Page 91 of My Sweetest Temptation

“I don’t want to understand!” I was shouting now, delirious, my heart racing faster with each word. “I just want to go home. You can’t keep me with you!”

Nico’s expression hardened again. “The fuck I can’t! I’m not giving you up! You are?—”

In that moment, a wild impulse surged through me, and I tore myself from his grip and ran back into the maze of trees. But Nico was faster. He caught me by the wrists and spun me around to face him, our faces inches apart.

“Stop pushing me,” he growled. “There’s only one way to make you comply.”

“What—” I started to protest, but the words died on my lips as he turned my body, wrapping his arm around my neck. I grasped his strong tattooed arms, trying to break free, but within seconds, the world faded to black.

I chuckled like a maniac as I slid into the driver’s seat, knowing I’d won this round. I glanced over at Winter; her head was resting against the window and her eyes were closed. Watching her chest slowly rise with each breath she took put me in a calming trance.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Her delicate olive skin was smooth like satin.

There was a magnetic pull, an overwhelming urge to twirl one of her wavy strands of hair through my fingers. And damn, the moment I locked eyes with her that night at the club, it felt like she reached out and dug her claws into my very soul. I wanted to own her then, just like I did now. But a nagging voice in the back of my head reminded me she wouldn’t fit in my world. Still, the selfish bastard that I was, I couldn’t care less; I wanted her close, consequences be damned.

Being seen with me would put a target on her back. Usually, I wouldn’t give a shit, but something about my angel makes me want to worry.

Worry about her.

What the fuck.

None of this shit made sense to me.

I shook my head in frustration, turning the ignition off and stealing another glance at the spitfire beside me. She had been peacefully asleep the whole drive here, blissfully unaware of the storm she created within me.

So innocent. So sweet. So beautiful.

I rubbed my hands up and down my face, groaning under my breath. I slipped out of the car and pulled a cigarette from my pocket, lighting it with a flick of my lighter. As I took a drag, I glanced back at my angel, still nestled in my car, when I heard footsteps approaching from behind.

“Where the hell have you been?” Matteo threw his hands in the air, an exasperated look on his face with Lo and Luca following behind.

“Who’s that?” Lo leaned down, peering inside the car. His head popped up, eyes wide. “Oh, shit. Is that Winter?” He laughed.

“What the hell, Nico? You’re kidnapping her now?” Matteo whispered, his voice a frantic hiss, as if he feared the commotion might wake my feisty little angel.

“Relax,” I shot back, taking another drag of my cigarette and watching the smoke swirl and linger in the air. “She wouldn’t get in the car when I asked her to.”

“So, you decided to what? Take her?” Matteo scoffed.

“Yep.”

“Wait a minute.” Luca chuckled, shaking his head. “Are you telling me she got in the car willingly?”

“No. I threw her in the trunk.” The admission slipped out with a casualness that felt oddly fitting.

“Jesus,” Matteo muttered, running a hand through his beard. “You are one fucked up SOB, Nico.”

“She’s mine, and she’s staying here tonight.” I flicked the cigarette butt into the shadows, feeling a surge of protectiveness for her. “With all the shit going on with the threat, I need to make sure she is safe, and the only way to do that is if she stays with me.”

“Nico,” Lo sighed. “You do realize if they’ve already seen you with her, they’ll know she means something to you.”

“This is about keeping her alive,” I shot back.

“I don’t think this is a good idea, bro,” Lo said quietly.

“I don’t give a shit what you think. She’s mine, and that’s it. I’m done talking about this.” I turned sharply and opened the door, my heart racing as I stared at Winter. I brushed her hair away from her eyes, tucking my arms underneath her legs and lifting her from the car, mindful not to let her head bump against the hood.

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