Page 62 of One Wild Night

"Our drug shipments being stolen in Brazil was Jenkins’ way of trying to get his money back." I'd been sent to that motherfucking heat because ofTony?I was fucking furious!

"At least we know, now," I pointed out. "We don't have a mafia family picking a fight. It's just a small feud between Paul and Tony."

"Tony and I leave for Miami in the morning. I’m hoping the Leoni family will listen to his apology and accept my gift, plus the money he stole from Jenkins. Once they get word back to him, I am hoping he'll leave Chicago permanently."

"Did he tell you how he managed to steal the money?"

"He slept with Jenkins’ girlfriend to gain access to the money he'd lost in a poker game." The son of a bitch! Tony never did play fair. It explained why Paul was after Siena, though...an eye for an eye and all that shit. He would have to walk over my dead body to ever get his filthy hands on her. "Look after Trixie while we’re gone, Ryan. Donotlet her out of your sight. Paul Jenkins is very much like you. He's deadly."

"Trixie will be safe with me, Carlo," I promised.

He could see the determination on my face. Carlo must have known what she meant to me, and a small part of me hoped that he had entrusted her into my care because he knew I could protect Siena better than his son.

I'd even give my own life to save hers if I had to. Fuck, what was she doing to me? I'd risk my life for her? Yes, I fucking would, even when she wasn't talking to me.

I really needed to sort that out and make her understand. Luckily, I had her all to myself in the Valenti mansion for a few days. That might not be as hard as it seemed.

Chapter 22

Siena

Tony and Carlo hadbeen gone for almost twenty-four hours, and I had managed to avoid Ryan the entire time. I was so conflicted over what to do. I wanted him—God, did I want him—but I was still so hurt by what I’d overheard. Yes, he had apologized, and I wanted to believe he was sincere, but I had been burned too many times in the past to just give in. If I was more than just a fuck hot pussy to him, he would have to prove it. And considering the way he shoved his tongue down my throat in my room yesterday, he had a long way to go to do that.

Before Carlo left with Tony, he sought me out to talk to me. He explained what Ryan had discovered, and why those men were after me. I don’t think I had ever been so angry in my life. I knew Tony was a cheating bastard who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, but I didn’t know he was so incredibly stupid. He fucked a rival mob member’s girlfriend and used her to steal back the money he lost in a goddamn poker game. It was no wonder these men were here looking for revenge. Chills ran down my spine at just the thought of what this Paul Jenkins guy planned to do to me if he managed to get his hands on me.

Carlo also told me that Ryan would be staying at the mansion while he and Tony were away. His main focus would be to ensure that nothing happened to me because of Paul and his men. I knew he was capable of protecting me—he had proven that on countless occasions in the past—I just didn’t know if he could remain professional while doing so, and my resolve to resist him was definitely weakening by the minute.

I couldn’t stay in the mansion for days without Carlo as a buffer between Ryan and me. I didn’t have enough willpower to keep my distance, and there were men and women who worked for Carlo lurking around every corner. I’m sure Tony had several of them in his pocket, too. Not to mention the number of female staff he’d probably fucked or let suck him off. Yeah, there was no telling who I could trust to keep a secret and who I couldn’t.

I decided to shower and get ready to head to the club. Carlo said I didn’t have to dance while he was gone, but it was something I needed to do, if only to get out of the house for a while. Even though I hadn’t faced Ryan since the night before, the air around me was so thick with tension it was stifling. Once I was dressed in my favorite pair of yoga pants and sports bra, I tossed on my hoodie, packed my clothes for the night in my duffle bag, and headed to find Ryan.

He was using Carlo’s office as his own while he was staying here, so I approached the door and knocked. I knew he’d be able to work from his office at the club just as easily, so I doubted he would throw too much of a fit when I told him I wanted to go dance.

“Come in,” he called from behind the closed door. When I opened it, I noticed that he was on the phone. “Sorry, Jamie, I’m gonna have to call you back,” he said into the receiver as he took in my appearance.

I smiled at him, but it was forced. I knew he felt the tension as much as I did, so I figured I’d just say what I came to say and get it over with. “Ryan, I’d like to go to the club tonight, and before you interrupt me and tell me no, please hear me out.” I waited until he motioned for me to continue before speaking again. “Tony fucked up, yes, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to put my life on hold while he and Carlo fix it. Dancing is my life, and if you’re at the club with me, working or not, I don’t see what the problem would be. Yes, there will be more variables to contend with, but I’m going crazy here, Ryan. Please?”

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