Page 86 of King of Obsession

It’s like he’d vanished.

I had a sudden thought and rushed in my socks to theparking shed.

With relief, I tagged his ride, which was still parked by my 4X4.

Wherever he’d disappeared to, it must have been close by.

The two sides of me battled with opposing facts.

That he was a man who radiated menace and ruthlessness beyond my understanding.

Yet also the one person I’d come to depend on for my peace of mind.

After years of isolation and not letting anyone in, his dark, broody sensuality had slipped under my skin, pushed away my barriers, and turned into my safe anchor.

I shivered, hoping he’d not gone far and would return. Soon.

The alternative was nothing I wanted to consider.

Minutes passed.

I restarted the fire and thought about putting on coffee when the scrape of boots sounded on the front steps, followed by the silent easing in my door.

I spun as he pushed in, mane wild, eyes hard, gun in hand.

‘What in the hell?’ I whispered to myself.

We locked eyes across the room, and then, on impulse, I moved to him, and he to me.

His arms encircled me in seconds, holding me tight and close, murmuring Italian words into my hair.

His hands slid up and down my back and gave in to the stroke, welcoming the heat, warmth, and relief he offered.

In time, I stepped away, eyes flicking to his shirt, my hand reaching for him.

‘You’re bleeding.’

‘It’s not mine,’ he growled.

That’s when I tagged the fire in his eyes.

This was a whole new, differentAlessio.

He was a vengeful god, a fearsome force of divine execution, the fuckin’ punisher and lethal enforcer.

I did not doubt that whatever he’d witnessed outside, he was willing and ready to mete out swift justice and relentless vengeance without mercy.

‘What the hell happened?’ I searched his face, my gaze wary. ‘Where were you?’ I asked, voice hoarse with worry.

I caught his hesitation.

Finally, he took my hand and drew me to the couch, where the fire crackled. He jerked his chin at the sofa and urged me to sit.

He pulled the armchair close so he’d be eye-to-eye with me.

‘I heard a noise and went outside to check on it,’ he began, his deep timbre rolling over me.

‘I found a man on your property, trying to cut through the fence,’ he went on, eyes narrowed on me with close intent. ‘I nabbed him before he could do any damage. Did a little questioning, then dragged him down the valley and left him trussed naked on your neighbor’s land.’

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