Page 93 of Savage Vow (Mafia Marriages 3)

Francesco stands outside my door. “Is Karina in there?” I ask.

He gives a sneer and a jab at the door. “Yeah. The kids in his room. I thought I ought to separate her for a while. Let her see what it’s like to be in her own little prison.”

Alessandro undoubtedly got wind of her sneaking down to the basement prison. If he didn’t know about it, Francesco sure as hell announced it with him chasing her upstairs to the bedroom.

So much for subtlety.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” I offer. I’ve got to clean up and shower anyhow. As long as I’m in the same room with her, I might as well let Francesco have a break. The guy’s been guarding her since early this morning at work.

“Boss’s orders are that I remain outside her room and stand guard.”

I don’t argue with Francesco. He’s a big guy, and I’m in desperate need of a hot shower and change of clothes.

“Have at it,” I say, stepping past him as I open the bedroom door.

Karina is seated on the bed, her arms folded across her chest. She glances up, her eyes widening when she sees me, and then her shoulders slump.

Was she expecting someone else?

I undo my belt, pulling it off and leaving it on the top of the dresser while I rummage around for a pair of jeans, boxers, and a t-shirt. I take the items into the bathroom and turn around before shutting the door to face her.

“You need to use the bathroom?” I ask.

She shakes her head no.

I shut the bathroom door and turn on the shower spray before stripping down.

The smell of blood is mixed with sweat. I wait until the shower is hot before stepping under the stream.

Dirt, grime, and blood swirl down the drain as the hot water pounds over me.

A cool gust of air fills the bathroom.

“Karina?” Who else would interrupt me?

“Did you kill him?” she asks.

The shower curtain is the only semblance of privacy, not that she seems to care. “Do you want the truth?” I ask, half expecting her to yank it open and demand to know what happened.

“I don’t want you to lie to me!” Her voice raises an octave. “That man, from yesterday, he wants my son and me dead. I can’t sleep knowing he’s in the same house as us.”

Her voice is laced with fear and uncertainty. Anxiety is creeping in and rearing its ugly head. I pull open the shower curtain and reach for her.

“What are you doing?” she asks. “You’re getting me wet.”

I snicker at her response. “That’s the point. A hot shower is a good way to unwind.” Among other activities.

“Aurielo.” Karina hesitates, her eyes wide. She’s holding back.

Is she afraid of me?

I drop my wet hands from her arms. I won’t force her to do anything.

Hasn’t she realized that yet? Unless it’s for her health or safety.

“I’ll be done in a few minutes,” I say and shut the shower curtain, ducking my head back under the spray.

I’d have like to have devoured her and enjoyed some mind-blowing shower sex, but clearly, she wasn’t in the mood. Not that interrogating and beating a guy up in the basement prison gets me horny. Because it doesn’t.

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