Page 56 of His Prize

Good fuck, I love this woman.

“Israel.”

I sighed. “I know, I know.”

Bonnie slipped away from me. “I brought this damn marriage contract Gio handed to me.”

The nape of my neck prickled. “I want to see it.”

I watched her dig around in her purse before she pulled out a file. She handed it to me, and I flipped it open as ice rushed through my veins. I shook my head and slapped the file closed. I tucked it beneath my arm and drew in sobering breaths while Bonnie’s hands rubbed my chest, trying to calm me down.

“The idea of you with him makes me sick,” I spat.

“Which is why it isn’t happening. Though, for a second, I was ready to do it if it saved you.”

My eyes found hers. “I’d rather rot in prison knowing you’re mine than be free knowing you belong to someone else.”

Even if I have to kill my brother myself.

“Well, in your brother defense, Israel—”

I scoffed. “You’re defending him? Now?”

She shrugged. “Sweetheart, when you got dragged away, there was nothing either of us could do? We were both distraught. I really do believe Gio had good intentions, despite what he was offering.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. What exactly did he say to you?”

She blinked. “Are you sure you want to know?”

I narrowed my eyes. “What. Did he say, Bonnie?”

She sighed. “He said that if I married him and handed him my place in my family, he could merge my family with yours, and then we’d have the pull to do something about you being in prison.”

I paused. “That’s—not a terrible idea. But, it still takes into consideration one assumption that pisses me off.”

She nodded. “Gio in power. It assumes that you going to prison would make him the head of the family. I didn’t like that assumption, either.”

I brushed my knuckles against her cheek before our eyes connected. And when we spoke, we spoke in unison. As if our brains were one and the same.

“Gio’s still up to no good.”

I took Bonnie’s hand. “Come with me.”

She cocked her head. “What about the plan? Aren’t we supposed to talk about—?”

I tugged her toward the door. “All you have to do, beautiful, is what I tell you, and we’ll make it out of this. But, the less you know right now, the better.”

She tugged on my hand. “Israel?”

I turned to face her. “Yes?”

Her eyes danced between mine. “If you get yourself killed, I’ll never forgive you. I’ll marry your damn brother out of spite.”

I grinned. “Promise?”

She snickered. “Yeah. Promise, my ass.”

She walked up to my side and, together, she led me to where she had parked. I opened her door for her and let her slide in, offering her my hand to help her down into the seat. Then, I leaped over the front of the car and quickly sank behind the steering wheel. I loved the feeling of her being at my side. Of being onmyside. Of her doing whatever was necessary, even though she might be in the dark. The trust it showed she had in me left me breathless. The love I saw in her eyes every time she looked up at me left me stunned.

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