Page 30 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

“Perhaps,” I mused, giving Ari more popcorn.

He shook his head.

“Do you need me for anything?” he asked a moment later.

“No, just make sure Enzo leaves and doesn’t bother any of the girls. If he goes near Remi, inform me immediately.”

Arlo gave me a nod and smirked before he left the room. He gave me enough shit about Remi as it was.

I turned back to Ari, who was watching me with a bemused expression on her face.

“Yes?”

“Why are you feeding me when I’m perfectly capable of doing it myself?”

I set the bag down in her lap.

“I want to.”

“That’s not an explanation.”

I smiled and gathered up some more popcorn.

“It’s the only one you’re getting.”

She opened her mouth, allowing me to continue feeding her. I didn’t have another explanation. I just wanted to. It was in my nature to take care of my possessions.

Before I could remove my hand from near her mouth, Ari’s tongue darted out and brushed over the pad of my forefinger. My breath caught in my throat at the contact. She watched me with a rather deviant look in her eyes as she licked my thumb, cleaning the lingering popcorn taste from my skin. I didn’t stop her. How the fuck could I?

I didn’t know if she was doing this to wind me up or to prove I’d lied about my interest in her. It was working. My dick had certainly got the message.

“Tinkerbell.” Her nickname came out all breathy and hushed from my lips.

She leant back and chewed her mouthful before giving me a smile.

“I didn’t want you to have sticky fingers, sir.”

Picking up the bag from her lap, she stuffed more in her mouth, daring me to say something.

Fuck. You are a little brat and I like it way more than I should.

I knew she was going to be trouble. Knew it deep in my fucking soul. And I wanted it. Fuck, did I want it… maybe even needed it. My life had been stagnant until Arianna Michaelson had shown up covered in blood. Now I was in hell… and I didn’t care. All I cared about was keeping her. And never letting go.

Eleven

Arianna

It had been far too quiet for the past few days in Zayn’s house. We hadn’t returned to the club. Instead, he’d been ensconced in his office ninety per cent of the time. The rest was spent making sure I ate, went to bed when he told me to and obeying his rules to the letter. I swear the man was the strictest person I’d ever met. This was how I imagined what being in the military was like. Made me question what madness possessed me to come to him for help. Then I pictured my father’s disappointed face and was reminded of what I had to lose.

I sighed as I walked along the hallway towards the kitchen to get a drink. Zayn hadn’t given me a great deal to do, so I was bored as hell. Maybe I should have told him, but disturbing the man was like taking your life into your own hands. I might not be afraid of Zayn, but it didn’t make him any less intimidating.

Voices filtered through the slightly open doorway of his office. I paused, having heard Arlo arriving earlier. He didn’t come and say hello to me. In fact, if I was in the room, he’d speak Italian to Zayn so I wouldn’t understand what was being said. It was mildly frustrating being the only one in the room who wasn’t privy to what was going on.

My ears picked up a voice I knew all too well. My father’s, but I couldn’t make out the words properly. What the hell was my father doing here? He couldn’t be. I needed to know what was going on. I stepped closer to the doorway, pressing myself against the wall outside.

“You saying McGovern ain’t got her?” came my father’s voice.

“That’s what he said, fam.”

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