Page 56 of His Ruthless Obsession

"Boss," one of my guys calls out. "We found their stash in the van. Looks like they were planning to set up shop right under our noses."

I smile coldly. "Burn it. All of it. Let them explain that loss to their superiors."

I turn to Jazz, satisfaction from the cleanup morphing into anger as I remember why we're in this mess. "What part of 'stay back there' wasn't clear?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." To my surprise, she crosses her arms, looking more pissed than remorseful. "Next time I'll just let them shoot you."

"I fucking had it!"

"You didn't see them coming." Her chin juts up. "I wasn't about to-"

"You weren't about to what?" I close the distance between us. "Get yourself killed? Because that's exactly what could have happened."

"I can handle myself."

"Against trained killers?" My laugh comes out harsh. "You think this is a game?"

"No, I think this is my life." She jabs a finger at my chest. "My life. My choices. And I did what I fucking decided to do."

"You're supposed to do what I fucking tell you to do." I lean over her, anger brewing in me.

"I don't listen to you," she snaps.

"No? Then why don't you walk away?" I release her wrist, spread my arms. "Go ahead. Leave. See how long you last with the Mantiones gunning for our territory."

"Fuck you, Nerio."

But I can almost see it there, where this anger is coming from. I'm pissed she almost got hurt. She's pissed that I almost got hurt. And for people like us…well, it's a whole hell of a lot easier to be pissed than scared.

So I'll fucking take a pissed off Jazz.

"There's that mouth again." I reach for her neck, fingers wrapping around her throat. Not squeezing, just holding. "The one that's going to get you into serious trouble."

She doesn't back down, pressing closer instead. "What are you going to do about it?"

The challenge in her voice snaps my control. I bend, shoulder hitting her waist as I lift her up.

"Put me down!" She pounds my back with her fists.

"We're done here." I call to Marco over her protests. "Handle the rest."

"Where are you taking me?" She squirms against my grip.

"Somewhere I can teach you about following orders." I stride toward the cars waiting at the end, her curses echoing off the alley walls.

The ride home is silent and charged. I expected her to fold by now, but since she hasn't, I'm growing a bit more irritated.

When I park the car, I carry her straight through the penthouse to the bathroom, ignoring her protests. Setting her down, I start checking her arms, her neck, anywhere they might have touched her.

"I can do this myself." She tries to swat my hands away.

"Shut up and let me look." I grab her chin, tilting her face to check a mark on her cheek. "Any pain here?"

"No." She jerks away. "And I told you, I'm fine."

"You're bleeding." I point to a small cut on her forearm.

"It's nothing." But she lets me clean it with antiseptic, only hissing slightly at the sting.

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