Page 14 of His to Claim

Storming into the attached room, expecting a bathroom, I realize it’s exactly that. Except, it connects to an adjoining room and Gallo must’ve fled through it and escaped. I make sure, though, and follow through. The back door now stands wide open, confirming my suspicion.

It doesn’t matter. I’ll let Miceli know and someone will take care of Gallo very soon. That asshole just signed his own death warrant by crossing the Rossi family yet again.

Once I do a more thorough sweep and make sure he really is gone, I return to Carlotta. I slip my pistol in my back waistband then pull out the Ka-Bar tucked into a sheath in my boot.

“Hold still,” I murmur and slice through the zip ties, freeing her dainty wrists. She’s looking up at me like I’m some kind of famous actor and she’s starstruck. I can see the little hearts floating in her eyes as I offer her my hand.

“We need to go,” I say, and she immediately tucks her small hand in mine. The fact that she trusts me makes me puff my chest out a little.

“Who are you?” she whispers.

But I don’t answer, just pull her through the house and out the front door.

“C’mon, I’m parked down here,” I tell her. Once we reach my Challenger, I unlock it and open the passenger door for her. “Get in and let’s call your brother.”

After she slips inside, I close the door and circle around. Once I’m in the driver’s seat, I pull my phone out. She reaches over and lays a hand on my arm.

“Who are you?” she asks again.

“Archer,” I tell her. Recognition flares in her eyes even though we only just met tonight. She must’ve heard my name before, probably from Miceli.

“Oh,” she breathes.

While she lets my revelation sink in, I pull up Miceli’s number and hit send, making sure he’s on speaker so Carlotta can hear the discussion, too.

“Rossi,” he immediately answers.

“I just rescued your sister from Gallo,” I say then launch into the story of what happened. Well, the part about her abduction from the masquerade party, not about how I made her orgasm with my fingers.

Miceli is pissed as hell, just like I knew he would be, and Carlotta assures him that she’s okay.

“Gallo said he’s going to destroy our family, Miceli,” Carlotta tells him, leaning forward, hands twisting in her skirts. “I’m not sure what he would’ve actually done to me?—”

“He was going to kill you,” I interrupt, being blunt, and needing them both to understand the seriousness of the situation. “Don’t delude yourself into thinking otherwise or doubt him. I heard the anger in his voice. He’s not fucking around and both of his men were armed. I think Carlotta needs to be taken somewhere safe.”

I glance over at her and the look on her face is completely unreadable.

“Do you have a place?” Miceli asks.

“Yeah. Somewhere off the grid that no one knows about.”

“Okay, take her there and I’m going to talk to Gallo.”

Talk or take care of him?I wonder. But I don’t ask. I’m not sure how much Carlotta knows about what her older brother has done—the lengths to which he’s gone to protect the people he loves. I have a feeling, though, the time is coming soon where she’s going to have her rose-tinted glasses ripped off. Whether she likes it or not.

Because we aren’t a good group of men. Miceli and his brothers will do whatever it takes to protect the people they care about and it doesn’t matter how many dead bodies turn up in order to do that. And I’m the guy who will help them take care of business.

In fact, I’ll kill whoever I need to if the payment or the motivation is right. I lost my conscience a long time ago.

After so many years on a ghost ops teams doing secret, deadly missions, pulling a trigger and neutralizing tangoes doesn’t affect me anymore. I figure I’m doing the world a favor by eliminating scum, dirt bags and bad guys.

“Do I get a say in any of this?” Carlotta asks.

“No,” Miceli and I respond at the same time.

She lets out a frustrated huff then coolly reminds us she has no clothes and is wearing a ballgown.

“I have stuff,” I say, my voice gruff. Although, my dirty mind is already picturing what perky assets might be hidden under that dress and wishing she could just be naked.

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