by Faye Byrd
Just as he pulls up to the valet, he says, “Follow my lead.”
He puts the car in park and rushes around to my door, helping me out. A bellhop scurries over. “Is everything okay? Are you in need of assistance?”
Carlos shakes his head and rushes us past him. “A little too much wine.”
He chuckles and keeps walking, straight into the open elevator. He pushes past the people already inside and leans me against the back wall. A lady in the front glances back, but Carlos goes full-on Carter then.
He gives her an over-exaggerated hand wave. “Oh, honey, where did you get that simply stunning dress? That color, I need to get my man a suit in the same shade.” He runs his hand over my chest, and she looks back toward the front.
By the time we’ve made it to the top floor, I’ve gained more focus, but my blood is still thrumming in my veins as the monster paces his cage. He knows he fucked up, and we have no choice but to let it go.
As we walk down the hallway that leads to our suite, there’s a man pressed against a woman almost directly across from our room. I roll my eyes, until I notice she’s pushing against his chest. I can’t hear what she’s saying, but his voice is loud and clear.
“You’re such a tease, baby,” he mumbles as he pushes in and kisses her neck.
The woman struggles, but he refuses to back off. My feet start moving faster, and the closer I get, the more obvious it is that she’s uncomfortable as hell. But then other things strike me with each new step I take.
Her dark, wavy hair.
Her purple toenails peeking from her sandals.
Her legs for motherfucking days.
By the time I reach them, I’m running, and I jump, tackling him to the floor. All my pent-up rage comes pouring out in the form of more fists. I even errantly wish the brass knuckles were still in my possession. Blood is spurting from his lips and nose, and both eyes are swelling shut.
“Dante!” Piper’s yelling cuts through the anger, and I stop, realizing she’s tugging on my shoulder. “Stop it. You’re going to kill him.”
I look to the pathetic fucker lying beneath me and shrug.
“Trying to force yourself on any woman is bad enough, but trying to force yourself on my woman? That’s a fucking death sentence.”
EIGHT
SPIDEY SENSES
Piper crosses her arms, and I immediately miss her touch, even if it was a restraining one. “That’s still to be determined.” She lifts a brow. “What are you even doing here?”
My mind is so fucked that it never registers where we are until her question. “Me?” I jump up and point to my chest, looking down the hall both ways before going back to her. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m on vacation. I told you I was leaving for a few days,” she says as she starts digging through her purse.
My eyes narrow, my rage-clouded mind getting clearer every second. I snap my head toward Carlos, who’s leaned against our doorway just taking in the fucking show. “Get this piece of shit up.” By the time I turn back to Piper, she’s swiping her keycard into the door directly across the hall from Antonio and Carter’s—of fucking course. “Wait just a fucking minute.” I grab her elbow before she can sneak inside. “We need to talk about this,” I say lowly, begging with my eyes not to shut me out.
Her gaze passes over my face and up to my slick-backed hair. “You’re working,” she says, sighing. “Why don’t we just do this back in Chicago?”
“Please, Piper. No,” I say, feeling desperate. “I’m done. My work is done. I can’t have you alone here. Not in this city.”
Her eyes move past me, and I turn to see what has her attention. Carlos has the sexual abuser propped against the far wall, awaiting my command. I fucking sigh. “What do you want me to do with him?” I ask, regretting the words before they’ve finished leaving my lips.
Her eyes come back to mine. “Just help him to the elevator and send him down.” She takes a couple steps, but I grab her, stopping her from getting too close. “I’m sure he’s learned his lesson,” she says loudly to gain his attention. His swollen eyes stretch open to look at her. “Don’t make me regret saving your life.”
It’s hard to ascertain his expression, but I’m pretty goddamn sure it isn’t a thankful one. I step in front of her and stand to my full height. “I’d thank the lady if I were you.”
He spits, and a pool of blood lands on the carpet beside my shoe. “I appreciate it more than she could ever know.”
