Page 13 of Savage Rule

There’s a grunt on the other end. “Of course you did.”

His disappointment is palpable through the phone and it bothers me that he’d say it as if I’m the family screw-up. I never fucking screw up. Except for this time, of course.

“I didn’t go in there for kicks,” I clarify. “I saw Gideon’s minion. Followed her in. But she vanished once I got inside.” Partly true.

“Fuck. Sheisthere, then.”

“Would seem.”

“Did she see you?”

“No.” Fuck, I hate lying.

Luca stays quiet for a breath, as if he’s considering his next order. “She might be a creature of habit. Go back to the same place. But if you see her, don’t engage. Follow her. I want you to stalk her ass until you know what fucking hole she crawls out of every day. If Sofia is with her, that’s where she’ll be.”

“What about Marcone? Can’t he take her out now that she’s in his city?”

He scoffs. “I thought you were itching to take her out yourself. Besides, you know the deal with the Marcones.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The thing with the ruling family in New Orleans is, they havefamigliain New York.Famigliawho’s had territorial “disputes” with the Sinacores in the past. We might be on friendly terms now, but we’re certainly not friends. Which means, they will allow me to hunt down my enemy in their territory, but they will not intervene if shit hits the fan.

“You should have told Marcone that he was on Gideon’s hit list,” I say.

“I’d rather have him as a potential ally. He might reconsider helping us find her.”

“Might be more willing to if you concede some Sinacore territory to his wife.”

He sighs. “If you don’t find Sofia, I might not have a choice. I’ll do anything.”

I rub the goose egg on my forehead and wince. It’s only one of many. “I’ll find her.”

And this time I won’t let her go.Ihave no choice.

4

SCARLET

“What on Earth?” Miss Sherry jumps from her seat when I burst into the foyer ofLa Maison Rouge. “What happened toyou? Were you in an accident?”

I slam the door shut behind me and run past her. “I’m okay, Miss Sherry. Go back to doing… Whatever you were doing.”

“Miss Holland!” she calls after me, but I’m already halfway up the stairs.

“I’m okay,” I repeat. Except I’m not. “Shit.”

With a shaky hand, I unlock my door and slip into the dark suite, closing it quietly behind me. It takes me a few moments to catch my breath. I stand there, peering into the silent room, scanning every shadowy corner for anything suspicious, listening intently for any foreign sound inside or out.

When I’m finally sure I wasn’t followed, that I’m not going to be ambushed, I flick the light switch. The lamp on the nightstand turns on.

I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror hanging over the dresser and have to stifle a gasp. No wonder Miss Sherry thought something had happened to me, I’m a mess! My hair isdisheveled, eye makeup is running down my face, and the black mesh of my turtle is neck torn in several spots.

Taking a step to get a better look, I grimace. Gunn really did a number on me. I touch a tender spot on my cheek and wince. A cough escapes me, and the fire I feel in my windpipe reminds me of exactly how far I allowed him to go.

I hook the turtleneck with my finger and tug it down and yikes. If Miss Sherry had seen the bruises on my neck, she’d have called the cops. As it is, I’m not sure she won’t.

“Fucking, Dimples,” I say. He came much too close to killing me.

---