she smirks, her tone pure sarcasm. “If that heals your pride, you can believe it all you like.” Alonzo’s face flushes in anger and I can practically hear him grinding his teeth.

“We should cut our losses, kill her, and be done with it,” Nico suggests darkly. “If she is connected to the cops, we don’t need the trouble she’ll bring when they figure out where she is.”

“That is an option,” she agrees casually, holding his gaze. Too casually, if you ask me. “But I’m a contract bounty hunter, so no cops are going to be looking for me. And since I’m sure you already know my family’s connections, you should know that they are probably just as dark as you are. They’re on the payroll of a major player back in California. I also have little to do with them, if at all, so they won’t be looking for me either. The only person who will care if I go missing is Sienna.” Then she gives me a pointed look. “And I think we both know how well it will go if she can’t figure out where I am, or why I’m not answering her.”

“Who does your family work for?” Nico demands.

“The Belovs,” she answers.

I glance over at Nico and I see his eyes narrow. Clearly he knows who they are, and while I’m not as familiar with the Russian families running things on this continent, I know full well that there is a large group of Belovs in Russia, including one group we’ve dealt with in the past. They’re psychotic fuckers, and if the rumors are true, cross them and no one will find your body because they’ll feed you to the tigers, bears, and wolves they keep as pets. “And you have nothing to do with them?” I ask suspiciously.

“No. They got involved with them long after I left home. As far as they are concerned, I know nothing about it. But I overheard my father and brothers talking about them one night when I was visiting. Out there, even the most naive know who they are and what they’re capable of. So I left without saying a word. I don’t need that kind of trouble.”

“But you’re willing to deal with that kind of trouble here?” I ask doubtfully. “You didn’t think things through before you came here, Ms. O’Brien. Because there is no leaving after this. You don’t get to go back and live your normal life.”

All I can see in her eyes is acceptance. “I think you underestimate me just like everyone else does, Mr. Caruso. The only family I care about is Sienna, and that means I will do anything I have to to make sure that she’s safe and happy. If that means giving up my life for it, then I will. If that means I have to spend the rest of my life in Sicily, I will. The only thing I require is my dog. Everything else I can manage without.”

I have to admire her, because few would do such a thing for someone who is without a blood tie to them. I also believe every word she’s saying. I glance at Nico, who doesn’t appear the least bit convinced, and when I look at Alonzo, despite the anger still gleaming in his eyes, he doesn’t give me a signal that tells me he thinks she’s lying.

“Fine,” I say with a nod. “But you’ll call off your dog, and Alonzo will search you. As long as there isn’t anything we shouldn’t find, I’ll agree to offer you protection under my name.” Then I step forward, ignoring the dog when he lets out a warning snarl. He quiets with a hand signal from his owner, but I can still feel that dangerous gaze on me. “But if you double cross me, or if you try to get in my way where Sienna is concerned, I’ll kill you and your dog without hesitation. Is that understood?” I continue, my voice low and dangerous, and my expression cold and unyielding.

Fear remains absent from her eyes. “Fine.”

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