When I tense, unsure exactly what the fuck that’s supposed to mean, Piper’s hand lands on my forearm. “Dante, let it go.” The monster screams at me to kill him, but he doesn’t control me anymore when it comes to Piper.
I relax and turn, nudging her toward her open door. Lowering my voice, I say, “Can we go inside and talk? There are things you need to know.”
“I don’t have the strength to say no, Dante,” she says softly, her eyes on the floor.
I lift her chin, forcing her to look into Antonio’s cold blue eyes. “I promise, you won’t regret it. I meant what I said before. It’s all on me. I fucked this up, and I will fix it, but we need to talk about Miami. You can’t be here. It’s dangerous.”
I can hear the sexual assaulter being shoved toward the elevator as Piper slips in and holds the door for me to enter behind her. The room is large and roomy, almost a mirror image of the one Carlos and I share. Blowing out a breath, I lean against the door as I push it closed behind me.
My eyes are glued to her form as she sways across the room, some of her usual confidence missing. When she reaches the sofa, she tosses her purse on the coffee table and turns, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
I don’t move at first, strangely feeling as unsure as her, but a reminder from the monster that we’re in Miami is all it takes to propel me forward. I may be in unchartered territory when it comes to relationships, but when it comes to danger, I know my shit. And Piper being in Miami is dangerous—in more ways than one.
She’s propped against the arm of the sofa, her head tilted and arms tense as they anchor her to the piece of furniture. When I take the first step away from the door, her eyes snap up, and she watches as I approach.
I stop about a foot away. “Let’s just …” I blow out a heavy breath and take her hand, guiding her to sit. “Let’s just talk about business right now, okay? I think that’ll take away some of the awkwardness between us.”
As she settles, she crosses her arms, but I realize it isn’t in a defensive manner, more because she’s unsure what to do with her hands. Before my fuck-up, we were comfortable with each other, natural, and now we’re … not. Frustrated with myself, I go to tug at my hair but remember it’s a fucking gelled mass, so instead, I prop my elbows on my knees, my eyes on the carpet beneath my shoes.
I almost jump out of my skin when I feel her hand settle on my back as she scoots to my side and leans in close “We’re never going to get anywhere if we keep acting this way. Why do you think I can’t be in Miami?”
“I don’t think, Piper. I fucking know,” I say, my voice harsher than I intend, but I can’t control it, so I keep going. “Agent Tate talked to you? He told you the truth about our past?”
She rolls her eyes. “He did, and it was ridiculous. How could he hold that against you?”
Hearing her defend me causes a swell of appreciation to bloom in my chest, but the monster quickly reminds me that she’s in danger. I shake my head. “Though I love hearing you defend me, that isn’t what this is about … exactly. That man. The one who tried to kidnap you? He’s the reason I came here.”
“What?” she asks, leaning back to look me over more carefully. “You said business was done earlier. Is that what you meant? What did you do?” Her eyes narrow and she reaches in, her fingers going to the collar of my undershirt, tugging it down. “Is that … blood?”
I move away, brushing off her touch. “I didn’t do enough, that’s for fucking sure.” I stand, the reminder of my faile
d mission sending agitation coursing through my veins. “I lost my temper,” I say as I start to pace. “I killed him before he squeaked.”
My feet move rapidly over the carpet as I wait for her response. This is a make or break for us. She knows I kill. It isn’t a secret, but she’s never been privy to a specific incident. That ends now, especially when it comes to this.
Our past.
I won’t keep this situation from her. It can’t be a coincidence that one-eye was in Miami, and he even said they knew I’d come. Somehow, it’s all tied together, and I won’t have her unaware of the danger that’s lurking. Not when I don’t know what it’s about or if she’s already been caught in the crosshairs because of her association with me.
“Dante,” she says, her voice low but firm. “Sit. You’re making me dizzy with all the back and forth.”
I stop and bring my eyes up to hers. “I’m sorry. The whole thing has fucked with my head.” I retake my seat, angling toward her and taking her hand. “Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’ve only made whatever’s been building worse. We need to get the fuck out of this place.”
