Page 3 of Hot-Blooded Killer

I sigh and frown, but inside, I want to leap from the table and cheer.

He has taken the bait.

I just have to pray that Edoardo doesn’t have the one combination that could beat my hand.

I’ve been watching the cards all night, waiting for my chance.

This is it.

Finally, I give a single sharp nod. “Done.”

“I don’t believe any woman is worth that much, son.” The lines around Rossi’s mouth deepen as he smiles, but the expression doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Not even Gia?”

Edoardo waves a hand in the air and jerks his chin at a nearby waitress, who returns in seconds with a bottle of scotch for the table. “You’re young,” he says, his tone turning avuncular, “so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised you don’t know this yet, but women have only two purposes—well, three, if you count sex.”

I raise my eyebrows, wishing I could perform the one-eyebrow trick that Max does so easily. “What? You mean if you can’t eat it, fuck it, or sell it, it’s not worth anything?”

Edoardo laughs again, but something about it sounds forced. “You got it. And in this case,selling itmeans marrying her off to someone who will bring value to my family. That’s not you. Everyone knows that the Beneventis are on their way out. You and your brother, you’re not the man your father was. And he’s gone.”

Now he’s trying to bait me to anger. But I’m not going to fall for it.

“That’s why they call it a bet,” I say, echoing his words from just moments ago.

But the fact that he’s trying to anger me is a good sign—it means I’ve gotten under his skin. He doesn’t really want to give up his daughter to me. But if he doesn’t take the bait, he’ll look weak in front of the other men here. And Edoardo Rossi works hard to never appear weak.

Finally he nods, pushing the pile of chips in front of him to the middle of the table.

He won’t miss the money. And we both know it.

That’s why he’s betting his daughter.

* * *

“You did what?”My brother Max’s voice booms through the downstairs of the house we’ve shared since our father and older brother had died.

“I won Gia Rossi in a poker game. I’m going to marry her.”

“Have you lost your fucking mind? The Rossis are ruthless—including Gia, from everything I’ve heard. She’ll slit your throat the first time you fall asleep in the same room with her.”

I laugh. “She’s not that bad. Come on—we’ve known her all our lives.”

Max shakes his head. “Which is exactly how I know that she’s a shark.”

My expression darkens. “Good. Then it’ll be even more satisfying when I ruin her and send her back to her father.”

Something sad flickers in the back of Max’s eyes and his voice finally drops. “Oh, Lorenzo. Are you sure you want to go through with this? I know you’re a grown man, but I'm the head of this family now, and the last thing I want is to see you unhappy.”

“I appreciate the concern, Max”—and I really do—“but I want to do my part to take down the Colombians. And this is how I can do it. Gia is my way into the Rossi family.” I pause. “After all, everyone knows that Edoardo treats her like his capo.”

Max, who has brought his own new wife into the family business, nods. It doesn’t bother him for a woman to have influence in the family. “But that’s what makes Gia so dangerous,” he points out. “All his men know how much he values her. They’ll do anything for her becausehewill. You’ll have to tread lightly, Lorenzo. She’s no one you can mess with.”

I nod, butmess with heris exactly what I plan to do.

Her father was involved in killing my father and brothers.

So now I will use her to destroy him.

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