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I never saw it coming.
They wanted her.
It just doesn’t make any sense.
Shaking my head, I call a number I’ve never quite had the balls to call myself, always using a middleman for communication. The phone clicks over before it barely even begins to ring and nothing but silence greets me. I know he’s there, though.
“I need a favor.” Simple, short. Just how he likes it.
“Renz Travino.” His voice is distorted. I’ve heard he uses a scrambler. No one knows who he really is, except his inner circle. The other members of Achilles. “Speak.”
I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.He’ll help me. They’ll get her back. “My woman was taken by the men who have been after me. I need you to track her.”
He hesitates for a moment and my heart rate kicks up. My palms begin to sweat and my grip on my phone tightens. “It will cost you.”
“Anything,” I say, not even skipping a beat. I would give anything. Do anything. If not just for me, but for my brothers, my best friends. I know what she means to them. This will…no. I can’t think like that. He proceeds, asking me for her last known location. I send him a ping of where I am before saying, “I need a tech team here. She…it looks like she fought.”
I add in the last part as my fingers trail over something that feels a lot like a tuft of short hair, though it’s difficult to see in the dark.
Good job, Kitten. My little fighter.
I drop it and pull my hands away, leaving everything as relatively undisturbed as possible. The nameless, voiceless man agrees with my request.
“Someone will be there in twenty minutes. We will be in touch.” A pause, and then. “We will require a favor of you and when the time comes, you will not hesitate, you will not decline. You are in the debt of Achilles now, Renz Travino.”
And then, he’s gone.
Dropping my head into my hands, I give myself just a moment. One singular moment to panic. To freak out. To think of the worst-case scenario. I allow all of the ugly, tumultuous, painful emotions and thoughts to fill me. To fuel me.
How did I allow this to happen?
Breathing, I think back to the events leading up to this as I try to piece it all together, knowing I’ll need to have my facts straight.
The guys and I had a plan to draw out the attackers. How did it all go to shit so quickly? This outcome wasn’t even on our radar. We knew the best way to catch them, would be to put their target,me, in a very public place, in hopes that they would make a move. I needed to meet with Matteo and figured having two important members of the Cosa Nostra out in the open would be a surefire way to get whoever is after me to attack.
Me and the guys planned for everything. We had more of our men on-site today than I’ve ever had guarding me at one time. They were all in disguise, milling about the crowds as we collectively waited. And waited. Matteo never showed, nor did the attackers.
I had just dismissed everyone to head back home when I saw her.My Kitten.Standing across from me, hidden beneath a tree in a beautiful white dress that fit her like a fucking pin-up dream. Her violet hair swept back in a high ponytail. She had purple heels on that made her shapely legs look miles high. She was there, for me. I wasn’t sure what her reasoning was but at that moment, it didn’t matter.
Nothing mattered but my overwhelming need and desire for her.
Ever since she walked back into my life the other night, I haven’t been able to stay away. The maelstrom of emotions Violet brings out in me is absolutely insane. I am not myself when she’s around. I don’t know what to do with the feelings she evokes inside of me.
So, I lashed out. Out of panic and fear of the unknown, I pushed her away, just like I did all those months ago.
Violet Duncan is a fucking goddess amongst mortals. She is pure fire. When I look at her, I don’t see an easy lay. I don’t see a toy to play with. I see my fucking forever and it terrifies me.
But, no matter how hard I try, I haven’t been able to stay away. Since the day we walked out three months ago, I’ve had eyes on her. I know every move she’s made, every place she’s gone. I know who she speaks to, where she goes, and what books she reads. I know everything and it’s simply because I want her with every cell and fiber of my being.
When she showed up the other night, I had to force down the urge to throw her over my shoulder and tie her to my bed so we’d never be apart again. I sat with her all night in the library. I washed her face, made sure the fire kept her warm, and just watched her. Like a fucking creep. I couldn’t help it.
The next morning, seeing her in my library, with my book collection….it was every dream I’ve ever had come true. Visions of her as a permanent fixture in my life filled me so rapidly, that I couldn’t hold back anymore. I almost took her then. Demanded she stay with me forever.
But then, reality came crashing back in. She isn’t safe here, with me, with us. Her life is in jeopardy, and I refused to allow her to be a casualty in this war. I fought every instinct within me, demanding that she belongs to me. That the safest place for her is by my side. I fought my need to be with her, to own and possess her. To keep her.
Apparently, I didn’t fight hard enough.
Forcing myself to swallow down all of the painful emotions threatening to break me, I stagger to my feet and then…I make a second call.
