Page 240 of Kissing the Villain

I was confident Alex would return eventually, even if it took longer than the last time. My girl always found her way back to me.

“When we get to the island,” I said as I rose from the couch, “we need to split up. They’re going to pick us off one by one.”

“Kinda hard to know your enemy when we don’t know who we’re fighting,” Cole pointed out.

“No, we don’t,” I agreed. “Keep your ears and eyes open. Look for anything out of the ordinary.”

“We’re going to a private auction for the world’s richest deviants,” Finn said with laughter in his tone. “What exactly counts as ordinary?”

Drake shook his head and laughed. “He has a point.”

I waved my hand to dismiss him. “We’re at a disadvantage on the island. Without proper planning, we’re going into this mission blind. Marcello and his team could be walking into an ambush.”

“Someone wants us dead,” Sonny growled. “And we won’t make it past security with our weapons.”

“That’s where Marcello and his men come into play,” I assured him. “We’ve gone through every possibility, worked out every angle. Alpha Command trains for situations like this one.” I pushed my hands to my hips, my gaze traveling between them. “We dock in twenty minutes. Get ready to take these motherfuckers down.”

We arrivedatIsola del Diavolo, also known as Devil Island. The irony was not lost on me. Whoever was pulling strings for the event had a sick sense of humor. This was a carefully curated scheme to lure all of us to the island. I had faith in the Knights and Alpha Command but was pragmatic. Our chances of getting off the island without getting shot and killed were slim.

Bright lights posted around the property illuminated the dock. I stepped off the boat and admired the seaside fortress that could withstand an attack. It reminded me of the SalvatoreEstate but with more security. I thought I’d hired enough men to guard my house. This place had ten times the number. I wondered for a moment if our plan would work. Marcello and his men had more threats to address than we had initially anticipated.

As we walked toward the gate surrounding the Tuscan-style mansion, Marcello texted me. His team survived the swim.

Marcello

We took out the guards on the West side of the island.

Luca

We’re approaching the entrance. They’re taking everyone’s guns.

I watched as the men in front of us argued with the guards when they patted them down for weapons and stripped their pieces from them. Only the island owner and those coordinating the event would have access to their guns.

Marcello

I’ll hide a bag at the South entrance.

I shoved my cell phone into the inner pocket of my suit jacket as we approached the gate. A dark-haired man about the same height as me ran his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, and down my legs.

I handed over my guns. The Knights followed suit. We were fucked and at the mercy of the monsters who stole my girl. Someone went to great lengths to get us here.

Sonny moved to my right as Drake clung to my left side. We walked through the gates and into the busy courtyard as a team. I recognized a few men we’d given loans to for their shady businesses. A few men nodded while others glared at us.

At a place like this, we had just as many allies as enemies. It was impossible to know who was working with the Kurti crime family. Drake searched for the identity of the man who owned the island. His results returned the name of a shell company and another dead end.

The sprawling seaside palace looked like a classic Italian-style home with a courtyard. Men smoked cigars and sipped from snifters as we passed them and headed toward the house. Before we reached the front doors, a man I recognized strolled through them.

“Luca.” He extended his hand. “Glad you could join us for the main event.”

I met his cold, hard stare and shook his hand. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

At that moment, it all made sense. This was his island, his auction, and he was the one who brought us here.

89

ALEX

A man with short,dark hair and scruff along his jaw pushed Rhiannon into the dressing room with his hand on her back. He set her at the vanity beside me, and we exchanged a quick look. Surrounded by other girls for sale at the auction, no one spoke a word as women fixed our hair and makeup. They had forced us into the showers, shoved our bodies into skin-tight dresses, and then slapped makeup on our bruised bodies.

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