Page 30 of Depths of Hunger

The man smiles again and then exits, leaving the four of us in the room. I look down at the two pinky fingers on the table and my stomach lurches. Maybe I’m not cut out for this. I look up and meet Luca’s gaze. He gives me a small smile. “I’ll take care of these,” he says.

“Thanks. Angelo, clear out the house and then leave. I’m going upstairs. I’m done with all of this for today.”

“But we should talk about?—”

“It will wait until tomorrow,” I say. I glance at Nico and give a small nod of my head toward Angelo. Making my voice barely above a whisper I say, “Make sure he leaves.” I don’t want any nasty surprises later. I wouldn’t put it past him to hide somewhere and then try and jump me later.

Nico smiles. “I’ll take care of it.”

I leave the office and stride regally down the hallway, not bothering to speak to anyone. Keeping up the brave façade will be difficult, but I have attitude for days. I’ll make this work. I cross the foyer and head up to my room. This is my life now. I have to get used to it. Before I got married I thought Renzo was a monster. How quickly the tables turn. Now I’m the monster and I am going to be fucking great at it.

Chapter

Thirteen

Albert cleared his throat. I think he is still recovering from the scare I gave him when I walked out of the basement into the kitchen. “I have been keeping watch, sir, as you would expect me to do. Mrs. Valdici is doing extraordinarily well under the circumstances. I’m not up on all the business dealings, but I understand that she has stepped into your shoes rather seamlessly with Signore Angelo’s help.”

My mind drifts back to seeing Angelo at the cemetery with his hand on the small of Mia’s back. If she’s fucking him, I will make life painful for both before I end them.

“So, my wife has filled my shoes,” I growl.

Albert starts. “Oh no, sir. That’s not what I meant at all. She is doing her best to keep control and doing well at it. That’s all I meant to say. No one can fill your shoes sir.”

From anyone else I would take this as sucking up, but Albert has always been a straightforward kind of creature. It’s in his nature. Firangelis take a humanoid form when they are in this world but in the magick realm they are much bigger. They are incredibly loyal and smart. I was lucky to find Albert. Most prefer to stay in the magick realm. The human world is not so kind.

Albert pulls a bottle of Dom out of the fridge. “May I pour you a glass, sir? Mrs. Valdici likes to have a glass before she goes to bed.”

My eyes narrow. Mia has taken up drinking in my absence. I distinctly remember telling her I didn’t want her getting drunk. Meting out punishment for her disobedience is going to be …sweet. “I’ll pass, but I will take the glass up to my wife. I’m certain she’ll be excited to see me.”

Grabbing the glass, I head to my bedroom. She went up a few minutes ago but I had to wait until the house cleared out.

You good?Luca asks.Nico and I are heading out. We’ll stop by tomorrow for a chat.

All good here. And thanks.

As I climb the stairs, my thoughts turn to the scene in my office. My little kitten is actually a big, snarling tiger. I am impressed. Nico and Luca gave me a play-by-play as it was happening. She handled the capos like a pro. Maybe too well. Maybe she is behind my ‘death.’ I didn’t believe so, but I will find out one way or another tonight. Now.

I walk in, set the glass of champagne on her nightstand, and then move to a dark corner of the room. Mia emerges from the bathroom and lets out a long breath. I watch as she exhales. I can hear her heartbeat as it starts to slow. Adrenaline is still coursing through her veins and the smell is sweetly acrid. She pulls out the pins holding her hair and drops them on the bedside table as she shakes out her long, dark curls. She grabs the glass of champagne and takes a deep drink. The black dress she’s wearing hugs her curves in a way that makes my dick harden. I am going to have my wife tonight.

I walk up behind her and clamp a hand over her nose and mouth. She drops the champagne glass and starts to struggle. “Miss me,la mia tigre?” I snarl as my wife fights to get my hand off her mouth. She truly is my tiger. She freezes at the sound of my voice.

I spin our bodies so she sees us in the mirror across the room. Mia stares at me with her dark eyes the size of golf balls. I still have my hand over her mouth. She’s stopped struggling, but I’m not willing to let her go. I grab both wrists and hold them tightly. “You looksurprised. Did you think I was dead? Did you think your plan succeeded?”

Her eyebrows snap together, and she makes a sound under my hand. She twists her head, trying to get my hand off her mouth.

“If you scream, I’ll snap your neck. Are we clear?” My tiger needs to be tamed, and threats might be the only way to handle her.

She glares at me through our reflection. There’s fire in her eyes. She’s royally pissed off. Good. That makes two of us. Slowly, she nods, and I move my hand from her mouth. I grab her around the neck instead and stare into her dark eyes.

“Renzo,” she breathes. “Where the fuck did you come from?”

Not what I was expecting. I growl, “Did you miss me, baby?” I ask as I dip my head to her neck and breathe in her scent. “I’ve missed you. I hear you’ve been running things since my death.”

She stares at my reflection. I know she’s genuinely surprised at my return, but is it because she was the one who set me up to begin with?

“Yeah, and I’m kicking ass at it.” Then she frowns. “But you’re dead. I know you were dead. How could you possibly be alive?”

I squeeze her neck just a little bit more. “Is that why you tried to kill me? Because you wanted to run things yourself? When I didn’t stay in jail you decided to kill me? No one questions my power. No one tries to kill me and lives. But first, I’m gonna make you pay for your betrayal.”

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