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“Well, goddamn,” Romeo says, followed by a low whistle. He flips through a few more pages of the notebook, then looks around the room. “Jackpot, men. We have the location of their latest weapons haul.”
He rattles off the address, and one of the men starts making notes on his laptop. I peer over at the other man who has been sitting in the corner, not saying a word. He has a goofy grin on his face, shaking his head at Valentino.
“Told you love would hit you in the chest like a lead pipe,” the man says.
Valentino chuckles. “You also said not to fight it. Took me a little bit on that last part, but now that we’re here…” He trails off, his gaze wandering back to me. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I beam up at him, still not quite believing it all worked out. As if sensing my thoughts, Valentino hugs me closer, wrapping his arms around my back and stroking up and down my spine.
“We good here, Boss?” Valentino asks.
“What?” he grunts, his nose still buried in the notebook. “Oh. Yes, you two may go. Dante and I will go over the rest of these notes and have a plan of attack soon.”
“Thank you,” I say as Valentino takes my hand and starts pulling me toward the door.
Romeo nods. “Your loyalty will be tested in the days to come. This is a good start,” he says, holding out the notebook.
“I won’t back down,” I tell him, clenching my jaw. “I’ll fight beside you until every last one of my father’s men is taken out.”
“The hell you will,” Valentino grunts.
I roll my eyes at him, which makes the other three men in the room laugh.
Without another word, Valentino tugs me the rest of the way out into the hall, then scoops me up in his arms, bridal style. I giggle and kick out my legs as he races toward the front door and down the porch steps.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he sets me down in front of his car. Valentino helps me into the passenger seat, then buckles my seatbelt before kissing my forehead.
“Need to get you home. Need to feel you, princess. All of you. Jesus, you scared me.”
I cup his cheeks, drawing his face closer to mine. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just knew I had to do something.”
“And now it’s my turn to do something,” he says with a wicked grin.
Valentino closes my door and hurries around to the driver’s side, hopping in and peeling out of the Di Salvo compound.
CHAPTERNINE
VALENTINO
As soon as we get inside, I spin Katya around, pressing her against the closed door before crashing my lips down on hers. She grabs my shirt and pulls me closer as she sucks on my tongue, welcoming my kiss and fighting me for control.
“You shouldn’t have put yourself at risk like that,” I rasp before sucking on her neck.
“You would have done the same for me,” Katya breathes, tipping her head back to give me more access to her creamy skin.
I glide my tongue over her flesh, nipping the sensitive spot below her ear before kissing away the sting. “It would have been a worthy sacrifice,” I murmur, leaning back a bit to look her in the eyes. “But your life for mine? That doesn’t make sense.”
She furrows her brow in confusion, a heartbreaking look taking over her features. “Do you really think you’re worth so little?”
“I… Well, I…” I look away from her, not sure how to answer.
Katya lays her palm gently against the side of my cheek, directing my gaze back to hers. “You’re my whole world, Valentino. Whatever protective feelings you have for me, I also have them for you. Is that so hard to believe?”
“Yes,” I answer truthfully, my voice hardly above a whisper. “But I believe you. I want to be the man you think I am. I want to be better for you, Katya.”
“You’re already so good to me,” she says softly, her lips brushing against mine.
I welcome her kiss, letting her take the lead and falling under her spell once more. She writhes against my body, her nails digging into the back of my neck as she clings to me.
