Page 38 of Impenitent Claim

He’s here.

My heart beat double as the hunger that burned in me at the memory of his body pressed against mine rose to consume every other feeling.

A blur of motion ensued. I stood rooted in place, trying to make sense of the mess. Shouts of indignation were swallowed by screams of pain. Softer sounds promised a more horrific reality as a solid object beat against soft flesh. There had been half a dozen mobsters come out to the dark to smoke. And yet, a monster descended on their group and was dropping them like dominos.

I shot into the mess just in time to tug Alonzo back. His reflexes were slow to begin with, but added with the flurry of the situation, he was likely to be trampled.

“Don’t kill them, phantom!” I shouted over my shoulder.

Or tried to. My voice croaked, and the words clawed at my throat.

Although I couldn’t see the beast’s face, I didn’t have to. That sixth sense recognized him. My body wasdrawnto him.

The Russian fighter shot me a look.

It lasted no longer than a heartbeat, but there was something unnamable in that moment. It settled in my very bones, gripping and refusing to let go.

Or maybe it had been there all along, and I was only now aware of it.

As I tried to regain balance in a world turned to madness, the fight ended. The realization flickered in the back of my mind that I was leaning against the stone rail of the balcony for support. I couldn’t seem to draw a proper breath.

Alonzo, however, leapt to attention, taking charge of the situation with grace and poise. “Sir, I thank you for the assistance.” He stuck out his hand. “Well done, old chap.”

The frigid gaze shot over my fiancé and landed on me. I felt its cold touch run up and down my body. Assessing for injuries.I wanted to scream at him that I was just fine. That we would have been fine if he hadn’t appeared. But the words wouldn’t form on my tongue.

Sliding a look back to the don’s son, the beast simply glared at the outstretched hand.

Chapter 18 – Ilya

The child in front of me had no idea how close he was to joining the unconscious bodies on the floor. Two moves, and I could snap his neck. One, if I didn’t mind his feeble fists trying to defend himself. He dared to stand between me and my woman?

Who was wearing his ring.

The muscle in my jaw flexed tight.

“You’ll have to excuse my newest recruit, a bit of a backwoods dog,” Tullio boomed, emerging onto the balcony. “But he’s incredible, isn’t he?”

It took every ounce of control to step backward and fist my hands at my side.

“He didn’t even hesitate,” Don Aldo mused, voice thick with something slimy.

The boss of the Conti Mafia hummed in agreement. “Quite the show you staged, gentlemen.”

“Father?” The whelp stepped around me, giving me a wide berth. “What is the meaning of this?”

I knew better than to look at her. Finding a spot on the ground, I focused on it. A brute without brains. That was how they needed to see me. This stroke of good luck brought me to the inner circles of the Rinaldi Mafia. I would be in and out, striking and taking what was mine, before they realized what a monster they’d allowed to walk amongst them.

“This is Elijah, my newest recruit,” Tullio said, not even trying to disguise his glee.

“Fabrizi here has been boasting the last few days about his prize. We wanted to see him in action.” The Conti Don flicked a lighter. A few seconds later, the scent of tobacco curled through the air.

“So you set up an attack?” Isabella breathed as she gestured at the bodies. “These men weren’t even ours?”

“No, and they didn’t work for me either,” Don Conti laughed.

“I see.” Isabella’s voice dripped with ice.

“Sorry, sweetheart, we thought you had a better stomach than that,” the Conti laughed.

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