Page 12 of The Red Queen

Yes.

No.

Maybe…

She couldn’t answer him.

Her gaze strayed to the bucket, and she licked her lips.

“I don’t know.”

It was like the anger instantly melted away from him.

“Good enough,” he told her.

He hurled her through another doorway and into a dining room. When the explosion happened, Giovanni pushed her against the wall and covered her with his body. They waited several seconds as smoke poured through the doorway. Finally, Desi lifted her head to look at the man whose kitchen she just blew up.

She eyed him with distrust, expecting retaliation, but his return gaze was… warm.

Then, without warning, he shoved her against the wall at her back, tangled his fist in her hair and covered her lips with his. She gasped into his mouth, giving him instant access, which he took advantage of.

It was like being hit by a hurricane. He pinned her to the wall while assaulting her mouth, but it took her only a few seconds to realize that he was a very skilled kisser. Zings of pleasure shot through her, throwing her into confusion.

Desi let her arms dangle loosely at her sides. Her brain was too overwhelmed to respond properly.

The Italian Godfather, Giovanni Savino, was kissing her.

Desi hadn’t been properly kissed since Nico. Even then, he hadn’t had time for her in the months before his death. Desi had always had a healthy sex drive, but she’d forced it into remission when her life had taken a drastic and deadly turn.

Before she could decide what to do, the kiss was over, and Giovanni was stepping away from her.

Desi’s knees refused to hold, and she wilted against the wall, sliding to the floor. She hated the show of weakness but fighting with Giovanni and racing through the mansion in a desperate escape attempt had taken a lot out of her.

She’d fallen far from where she’d once been. The powerful second-in-command to the Garza cartel. Now she was no more. She didn’t know if there was anything left of her former cartel, having fled from the area to exact her revenge on Nico’s killer. Nico’s top men were too greedy to share and were likely killing each other off as they picked over the carcass of a once great organization.

“Come,” Giovanni said, straightening his shirt and reaching for her. Sliding an arm around her back, he helped her to stand. “You need more rest.”

Desi wanted to shove him away, but she was too weak. She needed his help.

She leaned heavily on him as they descended to the cellar. She blinked wearily; her eyes heavy as they passed the racks of wine. She was almost asleep in his arms by the time they arrived.

“Why am I so tired?”

She hadn’t realized she’d said it out loud until they were in the bedroom.

“Your body needs time and energy to heal.” He helped her onto the mattress, sliding his arm from her back and resting a hand on her waist. “Have you never hurt yourself before? Been ill?”

Yes, she’d been hurt many times. She remembered pain, but she didn’t remember recovery. Nico gave her narcotics to make her sleep through the worst of it. He may have been a narcissistic, brutal lover, but he still showed her flashes of humanity.

She shoved Giovanni’s hand away. “Don’t ever kiss me again.”

He tucked a lock of dark hair behind her ear. She batted at his hand, but he stood and moved away from the bed. Before he left, he spoke. “There will be many more kisses in our future, Desi. You can count on it.”

She was asleep before he left the room.

Chapter Six

“You will eat.” The words were flat and unconcerned, telling Desi the housekeeper didn’t give a shit whether or not she ate. Giovanni must be behind the housekeeper’s insistence on staying to watch her swallow the food.

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