ette

at Shouldn't

st didn't loosen. If a

y screaming at me to move-to put distance

omething I coul

didn'

her d

oo thick, laced with something I

close enough that I could feel h

t have let

have let him

nd I saw it in his eyes-something dark, so

have tim

e he ki

I let

uld have reminded myself that I w

his hands were steady as they pulled me closer, a

e in a very long time,

the kiss, slow

unraveling

st his mouth-a betray

ing into my spine as he took his time, a

d have h

did

im back-har

t me. He w

cracked, his body pressing against mine

rtbeat beneath my pal

was

at terr

g myself in

t t

shattered

spell

apping around my waist as he pushed me

to his stud

and-stormed in, gun raised

ed direct

it," Matt

od ran

gun didn't falter. "

at. His gun didn't waver. "I do

. Didn't react. D

it. I saw

g to wonder if

ke that, the

ca'

or be

was still poin

ave told hi

new had crawled under my skin, why I had let my

od between her

aw tensed.

No

. "She's lying to you. I don't

slightly, just e

, her expression unrea

e life. Some twitched. Some avoided eye

e? She w

ed. A storm wa

hiding

t part? I alr

d on my gun. "Put

s dang

o a

t he didn't lower hi

lence s

ette stepp

. Rec

uldn't h

ntly, his finger tigh

lready there-slamming his arm to t

itself into the b

h," I g

from every inch of him. "Luca, you're

asn't

this-I wasn't rea

s expression dark. "Don'

med out, slamming t

len

was still

walked into my life, I wasn't su

asked

voice was quiet. Dangerou

y, as if considering her opt

lete and utter su

nt smile. Not

hall

u want me t

tightened

ng a

ing the space between us. "

But I saw something in her eyes-a fl

I wanted

secrets,"

do

asn't

ts wouldn't g

wasn't

have wal

n to drag her out of here an

p-cupping her jaw, tiltin

ting

dn't pu

ed, "Are you going to

have. I

ed somethin

er lower lip, just enough to make her br

of breaking

mused.

didn't know if I was falling for a w

be b

ette'

jaw, his thumb tracing a slow

a danger

touching me-but beca

rushed my skin, the moment I felt

kill

o crav

just been played. He was looking at me like a ma

mit-I liked keep

rustration in his gaze. Good. Let him be frustrated.

ep him off balance, th

dangerous game, Jul

and sweet. "So

ed. "Are you wor

The ones who had been tryin

o had hired

. "If I was, woul

His hand slid lower, not quite let

ayb

ord sent a shi

Luca wasn

rt. Cunning

e wasn't letting

oo

t ready

t y

y, despite everything, I di

hat was the

ca'

tte wa

uld f

wasn't scrambling for an ex

in co

d y

issed

ose, let me see the fire in her eyes that

d have b

gun to her temple a

the p

sure I w

could handle wh

troy me, then why the hell did she t

behind us

teo

. "Unless someone is de

flinch. "It's w

flickered

oment-whatever Matteo

oing to chang