Page 46 of Heartless Sinner

“Better.” I forced myself to sit up. I wasn’t going to lie around in bed all day bemoaning what had happened. There was only one thing to do and that was to act, to get ahead of this person. “Have you found anything?”

Vince shook his head. “We did an investigation, and I paid the owner of the club not to file a police report and arranged to pay for her funeral. She didn’t have any family that we could find, so at least we didn’t have to notify them.”

“That’s generous of you. To pay for the funeral.”

Vince looked surprised. “Of course. We take care of our own. And this is my mess anyway.”

“How is this possibly your mess?”

“Your family, and most of the families that go to that club, are smaller families that pay tribute to the Russo’s. I’m in charge. I need to clean up my house.” Vince’s eyes grew dark and his jaw tightened. “Someone’s giving me the runaround, and I don’t like it.”

There was something… alluring and thrilling about how dangerous this man was, and that this man was so soft and gentle with me, an exception to the way he could be with others. I knew I shouldn’t let it affect me but—how could I not think of myself as special when he did things like that?

“What’s the next step?” I asked.

“Whoever it is knows they messed up. This was a crime of passion, one that was poorly disguised as the start of a family war with the attack on your father.”

“The shot was designed to miss?”

“That’s the only thing I can conclude.”

“But…” I sat up further and rested against the pillows, frowning at Vince. “Why not just start a family war? Why not go all the way? If a war actually started, then their true reasons would be a lot more easily covered up.”

Vince nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. The shot missing—it was a good attempt but that was all it was. An attempt at a cover up.”

“Do you think it’s because the person didn’t have the authority to start a war? A lieutenant or soldier?”

If one of the actual sons in a family started something, his parents might rail at him in private but they’d most likely go along with the war. But if it was someone else, maybe even a cousin—their head could be on the chopping block for trying to start something. Literally.

“That’s one possible theory,” Vince said.

“What’s the other?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you. You might sneak off again and get yourself really hurt this time.”

“I wasn’t hurt at all.”

“Marla, that person could’ve killed you. You’re lucky they didn’t. If they’d hurt you…” Vince’s hand curled into a fist. “You can’t do that. I’m trying to keep you safe.”

“I need to find out what happened to my brother.”

“And sneaking off without your bodyguard, without a weapon, without any protection or backup, that was a good way to do it?” he countered. “I think your brother would be pretty pissed if he knew anything happened to you because you were trying to avenge him.”

“Pity we can’t ask his opinion, since he’s dead.”

Vince rose up onto his knees, and I realized with a dry throat that he was only wearing his tight black briefs, nothing else. His scarred, tanned body rose up in front of me, a testament to his strength, to the fights he’d endured and won.

“Even I don’t go anywhere without Toby or another bodyguard,” he pointed out. “This is how your life works now, kitten, no matter how much you yowl and scratch about it.”

I defiantly rose up on my knees, too. Two could play that game. “I refuse to be a maiden in a tower.”

“I wasn’t going to make you be. Unless you insist on being reckless with your own life. In that case I might have to tie you down. And not in the fun way.”

A shiver swept through me. I folded my arms to try and hide it. “And just what are you going to do about that? You can’t control me.”

“And I don’t want to control you. If I wanted something to control, I would’ve gotten a dog. But I also don’t appreciate you not thinking things through when I know you’re smarter than that. I definitely don’t like you blatantly defying my orders and putting yourself in danger, and I think that warrants something.”

“And what something would that be?” I shot back, even as heat began to rise up my spine.

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