Page 64 of The Veiling

I nodded. “I just want you to know, at the time, I did have a good reason.”

The top of her dress slinked down, and she spun around. “Oh? And what would your good reason be?” She raised her hand. “You know what? Don’t. I’m going to go shower and get in bed.” She let her gown fall to the floor, and she whirled around, marching away.

Stretching my arm out, I took her hand, snatching her back to me. “Please, listen to me.”

“Listen to the man who brought someone into our home who has hurt me more than any human being can withstand?”

“I know what it seems like, but—”

“No, Valentino!” She jerked her hand away. “You don’t get to assume what itseems. The truth is in the basement! You brought Felipe here! There is no explanation that can make me accept that.”

“And now, I have to go get rid of him, but I really need to meet with the guys about it and figure out what they were trying to tell me.”

“I’ll go with you!” She crossed her arms under her breasts, pushing her cleavage up.

Any other time, I would have thrown her over my shoulder and taken her pouting little ass to the bed and fucked her senseless, but I knew better right now. She had rarely ever gotten upset with me, but when she did, I deserved it.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She snatched a shirt off a hanger and slipped it over her head. “Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea that you brought that freaking psychopath into our house!” Taking a pair of track pants from another hanger, she slid them on and paraded out of the room.

I followed closely behind her, keeping her pace as she trekked down the hallway, down the stairs, and through corridors to my office. When we entered the room, Joseph, William, Noah, and Giacomo were wide-eyed.

Noah strode over to her, pulling her in to a hug. She did not resist, but she did not reciprocate either. He let her go and faced me. Isabelle tucked a foot under her rear and plopped down on the sofa against the wall. I sat at my desk, sliding my chair under.

“Boss—”

“Noah, just speak freely.”

“Okay.” He sighed. “Alessio couldn’t get away, but Marco is on the way here and Blaine should be back in an hour. He went to get more supplies.”

I nodded, shifting my gaze to Joseph.

“Someone beat the shit out of Felipe while we were gone.”

“It wasn’t me!” Giacomo shrugged.

“Whoever it was,” William added, “almost killed him. The asshole is barely alive down there.”

I lifted my hand to my jaw, stroking it. “Whoever it was had to have known he was here. Maybe one of the guys at the gate?”

“I don’t think so,” Giacomo replied. “And Paxton was the only guard at the front. The others were patrolling and saw nothing. They must have slipped by when I was at the guardhouse.”

“I think someone took a crowbar to his face,” Noah snorted.

“More like a cement block,” William chimed in.

“It was a bat,” Isabelle blurted.

Silence filled the room. We turned our attention to her. She was picking at her nails, paying us no mind.

“Excuse me?” I cocked my head.

She lifted her gaze, her eyes widening when she saw we were all staring at her. She shifted in her seat, tucking her other leg under her. “I tasered him, then used a metal bat.”

“That was you?!” Noah spat.

She nodded.

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