Page 20 of King of Power

“Shut up,” Marcus grumbles, his annoyance apparent. But Gio shrugs it off.

“No really. Why would someone like her—” he continues, eyes wide with mock intrigue.

Eli shifts beside me, jaw tightening as he glances at me before focusing on Gio. “You’ve got it wrong,” Eli interjects firmly. “She’s a guest of ours.”

Gio blinks a few times at Eli.

But it’s Marcus’s studious gaze that makes my heart drop out of my chest. “Gio, you’re a dumbass. How many times have I told you to know our enemies? That woman across the bar is a cop.”

The air grows thick around us as I feel the urge to defend Eve. A cop in my club is already trouble. One who had stirred something within me when I thought I was past all that only adds to the weight on my shoulders.

“Seriously?” Gio’s amusement fades into confusion. “If she’s a cop, then she’s a dead one. I’m gonna—”

“Excuse me.” I cut in sharply, meeting his gaze head-on with an intensity that silences him instantly.

“Did you not understand my simple words?” Gio looks at me like I’m the idiot. “Looks like we’re gonna be cop killers now.” Gio laugh is dark and poisonous. “That bitch has to die.”

Panic races through me, igniting my instinct for survival and protection. This is not just some idle threat. It’s a declaration. They think they can play with fire without getting burned.

“Gio, shut up,” Marcus interjects, clearly pissed at Gio for vocalizing his intentions. Conversations like this don’t happen in front of outsiders. Marcus may know who I am, but that doesn’t mean his people should talk freely about business.

“No,” I hiss through clenched teeth, stepping forward to intercept whatever plan is forming underneath Gio’s thick skull.

Marcus stares at me like he’s trying to decipher a puzzle. He knows who I am even if I refuse to admit it.

Eve stands oblivious to the danger, and it’s all my fault. She’s unwittingly caught in their crosshairs now, and I need to come up with a solution fast. My heart pounds louder than before as anger prickles across my skin like a bad rash—anger at Gio forbeing an idiot and anger at myself for not making it impossible for her to enter my club again.

Alessandro, Gio’s father, turns his gaze toward me. I’m now acutely aware that I’m on their radar now too.

“Don’t,” I warn them both, feeling Eli shift beside me, ready to back me up if necessary.

“Boss, what are you doing,” Eli murmurs quietly, urgency threading through his tone as he subtly scans the room for any signs of escalation.

But I can’t move. He has no clue what Eve means to me. I need to keep her safe.

“Is there something you’d like to add,” Alessandro asks, his tone calm and methodical.

“I said don’t,” I repeat more forcefully this time, locking eyes with Alessandro while my instincts continue screaming at me to protect her at all costs. One misstep from these two could turn this night into something bloodier than any of us expected. “She’s mine.”

Gio bursts out in laughter, clueless to the war raging inside of me. The rest of the room seems to hold its breath, tension thickening. I feel Eli’s presence beside me—solid and unwavering—but I’m acutely aware of how he glances at me, confusion dominating his features. I know he thinks I’ve lost my mind.

But there’s no time to second-guess myself. I need to protect Eve, even if it means spinning a tale so outrageous it could easily blow up in my face.

“What exactly does that mean?” Marcus asks. His gaze is more curious now.

If there’s one thing that Nicolo taught me that’s stuck with me, it’s that family matters most. It can save you just as easily as it can destroy you. If you want to start a war, go after your enemy’s family. Otherwise, family is off-limits.

I say the first thing that pops into my head.

“She’s my fiancée,” I announce, letting the words become a challenge.

Gio’s laughter dies on his lips, replaced by an incredulous expression that mirrors Eli’s disbelief. “Your what?” Gio stammers, eyes wide.

“Fiancée,” I repeat, injecting authority into the word. If they truly know of my connection to Nicolo Moretti, they’ll never touch someone so intimately connected to me unless they want to start a war. “Eve is engaged to me.” My heart pounds, adrenaline setting my veins on fire. This is a gamble—a wild one—but desperate times call for desperate measures.

“Come on, Zeke,” Eli finally interjects. He doesn’t raise his voice so only I can hear. “You sure you want to do this?”

I hold Eli’s gaze for a moment longer than necessary. I don’t need to use words. He knows I’m serious.

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