Page 44 of The Players

“No.”

“Excuse me? You want another spanking?”

She relaxed into his arms. He was so big, she felt like she disappeared in them. It was as if the world couldn’t see, or touch her from this position.

“You’re not going to lay a finger on me, big guy.”

“And how would you know that?”

“Because you don’t have it in you to hurt me. Not really.” She had his number. Judging by his scowl, he didn’t like that one bit, but she did. Sy wasn’t capable of hurting a woman.

Um… isn’t this the same man who threatened to shoot his brother’s ex-girlfriend?

Apples and pears.

Not really.

Odd and twisted as it may seem, a man like Sy wouldn’t consider putting a bullet in someone as an act of violence. No, she had seen true violence and cruelty. No matter what he said, he didn’t have a cruel bone in his body when it came to women.

Her eye fell onto one of the little gray dots on his chest. She kissed it. A sharp breath of air followed from Sy.

“It was him, wasn’t it?” he guessed.

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

He let it go, which she was grateful for. If anyone would understand, it would be him. They lay there for a while, and time lost all meaning. They were just two broken pieces holding on to each other, hoping to mend each other in this crazy little thing called life.

“Get up.”

Her head turned toward Vince’s voice. He was standing in the doorway, taking them in. A wordless conversation was held between the men.

Carmen slowly rose to her feet and Sy followed her.

Vince took off his dress jacket and draped it over a bench. His tie followed.

“Let’s do this again,” he said.

“Actually, I’ve had enough for today.”

There was an odd look in his eyes, like something ready to explode and she wasn’t ready yet to have a fallout with him. Not while she was still nauseous from Franco’s phantom breath on her skin.

“Don’t care. You think your enemy will? Next time, when someone wants to take you down, will they do it on your schedule?”

“I know what you’re trying to do.” She wasn’t going to get suckered into a fight with him.

“Really? And what do you think that is?”

She rolled her eyes. “Piss me off so I will take you up on your challenge. I’m not falling for it.”

He slowly walked up to her. Once again, she noticed how different he was from Sy, but not any less lethal. While Sy was all muscle, Vince was more lean. He had a tendency for tailored Italian suits that gave him a sharp look but to her, couldn’t hide the predator underneath.

She sucked in a breath when he towered over her. A muscle was ticking in his left jaw. She got mesmerized by his pull.

You hate him.

Remember, you hate him!

Sure…

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