Page 11 of Desire and Revenge

Bland?I wish.

Obedient as a lamb?

I’m not too positive about that either.

My fingers itch at my side and, to my shock, I don’t know exactly who I want to shoot. The informant, damned Sebastian, or his green-eyed siren.

“Is that all?” I say impatiently.

He hesitates, probably noting my tone and wondering if he’s about to meet his end. “I-I mean, I c-can find out more if you give me a little bit more of time. It’s barely been six hours, and I had that job about?—”

I hang up, too annoyed to assure him that he’s going to live another day. All the good feelings from my orgasm are long gone, and I just feel like a piece of shit for jerking off to her of all people.

Dragging a hand through my hair, I lay back in bed and stare at the ceiling. I need to find someone who I can bury my cock into until Sofia becomes nothing but a memory and the unwelcome itch under my skin is erased.

If I’m going to succeed with my plan, I need to be smart and focused, and none of that involves getting erections over the most forbidden woman there is. I can’t afford distractions, and even though it feels like all my plans are rock solid and perfect, one little mistake can bring it all crashing to the ground after ten years of planning.

Sebastian took everything from me.

He took my family and my birthright, and I’m going to take it all back and bring his house of cards down. Him and everything he loves, holds dear, and owns.

Everything, including his new wife.

It’s unfortunate she will have to be collateral damage, but I can’t afford chances. I know better than most how one little root can thrive and create a whole new plant. Sebastian made a grave mistake by letting me live, and I’m not going to repeat his mistake.

She can be carrying his heir right now for all I know.

I don’t allow myself to think about why that thought has my jaw grinding. I don’t allow myself to think about a lot of things concerning her. Not even her name.

CHAPTER 4

Sofia

“Good morning, Alba.”

The girl lets out a shrill scream, jumping almost a foot in the air from fright. She presses a hand to her chest and shoots me a disgruntled look.

“Mrs. Lucchese, oh my, you gave me quite a scare,” she grumbles. “What are you doing sitting there by this time? It’s a good thing I’d already dropped the tray, or I would have ended up getting scalded.”

“Oh.” Guilt makes my mouth pull down at the corners. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

She makes her way across the room and pulls open the heavy, dark curtains. The light that suddenly fills the room makes me wince, and I only just realize that it’s no longer the very early hours of the morning. The sun is already high and bright in the sky.

“Why are you sitting in the dark, ma’am? Have you been awake for long? I didn’t know what time you woke up, and I didn’t want to bother you.”

The truth of the matter is that I barely slept last night. Thoughts of Nero had filled my head—they still fill my head. I should have been thinking about my disastrous wedding night, but instead, dark eyes and plump lips wrapped around a cigarette had haunted me.

Nero is a mystery, and curiosity is the one thing they haven’t managed to take from me. A deadly combination to say the least.

“Not long,” I finally say.

“I brought you coffee because I wasn’t sure what time you preferred to have breakfast. I can bring you tea if that’s what you prefer.”

“That won’t be necessary. I don’t want to trouble you. You don’t have to bring up a cup for me.”

She flashes me a smile. “It’s no trouble at all—” Her words suddenly trail off, and I follow her gaze to the bed, where a glaring red stain mocks me.

Heat rises up on my cheeks, and I jump to my feet, hurrying to pull the sheets off, but Alba beats me to it. “What do you think you’re doing? Give me that.”

---