Page 15 of Bound to the Crime Lord

She blinked again, her eyes moving over every inch of my face as if to check if what she was seeing was really in front of her.

“You’re fine now, Juliette. No one is going to hurt you here, okay? You’re okay.”

She closed her eyes and then opened them again. This time there was a shine in her eyes as the tears built up inside of them. Her bottom lip quivered as she tried to control her emotions.

I took the cup from her hand and set it to the side. She didn’t fight me when I pulled her to my chest and held her against my heart. I cradled the back of her head in my hand and pressed into me. I didn’t know if it was more for her account or mine.

I looked over my shoulder at Rodrigo and gave him a nod. He inclined his neck in my direction and left us in the kitchen.

The first shaky cry left her lips followed by small little shudders in her spine. Her hands clutched onto my shirt for dear life, her tears soaking the expensive cotton.

I was not a compassionate man by any means, and I didn’t have a single ‘soft’ bone in my body. But I held onto this woman like she was the most delicate of china. I allowed her to cry and release her sadness and shock, all the while I held her and plotted the murder of whoever was behind all of this.

Chapter Seven

Juliette POV

Isat across from Manuel’s very large desk in his study. We stared at each other, neither one of us letting up.

After my little moment in the kitchen, I quickly came back to my senses and realized who this man was again.

I had cried in the arms of Chicago’s biggest Drug Lord, and not only that, he had held me like I was the most fragile and prized possession he had ever laid eyes on.

“No.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “You can’t make me live with you.”

He stared at me with those chocolate eyes of his. This time, they had taken on a dark glint as he fixed his sight on me. He had changed from his original casual attire and was now in his semi-formal dress shirt, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It hurt that this man was so dangerously gorgeous. It was a cruel fate that such beauty existed on such evil.

Manuel leaned back in his chair. “Need I remind you that you were almost killed tonight?”

A shudder ran down my spine. “The realization is not lost on me.”

“Had it not been for my men, you would be lying in a morgue right now.”

Another cold shudder ran down my spine.

“And I am grateful. But saving me doesn’t warrant me needing to work for you. I already told you that our business does not mix.”

“I’m aware.” His thick voice was coated in annoyance. “Let me put this plainly for you,amor. You are a target now. The man who tried to kill you is a part of an enemy gang that has been plotting my demise for years now. They killed my father, and now they want to kill you.”

The blood ran cold in my veins. “Excuse me?”

Manuel leaned his elbows on the hardwood desk, his eyes holding mine with great intensity. The air in the study chilled, and whatever false bravado I had faded away.

“They must have seen me with you, and now believe that you are my woman, or one of my women. They will stop at nothing to see my downfall, and they will try to harm whoever I care about, or what theyperceiveI care about.”

I gulped. The trepidation sunk into my bones like heavy cement.

“If you choose to not take my protection, not only will you be endangering your life, but you will also be endangering the life of your friends and family. The world I live in only knows one language, and that is the one of violence. When we seek a target, we seek their blood, and if they can’t get to you, they will get to everyone around you until they get to you. Make no mistake of that,amor. So, if you wish to take on an entire organization of murderers and criminals on your own, then be my guest. But one thing you must understand is that you will not live past a fortnight. That I can assure you with certainty.”

“I…”

Why did my throat suddenly seem so dry?

“I know you have your reservations about me, Juliette, and you have every right to. Anyone with enough sense knows to stay away from me. Like you said, I am Lucifer personified.” The slight tilt of his lips made him look both handsome and intimidating at the same time. He had this way about him that drew you in, but once you got close enough, I was more than sure you would feel his venom, like one with a cobra.

He was both enchanting and deadly.

“I am all things evil, but I am also a man of my word. My word is my bond. Once I make a promise, I keep it. It is our code in the Brotherhood, and to go against one’s word is to bring shame to your name and your family name.”

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