Page 14 of Their Reckless Thief
“Of course you do,” Luca muttered, though even he looked mildly impressed.
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I crossed my arms. “Cute,” I said, my voice dripping with mockery. “But those blades aren’t going to help you. You’re out of your league, sweetheart.”
She wasn’t backing down, though. I had to give her that. She lunged forward, slicing through the air with a skill that—had she been facing lesser opponents—might have gotten her somewhere.
But Dorian was one of the best shifter fighters around, and Luca… well, Luca was a fucking shadow-wielder, a skill no one in The Below dared underestimate.
Dorian moved first, dodging her blade with ease and closing the distance between them. He grabbed her wrist, but before he could get a solid hold, she twisted out of his grip and kicked him in his side. He grunted, but the look on his face was pure enjoyment.
“Damn, Ireallylike her.” He laughed.
Luca wasn’t as playful. Shadows whirled around him as he stepped in, using her momentum against her. In seconds, he had her pinned, twisting one arm behind her back. Her blades clattered to the floor.
She fought like hell to break free—thrashing, kicking, even trying to bite. And while her moves were impressive for a human, she was still just a fucking human.
Dorian chuckled, stepping forward as Luca held her down. “If this were under different circumstances…” He gave her a wicked grin as he leaned in close. “I think we’d be having a lot more fun.”
She glared up at him, her chest heaving. “In your fucking dreams, wolf boy,” she spat. Then, to my amusement, she kneed him right in the balls.
Dorian doubled over with a loud groan, but the grin never left his face. “She’s a wild one, boss. I think we should keep her.”
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t deny the thrill buzzing through me. “Get her tied up. Now.” My voice was sharp, my patience thinning. The more she fought, though, the more my curiosity grew.
Luca tied her hands behind her back with practiced ease, his expression unreadable as always. Dorian, still recovering from the knee to his groin, gave her an exaggerated wink. “You sure know how to make a first impression.”
She glared at him, her lips pulling back in a snarl. “You disgust me.”
I stepped forward, my eyes locking on hers. “Shut your beautiful fucking mouth, or I’ll cut out your tongue and feed it to Dorian.”
She stopped struggling, her fiery gaze meeting mine with a challenge that only made me want to break her even more. Despite her bravado, I could sense she was scared.
Good. She should be.
“Take her downstairs,” I ordered Dorian, who was grinning like a fool as he grabbed her arm. “And tell my useless fucking guards they’re dead men walking.”
She was struggling, but this time, Luca was there to help, and between the two of them, they got her out of the room. She kept screaming and fighting every step of the way, her defiance like a spark in the air.
I watched her go, my mind racing with questions.
Who the fuck was she? And more importantly, what was she doing here?
As the door closed behind them, I stood in the quiet, my pulse still thrumming with the thrill of what had just happened.
Whoever she was, I’d find out. And when I did… well, let’s just say things were about to get interesting for the human.
I strode across the hall into my office, my fingers brushing over my phone screen. It wasn’t every day I had to use this particular measure, but when I did, it wasn’t for anything good. I sent the text message. Within minutes, the heavy thud of footsteps echoed down the hallway outside the office.
Alessandro and Camilla appeared, swift and ready for blood.
Alessandro, with his sharp, angular features and calculating gaze, looked like a predator about to pounce. His suit was immaculate, as usual, not a hair out of place, yet there was a deadly edge to him. He was the kind of enforcer who relished punishment—surgical and precise.
Camilla, by contrast, was quieter and more reserved, but every bit as dangerous. Her red hair hung loosely over her shoulder, her lips quirked in a way that showed she knew exactly what was about to happen.
“Boss,” Alessandro said. “What’s the situation?”
I gestured toward the monitor on my desk, where the security footage flickered on the screen. “Our guards let someone in tonight. A fucking human woman.Walkedright into our meeting.” My blood heated with every word, rage simmering under the surface. “They failed, and now, they need to be punished.”
Alessandro’s expression remained cold, but there was a hint of anticipation on his face. “Of course.”
