Page 51 of Between Us

“And I am your brother, and I don't give a fuck. Let me deal with him.” When that seemed to have no effect, he said in a more urgent voice, “Roman.”

For the first time, Roman could see just how rigid Alek’s body was. Everything about his posture screamed tension, and that realization was enough to bring him to his senses. As a Brigadier, it was his duty to handle situations like this. Letting a woman affect his judgement was unacceptable, no matter who she was. Forcing himself to get a grip, he moved his eyes to the Italian bastard who still had his gun pointed at them.

“You're fucking dead,” Roman said again, making it sound like a promise.

Morano smiled, though it was shadowed by the darkness descending over his eyes at the threat. “Yeah, I heard you the first time.”

“Roman.” Alek was practically begging at this point.

“Get him out of here,” Roman said, forcing himself to pull the safety and tuck the gun under his suit jacket. As he turned around and walked inside, he didn’t even think about what he was doing, already running on autopilot. He headed for the stairs, taking them two at a time and gunning straight for the bedroom. The door slammed against the wall when he entered, his head swarming with uncertainty and his body brimming with aggression.

Alessandra was sitting on the bed, face hiddenbehind her hands. She jumped when she heard the commotion, falling back and bracing against the mattress as she pulled herself across the bed and away from him. The towel that was wrapped around her slid down her torso, revealing her bikini top.

“How long?” he gritted, his eyes moving from the tiny piece of fabric to her face.

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb with me. For how long have you been seeing him behind my back?”

She shook her head, chest heaving with her breaths. “I haven't. He just showed up today. I-I didn't know he was coming. You have to believe me.”

White-hot anger engulfed him. She dared lie to his face? “No, I don'thaveto believe anything that comes out of your mouth. Was this your plan all along? Gain my trust so you can do whatever the fuck you wanted with that asshole?”

Alessandra looked horrified. “No!”

“Is your father in on this? You giving them information through Morano?”

“What information,” she said, sounding confused and a bit exasperated. When Roman didn't answer, her face clouded with fear. “Did you hurt him?”

In two steps, he was on her, one rough hand grabbing her by the throat and pulling her face so close their lips almost touched. It made him so mad she was asking about that motherfucker, he could barely contain himself. The compulsion to squeeze the breath from her lungs licked at the darkest corner of his mind. It would be so easy to increase the pressure on his grip and watch the life leave her traitorous eyes.

Her first reaction was to grab his wrist to stop himfrom suffocating her to death. But when his fingers tightened around her delicate neck, she became limp in his grip, brown eyes filling with unshed tears.

Roman released her, pulling back as if she'd burned him. Nausea coated his throat and scorched his airflow.

“We're done,” he rasped with finality. He turned around to leave, and she called after him, her soft voice a mixture of desperation and hurt.

“Roman, wait, please!”

Ignoring her plea, he’d almost walked out of the room when he spotted her phone lying on top of the dresser. Instinct kicked in, making him reach for the device.

“Password,” he demanded, his back to her.

Her only answer was a quiet sniffle.

“Fucking now,” he growled menacingly.

“My birthday.”

She was crying, but he didn’t care. He shoved the phone into his pocket roughly and made his way back downstairs.

Alek met him at the bottom of the stairs.

“Where is he?”

“Gone,” his brother said gruffly, not offering more information. Unable to stand still for another second, Roman headed for the front door. “Where are you going?”

He didn't answer. Climbing into his car, he drove away, needing to put distance between himself and the woman infesting his house.

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