Page 8 of Promise Never

His gruff laugh is both intimidating and sexy.“Those werecleaners. Their mission is to tie up loose ends.” A chillrocks my body as he glares at me. “You’ve seen his face. You lied to me.”

I slump my shoulders. I might as well come outwith the truth. “Fine. Zeno met me at a café the day before.”

“Ah.” Alessandro nods. “It is what we do. If youscrew someone over, you kill them before they come after you.”

“Sothe fucker thinks I’ma threat? Good. Iwillgo after him. No one makes a fool of me.”

“Just thank your lucky stars that you’re alive, woman.I’ll get you back to your country safely.”

I point my index finger at him. “Look,man,stop calling me woman.”

Alessandro throws his hand up. “Well, then, tellme your name, dammit.”

“It’s Tiana King.”

He absorbs it in silence for a moment, then saysin a teasing manner, “Like the cartoon princess.”

“I’m far from a princess, buddy.” I roll my eyesat him. “Why are you helping me, anyway? We mean nothing to each other.”

He stares ahead, jaw ticking. After a beat, hetells me, “I owe it to your sister. My ruthless brother took her from you. Iwill honor her by keeping you alive.”

The sincerity in his words pricks at the iceshield around my heart. But I shake it off and say bitingly, “I want nothingfrom aFattore. Leave me in the next town, and I’llfind my way from there.”

Alessandro snaps his head to me. The dark shadowveiling his face manages to jolt my bones.

“Tiana King.” The firm way he says my name makesmy throat tight, and unexpectedly, warmth spurts between my thighs. “You’recoming to Agrigento. I’m not letting you out of my sight until our shared enemyis dead.”

Well, this is certainly a turn of events.

4

Tiana King.

The first woman I’ve brought to my home.

She’s such a pain in the ass. A damn hurricanethat will rip me apart if I’m not careful.

“Out,” I order her when my driver stops in thecourtyard.

Lips pursed, Tiana slinks back against the seat,refusing to leave the car.

“Cristo.” I drag her out, ignoring her squirmingand expletives the entire way to the guesthouse. I pull her through the doorand turn the lights on.

After a quick look around the living room andkitchen, she cuts to me and folds her arms. “Why are we here instead of goingafter Zeno?”

“Oh, do you know his exact location?” I don’t holdthe sarcasm.

She twists her mouth. “I’ll find him.”

“No.Iwill find the scoundrel. You’restaying here.”

Sucking her teeth, she stomps past me towards thedoor.

I grasp her arm and pull her back, making her bagfall to the floor.

“Ugh,” she grunts when I swipe her gun from herjeans. “Jerk.”

“No guns allowed in my house if you’re not aguard.”

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