Page 76 of The Virgin Clause (Caprice Langden)

“Words, baby girl. Remember?”

“I’m fine,” she whispered sighing against me, throwing one leg over mine and covering my chest with one arm. “That was...” She searched for the right words.

“Yes, it was.” I pulled her hand to my mouth and gently kissed the pads of her fingertips.

I wanted to tell her she was the best fuck I’d ever had, but that wasn’t like me. I’d already admitted it to her; she just didn’t know it. I was still there, in the bed with her. If she knew me, she’d know I never did that. Bungalow six had a pullout sofa that I was very familiar with.

We were quiet for several minutes before I heard Noemi giggle.

“You get very talkative during sex.” She smiled up at me. “Where did you learn to swear like that?”

“My mother,” I deadpanned, twisting a strand of hair around my finger. She playfully slapped my arm.

“You said you wouldn’t lie to me,” she laughed.

I twisted around until she was beneath me again. “Who said I’m lying? You don’t know what she’s like. She didn’t raise you. She swears like an Italian sailor.”

The moonlight lit just enough of her face for me to see her smile. “I don’t believe you,” she teased.

“I don’t care.”

I swooped down and captured her lips in another forceful kiss. She tasted so good, her lips still wet and plump from our lovemaking.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I stiffened, still kissing her, but my body tensed. Making love to her wasn’t a possibility. It wasn’t even feasible.

Holy shit.

My mind nearly exploded as I grappled with the idea.

I needed distance. Now.

Leaning away from her, I sucked in a deep breath and swung my feet over the side of the bed. Feeling my feet hit the cool tile floor grounded me. I stood up and started putting on my pants.

“Dante?” Her confused voice whispered from the bed.

Masked, I turned to her and leaned over. I dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head where her hair was a post-fuck mess.

“Go take a warm shower. It will help if you’re sore.” I turned to walk away.

“What about you?”

I shook my head as I continued walking. I sure as fuck wasn’t getting into that shower with her. Not now.

“Maybe later,” I threw nonchalantly over my shoulder. Not cold. Not hurtful. Just... not interested.

I closed the linen curtain that separated the bedroom from the living area so she’d have a modicum of privacy but most of all, so I wouldn’t be tempted to join her.

I stood in the cool air on the lanai. The shower would have two purposes: it’d keep her away from me for another ten or fifteen minutes and it would give me a chance to check my messages. There were things in play and now that I’d had what I came to Barbados to get, I needed to make time for something else. Saving my fucking life.

I waited until I heard the spray of the shower before I got my phone from my tuxedo jacket and returned to the lanai. I scrolled to my messaging app, seeing that I had two texts waiting for me. One from Delacroix, one from Andy.

Delacroix was blunt:

Tonight. Before dawn. Be ready.

Andy was a little more verbose:

I don’t know where you are, but they do. Contract was picked up right away. Before dawn. Tonight. It has to be someone close to you.Fucking hell. Let me know you saw this. Text me back to let me know it’s not done already.

I sent him back a thumbs up emoji. He was great at what he did, supplying weapons to the underworld, but he was an idiot at the same time. Anyone who had my phone could send him any message they wanted.

I listened to the shower run then checked the time. Ten-thirty. The night was still young. Dawn was many hours away. Andy was right about what he’d said. Someone knew I was in Barbados and they were very close by if they could get here and have the deed done by the time the sun rose tomorrow.

I channeled the rage that filled my soul. Whoever was stupid enough to take the contract had to be smart enough to not come too early. On this resort, everyone was still awake at ten-thirty at night and would be for hours to come. The “before dawn” directive was specific. There was a reason why that timeframe was chosen. I didn’t have time to figure it out, just like I didn’t have time to wonder about who the fuck had marked me in the first place. Or who had betrayed me. Whoever that fucker was would die a very painful death. I would eventually find out who they were and when I did, there wouldn’t be anywhere on this earth they could hide from me.

When I no longer heard the shower running, my attention turned back to Noemi. I could deal with what was coming, but I couldn’t get rid of her. Sleep. I needed Noemi to go to sleep so I could plan. If I did this right, she’d sleep sound as a baby while I took a man’s life just ten feet from where she lay.

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