Page 148 of Kissing the Villain

I removed the phone from my pocket. “What? I’m busy, Marcello.”

“We have a problem. Grab Alex and Kali and come back to the house.”

Before I could respond, the line went dead.

54

ALEX

We piledinto the car with Kali on my lap. Luca’s Aston Martin Vanquish was a two-seater, which made the car chase even more uncomfortable and terrifying. I imagined dying in a fiery crash at the hands of the psycho trying to run us off the road.

A black van with tinted windows tried to cut Luca off before we left the marina. My heart hammered in my chest as Luca floored the gas, the tires screeching as he headed up the steep incline toward The Hills.

“Luca,” I bit out. “What the hell is going on?”

“You’re in danger,” he said in a calm, even tone, though the way he clutched the steering wheel said otherwise.

I glanced in the rearview mirror and gasped. “Who’s following us?”

“Let me deal with him,” he shot back. “Just sit back and hold on.”

He raced up to the guard gate, which opened for us without issue. The guard tipped his hand to Luca, and then metal spikes shot up from the ground as the man in the van approached. His tires screeched to a halt, but it was too late.

Luca tapped a button on the steering wheel, and the phone rang through the speakers. Marcello answered on the first ring.

“Marcello,” he growled. “Send a team down to the gate before we lose them.”

“Where’s Alex?”

“With me. Tell Bash and Damian I have Kali.”

He blew out a deep breath. “I’m on it.”

Then the line went dead.

Luca drove as if he were on the Autobahn. His expression shifted as he went into battle mode. His face was a blank canvas, and his clear blue eyes were filled with anger.

The gates were already open when we reached the Salvatore Estate. A dozen armed guards stood out front with machine guns strapped to their backs, guns in their hands. They looked like they were ready for war.

Luca slammed on the brakes in front of the garage, and Kali slammed into the dashboard.

“What the fuck, Luca?” Kali groaned, rubbing her shoulder.

Ignoring her, he ripped open his door and ordered the guards standing watch at the entrance todeal with the girls. Kali was pulled out of the car by a tall man with dark hair dressed in a suit. I hopped out of the car and followed Dom toward the front of the house.

Luca barked at the guards to take Kali and me into the movie room as he removed a gun from the holster on his chest. He walked in the opposite direction with a purpose, determined to kill me with silence.

“Luca,” I called out.

He stopped moving, and with his back to me, he said, “I’ll be fine, D. Go in the house.”

A guard grabbed my shoulder as the other steered Kali and me inside. They led us down the long, tiled hallway and told us to sit on the sectional leather couch in front of a massive flat-screentelevision. Kali sat on the cushion next to me. She dropped her purse on the coffee table, kicked her heels onto the floor, and tucked her feet beneath her butt.

She turned to me, her eyebrows lifted. “Damian and Bash texted me. They’re on their way home from the office.”

I wrapped my arms around my middle to calm my nerves. “Still think I should run?”

She bit her lip, considering my question. “You’re probably safer here than anywhere else.”

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