Page 20 of Lord of Little Italy

Tall Guy comes at me from behind - I hear his footsteps, heavy and uncontrolled. I drive an elbow into his already broken nose, spin, and drop him with a knee to the groin. He goes down hard, cursing in what sounds like Romanian. Interesting.

Four men. Four groaning heaps on the floor. And my dress isn't even torn.

Amateur hour.

I retrieve my knife, checking the blade. Clean - didn't even need to use it. Just like in training, when Tony bet me I couldn'ttake him down without drawing the practice blade. The look on his face when I proved him wrong...

Distant shouts and a loud bang echo through the building. Smoke starts seeping under the door. Right on cue.

I smooth my dress, adjust my hair, and check my reflection in a broken window. Split lip, slightly messed up makeup. Not bad considering. The dress still looks amazing - I wore it to dinner last week, caught Tony staring more than once. Good to know it works for both seduction and ass-kicking.

The door bursts open. Tony and Dom charge in, guns raised, smoke swirling around them like something out of an action movie. They freeze at the sight of me standing over my would-be kidnappers.

"Bella." Tony's voice is rough. His eyes rake over me, checking for injuries. The concern there makes my heart skip, damn him.

I smile sweetly. "You're late."

Dom looks from me to the men on the floor, then back. "You couldn't have waited for us?"

"Sorry, brother dear. You know how impatient I get." I step over Tall Guy, who's still clutching his groin and moaning. "Though Tony's timing is consistent. Always showing up after I've handled things myself."

Tony holsters his weapon, closes the distance between us in two strides. His hands come up to frame my face, eyes intense. The touch sends electricity through me, but I keep my expression neutral. He hasn't earned anything else yet.

"You're okay?"

"Better than them." I nod at my former captors. "Though one of them said something interesting. Called you my boyfriend."

Color stains his cheeks. Behind him, Dom sighs heavily.

"Isabella..."

"We should talk about that," I say. "After you buy me breakfast. I worked up quite an appetite kicking their asses."

A smile tugs at Tony's lips. "I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?"

"Not a chance." I pat his cheek. "That's what you get for being a coward."

More men pour into the room, securing the groaning kidnappers. Dom barks orders about clean-up and interrogation. I catch something about Vitale connections - might explain a few things.

But Tony just keeps looking at me like I'm some kind of miracle. Like he's finally seeing what I've known all along.

"I love you," he says softly.

I grin. "I know. Took you long enough to admit it." I straighten his collar, letting my fingers linger. "Now take me to breakfast. And Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time someone threatens me? Remember I can handle myself."

His laugh is shaky but real. "Trust me, princess. That's one lesson I'm never going to forget."

Dom approaches, phone in hand. "Mom's worried sick. You should call her."

"After breakfast," I say firmly. "I need coffee and pancakes before I deal with her panic."

"Isabella—"

"Dom." I turn to my brother. "I just took down four armed men by myself. I think I've earned pancakes."

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