Page 55 of His Prize

I looked over at him. “I’m sure.”

“You keep yourself safe, all right?”

I nodded. “You get yourself home. And thank you for everything you did for me today. I don’t know who called you or what you did—”

“Your brother called me.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Giovanni called me. He was angry as all hell and cursing up a storm, but he’s the one who called me and told me what happened.”

I searched his eyes. “You aren’t lying to me.”

He shook his head. “I know better than that. And for what it’s worth, I think your brother is just trying to get you out of this mess. I don’t think he’s trying to encroach on your territory.”

I nodded. “I’ll take that into consideration. Thank you.”

Then, I got out of the car and started up the block. I jogged up the broken concrete sidewalk before dipping into the building. This place used to be a massive warehouse that served my family a long time ago. You know, before Dad purchased a warehouse closer to his estate so he could keep eyes on it twenty-four-seven. Now, the rotting remains of this metal warehouse sat untouched for years, except for the occasional clandestine meeting.

Like now.

I had a plan, though. A plan that would erase this murder, give Bonnie a clean slate, and allow me to secure the position in the Rossi family I had always been destined to hold.

I was going to pin this murder on my father.

And I knew exactly how to do it.

23

Israel

I silencedmy footsteps as her breathing hit my ears. She sounded nervous, and I couldn't blame her for that. Everything had gotten turned so wildly upside down that neither of us knew which way was up. But I had a plan.

I just had to get her to go along with it.

“I hear you watching me, Israel.”

I grinned as she turned around just before a ray of sunshine poured through the cracked glass window. It illuminated her features, her eyes sparkling with delight as she gazed upon me. Her skin seemed a bit darker. Her eyes, a bit deeper. Her lips, a bit redder than normal. Sunlight looked good on her. Hell, everything looked good on a woman like her.

But, the darkness nipping at her heels made my heart stop in my chest.

What a woman.

“Well, aren’t you going to say something?” she asked.

I smirked. “Come here, beautiful.”

Her heels clicked quickly against the ground before her arms threw themselves around my neck. She wrapped me up tightly, her lips falling against mine. And when I tasted her tongue, my cock started to ache. My soul started to take flight. My stomach burst to life with small butterflies that wouldn’t quiet down. I scooped her into my arms and held her close. I walked her into the middle of the room and passed the sunlight, cloaking us in darkness that suited us all too well. I pressed her back against the wall as my knee slipped between her legs. And like the good woman she’d always been to me, she offered me her body on a silver platter.

Ripe for the taking.

“I brought it with me,” she whispered against my lips.

I sucked on her lower lip. “Just a few more seconds.”

She giggled. “Don’t mind if I do.”

I let my tongue linger against the roof of her mouth one last time. I let my hands slide down her torso, clocking the soft dip in her waist before we had to ruin the moment. My forehead touched down against hers, parting our lips. I felt her breath against my own, giving me life as I committed her scent and sound and the feel of her to memory.

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