Page 8 of Little Rabbit

“And when you became close to Rori, we couldn’t let her know in case her family found out,” Dad adds.

I nod slowly. Yeah, I can see all of that, and understand. I mean, Rori’s family would definitely not have cared and would have tried to arrest my parents just to make a point. And then they would have sent me back to the De Lucas. Her family is dirty. They’re all in law enforcement, or some in the army, but Rori has told me plenty about the bribes and things they accepted and how pissed they were that she didn’t join the family business. They settled a little when she started bounty hunting, since it was close enough to what they were doing, but they still don’t respect her. It’s why she has nothing to do with them.

Well, that and the things they did to Rori were unspeakable. She’s been through far too much to ever forgive them.

“Okay, so now I need to figure out what the hell I’m going to do,” I say, mostly to myself. “I’ve got a pissed-off mafia underboss after me, and I don’t want him anywhere near you.”

“Sienna,” my mother starts, fear leaking into her voice.

“It’s alright, Mom,” I quickly assure her, moving around the island to take her hands in mine. “I promise I’ll be fine. You trained me to be safe, to handle anything thrown my way. My main concern is you both. I don’t want this to touch you, which means I need to get out of here before they can track me. I need you to hire security, and I need you to stay with them at all times until this is sorted out. I need to lead them away from you.”

“You need to stay with us,” Dad protests. “That security can protect you too.”

I shake my head firmly. “No, Dad, because that will lead them right to you. You’ve kept me safe my entire life, and now it’s my turn to do that for you. Alessio Caruso might be pissed at me, but he’s not going to kill me. He needs me.”

“But the De Lucas need you too,” Mom sniffles as tears fill her eyes. “And they are terrible people, Sienna. They will kill you just to prove a point. You said yourself that they don’t value women. And if they get to you…”

“I won’t let that happen,” I reiterate firmly. “If I have to, I’ll make a deal with Alessio and make sure that you’re left alone.”

“Sienna, you shouldn’t be doing anything of the sort,” Dad protests, anger and fear in his voice, making me look at him. “You are not responsible for our choices or the choices of the people who you might be related to.”

“Quite right,” a deep voice says, making us all whip around to see Alessio stepping silently inside the cabin, Lazaro right behind him. His dark eyes catch mine, and the smile on his face is triumphant. “Hello, Sienna. Miss me?”

Fuck. Looks like my time has just run out.

5

ALESSIO

Her reaction is instant, though not one I anticipated. Of course, the woman can never do anything usual. I did not expect her to take an entire bowl of resting dough and toss it at me with the strength, speed, and precision of one of those American Football players. I barely manage to duck out of the way as it comes flying for my face, though Lazaro is not as lucky. It hits him right in the chest, sending him falling back with a groan before it clatters to the floor.

“You and I are going to have a discussion about your habit of throwing food at me, Sienna,” I tell her through gritted teeth as she tries to get past me to the door. I reach out to grab her, but she sidesteps me and does the same when Lazaro also tries to grab her, but she crashes into the wall before she can stop her momentum. “Don’t move!” I bark at her parents who both step forward, and something in my voice must make them stop, though I don’t miss the anger in their eyes. Perhaps it’s only the fact that they realize who I am that keeps them from doing something stupid, like trying to interfere.

“I’m not discussing anything with you,” she hisses, quickly getting to her feet and backing away. “How the fuck did you find me so fast?”

I give her a smug smile. “Did you really think that I wouldn’t know everything about you before coming to find you, cara mia? That I wouldn’t discover all the cute little places and planes you have at your disposal all around the world through your work and family connections? It was clever of you to try and throw us off by buying a ticket to London. Your getting the bag from the car trick was a nice touch. However, you didn’t account for the simple fact that it’s my job to find people. There is nowhere on this planet that you can go that I won’t find you.”

She doesn’t look as near frightened as she should. Instead, she continues to back further into the room, where her parents are still standing in the kitchen, looking shocked and terrified. “Fuck you, Alessio,” Sienna hisses, her gaze never leaving mine.

“Mmm, promise?” I purr. I should probably curb my tongue with her parents around, but this woman makes all my common sense fly out the window. I’m still pissed at her for her stunt in LA, and I plan to make her see the error of her ways the moment I get her alone. Which will be soon, because, fuck, I need her. I need that fire, that stubbornness that she has burning inside of her. I want it all.

Her eyes flash in anger, but I know she’s not unaffected. She might hate me and want to run far away, but she also feels something else that she’s trying to fight—something dark, needy, maybe even forbidden—all things that are weaving their way through me, though I’m embracing them. And I can’t wait to let them come out to play.

“I’m not going with you,” she reiterates. “And I will never marry you. You need to move on.” She starts to ease her way into the living area, getting close to the couch. If she thinks she’s going to use it as a shield, she’s crazy. And unless she suddenly has gained the strength of three Lazaros, she won’t be throwing it at me either.

“Marry?” her mother gasps, shocked, though I detect a hint of fury in her tone. Clearly Sienna hadn’t gotten to that part yet.

“He was promised my sister,” Sienna clips as she works her way around the sofa and stops, though she never looks away from me. “But since she’s married, I’m the consolation prize.”

“And such a pretty, feisty one, too,” I taunt. I glance over at her parents and see both their fear and determination. The last thing I want is for them to do anything stupid. “I’m willing to be patient until you’re ready to accept it on your own.”

“Oh how generous of you,” she sneers. “What a load of shit.”

“Believe what you want,” I tell her casually with a shrug. “But either way, you’re going to come back with me, and you’re going to be put under the protection of me and my family. We can figure things out from there.”

“Fuck that.” She steps toward the fireplace.

“Don’t even think about it,” I warn her darkly, knowing exactly what weapon she’s going to reach for next.

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