Page 43 of Black Widow's Kiss

“Oh, that’s how you treat hookups. I’m your husband til death do us part,” he said with a smile that would made me pee my pants if I still thought he was sent to kill me. “So, who else?” he said impatiently.

I looked at Lorenzo for a last minute reason for why I shouldn’t tell him. My brother didn’t provide it.

“One person who might have a reason to get rid of me is…” I took a breath before admitting it, “our father.”

Kuroi thought about it. “I could see that.”

“You can? Why?” I asked surprised.

“You’re younger, you’re stronger, you’re smarter. You’re a threat.”

“A threat to what? I’m leading the family. His family.”

“Exactly. His family and you’re leading it. That could make a person feel a certain way.”

“A way to make a father put a hit out on his son?” I asked both offended and shocked.

“I would,” Kuroi volunteered.

“You would have your son killed for taking over the family business?”

“That would depend.”

“On what?”

“Did I give it to him or did he take it. If he took it and I wasn’t ready to let go,” Kuroi gestured across his neck.

Lorenzo replied, “But in your case, it would be more like,” and clutched his heart pretending to have a heart attack.

Kuroi looked at Lorenzo with fire in his eyes. I braced myself. Looks couldn’t kill but Kuroi could.

“I think what my brother is saying is that your reputation precedes you.”

“Oh, thank you!” Kuroi responded taking it as a complement. He turned to Lorenzo. “And I’m sure if anyone gave a fuck about who you were, your reputation would precede you, too.”

Lorenzo squirmed taking the insult on the chin.

“Anyway,” I interrupted. “You aren’t our father. So, I don’t know how relevant your opinion is.”

Kuroi leaned forward engaged.

“Tell me this, if your father were to send someone after you, who would it be?”

I looked at Lorenzo again.

“If he sent someone, the most-likely person would be Matteo.”

“The psycho who killed one of my father’s men by tying him to the back of a car and dragging him to death?”

“Yes. Our brother, Matteo.”

“Oh, he would totally kill you.”

Lorenzo laughed. I wasn’t sure why.

“You don’t know that,” I said dismissively.

“I’m saying he’s capable of killing you. I didn’t say he’s tried.”

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