Page 35 of Her Dark Salvation

The bag would help, but not as much as getting in the ring. I wanted to fight. “It’ll be good for them. No better teacher than getting your ass kicked.”

“Marco.”

I scowled at Vito’s gruff admonition. “Fine.”

He picked up a receipt and punched a few numbers into his calculator, and I headed around the ring to where the custom-made speed bags and heavy bags hung from steel chains mounted into a reinforced ceiling. Standard gear didn’t hold up to blood demons.

I warmed up on the speed bag. The sweat forming on my brow and the burn in my shoulders released some of the tension that had been building in my body since earlier in the day. The furious speed of my fists drove the bag in a blur of maroon leather, but I wanted to hit something. Hard.

Doug wasn’t moving fast enough with my waiver. I’d played nice so far, only using bribes and my reputation to scare him into action. But if he didn’t hurry his ass up, I wouldn’t hesitate to turn the screws. And if Shaughnessy got to that property before I did, I’d use his slimy face as a warmup instead of a speed bag.

With a final punch, I sent the speed bag flying. I rolled my shoulders and moved for the heavy bag. One of my men working it backed off, eyeing me warily. I threw up my guard, bounced on the balls of my feet, and unleashed a flurry of hooks and crosses that slapped and thudded against the thick leather. My chest heaved and arms burned with exertion.

Doug wasn’t the only person who’d pissed me off. Anna’s confession about her job, why she’d forgone her plans to work in industry… The regret in her voice and the tentative way she’d opened up about what had brought her to DEI… I wanted to strangle the person who’d squashed the dreams of such a brilliant woman.

I slammed my left fist into the bag, and the force of the impact jerked the chains securing it to the ceiling causing an ear-piercing screech.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Marco!” Vito yelled from across the gym. “If you rip through another bag, I swear to God…”

I backed off and faced him, opening my arms. “Then get your ass in the ring so I can fight!”

He shook his head, ripped the tape from the calculator, and set it across the two stacks of receipts. He stood, threw off his hooded sweatshirt, and climbed between the ropes into the ring. “Out,” he barked at the two men still sparring. They dropped their hands, scrambled out, and hung on the ropes to watch.

I climbed in, and we squared off. We’d done this so many times, neither of us hesitated. We threw up our guards, hands wrapped, but no gloves, and Vito came at me with a mean right hook, no doubt irritated I’d interrupted his bookkeeping. I blocked the punch and smiled. Finally.

Anna’s eyes had glistened with tears in the car, and my overwhelming need to comfort and protect her had resurfaced with a vengeance. The same feelings I’d had during Vinnie’s unexpected visit.

Two quick jabs and an uppercut. Vito blocked them with ease and countered with a quick succession of jabs. I welcomed the onslaught of his fists, needing to get her out of my head. I swung a left cross, and he got his elbow up just in time. He danced away with a knowing tilt to his head. Now, we were moving.

What pissed me off even more was the sucker punch she’d landed on the ride back to Terme. Made me say things I hadn’t meant to say, admit things I didn’t want to admit.Then one day, you wake up, and you realize… you want more. The words had spilled out of me as if wrenched from my lungs by the force of their truth.

Round after round, we threw and blocked punches with the strength and speed only used when fighting another blood demon. We flirted with the edge of exhaustion, daring each other to give in first. Sweat-soaked and straining for breath, my anger, tension, and defenses melted away.

I had responsibilities. To my family, to my crew, and to my community. I protected. I provided. That’s all that mattered. Was I happy? Was I satisfied? Who knew; it’d never mattered before. I’d been so busy carrying the weight of all my shoulds, I’d never considered there might be another way, that I might want something more.

Anna’s fingertips trailed the length of her necklace to where it landed between her breasts. Her hair fell to the side exposing her neck. My fangs ached to pierce her delicate skin, and longing ripped through my chest.

Vito’s left fist connected with my jaw.

“Argh!” A shock of pain lanced through my face to the back of my skull. I spun away and doubled over, holding my chin. It was shifted out of socket, throbbing to the beat of my rapid pulse. I took two deep breaths and on the third squeezed my eyes shut and snapped it into place.

“Cazzo! What the fuck!”

“Come here,” Vito growled. He took my chin in his hand and examined my eyes. They stung from sweat and from having my fucking jaw dislocated. He turned my head from side to side, studying my face, and patted me twice on the cheek. “You’re fine.”

I breathed rapidly through my nose, jaw clenched despite the sharp pain, pissed off more at myself than Vito.

“But you shoulda blocked that,” he said and gave me a disapproving look.

“No shit,” I snapped and ran a hand through my sweaty hair.

Vito whistled and held out his hand. Matteo grabbed a couple of towels and a water bottle and climbed into the ring. He tossed me a towel, and I wiped the sweat from my face.

“All fired up and distracted. Dangerous combination, boss. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were hung up on some woman.” Vito raised his eyebrows and squirted water into his mouth.

“Good thing you know better,” I barked.

He handed me the water bottle and stared at me sideways. “She’s not one of us,” he said, only loud enough for my ears. “Don’t forget that.”

---