“I don’t understand,” she says, tilting her head. “Why would Ivan send me here if it was dangerous?”
Jesus Fucking Christ!
I purse my lips to hold in the expletives that are screeching inside my mind and breathe deeply through my nose before I try to speak calmly. “Ivan sent you here?” I ask, keeping my jaw clenched tightly so no other words will escape.
Piper nods slowly, her brow furrowing. “When I mentioned leaving Chicago, he talked me into just taking a break. He said he was filling a workshop in Miami and could book me in with that group free of charge.” She shrugs. “I don’t like handouts, but when someone is offering me a free room in South Beach, who am I to say no?”
I rub my throbbing temples and speak carefully. “Whose name are you booked under?”
Piper’s eyes fall to her lap. “I … I’m not sure. I met with a lady when I arrived, and she handed me the keycard and told me to leave it in the room when I decide my stay is over.”
“Fuck!” I exclaim, standing to pace again. “Why would Ivan do this?” I ask myself, but I say it aloud.
Piper places herself before me, stopping my motion with her hand on my chest. “Isn’t it obvious? He wanted us to work things out. That’s the only reason I can think of that he’d put me right across the hall from you.” She waves her hands toward my form. “Or whoever this is.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and tilt my head to the ceiling, my mind working through what she just said. And she’s right. Ivan has been working behind the scenes to fix shit between Piper and me since I fucked up, but he had to know that sending her to Miami was going to piss me off royally.
I sigh and move to the sofa, sitting down and patting the seat beside me. “Fuck it, then. Let’s do this. Let’s make shit right. At least Ivan’s death won’t be in vain.”
Piper takes the seat and shakes her head. “That’s not funny.”
I brush her cheek, the feel of her skin calming me even more. “It’s not, and I won’t kill him, but I want to. He’s put you in terrible danger, and that’s unacceptable. Thank fuck we’re leaving soon.”
“Leaving?” she repeats, her bitch brow lifting. “I don’t recall saying anything of the sort.”
“Piper, you’re leaving if I have to force you onto the plane.” When she stiffens, preparing to argue, I place a finger over her lips. “This is not me trying to control you. This is me showing you that I care. I care a fucking lot, and we’re in danger every second we sit here.”
She grabs my hand and pulls my finger from over her lips. “How? Explain it to me.”
“I don’t have all the fucking answers. Hell, I don’t have many,” I say, scooting over to close some of the distance between our bodies. “But there’s a war brewing between the Outfit and the syndicate here in Miami. Things have been building for a while, but they’re about to boil over.”
“What does that have to do with me?”
“I don’t know that it does, but I get the feeling they know more than I thought they did before I came here,” I say, my mind flashing to the strange remarks one-eye made before he died. “As soon as Lorenzo and Riley get back to the hotel, we’ll be making arrangements to leave.”
“Okay,” she says with a nod. “I understand. I don’t want to be mixed up in a mob war.”
“Solare,” I say softly, reaching up to cup her nape. “You’re already mixed up in a mob war because you’re mine. I mean, I’ll give you all the fucking time in the world to accept it, to forgive me, but this right here”—I flick my fingers between us—“it’s the first real thing I’ve ever felt, and I won’t let it go easily.”
“Tell me what happened,” she says, tears gathering in her eyes. “Why did you avoid me after our night?”
I push our heads close so I can stare directly into her eyes. “Plain and simple, I freaked out. I had an amazing night with an amazing woman, only I thought it was a dream. When I realized the next morning that it was all real, I ran.”
“Do you know how bad you hurt me?” she asks, a tear rolling down her cheek.
“At the time, no,” I answer honestly. “But as I gained more clarity, I realized my mistake. A man like me isn’t supposed to care about people, and I accepted that long ago, so it took me a little time to realize that I can. I can care about someone, and I do. I care about you. A whole fucking lot. I swear to you, I know it now, and I won’t ever treat you like that again.”
