Page 30 of Awakened by Sin

“Roque has many nicknames. I think we’ll have to add that one to the bunch,” he said.

She froze. Roque wasn’t a common name. She glanced at the gold eagle pendant lying contentedly in the vee of his shirt. The eagle’s wings flared proudly on his chest, the symbol of ancient Rome. “You’re Angel Roman?”

“So you aren’t the nanny,” he surmised and shook his head. “Damn.”

“I’m Carmen.”

His eyes narrowed. “Carmen … Vinny’s wife?”

“Yes.” She’d never met the Romans of New York, but she’d heard stories. Angel looked too friendly to be part of the notorious clan.

“Vinny was a good man,” he said and inclined his head. “I’m sorry we didn’t make it to the funeral.”

She hadn’t expected the Romans to attend. Vinny wasn’t a blood relation to the Romans. Manny took him in after his parents died in a car accident. Vinny changed his name in his teens.

“What are you doing in Las Vegas?” she asked.

“I took Gavin’s place.”

She opened her mouth to ask as what, and then it hit her. “You’re the new crime lord?”

He nodded.

“That’s why Gavin went to New York,” she said thoughtfully. Lyla must be relieved.

“You were with Lyla at the safe house?” When she nodded, he cocked his head to the side. “You look pretty happy for someone who was nearly gunned down two days ago.”

“Vega’s dead. That’s all I care about.”

Nora reached for him. He responded by moving closer, but he paused when Beau barked. She gave Beau a sharp command, and he quieted. Angel took Nora, but he stiffened when he rested the baby against his chest.

“What is it?” she asked.

He gritted his teeth and handed Nora back. “I got a scratch last night.”

She put Nora on her hip. “A scratch?” His collar shifted, showing the edge of a bandage. “What happened to you?”

He gave her a piercing look. “I was with Gavin last night.”

“In Hell?” She tugged on his shirt so she could see down the front.

“If you want to see me naked, all you have to do is ask.”

She got a whiff of his cologne. It wasn’t classy sin, but it was just as musky and seductive. His scent made her hand clutch the soft material of his warm shirt. Oh, shit. Had Marcus’s initiation awakened her sex beast and now she would get hot for anything with a dick and pretty face?

“That’s not a scratch.” She forced herself to concentrate on the two huge gauze pads on his chest and not the color of his nipples. “What happened?”

“It’s a whiplash. I’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

She looked up and was captured by hypnotic pale blue eyes mere inches from hers.

“About that fantasy …” he drawled.

Nora let out a shrill scream, breaking the sexual tension. Carmen stepped back as Gavin approached. She took the time to bitch slap herself mentally. This was Angel freaking Roman. Beneath those stunning good looks was a man trained to be heartless and cruel, and besides, he was the new crime lord. He definitely wasn’t a man she should be fooling around with.

Nora bounced excitedly as Gavin took her. Carmen slid sweaty palms over her jeans and focused on Gavin instead of his cousin.

“Lyla?” she asked.

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