Page 117 of King of Obsession

Over my dead body.

‘Do it now!’ I snarled.

The Contis exchanged glances and relented, raising their hands in surrender and bending to place their guns on the floor.

‘Kick them to Cleo.’

They gave a collective groan.

‘Fuckin’ do it, or your old man’s skull is egg salad.’

They did as I demanded, flicking their feet to slide the weapons towards my woman.

I jerked my chin, and she picked them up, turning one on the cursing men.

‘Mr Nichols, are you OK?’

I addressed the injured man, who had fallen silent, clenching his jaw and still clutching his thigh.

‘I’ll live,’ he murmured.

‘Nancy, please help your husband.’

His wife rushed from the kitchen where she’d been hiding. She shot me a grateful look, then, with the aid of a server, helped her man to his feet, and they limped away.

Once they were clear, I prowled around the room until my body and weapon were between Cleo and the quartet.

I sized up my opponents, my muscles tensed, ready for action.

My eyes raked over Franco.

‘Fuck, you’ve aged,’ I growled. ‘Prison sure sucked the life out of you.’

The jailbird’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward, his fists clenching at his sides.

His sons flanked him, their stances aggressive and menacing.

‘Who the hell are you?’ he snarled, his gaze flicking from me to Cleo. ‘This is a matter for me and my fiancee. Stay out of it, or you’ll regret it.’

I barked out a harsh laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. ‘Your fuckin’ what? You delusional piece of shit. She was never yours, and she never will be.’

As I spoke, I felt Cleo’s hand on my arm, her fingers digging into my skin.

I glanced down at her, tagging the wariness and defiance warring in her eyes. She shook her head, pleading with me not to escalate the situation.

I can’t back down now, carissima,I thought, my resolve hardening.

I wouldn’t let him hurt her again. Not when I was still breathing.

I turned back to Franco, my stance widening as I prepared for the inevitable confrontation. ‘You want her? You’ll have to go through me first,’ I declared, my voice ringing with conviction. ‘And trust me, that’s a fight you don’t want to pick.’

Conti’s sons shifted behind him, their faces still bearing the marks of our last encounter.

Fabio’s nose was crooked, a testament to the solid right hook I’d landed, while Bruno sported a nasty black eye.

The eldest Rocco appeared wary, his jaw still bandaged and his gaze darting from his father and me.

‘You think you’re some kind of tough guy?’ Franco sneered, his lips curling into a mocking smile. ‘You have no idea who you’re dealing with. I own this town, and I always get what Iwant.’

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