Page 39 of Ruthless Beast

“Yeah, Boss.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Fucking Gallo. I knew it. He’s trying to start something between our families now that the old man is dead. Well, he’s got less than zero chance of pulling me into an ill conceived attack. I’ll bide my time and strike when the moment is right. This isn’t over.

“I’ll be coming for you, Gallo. And when I do, you’re going to be sorry you screwed with me. That’s a promise.”

10

EMILY

What the hell just happened? What am I doing? If I had any hope of being in control, I just pissed it away. Now Lucas has the edge over me, and I’m screwed. I hit the pillow in frustration, furious with myself for being so weak.

So much for scratching out my enemy’s eyes. Sticking my tongue down Lucas’ throat was tantamount to thanking him for kidnapping me and keeping me here against my will. Ugh! Fool!

It was a spectacular kiss, though. I’ve never felt like that in a man’s arms before. Lucas is perfect. Everything about him makes me want to beg him to rip off my clothes while I submit to him. Which is ridiculous because I’m not the kind of woman who takes kindly to being told what to do or how to do it. But damn if I didn’t enjoy every second of our brief and unexpected dalliance.

I should be focusing on getting the hell out of here. Instead, I can’t help wondering what would have happened if that knock at the door hadn’t interrupted us.

Stop it, Emily. Focus on the big picture, please. Remember where you are and why you’re here. David is dead because of Lucas!

Okay. So, I forgot myself for a moment. It won’t happen again. From here on out, I’m going to focus on getting as far away from my captor as humanly possible before I end up in an early grave like my brother. Nothing good can come from being involved with someone with this lifestyle.

The mob. I would never have guessed, not in a million years, that this kind of thing was going on right under my nose. I should have pushed David when I knew he was keeping something from me. Woman’s intuition and all that. I may have failed as a sister, but I won’t fail myself.

* * *

Lucas

“What is it about this woman that has you all bent out of shape, Lucas?”

“I feel responsible for her. Andreas. It’s because of me that her brother is dead.”

“That’s bullshit.”

“Is it?”

“You have no way of knowing that for sure.”

“Oh, yes, I do. You know Gallo and his men have had it out for me since the old man died. Killing David was a personal attack on me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. The timing is too perfect for this to have been a coincidence, Andreas. Gallo has a bone to pick with me, and he’s chosen to hit me where it hurts. David was the best accountant we’ve ever had. With him dead, Gallo figures I’m going to hurt. And’ he’s not wrong.”

“Okay, I get that. But what about Emily? Why would he even care about her?”

“He probably doesn’t. Not yet. But I can’t take that chance.”

“Dominick says she’s a handful.”

“She’s no wallflower, that’s for sure. I can’t blame her, though. Emily is scared. Fear makes people do crazy things.”

“I take it she had no idea that David was working for us.”

“No, she didn’t.”

“The news must have been a shock.”

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