Page 98 of My Sweetest Temptation

“Make the calls, find the rat, and let’s get our shipment back. I want answers. Use all force necessary to get them to talk.”

Rat? Shipment? Use force? My mind spun with questions. What kind of trouble was he wrapped up in? Was this some sort of illegal business?

This wasn’t just a casual chat over pizza and beer; it felt like I’d stumbled into the middle of a storm, and I couldn’t quite wrap my head around the chaos swirling around me.

Before I could process what I just heard, Mya cleared her throat sharply. Nico’s head snapped toward us, his gaze landing on Mya and Aurelio first, and then shifting to me. His piercing blue eyes locked onto mine, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

The instant our eyes connected, an electric shock shot through me. Her golden-brown eyes sparkled in the light.

She looked sexy as hell in the clothes I’d picked out for her. It took everything in me to keep my hands to myself. My gaze dropped to Winter’s side, where my dog stood, alert and on edge, his posture rigid. He was sizing me up, an unusual protectiveness radiating from him.

Interesting.

“I’m taking Winter home,” Mya announced, her tone deceptively light, but the words landed like a blow. Taking Winter home? My stomach twisted at the thought of her leaving.

“What?” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “No, you’re not.”

Mya raised an eyebrow as if to argue, but she didn’t.

Smart girl.

“Nico, it’s probably best to let her go since we have work to do,” Matteo said, reminding me of the cluster fuck we had to deal with.

He was right, but having Winter nearby grounded me. She calmed the storm inside, providing a peace I desperately clung to, and I badly needed that with everything going on. I didn’t want her to slip away from me right now.

“Mya will keep you company while I handle some business. You’ll stay for dinner,” I said to Winter, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Winter’s cute little nostrils flared, her fingers twitching at her sides, her lips pressing into a thin line.

Ohhh. My little angel was furious.

“No, Nico. What I’m going to do is go home,” she shot back.

I clenched my jaw, irritation flaring. She was testing me, and by the way she was looking at me, she wasn’t backing down.

I gritted my teeth. “I said no.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Yes. I. am,” she retorted, then turned to Mya. “Please take me home or I’ll call an Uber.”

“Winter,” I warned.

She glanced at me, a smirk playing on her lips, challenging me with her eyes as if to say, “Bring it on.”

“Goodbye,” she said defiantly, starting toward the door. I stalked around the counter, closing the distance with purposeful strides, grabbing her arm to spin her around. “I said no. You’re staying here.”

“Stop it!” she snapped in a whisper, struggling against my grip. I only tightened it in response, despite her wince. “You can’t keep me prisoner!” She looked at me as if I were insane, which, in that moment, I might just have been.

“Enough.” I seethed, yanking her against my chest, inhaling the familiar scent of her shampoo. “It’s not the day to fuck with me, Winter.”

“I don’t understand any of this,” she whispered. “You ignored me all week, and then you act like you need me all the time. It doesn’t make sense. So confusing.”

“What?” I shot back. The thought of her leaving felt like a piece of my soul was being ripped away from my body. “Is that what this is about?”

“Nico, I’m tired. So tired.” She ignored my question, her voice softening, laced with defeat, and it twisted something within me. I didn’t understand these emotions that had begun swirling inside me since Winter had invaded my life. Protectiveness battled with an unwillingness to let her go, even for a second. It was infuriating, like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

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