Page 59 of Make You Mine

He seems to ponder on that briefly before responding. “You’re right. Let’s see what they ask of us first. If it's unreasonable, then we will agree long enough to get out of there and get Nico involved.”

“Okay, I’m still at Hotel Luxure. Can you swing by here to get me?”

“Yeah, be there in thirty.”

I toss the phone beside me and let out a frustrated groan.

I’m getting so tired of playing this game with Junior and his men. I know we are closer than ever. Nico keeps telling me to be patient. He says he has a plan in the works, which he will have full details on soon. But I’m starting to get antsy every day we get closer to Junior coming back to America.

Snatching the pillow up from beside me, I bring it to my face, wanting to scream out my frustrations, but instead, I take a deep breath, and instantly, a different emotion stirs within me. She left for her mother’s a couple hours ago, but I smell her. Floral… Jasmine…with a tiny hint of cedar.

With my head still buried in the pillow, I picture her beautiful face lying right next to me this morning.

I won’t let him touch her again, no matter what I must do.

Even if it means going off script, I will find a way.

My nose instinctively snarls when I look up at the purple sign on the building just thinking about the way Junior behaved the last time we were here.

The door opens, and I immediately feel the thick tension in the air.

I’m thankful I listened to Trevor when he reminded me to leave my gun in the car, since they only think of us as doctors. But my alarm bells start going off when I realize this is the first time security has ever searched us.

Maybe it’s because Junior is gone, and they don’t know who we are.

But when my eyes meet an anxious Micah across the room seated next to his boss, the head of the New York City Cosa Nostra, I know we’ve just walked into something a whole hell of a lot messier.

Ashley.

I take a calming breath, composing myself. Ash is at her mom’s and Luca will be picking her up soon.He’s got her. She’s fine.

“Surprised to see me?” Junior asks in a tone much too nice for my liking.

Trevor’s steady voice responds, “Surprised to be here. We thought your doctor was back in town.”

He nods to the couch across from him. “Come, make yourselves comfortable.”

Trevor does as he asks while I move closer but don’t sit down. Cataloging the made men standing throughout the room. No patrons or strippers in sight.

No doubt, this is a complete setup. And by the look on Micah’s face, he had no idea either, which means Junior knows a lot more than we want him to.

“My doctor is in town, but you two provided such good services; I wanted to discuss a future together.”

What the fuck is he playing at?

I need to call Luca and make sure he doesn’t take her home. We can deal with the consequences later.

“Okay, what is the need?” my brother asks, his tone composed, so far from how I feel right now.

Junior snatches my brother’s arm. “Well, first, we need to clear up a few things…” Pushing Trevor’s shirt up, he traces his thumb over the four tally marks. “I should have known you were associated with that scum of an uncle of mine.” I think I knew this was coming the minute we walked in the door, but fuck how I wish we were better prepared.

I know Trevor can handle himself, but I immediately step closer. “Don’t fucking touch him.”

With my brother’s arm still in his grip, he changes his sneer onto me. “Oh, but you love touching things that don’t belong to you, don’t you, Trent Manning?”

“Interesting things you discover when you’re not around… imagine my surprise when my staff mentioned how the good doctor was sneaking around upstairs in my house and entering my wife’s room. Then seeing pictures of you two parading around like some sort of happy couple. You should know better not to play with other people’s property.”

Grinding my molars and clenching my fists, I try my hardest to remain levelheaded. Keeping Ashley’s safety in mind. But the smug as fuck look on his face has my words spilling out before I can shut them down. “She never belonged to you in the first place. In order for that to be the case, she would have had a choice in the matter.” I level him with a stare, and I know I’ve struck a nerve with the way his jaw tics. “You and I both know she hasn’t willingly given you anything.”

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