Page 34 of Enforcer

I grind my teeth before I realize his game is working and force myself to stop.

“I’m sure I’ll be late as well. I have to plan the wedding details with Lorenzo and Antonio, and they don’t seem to get along too well just yet.”

“They’re from two very different families. There’s going to be growing pains while the men settle.”

Something about the way he’d said it had my stomach knotting. Their life is wholly different from what Brynne and I are used to. And though I’m confident we’re going to make it our bitch, I know it’s going to be trying at times.

“That’s understandable. I guess I’ll go easy on them.”

His shift in mood is throwing me off, and I don’t like it. I get up and collect my dishes, taking them to the sink as I wash them.

The rush of water from the faucet covers his steps, and I nearly scream and drop the mug in my hand when he presses into me from behind, skimming his lips over my ear.

“You’re much more amenable this morning, tesoro.”

I can’t fucking breathe.

My eyes flick down to where his tattooed hand is gripping the edge of the sink, white-knuckled with veins popping on its surface.

He loves to cage me in.

“Lost your voice?” he taunts as I try to keep my bodily reaction to him at a minimum.

“No.”

“Put the mug down,” he orders, and his voice holds so much command I almost instantly listen before I think better of it.

“I’m washing it,” I counter.

“I pay people to do that. Put it down.”

I continue to wash the mug and place it gently in the drying rack to the right of the sink, reaching to shut off the water.

Once it’s off, Dante twirls me around to face him. Tipping my chin up with two fingers, he scans my face as if trying to riddle me out or pull himself together before he speaks. “Tesoro, having you here is setting me on edge. It would be a good idea for you to listen to me.”

“Why?” I breathe. “What’ll you do if I don’t? Spank me?”

He doesn’t laugh, and there’s no amusement on his face. “Do you know what I do for a living, Alyssa?”

The deathly tone of his voice and how it doesn't waver has me shifting on my feet.

“I know what you do, Dante.”

At least, I think I do.

“If you did, you wouldn’t want a man like me to feel uneasy. You’d do everything you could to make him steadier.”

I open my mouth to give sass back, and that’s when I see it, sadness.

There’s a lurking darkness in his eyes that he can’t hide for long, and he let it dull his usual shine momentarily before he stowed it as he spoke.

“Dante.” I reach up and cup his cheek.

I’m ready for him to react negatively. To push away and storm out of the apartment.

He doesn’t, however.

He closes his eyes and leans into my touch.

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