Page 25 of King of Wrath

“Two-timing bitch?” she whispers but her arm slides from her eyes up over her head so she can turn to look at me again. “He is, isn’t he?”

It’s a real conundrum because the new position plumps her breasts even more and they are absolutely fantastic.

I don’t know why Antonia thinks it’s a personal failure that she can’t stand up against a hardened criminal who probably outweighs her by a hundred pounds. But I’m big, tough, and I’ve been part of this world for a long time. I am more than a match for Toni and that fucker is going to pay hard.

“He’s too pretty to be trustworthy,” I follow up, just trying to ease some of the tension. She can give some of her worries to me. There is a lot I can’t promise but I can do this…

I’m going to take all that pain for her. My shoulders are broad enough to handle it and then some.

It works, as she gives me a soft smile in return. “He does look like a human Ken doll.”

A chuckle falls from my lips. “Might have made a cute couple considering your resemblance to Barbie.”

Her nose wrinkles. “I’m not even close to thin enough.”

I fucking love her curves but it’s really better if I don’t get that specific. Instead, I touch her arm. “Let me have a look at that shoulder.”

She shifts and I try very hard to keep my eyes on her face, only sliding my gaze down her neck, and over to her shoulder where new bruises are blooming. “Shit,” I mutter. I meant what I said. If she’s hurt, we’re leaving.

We’ve got a house not that far from here, fifty miles, and there is a chopper at the ready. I will airlift her out of here if I have to.

Roman is at the house, acting as liaison, while Luke is feet on theground in Vegas keeping tabs on Toni. Mason and Leo have left with their brides.

We thought about bringing Nia to the family compound that boasts thick walls and a small army of guards. But here, in this tiny house, I’ve got way more opportunity to really crack her shell, find out what she knows.

I’m regretting the choice now. In this moment, I want her safe even more than I want to know what she knows.

I gently take her forearm. “I’m just going to test your shoulder slowly. You tell me if I need to stop.”

She gives a tentative nod and I slowly raise her arm. I’ve done my fair share of on-the-scene emergency medical care. Another side benefit of being a legit mob man. I know how to tend wounds.

The shoulder seems all right. It moves just as it should, her winces small. Likely, she just bruised it.

I let out a long breath of relief.

“If we left here, where would we go?”

I know what she’s asking. She’s searching for a way out. Who can blame her? I did steal her. “Family compound,” I answer, wanting to make sure she understands she’s not getting away, though part of me hates crushing her hopes.

She’s been powerless and I just took more of her power. What a fucked-up situation. It’s my fault and my doing but I feel myself becoming the one man I never wanted to be. The bad guy.

She winces again and turns away, pulling at the plastic curtain to cover her body.

I place my hand over hers, stilling her movement. Because I can’t leave things like this.

She whips her face back, her eyes meeting mine as her blonde hair spills over the side of the mattress and rests on my knee.

“I meant what I said,” I start, my teeth gnashing together in my frustration. “When your father is in prison,”or dead, I add mentally, “all the choices are yours.”

She shakes her head. “Maybe.”

“You don’t think I’ll keep my word?”

My fingers are lightly circling her wrist, the softness of her belly under my hand. Fuck, she feels so good. Silky skin. A body lean enough to look amazing without being so hard, that it’s not feminine.

She’s absolutely perfect.

“Even if you do everything you say,” and her voice lets me know it’s questionable. “There are seven cousins waiting to be the next Toni. And me? I’ll be the woman who betrayed the family. I had one choice. Run.”

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