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Leonardo Conti doesn’t fear God.
He walks his unashamed path of sin, and from what he says, he’d do anything, become anything, to protect me. The same could never be said about someone like Tyler.
I’m brought back to reality when Diego unlocks the doors and rounds the car. It’s then I realize I never gave him a destination.
The balmy air greets me, and I peer up at the three tall buildings that reach up into the black sky.
Conti Towers.
The modern architecture shows off sleek lines and sharp angles, and their impossible height has them overshadowing ever other structure on the street.
“How did you know I’d want to come here?”
“I had a feeling,” he says, helping me out.
I wince as my ballet flats hit the hard pavement. I love playing in heels—Leo fostered that addiction. It’s akin to donning a dark shade of lipstick.
Feeling confident, capable, seductive, even, is an addictive contrast to the meek girl my parents created. And it doesn’t hurt to see the obsessed look in Leo’s eyes when I wear the shoes he bought me—put on me—the night we met.
He looks at me with raw desire when he watches me in Verus, and he’s not the only one.
But my feet are aching from my scuffle with Tyler. Sitting at the piano in stilettos is one thing; being roughed up in the middle of the road is another situation entirely. And my ankles aren’t happy.
“Plus,” Diego continues, bringing me back, “if Leo found out I took you anywhere other than a hospital instead of driving you straight to him?”
“He’d carve out your eyes?”
“Now, you’re getting at it.” He leans casually against the hood of the car as I make my way to the door.
When I look back, he winks, pointing to the central tower. He doesn’t climb in the car until I’m safely in the building.
The woman at the front desk gives me the side eye when I ask for Leo Conti. But I can’t tell if it’s because of who I’m asking for or my bloody lip and fresh bruise. She doesn’t call ahead, but checks her system, which I find odd. But when she leads me into the elevator, sending me to the penthouse, I guess I must be on some sort of pre-approved list.
Is this him being hopeful? Or me?
The butterflies die in my chest when I step out into his massive apartment and watch the surprised smile fall icily off his face.
“How the fuck did they find you?”
“It wasn’t my parents.”
“Then I’m going to need a name, Kyra.”
I hesitate.
“Right. Fucking. Now.”
“It was my ex. He found me outside the club.”
“Explain,” he says coolly.
“Sutton and the others were taking stock so she sent me home, gave me her keys.” Leo fumes silently, waiting for the rest of the story. “He just stepped out into the road and then before I knew what was happening, he was dragging me out of my seat. He was angry…spouting shit about how I’d been whoring myself out at the club. I tried to explain, but he choked me and tried to…he…he ripped my panties off.”
His eyes are a dark gray color I’ve never seen before, and he’s clenching his jaw so hard I think his teeth might crack.
“I kneed him in the groin and then swung at his face, but I don’t think I did much damage,” I sigh. “I got away out of pure luck.”
The air grows thicker with his furious breaths. “You’ve left out the most important detail.”
