Page 4 of Sinfully Owned

"Run," she replied, but her voice didn’t make a single sound.

That's all it took for me to turn and sprint away. I ran outside and took a swing a few meters before the end of the pier to hurl the device away from me.

I was already halfway back when I heard it hit the waves. Inside, I was just waiting to hear the explosion. To feel it. But at first, nothing happened.

Only when I was almost back to Emilio and the other two did the shock wave sweep me off my feet. I hit the floor at just the right angle to see the meter-high wave the explosion had created. Water sprayed my face. It was fortunate that we were in the eastern end of the bay and thus in the middle of the container port. We had bribed the security people hours before our arrival to keep both eyes closed and turn a deaf.

Before I rose, I let my head sink onto the concrete and took a deep breath. So the thing had been armed and she hadn't lied.

Natale held Gia by the shoulder when I made it back to them. Emilio stared at me as if I had gone mad. Shaking his head, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.

Before I realized what he was doing, his fist already crashed into my face.

I tasted blood, heard Gia yelp in surprise, and let out a laugh. "I guess I deserved that."

"You're an idiot, Dario, and if you weren't my brother, I would have killed you for the stupid things you just did. The fact that you think you're indestructible to even come up with the idea it could have torn you into a million pieces." Emilio sounded anything but enthusiastic. In fact, he had every right to be furious.

I wiped my nose. "It's not like you tried to stop me."

"We both know that you rarely take my advice." He gave me a warning look before turning to Gia. "And you will have to answer some questions. You’re coming with us."

"Is this your new thing? Taking women home after we pick them up somewhere?" Natale asked, an amused grin on his lips.

Emilio probably would have liked to lynch him for that comment, but he continued to focus on Gia.

"My brother made this decision, so he will take care of the rest," Emilio explained to Gia and then looked at me. "You'll get everything we need to know. If she has something to do with this "

Emilio raised an eyebrow, which meant:Then you kill her before we go looking for that bastard.

"Okay. But maybe we should forget all the assumptions for a moment."

"Of all people, you don't want to make rushed decisions anymore?" Natale sounded as if he was mocking me for that.

"Well, I for one believe Gia," I replied.

Natale rolled his eyes. Of course, he would have preferred to watch someone explode from a distance instead of trying to save an innocent life. I was usually right there with him in that regard– but not when it came to a young woman who still shuddered, even minutes after the danger had passed. Besides, she piqued my interest. Was she aware that she had exchanged one evil for another in meeting us?

"Do you need anything from your car?" I asked.

She shook her head, biting her lower lip to stop shaking.

"Fine, you're coming with me." I pointed to my car before turning in Emilio's direction. "I'll keep you posted. If I'm right, you owe me an apology. You'll be lucky if my fucking nose isn't broken!"

So far I had ignored the pain and the iron taste in my mouth, but it was getting more annoying by the minute. Besides, it left a strange first impression on women when they had to watch you getting smacked by your brother– for saving their lives.

"Let's get out of here before this guy shows up to see how successful his stupid plan was." I trudged toward myLamborghini Sián,which I had parked in the shadows of the spacious, empty warehouse.

2

Gia

The quiver in my body just wouldn't stop. No matter how many times I took a deep breath and reminded myself that I was no longer in danger, I still felt the weight of the bomb on my shoulders, felt the pressure around my chest.

The image of the ugly guy who had told me in English, with a heavy accent, what I had to do for him if I valued my life, was still in my mind.

Not even the comfortable leather seats and the pleasant smell of sandalwood pulled me out of my shock.

"Is that what you always do? Save strangers, even though you could die yourself?" I asked with a nervous laugh, barely able to look in his direction.

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