Page 91 of King Of Order

‘You had nothing. I overpowered you weapons-free.’

‘Is he dead?’

‘No, but he’ll wake up with a nasty headache.’

‘Are we leaving him?’

Rio bit his lip, irritated by my disobedience and twenty-to-one questions. ‘What kind of monster do you take me for? I’ll call the cops and report a trespasser. They’ll cart him away, and he’ll have little to go on to prove he wasn’t an intruder. He’ll probably be slapped with a fine or jail for a few days.’

‘All for hiding in the bushes?’

‘Chiara, he might have killed you.’

This time Rio spoke with such power, his rumble so menacing I locked up.

Still, I found some willpower in me to grouse. ‘But he didn’t. You’re the one who almost slayed me with a heart attack when you jumped me.’

‘For fucks sake,’ he growled. ‘Why so contrary? I just protected your life, and you’re giving me a hard time. Woman, you’re going to be the end of me.’

‘All this drama for a walk?’

‘You don’t understand it, do you? You’ve got the hounds of hell after you. I just saved you from one of them. You’d think I’d get a thank you from you.’

We glared at each other again, even as I simmered down, the adrenaline fading.

The reality hit. ‘He was truly trailing me?

‘For three streets.’

‘How did you find me?’

‘You unlocking then locking your front door sent me an instant alert on my phone. Your key chain and phone have locators via the software and apps I downloaded when I first got here. The rest you can work out.’

I calmed further down at the realization he’d saved my ass when I’d needed him to.

‘Grazie,’ I murmured. ‘Bello,’ I added, softening my voice and reaching a hand to touch his.

‘Apology accepted,’ he rasped, those pale blue eyes glittering. ‘Now you understand the importance of giving me a heads up every fuckin’ time you leave the house?’

I nodded.

‘Va bene. Let’s go home.’

He lifted a hand to usher me forward.

I took a breath and began walking, thankful for the opportunity to blow off steam before we reached my front door.

When we did, he surprised me by grabbing my arm and pushing me against the external jamb.

One hand gripped my waist, and the other slid to my neck. His thumb rested on its pulse point.

I stared at him, not quite being his pale blue eyes through the glasses.

But fuck, I felt the intensity.

‘Leonessa, you cannot go wandering like that ever again until all this shit is over.’

I lilted my head, reached a hand, and slipped off his sunglasses.

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