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Impossible, and yet there was no mistaking her.

She was the shooter, evidenced by the long gun hanging off her shoulder.

I raked eyes over her as she stood to my left under a stand of trees.

Lowering my Sig a fraction, the pain of my wound faded as I thought through my next steps.

I inched closer as her stance moved from alert to relaxed, letting her rifle fall to her side.

If I approached her without the element of surprise, I feared she’d plant a bullet straight through my heart.

Scusa, woman. It’s going to be fuckin’ dirty.

I’d consider begging her forgiveness later.

Chapter 4

ALESSIO

Idarted towards her in a burst of energy.

Seconds later, I’d divested her of her weapon, throwing it into a stand of bushes to her left.

I banded one arm across her waist, trapping her against me.

With a gasp, she reacted, thrashing, struggling, kicking hard, and bucking wild.

The back of her boot grazed my balls, my jewels almost sustaining a hit from her flailing.

I hissed, gripping her around the neck. ‘Woman, relax!’

She’d no such plans.

Damn, she was a hellcat, kicking my knees, elbowing me, her swing sending shards of pure agony through me.

‘Cleo, calm the fuck down,’ I growled.

At the sound of her name, she froze.

Chest heaving, pulse jumping beneath my fingers.

I gentled my grip and let go with care, keeping a wary eye on her hands in case she decided to take a swing at me.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

She whirled, and my gun snapped up in a reflexive motion.

A bolt of agony went through me, and I cursed at the throb of the wound in my shoulder.

For a suspended moment, we stared at each other.

I, down the barrels of my Sig, eyes piercing past the thick chasm of tension between us.

‘It’s you,’ she whispered.

I tilted my chin up, letting her see all of me.

Hard eyes, clenched jaw, twisted lips.