Page 38 of Daddies of the Underworld

“Again.” He motioned me forward with a wave of both hands.

I bent over with my hands on my knees, sweat dripping down the back of my neck. “That word is starting to be my least favorite.”

He didn’t smile, but the hint of it appeared. Sweat lined his face, but he wasn’t the least bit out of breath.

I straightened and held out my wrist when he cocked both eyebrows. Apparently I hadn’t suffered enough this morning. “Fine.” I huffed and shook out my hands. “Grab me again, then.”

His hand closed around my wrist. He barely used any pressure, but his strength wasn’t something he could get rid of, and he was always careful in the way he held back. “Turn toward my thumb, not away. Fight the weakest point.”

“I’m trying.” Trying and failing.

“You’re failing.” He reiterated my thoughts with a grunt. “Failing gets you killed.”

“Well damn, Dante.” I shot him a look. “You’re shit at pep talks.”

“If you need a pep talk and a pat on the head, go see Luca.” His chin jerked toward the villa. He moved, faster this time, and my body reacted before my brain could catch up.

I stepped in, twisting toward his thumb, and drove the heel of my hand upward. I didn’t connect, but he acted like I had, releasing my wrist. Now I was supposed to run. Instead, I jumped up and down, my fists in the air. “I did it.”

His lips quirked. “Congratulations.”

“The audacity.” I smirked at him. “What next?”

His almost smile became real enough to threaten my balance. I should not have found that quirk attractive, especially when my muscles screamed and my hair stuck to my neck.

Unfortunately, my body stopped taking advice from me after our night together a few days ago.

I’d woken up with all of them still in bed with me, followed by Matteo’s orders that Dante teach me self-defense.

Luca walked our way, a folder tucked under his arm and a cup of coffee in each hand. “May I interrupt?”

“Yes.” I took one of the cups and moved toward the shade.

Dante motioned at the folder. “What do you have?”

Luca held out the other coffee to Dante, then pulled the folder from beneath his arm. “Carlo pulled more info from Emil’s phone. Nothing that names the men who hired him, but I wanted to see if Nina recognized anything else in the photos we found.”

I groaned. We’d been going over the same pictures for days. I’d told him everything I could think of, but he kept coming back to the picture of me outside the bus stop.

He’d been trying to track down the man I mentioned, with no luck.

“We did find a string of emails Emil wrote. They are in his drafts, all unsent, but they mention you. They say he did as he was instructed, but he did not find what they wanted.” Luca tapped the pictures. “Do you know what they’re talking about?”

“No.” I rubbed my aching wrist. “I have no idea why anyone would be watching me, why anyone would think I have something of theirs. I literally have nothing but the clothes I brought with me.” Frustration ripped through me, not for the first time. “I don’t know why any of this is happening.”

“‘We’ll figure it out.” Luca brushed a strand of damp hair from my cheek. “Why don’t we go into town? I think we all need a break.”

My tired, aching muscles begged for relief, but I checked in with Dante before I agreed. I’d love nothing more than to spend a few hours away from this place, this beautiful cage that reminded me I’d lost my freedom.

Dante nodded. “Go ahead. We’ll pick up again tomorrow.”

I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tight. “Thank you.”’

The hard lines of his body softened, and he patted my back. “Have fun. Don’t let him talk you into the lemon scones.”

“Hey.” Luca protested, but Dante was already moving away.

I rushed toward our room, showering and changing in record time. Luca waited for me in the front room when I walked out.