Page 44 of As Devils Love

“You think?” Lorenzo scoffs. “You better hope I don’t see you again.”

“Sticks and stones,” I rise from my seat. “Fiametta, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I add, just to piss him off more.

I leave without another word to any of them. That could’ve gone better, but I’m sure Matteo will find a way to smooth things over. At least he was right about it focusing my mind on the mission. I’ve never wanted to see someone hurt more than I do Lorenzo Napoli.

Even if it’s at my Little Flame’s expense.

Chapter Seventeen

FIAMETTA

One Week Later

My heart still flutters every time I think about how Crue handled my father, when he was trying to intimidate him. It was a risky move that has sent countless men to an early grave, and my green-eyed stalker did it without flinching.

What else should I have expected from the man who killed so many Napoli soldiers?

“Excellent work tonight, ladies. Keep it up,” Joe Davis says as he passes Simone and me. He comes to a stop, resting his lower back against the counter, and inhales deeply. “Last push. Our night is almost over.”

“You doing alright, Joe?” Simone scoops a ladle full of soup into a mother and her two kids’ bowls.

“Tired, Si-Si. Long day at the office with a whole lot of meanness. You know how it goes.” Sadness resonates through his words, but he gets back to his feet with a shake of his head and starts walking down the line. “But ain’t nothing gonna take away my smile. Not when we’re doing the good Lord’s work.”

“That’s the spirit,” Simone adds, before he’s gone on to the next person. She tilts her head and scans my face before speaking.

“Speaking ofdoing alright, what’s got you so bright and smiley tonight?”

“Whatever are you talking about?” I feign ignorance in a flimsy attempt to sound mysterious. I’ve been dying to talk to Simone about this all week, but we’ve both been too busy to get together.

The soup kitchen isn’t really the place I want to share my news, but I don’t think I can hold myself back any longer.

“Okay, now I know something’s going on. Are you having a stroke? Do I need to call a doctor?” Her mock concern comes with a sinister grin that makes me giggle.

I grab two bread rolls off a serving tray and set them on the next guy in line’s plate. He moves to Simone for his soup, and we do three more before I get a chance to speak again.

“I think I met someone.” After weeks of being followed around and multiple break-ins. But saying it out loud, making it real, makes my cheeks burn.

“Woah.” Simone stands dead still, and stares at me as if I've just revealed the secrets of the universe. “You’re telling me you managed to meet a guy while you’ve had...” she gestures with her head toward Tomas, keeping his name out of her mouth in fear that it might summon him closer like some sort of demon. “Him, following you around? How the heck did you pull that off?”

“It was at my father’s place.” Telling her about Crue is one thing, but adding too many details won’t go over well.

If I’m being honest with myself, I shouldn’t have brought it up in the first place. The details of our entanglement aren’t exactly a savory topic of conversation. Between the late-night intrusions into my bedroom and his vicious use of my mouth in Father’s bar, he isn’t exactly giving me a Cinderella story.

But I’ve kept this to myself for weeks. I have been constantly on edge and fearing for my life, only to find that Crue doesn’t want to pull the proverbial trigger. I have to share my excitement with someone, and who better than my best friend?

“He’s one of your dad’s soldier’s?” Her eyes narrow in a mix of concern and frustration.

I don’t blame her for feeling this way. She knows how much I despise the family business, and chasing after some forbidden love with one of Father's men is something I would probably do.

Luckily, I don’t have to disappoint her this time.

“He isn’t. He’s an outsider who joined a meeting, and we hit it off.” While he hit the back of my throat with his throbbing cock.

“Need I remind you that a meeting at a don’s house isn’t exactly the sort of place you meet nice guys?” She focuses on the last group of three, who arrive to collect their meals.

We serve them, before removing our aprons and heading into the back to wrap up for the night. Someone else is on clean up duty, so all we’ve gotta do is return the aprons and give Joe a rough total of how many people we served tonight.

“I’m just trying to look out for you, Fi-Fi. I don’t want you falling in love with the wrong guy and getting hurt. You’ve kept your distance from that side of things for a reason,” Simone sighs as we step out the back door of the soup kitchen and make our way through the parking lot behind it.

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