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They talk about the line between love and hate being a fine one. They’re irrefutably wrong. The line betweenlustand hate is hairline. My need to fucking ravage this woman is unprecedented. Yet the more she fires arrows of disrespect my way, the more my disdain grows. It has me perplexed. Her position and power turn me on because I like the women I fuck to be self-assured enough to be confident in their vulnerability. I know why she has to be the way she is to the outside world. But to me? To the man she lets hunt her, she should know better.
“What is Lorenzo’s motive for your placement in my life?”
I ignore the question.
“Did you draw the short straw? Or did you believe me to be easy pickings?”
“Easy pickings?”
“The lonely widow,” she whispers.
“You hardly fit the grieving stereotype.”
Fire blooms in her eyes.
“I’m not stupid.” She clenches her fists. “And you’re not the first group of men to underestimate me. My own fucking outfit does that regularly.”
My surprise must show because she shakes her head. “It’s no secret. I have stood up against men like you and your boss more times than the years you’ve been alive. You want to know something, Diego Greco?”
I lift my chin. “What’s that?”
“They’ve never stood long enough for me to consider them a worthy competitor. I win. Every fucking time.”
“I don’t doubt it.” My voice is barely audible, but not with fear or disbelief, with admiration.
“I don’t know what you know—”
“About what?”
Her head tilts.
“Whatever youthinkyou know.” She changes tactics.
“About what?” I push.
“If you come for my family, I will come for you. Our roles will reverse, andyouwill become my prey, Diego.” Hands on my kitchen counter, she leans forward. “Only unlike you, I don’t play with my target. I will destroy you before you see me coming.”
Salvatore and Alessia have a secret they believe could unravel their outfit.
Interesting.
Placing my elbows on the marble counter, I angle my face as close to hers as I can manage. “I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about.Youhave confessed to sins I want no knowledge of,tesoruccio.”
She swallows.
“Iwatchedthe hunt because it’s my version of porn. Ijoinedthe hunt becauseyoubewitched me to the point that I needed to hear the raggedness in your breath myself. I needed to chase my Red Treasure. Imagine my surprise when I attend a meeting in Chicago and discover my greatest fantasy is none other than the consigliera of a rival fucking family.”
Her eyes scan my face, searching in desperation for my lies. Does she want my truth or hers? I can’t be sure.
“Lorenzo would kill me if he knew I was fraternizing with the enemy.”
“Salvatore will kill you.”
“Mm,” I agree readily. “I have no doubt Bianchi would happily slice a smile into my face for the thoughts I have about his twin sister and all the ways I dream about degrading her.”
I can taste her breath. It’s shaky and warm, and it would take nothing to close the space between us to drink it in. But I refrain.
The woman before me doesn’t trust me.
