Page 104 of Dangerous Devotion

A commotion right next to me drew my attention. Cara was on her feet, her face flushed as she glared at Cristo.

“You’re impossible!” she snapped, her voice rising. “Do you ever think before you speak?”

Cristo grinned, seemingly unfazed by her anger. “Come on, Topolina, you know you love it. Isn’t that what one of the heroes of those books you’re constantly reading would say?”

Cara narrowed her brows. “Well, for one, you’re nothing like the heroes in my books, and secondly, just eww.”

I blinked, shocked at the venom in Cara’s voice as she fired back her retort. What the hell was going on there? My quiet, bookish sister had been replaced by a spitfire I barely recognized.

The way she and Cristo faced each other, trading barbs and heated glances, was both fascinating and slightly alarming.

I shared a gaze with Sophie, who shrugged and gave me a lopsided smile. Wait, so there was something going on between the two of them?

Vince watched the interaction, as well, then caught my chin and turned my head to him. “How about you and I take a little nap?” He waggled his eyebrows, and my mouth fell open. Did he really just say that in front of everyone?”

And sure enough, Matt whistled through his teeth while Dom, Cristo, Gabe, and Alex chuckled.

I stared at him, but something in his eyes told me he needed some alone time. And pretending he wanted some sexy times with me was his way out.

I raised my arms, and he lifted me out of my seat.

“This is basically our honeymoon,” I purred to the group and waved, trying to appear as gracious as I could being whisked away like that.

Everyone thought we would do it like rabbits anyway, so the best approach was to attack instead of defend.

His arms tightened around me as he carried me up the stairs. I could feel the tension radiating off him, his jaw clenched and eyes stormy. My heart raced, confused by his sudden mood shift. Had Zotov contacted him? Was that what he was furious about?

Was he even furious?

“What’s wrong?” I asked as he kicked the door—to what was apparently our bedroom—shut behind us. “I was just catching up with my sisters.”

He set me down gently on the bed, then began pacing. “Gabe told me about something called the Paraskia Syndicate,” he growled. “Apparently, they’ve approached him, and he thinks we should work with them, too.”

I frowned, sitting up straighter. “The Paraskia Syndicate? I’ve never heard of them.”

Vince ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every movement. “Neither have I, and that’s what worries me. With everything that’s happened—Zotov, my father, the kidnapping—I don’t trust anyone or anything right now.”

My heart ached to see him so torn. I stood up and wrapped my arms around his waist, pressed my cheek against hischest. “Hey,” I said softly, “we’ll figure this out together, okay? You’re not alone.”

He relaxed slightly into my embrace, his arms coming around me. “I know,” he murmured. “I just…I can’t risk losing you again. I just can’t.”

I tilted my head up, meeting his intense gaze. “You won’t,” I promised. “I’m right here. We’ll be careful, and we’ll stay together.”

Our lips met in a heated kiss, all the fear and tension of the past few days pouring out.

Vince’s hands roamed my body, pulling me closer as if he could erase every moment we’d been apart. I melted into him, tangled my fingers in his hair.

As things grew more passionate, I felt something crinkle in Vince’s pocket. Curious, I broke the kiss, my hand moving to investigate.

“What’s this?” I asked, breathless.

He narrowed his eyes again and pulled a letter out of his pocket. “Another surprise,” he said and handed it to me.

I took the letter from his hand and scanned over his name.

“Who is it from?”

“My mother.”

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