Page 37 of Stolen Seconds

I gently pulled her back, and she looked up at me with streaks of mascara running down her face.

Now that I could take in her appearance, I could see what she was wearing—a scrap of fabric that could hardly be called clothes.

The pulse in my neck throbbed as I shrugged my leather jacket off and put it around her. “Stay right here.”

Her face paled, her eyes widening with uncertainty. “Luca, don’t do it. Please, let’s just leave.”

I cupped her face and leaned down, so I was eye level with her. “I won’t do anything. Stay here, okay?”

Doubt flickered across her features, but she nodded her head and wrapped my jacket tighter around herself.

It didn’t take long for me to barge into my father’soffice, grab the baseball bat he always left lying around like a fucking idiot and swung it across his face.

The sound of bones crunching fueled yet eased that rage inside me.

“I thought I told you to leave my sister alone, old man.”Another swing.“Did I not accept your offer?”Another swing.This time with more force causing him to lose consciousness but I didn’t care, unaware of where I was even aiming. Blood splattered across his desk and floor as I took another swing.

When his eyes fluttered, I made sure he heard my next words. “I should kill you for all you’ve done,” I seethed. “But that’d be too easy.”

He was barely breathing, his face swelling and body limp.

I stood and threw the bat on the floor, the sound of metal echoing in the room.

“You wanted a monster?” I asked, chest heaving. “Here I fucking am.”

My mind hadn’t calmed down since earlier and I knew it was seeking a release that only pain could ease.

I’d exerted myself, punching the black bag in front of me over and over again until my muscles screamed at me.

The Underground Club was empty, but it usually was around four in the morning. I enjoyed the quiet—only for a short while—until my thoughts plagued me.

Grabbing a towel from the rack, I wrapped it around my neck and wiped the sweat off my face.

I needed to head home soon before Eva woke up. I didn’t want her to stress about my whereabouts because I knew she didn’t enjoy my methods of calming down.

At least this time, I didn’t kill anyone.

Stripping my sweatpants off, I wrapped another towel around my waist and made my way down to the sauna.

It was dark in the large room, the hot air inviting, and easing the ache in my muscles.

I exhaled a breath of relief as the tension dissipated slowly.

My life wasn’t a walk in the park by any means but lately it seemed that it was getting harder to quiet my mind.

Eva.

My father.

Being the leader of the Camorra

Irina.

A smile touched my lips.Irina.My little rebel.

This insensible fascination I held for her kept spreading throughout my bloodstream every day until I couldn’t think of anything or anyone but her.

And when she cut herself that night at my house, I’d never wanted anything more.

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