Page 69 of Sin & Sapphire

“Why would they?” Luca responded. “They owe no loyalty to Angelo, and you’re just a—” he stopped himself.

“Just a woman,” Ana finished bitterly. “Can you hold the territory until I return?”

My fingers tightened around her calves. Not once had we discussed what would happen afterward, nor her role in the Costa empire going forward. Fuck.

“You think my father will lift a finger to save an inch of Costa territory?” Luca’s laugh was as bitter as Ana’s.

Angelo’s eyes narrowed on his angel’s face, no doubt sensing the same undercurrents between them as I did.

His fingers crept up her thigh. She slammed her legs together and snatched at the phone. It slipped from Angelo’s fingers, rescued only by my quick reflexes.

“Ana?” Luca asked from the other side of the Atlantic.

Angelo shoved his hand between her thighs, asserting his ownership of our pretty little toy. She gasped and tried to push off of our laps, but we held her too tightly.

Angelo shoved the fingers of his free hand in her mouth, and I pinched her nipple hard in warning.

She mumbled around Angelo’s fingers, her voice weak as he fucked her mouth with rhythmic certainty, marking his claim against the American upstart.

“We’ll be back in a few days,” I said, watching Ana fight her rising need.

“What the fuck did you not understand when I said that Tchérnov burned down the Costa’s family compound? Do you think there will be anything left for Ana—for any of you to return to in a few more days?”

Ana arched her back, her teeth digging into Angelo’s fingers to keep from crying out, as Angelo finger-fucked her without mercy.

“Ana’s not ready to come yet,” I said shortly. Her eyes met mine with hurt and anger. “But soon, I think,” I conceded, and she melted with relief, her legs spreading over my lap as I hung up. I tossed the phone onto a side table and slapped her pussy, once, twice, three times, sending her careening over the edge into orgasm once again.

Angelo withdrew his fingers from her pussy and held them up to me, his eyes glinting with amusement. I licked her arousal off him before scrubbing my face with frustration. We had to figure out what the fuck we were going to do with Ana. And soon.

27

ANA

Shock settleddeep in my chest when I tested the doorknob to my room in what had become my daily morning ritual. Fuck yes, they’d forgotten to lock me in. Or maybe they trusted me after I’d submitted last night. More fool them.

The door cracked open, and I leapt back, my heart pounding as if Valentin were standing right there, waiting to punish my transgressions. When the expected punishment didn’t follow, I opened the door a hair farther and peered down the hallway.

They were gone.

No longer shy about my nudity, I padded into the living room and immediately tried the door to the apartment. Locked tight, it needed a palm print to unlock. I knew there was at least one guard on the other side—I’d seen Valentin and Angelo talk to their men coming in and out. And they wouldn’t leave me alone and unguarded.

On the other hand, this was a modern building with updated appliances, expensive light fixtures, and—my eyes darted upward—sprinklers.

I’d disappeared once, figured out how to hustle on the streets, where to get a fake ID, found a place to sleep, for three fucking weeks before these assholes found me. I could do it again.

I had to, no matter how terrifying it was, no matter how much I wanted to sink to my knees and enjoy the ruffle of Angelo’s fingers through my hair, or the soft “good girl,” when I pleased Valentin. I spun around, my arms open, laughing to myself, before wondering if the apartment had cameras inside. Guess I’d find out soon. I’d need clothes. And money.

To my delight, Valentin and Angelo hadn’t bothered locking the room they shared. Why would they, when I was supposed to be locked in my own room all day?

I inhaled the citrus and sandalwood scent, taking comfort in the familiarity, then hating myself for wanting to be covered in it. Like the rest of the apartment, their room was spartan, a simplepied-à-terrefor them to crash at instead of a hotel. Still, it held signs of their personalities. Angelo’s side was chaos, clothes hung neatly and suits pressed, but shoes haphazard on the floor, with cufflinks tossed carelessly on the bedside table. Valentin’s was neat as a pin, obsessive even to the way he’d folded his ties in a drawer, organized by color.

Working quickly, more scared than I wanted to admit of the punishment I would get if Valentin caught me, I grabbed a T-shirt of Angelo’s and a pair of his boxer briefs, then snatched one of Valentin’s button downs. Their pants would be too big, but if I could belt the waist of the shirt, it’d pass as a dress, though barely.

I rifled through their room, letting my curiosity run wild while I hunted for everything I’d need. As I searched a dresser, I felt something hard scrape the top of my hand. Valentin had taped a gun to the top of his sock drawer.

Oh, fuck yes, Santa Maria, please keep smiling on me.

I found a leather bag, then snatched their cufflinks to pawn and looked for cash in the drawers too. Nothing. No matter.

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