Page 98 of Deception & Desire

She shouldn’t be here.

“Hey,” I say to her softly. “It’s okay. He’s not going to shoot you.”

“Mia,” his voice is a warning.

“He’s not,” I snap at him. “He’s going to put the fucking gun down.”

Carmen trembles as she steps behind me. I can feel it in her hands as she unties my bindings.

Leon stands before us, and I stare at him defiantly until he drops his gun. At his shoulder, I see the unmistakable outline of Dante crowding the doorframe.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Carmen.

She says nothing, but the bindings drop, and I sigh in relief. I turn to her immediately, wanting to reach out and comfort her, but she’s already retreated into the corner of the room.

“Get out,” she whispers.

I back away, reaching out behind me for Leon. His hand immediately finds mine and pulls insistently. Tugging me out of the room.

Dante hesitates by the door to give Carmen a casual salute. “Princess.” Before slamming it closed behind us.

Leon’s arms are around me in a second, pulling me into his chest as hands cradle my face like I’m something sacred.

And oh, oh. He’s alive. His deep, chocolate eyes bore into mine with the intensity of a man deprived of the sight.

I feel another sob building in my chest, but he kisses it back. His lips are warm and alive on mine.

Alive and alive and alive.

“Mia,” he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. His hands tremble as they slide over my back and my arms, as though he’s trying to convince himself I’m real.

“I thought—” I half choke on the words as he kisses up my cheeks and across my nose. “I thought you were dead.”

Next to us, Dante clears his throat. “He might be if we don’t get you both out of here right now.”

Leon’s jaw tightens, but he nods, gripping my hand tightly as he pulls away toward the exit. With Dante close on our heels, he pushes open the double doors into some kind of storage room.

Only to freeze when he sees who’s waiting on the other side.

“You bastard.”

Teo Vitale stands up from where he was crouched over the body of…oh…

Behind him, Rocco barks orders at the men who are filing in behind. “I need a B team to escort these guys out immediately!”

But Leon’s focus is on the other don. “I had to get her out.”

“I told you to stay in the hospital!” Teo snaps, striding toward us. “Look at you. You’re about to collapse.”

Leon stiffens, and for the first time I notice how awkwardly he’s holding himself and just how labored his breathing is. Out of the harsh lighting of the interrogation room, his skin is pale and gray.

“What the hell did you do to yourself?” I hiss at him, but he shrugs me off.

“Get out of here now. Rocco’s team will escort you out,” Teo orders before he turns to me. “It’s good to see you, Mia, but please, take this man home. I don’t want to see his face for another month.”

I give my husband a long look. “Let’s make it two. Come on, let’s go.”

His shoulders slump, and he nods, defeated.

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