Page 53 of The Viper

I push through the crowd and get to him just as he arrives to the door. Marco rushes ahead and stands between the guy and the door. “Mind moving, buddy?” the fucker says.

Marco tears Rosa out of his arms, and the guy stumbles back and looks around. My fist knocks him on his ass. “Get her to the car,” I instruct Marco.

He gives me a curt nod and while holding my girl up he leaves through the exit. I grab the guy by his shirt and drag him up. “What are you doing with my girlfriend?”

“Your girlfriend?”

“Yeah, she’s drunk.”

With a tight grip on the back of his neck I open the door and see Marco placing Rosa in the front. Once Marco’s in the back, I push the fucker into the car and sit beside him. “She’s your girlfriend, is she?” Frank takes off at a speed that makes the tires squeal on the road.

The guy looks at me, then Marco, then back to me. “Um.”

“What’s her name?” I ask.

“Look, this is a misunderstanding.” I fucking punch the guy in the temple three times in quick succession, knocking him out.

Marco snorts a small chuckle. “And the viper is back. Do you want him in the dungeon?” Marco asks as we drive toward the house.

“Yep.” I sit forward and check on my girl. She’s completely out of it. My phone vibrates and I slide it out of my pocket to answer. “Yeah?”

“Have you got him?” Adrian asks.

“I do. Did you get Eliza out?”

“Yeah, I’ve sent her home. I’ll meet you at yours.”

“No. I’ll take care of this one.” My teeth grit together as I turn to look at the fucker between Marco and myself.

Adrian chuckles. “Here I thought I was going to have some fun.” I hang up as a hot anger floods through me. I sit back while Frank speeds toward the house. This fucker has no idea what’s about to happen.

“Get him down to the dungeon,” I instruct Marco. “Chain him up.” Marco’s response is a brief nod. I open the passenger door and slide my arms under my Rosa’s body and lift her as gently as I can. She doesn’t even stir, which causes me to grind my teeth together. That fucker intended to violate my woman, and for that, he needs to be held accountable.

Climbing the stairs, I take her to my room and lay Rosa on my bed. She’s not coherent at all, and doesn’t know what’s happening to her. I slide her shoes off, then as carefully as I can, unzip her dress and gently shimmy it down her body. My eyes take her curves in, but right now isn’t the moment to admire her. Especially considering she’s at her most vulnerable.

I head over to my closet and open the drawer with all my t-shirts. I take one out, and walk back to the bed where I sit her up and pull the t-shirt over her head and down her torso.

I pull the blanket over her body then sit on the edge of the bed staring at my woman. I softly stroke the hair away from her face before leaning down and placing a small kiss on her forehead.

Marco is standing at my door and he glances toward Rosa. “She’ll be alright.” He walks in and claps a hand to my shoulder in order to reassure me.

“I know,” I reply. “Is Alba in the kitchen?”

“She is.”

“And that fucker?”

“In the dungeon, chained to the wall.”

“Good.” We head down the stairs and I search for my cook. “Alba,” I say when I find her cleaning the kitchen.

“Mr. Sacco, can I help you?” Her eyes are hard telling me she knows I have to work downstairs.

“Rosa is in my bed. I need you to keep an eye on her.”

Her hand flies up to her chest. “Is she ill? Hurt?”

I try not to get Alba involved in business, but sometimes I can’t help but traipse blood through the house. “She hasn’t been hurt, but I need you to stay with her until I return. If she wakes before I’m back, send word.”

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