Page 62 of Spider Demon's Kiss

Returning to the living room, I learned what my new husband meant when he requested “a few minutes”. Forty minutes later, he emerged looking more like himself.

“You took your sweet time,” I said failing to hide how annoyed I was.

“You wanted my help, didn’t you? I had to put myself on.”

He spoke as if the person I knew as Kuroi was just a mask he wore. Was it? How much did I know about Kuroi? How much could I know about him? I hadn’t known him that long.

“Coffee? I made a pot,” I told him as I held up my mug.

Kuroi poured coffee into a to-go mug and we headed out.

“So, what’s the plan?” He asked me on the drive to the office.

“We’ll meet with Lorenzo.”

“Are you sure you can trust him?”

“If I can’t, we’re in deep shit. Because he knows everything.”

“Everything?” Kuroi asked me suggestively.

“Well, there are a few things he doesn’t know. But he knows a lot.”

Kuroi didn’t reply to that. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but the more we talked, the more my Kuroi reemerged. Wait, when did I start thinking of him as ‘My Kuroi’?

That was what he was though, mine. And if anyone tried to get between us like Matteo had, they were gonna have to deal with me. My brother was going to have to learn that. But first, we were gonna have to deal with my father and his attempt to get rid of me.

Arriving at my office later than usual, I found Lorenzo already there. Sitting in the chair in front of my desk, he did a double-take when I walked in with Kuroi. With his eyes locked on Kuroi, he asked me,

“How did things go last night with Matteo?”

As I settled behind my desk, Kuroi took the club chair next to the window. Although he had worn a man’s suit, I spotted his heels as he put his feet on the coffee table. They looked like thigh high boots that would make him three inches taller.

“It was educational,” I told Lorenzo checking my calendar for the day.

“Don’t leave me in suspense. Was it him who took a shot at you?”

“I don’t think it was.”

“Then who?”

“Did you know Uncle Vinny was in town?” I said watching Lorenzo closely for deception.

“Uncle Vinny?” Lorenzo asked surprised. “Since when?”

“Don’t know. But if he’s back, there’s gotta be a reason. He’s been persona non grata with Pa our entire lives. Now Pa’s pissed a me for getting married and Uncle Vinny’s back?”

“This is Pa’s move,” Lorenzo said realizing it.

“That’s what Matteo thinks.”

“So, what are you gonna do?”

“We gotta find him and figure out why he’s here.”

“And if he’s here to do Pa’s dirty work?”

“We eliminate him.”

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