Page 8 of Devilish King (Valentino Empire 1)

The new Holly does not overthink things concerning the opposite sex. The new Holly will not obsess over whether I should or shouldn’t meet Mr. Tall-Dark-And-Handsome for dinner. At seven o’clock tonight. God only knows where… I’m sure he means for me to meet him at the café; he obviously picked up the fifty-dollar note I left on the counter in order to return it.

Holy shit, he knew where I lived. It wasn’t a random hot guy knocking on the wrong door. He came to seeme—well, at least to deliver my money. Before I can even ask myself how the hell he knew where I lived, I know the answer. I knew I was being followed last night.

Those hairs on the back of my neck. The fuzzy sensation in the pit of my stomach. That same sensation I felt when the two men walked into the café last night. Whenhewalked into the café last night… I’m blaming the lack of caffeine on the slowness of my brain, but it’s finally catching up to speed. His voice, it’s the same voice I heard speak Italian to everyone in the café.

Nope, I shake my head. I am not doing this. Shower and furniture shopping.That’swhat I’m doing today.

ChapterFive

The smile on my face feels somewhat foreign as I walk out of Holly’s building. The strain in my pants? Not so much. But it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten so fucking hard from just looking at a woman.

Holly’s not like any of the women I’ve ever been with. She’s different. Fucking beautiful, so damn beautiful it almost hurts to look at her. But there’s something else about her too. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s as if I’m pulled to her.

One word came to mind when she opened the door.Mine.That girl is mine. She doesn’t know it yet; the world doesn’t know it yet. But mark my words, heads will roll before I give her up.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Neo steps away from the blacked-out Escalade he was leaning against. I roll my eyes. Of course he’s tracked me down. I swear the fucker’s planted a GPS on me somewhere without my knowing. I’ve run a tracker-identifying device over every inch of my body and I’ve yet to find it. But he always manages to turn up wherever I am.

“What the hell do you want, Neo? It’s eight in the morning. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“I would be, if my favorite cousin wasn’t out doing God knows what. What exactlyareyou doing? Or should I saywho? Because that weird-ass look you just had on your face is one I’ve never seen before, and I’ve seen all of your looks.”

“Fuck off, Neo. I didn’t have a look,” I grunt.

“You had a look. Also, your papa has summoned us for an urgent meeting. Get in.”

Neo jumps into the driver’s side, and I head to the passenger’s seat. “What does he want now?” I ask him. It’s not unusual for my father to summon us for impromptu meetings; they just aren’t ever at this hour of the morning. Honestly, I’d still be in bed if I didn’t have a coffee to deliver and a hot-as-sin redhead to track down.

“No idea. Guess we’ll find out soon.” Neo shrugs and turns up the volume on the stereo, blasting some god-awful 90s rap song.

“Your taste in music is almost as bad as your taste in women,” I grumble.

“Speaking of, how’s the hottie from the café doin’?” The bastard laughs.

I briefly consider lying to him, telling him I have no idea who he’s talking about, but there is no point. He knows me too well. “She’s different,” I answer, not really sure what else to say about her.

“Different…like you’re about to start a fucking war just so you can have her? Or different like you’re going to set her up in an apartment and visit her every other day?”

It’s not unusual for the men in our family to have women on the side. But the thought of anyone treating Holly likethe other womanhas me seeing red. “I’ll never have a side piece, Neo. You know this.” My cousin knows where I stand on infidelity. It’s not an option for me. I’ve watched my mother’s heart break over and over again every time my father didn’t return home for days at a time. I’ll never do that to my own wife.

“So, it’s going to be the war option. Good… things have been getting a bit boring around here lately.” Neo grins like the psychopath he is.

“There’s not going to be a fucking war. I’ll figure a way out of this marriage with Lana.Without inciting bloodshed.I just have to determine what my father is getting out of the exchange and provide a better offer.”

“Uh-huh, sure. Just so you know, if you can’t do it peacefully, I’m all for a blood bath and taking over the world. All that shit. My loyalties lie with you, T. No one else.”

“I know. And I appreciate it, but don’t let the current Don hear you say that.”

Fifteen minutes later, we pull into my family’s estate.Here goes nothing.Visiting your parents should not induce anxiety; I’m pretty sure it’s meant to be a pleasant, warm feeling. But ever since my father dropped that whole arranged marriage crap on me, I haven’t wanted to come here. All I can think is:what the fuck does he want from me now?

I grew up idolizing the man. Aside from how he stepped out on my mom, he was a good father. He showed me the ways of the family, taught me everything I know about being a leader, being a boss. I just didn’t realize how much of my life he had planned out for me from the moment I entered this world. I was born to be his heir, to fill a role. And fill it I did. Exceedingly well. I was the youngest made man in the family. Conducted my first kill when I was only twelve.

But the old man’s crazy if he thinks I’ll silently sit by and go along with this wedding shit now. Before Holly appeared, I was prepared to do what I had to—ifit meant doing what was best for the family—even if I wasn’t happy about going in blind. That being said, I should really question my own sanity… I’m ready to spill blood in order to have a woman I know absolutely nothing about. No, in order to have achancewith her.

I need to rectify that problem. Before I walk into my parents’ home, I send off a quick text to my investigator. This guy will get me everything I need to know about my mystery girl. All I have to do is give him her first name and address with the instruction of leaving no stone unturned.

Putting my phone back into my pocket, I inhale deeply before straightening out my jacket and walking into the place like I own it—which I guess, in a way, I do. All of this will be mine when I take over my father’s role.

“Good morning, Mr. Valentino. Your father is in his office. He’s expecting you.” Teresa, the family’s housekeeper, greets me in the foyer.

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