Page 83 of Dangerous Rhythm

Curtis looked Lina in the eye. “And I can only think of one way to do that right now. By going home to New York and confronting Serafina Stiletto directly.”

“No!” Lina shook her head. “That’s crazy, Curtis.”

“And jumping from one place to another, playing leapfrog with her enforcers, isn’t a way to live,” Curtis insisted. “Listen, this is the year of the dragon. It is a time for change. I’m taking back my life. I’ll take the fight to her.”

“That’s suicide, Curtis.”

“I’m not stupid enough to do it without a plan. I need your help to do this.”

Lina didn’t look happy about his decision.

“Don’t you want us to be normal, Lina?” he asked.

“I don’t think we’ll ever be normal.”

Curtis smirked. “True. As normal as we can be, then.”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then let’s make that happen. I’m tired of waiting around for someone to show up and stab me in the back.”

“Please don’t put that image in my head.” Lina rolled her eyes.

“Sorry.” Curtis gave her a sheepish grin. “Will you help me?”

Lina blew a breath. “Of course I’ll fucking help you. You might not be stupid, but you’re reckless enough to do it on your own.”

Curtis grimaced but restrained himself from retorting.

“I have some ideas I’ve been cooking up,” Lina said. “Let me contact Marcus and Ken. We’ll talk it out and start from there.”

“Okay.” Curtis nodded agreeably.

Lina dropped herself backward onto the mattress. “Jeez…happy fucking new year.”

Curtis rolled onto her and smiled down at her. “Yes, happy fucking new year.”

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked with a restrained smile.

“I’m about to do some worshipping.” He kissed the tip of her nose.

“People worship their ancestors in the temple,” she said.

“I don’t really know my ancestors, so I’ll worship a goddess instead.” Curtis dropped a kiss just under her ear and another down her neck. “Any objection to that?”

“Uhm…”

He trailed his lips down to her collarbone, but her T-shirt got in the way. He pulled the T-shirt off her and threw it to the end of the bed.

“I think you should stop wearing anything to bed. Such a waste of a view and time because I’ll rip it off you anyhow,” he suggested as he pulled her panties off.

“I’ll take that into consideration,” Lina replied.

“You do that.” He lifted her right leg and kissed the inside from her ankle to the back of her knee and listened to her breathing get heavier.

“So strong.” Curtis said against the inside of her thigh, feeling her taut muscles as he kissed them. “Yet, so weak for me.”

Her other leg wrapped around his shoulder and propelled him forward. “Who are you calling weak?” Lina said as he stopped his fall with his arms.

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