Page 74 of Kissing the Villain

I gathered my wild curls and pulled the knots from them. “What’s so special about it?”

“It’s where my mom would paint when she got stuck and needed inspiration.”

“Say no more. I can’t wait.”

I ran into the bathroom and got ready for the day. My hair was wild, curls falling from the top knot. No matter what I tried, I could never tame my locks. Aiden had the same problem and cut it short or buzzed it off.

I missed my brother.

“C’mon, princess.” Marcello banged on the door. “We’re already running late.”

“Late for what?” I shot back.

“My schedule. Let’s go. Put some clothes on and stop messing around.”

“Okay, boss man. Keep your boxers on. I’ll be out in a minute.”

I moved into the attached walk-in closet, found black spandex shorts, and paired them with a matching tank top and running shoes.

Marcello hovered over me as I laced up my sneakers. “What’s taking so long?”

“Are you seriously that much of a control freak? You can’t wait until I tie my shoes?”

He bent down, crowding me with his big, muscular body. “Yes, Iama control freak. And no, I can’t wait. I hate when people mess with my routine.”

“I didn’t ask to be part of your schedule.”

“I’m doing this for you.”

He extended his hand and lifted me from the floor. Being this close to Marcello flipped a switch in my brain that set off dozens of signals in my body.

“I’m not waking up at five o’clock every morning.”

“Spend enough time around me, and you’ll get used to a little discipline.” A sly smile touched his lips. “You could use some.”

“Is that so? You think you know what’s best for me?”

He nodded and led me out of my bedroom. We hurried down the back stairwell, moving through the house until we reached the kitchen. Marcello stopped at the refrigerator and grabbed two water bottles.

He tipped his head toward the back of the house. “Let’s go. We only have until sunrise to make the trek.”

I followed him through the patio doors and onto the veranda with an incredible bay view.

“Only the Salvatores know about this place,” he said and veered toward the center of the property.

“So it’s a secret?”

“Yes. And don’t think about using this path on your own. It’s dangerous.”

Marcello steered me past the helipad and the Olympic-sized pool, yanking my hand as we passed the staff’s living quarters. Their backyard—if you could call it that—was the size of a cityblock. Men with guns lined the permitter, making it clear I would never leave this place.

We stopped in front of what looked like a shed. My eyebrows knitted together as he lifted a panel on the wall, revealing a digital scanner.

“I feel like I’m in an episode ofThe Sopranos,” I joked. “Are you hiding illegal money in the backyard like Tony?”

Marcello held his right palm against a digital scanner until it flashed green to confirm his identity. Then, he opened the door for me and sealed it behind us.

On the inside, it didn’t look like much. Steel walls, a bunch of monitors, and a long desk covered in computer screens.

---