Page 74 of The Devil Can Be Kind

“No!” He barked, his face darkening at the thought. “Until I can guarantee your safety you aren’t stepping one foot out that fucking door.”

His voice was unwavering, devoid of all humor and light-heartedness.

I nodded immediately in agreement.

Clearly something else had happened and whatever that was, it was serious. The last time he’d only been angry or enraged by whatever had happened. This time it was different.

He was…rattled.

I calledJon to say I wouldn’t be in that day or the next, stating there had been a ‘family emergency’. Jon seemed to understand exactly what I meant by that, making me question whether myactualboss had links himself to the La Torre syndicate. Though at times like this, that didn’t seem like such a bad thing.

Not long after I got off the phone with Jon, numerous vehicles began pulling up to the house and a slow stream of La Torre men came filtering through the front entrance. I hovered around the doors to the kitchen, unsure what to do with myself until I saw a few of the men shoot hateful glares in my direction.

It didn’t take a genius to guess that whatever had happened, it had something to do with my family.Their usual hate had now morphed into a violence that clouded their eyes.

“Jesse!” I whispered loudly across the hall to him.

He was standing beside the front door nodding at some of the men as they entered. Seeing me waving for his attention, he immediately left his position and came over.

“What, Bandit?” His voice was stern, but at least my nickname was back.

“Does this have something to do with me?” I asked gesturing to the men and scene before us.

“No.” He answered without hesitation.

I sighed and tried again, “Ismyfamily to blame for this?”

His darting gaze immediately fixed to me for a second, his eyes softening. “Yes.”

I had retreatedto my room before more men could arrive. I couldn’t help the guilt I felt, sensing that I was somehow the reason another incident had occurred in only a handful of weeks.

What if he’s had enough of the violence and sends me back?

Agitation clawed at my throat and a wave of uneasiness swept over me.

Weeks ago I would have done anything to go home, but now… even if Marco sent me back to my family would Iwantto go back?

No.

A knock on my bedroom door interrupted my brooding.

Jesse’s head poked through, “Boss needs to see you.”

I slowly rose to my feet, stiff from sitting for so long, and followed Jesse to Marco’s study.

I was surprised to find that only Marco and Benny were present in the room, the rest of the men having either crowded into a nearby lounge or the dining hall. The air in the studyfelt warm and heavy as I entered, but the unmistakable spice of Marco’s cologne still clung to the space.

My heart stuttered as I met the gaze of the man I had been avoiding for the last four days. Tingles pooling in my stomach as my brain involuntarily darted back to our kiss in the kitchen.

I smacked the mental image away with a figurative baseball bat in the hopes of suppressing it.

Today Marco wore his usual black dress shirt and trouser combination, though his sleeves were bunched at the elbows. It was seemingly the only outward indication of a stressful day as his expression was as unaffected as usual.

His eyes fell from my face, skimming down my neck and to the collar of my work blouse I hadn’t yet changed out of. I quickly diverted my gaze, feeling a blush spread under my skin and hating the way one look from him could make me feel unsteady.

My emotional barriers were disintegrating into ash.

I took the remaining chair next to Benny before the desk, careful to avoid looking at Marco any more than was absolutely necessary.

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