Page 12 of The Mobster's Mate

Amato stood and paced away, leaving Caden’s view altogether. He kept his eyes on the man on the floor. He was watching Amato with narrowed, calculating eyes, all pretense dropping away, though his scent was still full of fear.

“So what? You and your mutt are going to scare me off, tell me to never see him again? What the fuck ever. He wasn’t that good of a lay anyway. You can have him if you want him so bad.” He sneered up at Amato as he came back into Caden’s view as he circled around behind Dare. The man was trying to look tough, but Caden could see his trembling limbs and hear his racing heart. “I don’t know why you care so much about some random camboy.”

Caden barely heard the crude words, his mouth going dry as he took in the furry chest under Amato’s open robe, the dark hair sprinkled with silver that caught in the low lighting. There was part of a tattoo visible on his left pec, just enough for Caden to guess it was his name and some sort of symbol beneath it. There were several other black-inked tattoos running down his sternum. Runes, he’d guess, not that he knew their meaning or what they’d do.

Were there more hidden secrets under that silk robe?

Goddess, the man was beautiful. There was no denying it, nor was there any denying how scary the look on his face was as he stared down his nose at the man on the floor.

“We didn’t bring you here to scare you off, no.”

“Then what?” The crack in the cruel man’s voice was undeniably satisfying to Caden and his jaguar.

Looking up, Amato locked eyes with Caden, freezing his breath in his lungs. He held his gaze as he said clearly, “I protect what’s mine.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than Dare’s claws were slicing through the man’s throat, blood arcing out and hitting Amato across the chest before Dare shoved the twitching body face-first onto the floor.

Amato glanced down at his stained skin and robe with irritation. “Always with the blood. You can never just snap their necks.”

Looking like a scolded puppy, Dare ducked his head, “Apologies.”

Amato waved him off, pulling a bright white handkerchief from his robe pocket and dabbing at the silk. “Forgiven. Did Benny see you take him?”

Dare shook his head, moving around the room. He pulled a large plastic sheet from somewhere and laid it on the ground next to the body, carelessly rolling him onto it. “He got called for a shoot. I’ll take care of this asshole and call the cleaners.”

Amato sighed and tossed the handkerchief onto the body, then slipped the robe from his shoulders and dropped it onto him as well.

Caden’s mouth dried at the sight of all of that smooth, white skin dotted with tattoos, his jaguar pacing restlessly inside him. He’d been right. Across his left pec was the word Amato with an infinity symbol beneath it. He wondered what it meant to him that he got it permanently inked into his skin. There were a few more tattoos of runes on each of his forearms, but it was the bright red rose on his right hip, still half hidden by his sweats it sat so low, that held his attention the longest.

His gaze darted back up when he heard Amato say, “Come here, Dare.”

Caden watched, transfixed and a little jealous, as the wolf closed the space between them and Amato laid one of his long-fingered hands on the side of his neck.

He was scenting him.

There was no other explanation for why he’d rub his palm on that spot, but why would a human do that? How’d he even know to do it?

The tension in Dare’s thick back muscles relaxed, and he let out a soft breath.

“You did well,” Amato said quietly.

Dare ducked his head, not saying anything, but his angry scent eased, turning sweet. Almost like… apple pie.

As soon as Amato removed his hand, Dare went back to working on the body. Caden was just about to slip away when Amato caught his eyes again and walked across the room toward him.

Caden was frozen in place as he watched his large body prowl toward him, more graceful than some shifters Caden had known. He was maybe only an inch taller, if that, yet his presence was full of strength and power, making Caden feel small in comparison.

“You should be in bed.”

Caden bit his lip, wanting more than anything to be able to ask him a question, to talk to him, to tell him about what the collar was going to do.

Amato cocked his head, eyes dropping to his throat. “Can you tell me your name?”

Caden shook his head.

He nodded, having obviously expected that answer. Slowly, he reached up, his hand hovering a couple of inches from Caden’s face while his hazel eyes studied him curiously.

Caden stiffened, desperately wanting the touch but also terrified of it at the same time.

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