AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shit, I hadn’t even realized I’d been doing it.
There’s a glint in their eyes, one I don’t like, one I know is going to bring more trouble than it’s worth.
But right at this moment, my mind and body are focused on Ava. The woman who has the ability to seemingly turn my world upside down without even trying to.
I’m beyond fucked. And I don’t even care.
6
WREN
Inspecting the cleaning job on the gun in my hand, I smile softly, pleased with the perfection. There’s something soothing about the process, the intricate attention to detail, as I make sure the Springfield XD is in excellent condition to use.
It’s what I used on my father, and the power that gave me makes this weapon my preferred choice. Always.
Placing the gun on the nightstand, I pack away my cleaning kit into the little case it comes in before securing it in my suitcase in the closet.
My stomach rumbles, reminding me that I haven’t eaten a damn thing since yesterday, but after my phone call with the De Luca brothers, responding to Luna’s message, and getting lost in the process of gun cleaning, I’ve been too preoccupied.
Reaching for my phone, I swipe to bring up the room service menu for the hotel, but before I can even click on what’s available, a short, shrill alarm sounds from my laptop and everything else is forgotten.
My heart pounds in my chest, my pulse thundering against the backs of my eyes as I grab the gun from beside me, disregarding my phone as the secret security camera footage comes to life on my laptop.
That sound only means one thing: someone’s heading my way. I requested a secluded room at the end of the hall on the ninth floor, fully aware it would allow me the ability to have the camera feed set up solely for this room without interference from anyone else.
A huge guy comes into view on the screen before me, and my knuckles tighten around the gun as if my life literally depends on it. It’s not until he knocks on the door, the sound making me jolt slightly, that I see his face, and my jaw drops in shock.
As my gaze flits from the screen to the door, to the fucking gun in my hand, it takes a second for my mind to process what the hell is going on, and then I dive into action.
What the fuck is he doing here?
I place my XD in the top drawer of the nightstand, right next to the Bible, and as I reach for my laptop, another knock rings out from the other side of the door.
“Ava? Open up.” Vito’s gruff voice sends a shiver down my spine, even in a moment of panic like this, but it doesn’t stop me from silencing my laptop before storing it under my bed. I do the same with my phone, not wanting any interruptions that may reveal who I am.
Rising from the bed, I glance around the room, my heart rate still spiked as I swipe my hand down my face, trying to calm the nerves bubbling inside of me. Happy that everything is tucked away, I reach for the television remote, flicking the screen on. Some kind of reality tv show comes on, and as I turn for the door, the knocking starts up again.
Fuck. Why would Vito be here? Maybe I should have kept a hold of the gun? Shit. I don’t know.
Before I can overthink it, I reach for the door handle, unlocking the latch and swinging it open to reveal the hot-as-sin man on the other side. The security footage did him no justice.
His cropped brown hair makes him look dark and dangerous, emphasized by the scars that mark his neck, and I’m now noticing them on his hands too. His brown eyes examine every inch of me as I do the same to him, both of us standing frozen in place, sinking deeper into the other.
Shaking my head, I pull myself from the stare-off, silently berating myself for admiring him first and asking questions second. “What are you doing here, Vito? And how the fuck did you know where to find me?” I blurt, confusion and anger fused in my tone, but if it offends him, he doesn’t let it show. If anything, the corner of his mouth tugs up, as if I’m entertaining him.
Without a word, he shoulders past me, not hard, more of a brush since there’s little space for him to pass, but he shrugs, leaving me to gape after him as he comes to a stop in the center of the room before turning back to face me. “The lady at the front desk told me which room you were in,” he states casually, like he hasn’t just put a fucking target on her head.
“The lady at the front desk. Are you kidding me? Which one?” I grumble in response, wanting to make sure I make her pay for this bullshit, but he smirks almost sheepishly, before slowly spinning on the spot to take in my room.
“It’s irrelevant.”
“No, it’s not. There are privacy policies in place that were breached with this shit. You could have been here to murder me and she’s just going to give out that information,” I hiss, my lips twisting with disappointment. He turns to face me, his eyebrows raised as he swipes his tongue over his bottom lip.
A rugged-as-hell man like this should not be allowed to look so damn tempting when I’m mad. There should be laws to make this shit illegal.
“Maybe I am,” he mutters, maintaining the distance between us as he keeps his gaze fixed on mine, and it takes me a moment to understand what he’s insinuating.
“Sure. That’s cute,” I say with a roll of my eyes, batting off his comment like it doesn’t twist my gut with uncertainty. “How about we skip the pleasantries and get to the part where you explain what you’re doing here. The last time I spoke to you, I was meeting the three of you at The Ritz at seven.” I cross my arms over my chest, still standing by the open door. He doesn’t utter a word, just continues to move toward me, slow, calculated, like a predator ready to feast on his next meal. “Vito, what are you doing here?” I ask again, frustrated at having to repeat myself, but the closer he gets, the faster my heart races for entirely different reasons.
