Page 71 of A Beautiful Crime

“While I am beyond thrilled to hear you don’t believe her reputation,” I say dryly before towering over him and threatening him in a calm voice, “I will rip your vocal chords out if I hear you utter the words Ice Queen again. Capisce?”

He nods his head. “Capisce.”

I run my hand aimlessly down my tie. “Very well. Now leave us. I want you down at the docks overlooking the gun shipment tonight.”

It’s our first shipment from Hong Kong after I made a lucrative deal with Tao Huang, the leader of the Triad.

Pietro is my most trusted soldier. My eyes and ears on the streets. Rightfully, with this being our first transaction I should be there.

But I have more important matters at hand.

“Si.” He nods his head again and excuses himself with a slight bow.

Another thing I like about Pietro, he takes command without the slightest hesitation.

I wait until he is out of sight until I go to retrieve Carina from the car.

As I open her car door I offer her my hand in silent hopes that she’ll take it.

Anticipation has me feeling like an electrical current is running under my skin. A light touch of her hand enough to produce an impulse.

She blinks once at my hand, as if it’s an anomaly, and then with those expressionless doll eyes, blinks at me.

“Keep this insolence up, mia leonessa and it’ll be my pleasure to take you over my knee,” I threaten her salaciously, and Dio Mio, it does not disappoint.

For the first time since we have left Savio’s office there’s a reaction.

A sharp inhale of her breath. Fire blazing in her eyes.

All mia leonessa needs is a little provocation and she comes alive.

Oh, this will be fun indeed.

To tease her further, hoping to gain more of a reaction I let her know, “And would you look at that? A reaction from Carina Fiore. A dead woman she isn’t after all.”

Her lips form in a grim line as those beautiful jeweled eyes harden. “You are no gentlemen, Signore.”

Signore.

I’ve struck a nerve.

Inside I’m claiming a victory. Having no decency I wear my victory with pride by a smirk upon my face and gleaming eyes. “I’ve already told you, Carina.” I roll her name off of my tongue and watch her reaction with deep satisfaction. She may try to fight the attraction between us but her body betrays her every time I utter her name. I lower my voice, as if I’m conspiring, and say, “I don’t concern myself with what’s appropriate or politically correct.”

“No,” she agrees coolly, “you don’t.”

Clearly upset with herself, and me, she ignores my outstretched hand and helps herself out of the car.

My smirk remains on my face, which only increases the false disdain on hers.

Soon, she’ll give in to her darkest urges.

And she won’t have the weight of her conscience to weigh her down.

Because as much as Carina believes herself to be dead she wouldn’t be fighting me, and the darkness she possesses, if she truly was.

If she was dead she simply wouldn’t care.

But somewhere within herself she’s waging a war on who she’s supposed to be in this world.

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