Page 18 of King of the Cage

I reached the apartment building and headed for the elevators. Stepping inside, I caught sight of my reflection. My face was bruised and my lip bloodied. Dots of red were liberally scattered across my collar and soaking through my shirt. I looked disreputable as hell. An elderly couple stood in the elevator, and they glanced at me in alarm.

The older woman dug frantically through her designer clutch, and I tutted.

“As much as I respect your ability to defend yourself, ma’am, being pepper sprayed right now would put a serious damper on my evening. So, unless you want your man here to be thrown down the elevator shaft, I wouldn’t.”

She froze, and her husband pulled the bag from her and snapped it closed. They watched me with pale faces until the elevator stopped at their floor.

“You made the right choice… Have a great evening,” I called after them.

They hustled out of the elevator, turning to stare at me like I was the Antichrist as soon as they were clear. The woman even crossed herself. I gave her a mocking salute just before the doors closed, whisking me upward toward the top floor and my date with destiny.

Door 20A sat at the end of a long hall. It was quiet, which was convenient. Breaking into luxury apartment buildings tended to attract pesky attention like security guards. I didn’t plan on anyone saving Giada from me tonight. Luckily, the doorman was partial to bribery, as I’d found out when I’d passed him at reception.

I stopped by the keypad and reached into my pocket. I was old-school when it came to breaking and entering. I’d heard you could get electronic master keys these days. Nifty little devices that could read the signature of the lock and open it. I preferred something I could do with my hands. Fishing a card out of my wallet, I slid it down the narrow gap above the lock and got to work.

It clicked open seconds later. Some skills you never forgot, and breaking and entering was one of my fortes.

I stepped into the apartment cautiously. It was quiet. My instincts tingled madly. She knew I was here. She was waiting. I had a feeling she wasn’t waiting the way I’d told her to.

I entered fully, my feet muffled by the thick carpet, and shut the door behind me. The silence screamed with loaded intentions. I was here for my prize, but I could already feel I was going to have to fight her for it. I wasn’t sure if she was going to welcome me with open legs or try and shoot me. The unpredictability kept my attention, and I really fucking liked that.

The sound of ice tinkling against something caught my attention as I eased through the apartment. I turned toward it, only to realize my mistake seconds later. It had only been a distraction. The real danger came at me from the other side, while my back was turned. A sharp object pressed into my neck from behind, right over my carotid artery.

“Honey, I’m home,” I murmured after a beat of tense silence.

“Funny,” Giada said.

Hell, even her low, throaty voice was doing it for me, and the hint of Italian that worked through her accent. Indecently hot.

“It was, wasn’t it?” My light, disinterested tone belied my actions. I reared back, dislodging the knife for a second, long enough to push her hand up and take it from her, whirling us both around. Her body met the door hard, and I was right there. I held her knife, poised right beside her face.

Her dark eyes were huge, staring up at me with surprise and maybe even a little respect, but that could have been wishful thinking. I got the feeling Renato’s little right-hand hacker was hard to impress. She wet her dark-red lips, and it was like a kick to the goddamn groin. Her eyes flickered to the knife.

“That’s mine,” she said.

“Well, you took something of mine, so I guess we’re even.” I rocked my hips against her; I couldn’t help it. Being in touching distance of this woman made me feel like a fucking animal.

“What did I take of yours?” she scoffed.

“You. You took yourself away, when I’d very clearly told you what to do next. That wasn’t very nice, wee one.”

“Well, I’m not very nice. Haven’t you heard?” She raised her pointed chin at me, as if her words might actually put me off.

“I don’t listen to idle gossip. It rots the brain,” I told her calmly.

She wriggled against me. “How wise of you. Let me go.”

I tutted. “Why? So you can try and stab me again? I’m here to collect what you owe me, but if you want to wrestle some more, I’m fine with it. Whatever floats your boat… I’m fine with it. But can I make a suggestion? Let’s lose the clothes first. Wrestling is so much more fun naked.”

“Learned that in prison, did you?” she challenged, drawing a hearty laugh from me.

“Aye, maybe I did. You’ve got claws, Santori.” I stroked a hand down her creamy cheek. Her skin was bronze against mine. A beautiful brown color I could get lost in for days.

“So?” Giada challenged and raised that chin further. This girl was itching for a fight. “Does it turn you off?”

I shook my head slowly. “Quite the opposite. Have your claws, bite and scratch all you want. It doesn’t change anything.” I leaned in and placed one hand against the base of her neckso she couldn’t move her head. I traced my lips over her ear. “Tonight, you’re mine.”

She shivered beneath me. The strong, slim column of her neck flexed as she attempted to move but couldn’t. Her lips parted, and her pupils were blown. Her pulse thundered against my hand.

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