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“Then leave me the hell alone, Nero,” she shot back. “I’m tired, my arm and head hurt, and I just want to take a shower, then go to bed. Unlike you, I don’t get to make my own work hours.”
“What. Did. He.Say?” I repeated, praying that she knew better than to keep testing me.
“Ask. Him. Yourself,” she answered again.
I had her by the throat, never imagining that I could ever feel this level of rage at her. “I will not ask again, Kasen,” I warned her. “I swear to God, if you don’t answer me, I will make sure that I am theonlyperson that you’re able to speak to for the rest of your life.” I leaned down in her face. “If you think that I’m going to stand back and watch you crawl into bed with my enemy, then you are very mistaken.”
Her hazelgaze widened, shock etched all over that fucking gorgeous face of hers. I didn’t care if I was showing weakness. I didn’t care if she could see the deepest parts of me. I didn’t have anything if I didn’t have this woman.
As far as Declan O’Brien was concerned, I knew that he wasn’t a real threat. While we outnumbered both the Irish and the Russians, the Russians outnumbered the Irish, so there was no way that O’Brien would get into bed with the Bratva. With the Russians outnumbering them, there’d be nothing stopping Avgust Kotov from taking over everything if they got together to take us out; O’Brien knew this. That same logic could be applied to any of us thinking of aligning ourselves with the enemy, so that alone was enough to keep everyone in check. Besides, everyone had more than enough after recent events, so everyone’s greed was satisfied for the time being. It was a delicate balance, one that we all understood very well.
So, what in the fuck did Declan O’Brien want with my wife?
“You’re jealous,” she stated, surprised that I would be.
“Just a couple of nights ago, my wife told me that she’s never going tolove me,” I reminded her. “Then I find out that she’s meeting with one of my enemies.” I tightened my hold on her neck. “Tell me why Ishouldn’tbe jealous.”
Her eyes flashed, and this fuckingwoman had more pride than a hundred men. “Because I also told you that I would honor my vows until I gave you however many legitimate children you needed.”
“Then I guess I’ll just keep you barefoot andfucking pregnant,” I threatened.
“May I take a shower now?” she asked, her voice steady but tired.
I let go of her neck. “We’renot done talking about this,il mio cuore.”
“I told you to quit calling me that.”
“You told me a lot of things,” I replied. “Things that I’m not ready to accept yet, if ever.”
“Nero-”
“What did he say, Kasen?”
“The conversation lasted all about ten minutes, Nero,” she said. “He said he was curious about the woman that Nero Sartori married.”
“What else?”
“Nothing,” she bit out, glaring at me. “He was just trying to feel me out, see what I was about. When I let him know that I wouldn’t be intimidated or blackmailed by whatever he thought he knew about Ryan, that was the end of the conversation.”
She was lying.
Now, while what she was saying was probably true, I knew Declan O’Brien well enoughto know that more was said. Declan wouldn’t have risked my wrath just to exchange pleasantries with my wife. Plus, according to Rafael, they’d been at the restaurant for a lot longer than that simple conversation.
“I’m only going to say this once, Kasen,”I told her. “You will never meet with Declan O’Brien again. You will also never meet with Avgust Kotov if he tries.”
“Anything else?”
I let out a deep breath, wondering what in the fuck I was going to do with this goddamn woman. I’d wanted the fire thatI’d seen that day in the courtroom, and I was getting it in spades. While I’d wanted a warrior at my side, I just hadn’t expected the war to be between us.
“Go take your shower,” I said, finally granting my permission. “I’ll bring you upsomething to eat.”
“I’m not hung-”
“I didn’t ask if you’re hungry!” I roared, my anger getting the best of me.
Realizing that I was finally at the end of my rope, Kasen let out a shaky breath, saying nothing more. After the other weekend,I’d been certain that we had turned a page in our relationship, but now we were right back where we’d started. Hell, we weren’t even back at where we’d started; we were way worse. Kasen acted like she truly hated me, and I didn’t know what to do with that. People could believe what they wanted, but all I’d been thinking about when we’d taken Schulz out had been my wife. I hadn’t been thinking about the Sartori name, my reputation, respect, money, territory, or anything like that. All I’d thought about was how someone had dared to harm my wife. Feared Mafia Underboss or boring insurance adjustor, I still would have killed for my wife. I was so fucking in love with this woman that it was becoming dangerous and destructive.
“I’m tired, Nero,” she repeated.