Her breaths are heavy as tears run freely now, but I keep us close, making sure she knows how serious I am. How serious this is. How much she truly means to me. Even if she isn’t ready right now, I’ll stay until she is, proving my dedication and protecting her from whatever fallout is coming.
Without warning, her mouth presses against mine, and her hands latch on to Antonio’s gelled hair, anchoring us together as she swipes her tongue across my lips. I’m so fucking stunned that I almost don’t react, but the monster perks up and uses his forces for good—for fucking once—urging me to take what she’s offering.
I wrap my arms tightly around her torso and tug her against me as I open. Our tongues make contact, and this time, I acknowledge the flutter in my stomach that only she creates. I revel in it. It drives me to desperation, creating a never before felt sensation that spreads along my limbs.
When it becomes too much, I pull away softly but keep us close. “That was …” I trail off, not having words to describe the jumble of sensations that courses through me.
“Beautiful,” she supplies with a soft smile before becoming serious. “Don’t ever hurt me again.”
“I’m not always a good man, solare, but I promise I’ll be as honest as I can moving forward,” I say, palming her cheek. “I’m bossy as fuck, and I’ll try my best to do it in a way that explains my reasons, but I need you to promise that when it comes to your safety, you’ll trust me. Can you do that?”
“Trust has to be earned, Dante. After all your failed promises to treat me right, I can’t honestly say I’m ready to give mine to you right now.” I open my mouth to interrupt, to probably make this reunion a little less happy, but she continues before I get the chance to say anything. “But when it comes to my safety, I’ll try.”
I take a deep breath and nod. Not everything I hoped for, but it’ll have to do—for the moment. It just means I’ll have to work harder to re-earn what she so freely gave before. “I’ll accept that … for now.”
Instead of responding, she attacks me again. A woman who knows what she wants is so fucking sexy, and I welcome her with open arms. We make out like horny teenagers for a few minutes, until a heavy knock on the door makes us jump apart.
“Go pack your bags,” I say, standing and pulling my Glock from my waist. “This is probably Lorenzo.”
“What if it isn’t?” she asks after taking a few steps toward her bedroom.
“All t
he more reason for you to go,” I say, waving for her to keep going.
“Got it. Trust,” she mumbles as she hurries away.
I wait until I hear the bedroom door close before I slowly approach the main door of the suite from a side angle. I pause to listen and hear nothing on the other side. With a cat-like movement, I have my eye on the peephole. My stance relaxes as soon as I eye my old friend on the other side.
Slipping the Glock back into my waistband, I pull open the door, ushering him quickly inside. “Plans have changed,” I say, looking down the hallway before closing the door behind him. “We need to leave ASAP.”
“As soon as Carlos explained what happened, I hurried back, but why are we in a rush to leave?” he asks, studying me. “Has something else happened?”
“Something isn’t right,” I respond, shaking my head. “You heard that one-eyed fuck. He said some cryptic shit, and I can’t take any chances, especially now.”
“And where is the fair Piper?” he asks, his eyes scanning the suite in an attempt to locate her.
“Packing,” I say abruptly. “Now get the jet ready and have Carlos pack our stuff.”
“What about those clothes, Dante?” he asks, turning back to me, his eyes on the blood from the confrontation in the hall. “They need to be disposed of.”
“Fine,” I grit, pulling the shirt over my head right there. “Give me a sec.” I shove it into his unsuspecting arms and march to the bedroom. Piper looks up when I enter, but I just shake my head. “I need a robe, please.”
“In the bathroom.”
I give her a thankful smile and unfasten my pants. As soon as I’m in the bathroom, they fall to my feet, and I wrap the robe around me. Grabbing the pants and my loafers, I make my way back through the bedroom. “We’re making preparations. Be sure your stuff is ready.”
Back in the main room, I toss Lorenzo the items. “Now get rid of them. Don’t come back here until we’re ready to leave. Have Ivan pull some freaky tech mumbo jumbo so it doesn’t look like we all checked out at once. Make sure to bring me a change of clothes, and we’ll be ready. Make it soon.”