Page 62 of Assassin's Obsession

Which was the point I was trying to make before he derailed me.

"I did not tell them to tie you up."

"Right. You just told them to bring me to you and since I wasn't going to come along like a dog on a leash, they trussed me up like a Thanksgiving turkey."

"You should not stuff the turkey," he informs me likethat'sthe important thing he got out of my rant. "It increases the risk of food poisoning."

"So not what we are talking about right now."

"What are we talking about?" he asks, lifting me into his lap.

I let him.

Just kill me now because clearly, I have joined the ranks of too stupid to live characters in every horror novel ever. But a big part of me wants to curl up against Angelo's broad chest and forget the stress of the night and my life.

Deep inside, Iknowhe'll keep me safe. Which is probably why getting taped up didn't bother me like it would have if someone else had done it. Derian and Mario are under Angelo's orders and their boss would cut off their hands for hurting me.

They even said so.

"Knowing the important stuff about each other," I remind him.

"The most important thing about you is that you are mine." His hand slides between my long sleeved t-shirt and my bodysuit, pressing against my back. "I will always protect you."

Chapter 18

CANDI

"What would you do if I bought into your delusion and believed all the stuff that comes out of your mouth?" I have no trouble believing he wants my body and even less trouble admitting I want his too.

But no way can he really want me, Candi Brigliano, the real woman with all my baggage and history, not the fantasy dancing the pole on a stage.

"Celebrate," he says with complete earnestness.

Shut up heart, we are not that naive. "Well, it's not going to happen."

"You're not afraid of me."

I don't say anything because that is not a lie, no matter how last girl standing in a horror movie that makes me.

"Salvatore's guy had to sedate Bianca to get her back to his place," he says, mentioning my best friend and the capo she's now married to. "Derian didn't need to do that with you."

"If that's your measure of success, your bar is set too low." I do nothing to curb the sarcasm rolling off me. "That fact does not earn you, or your men, a gold star. If Derian or Mariohaddrugged me, they'd be facing way worse payback than what I'm planning."

"We are so well matched," he croons.

I roll my eyes. "Because I'm planning to make them pay? A penchant for payback is not a romantic thing to have in common."

"Agree to disagree."

I squash the smile trying to curve my lips upward. This guy. "So, this kidnapping thing is somehow normal in your world? Like your stranger marriages?"

"Arrangedmarriages. And no, not really. Severu blackmailed Catalina into marrying him. Miceli signed a blood contract with Róise after Boss Shaughnessy offered her as guarantor of an alliance," he muses. "No, kidnapping is pretty rare actually."

"Is that supposed to make me feel special?"

"You are special. You're my person."

Maybe if I ignore him, he'll stop saying stuff like that. Arguing hasn't done the trick.

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