Page 40 of Surprise Twins for the Mafia Prince
Alessio frowns when he sees the wound. “You let them get a piece of you?”
“Fuck off,” I chuckle, heading to the kitchen. There’s a suture kit under the sink. “I took them both out and walked away with a scratch.”
“I’ll stitch you up.”
Alessio washes his hands while I wipe away as much blood as possible. I grab whiskey from the cabinet, sit on a stool at the island, and drink straight from the bottle. Now that the adrenaline has worn off, the cut stings like a bastard. Not that I’d ever admit it. I don’t even flinch when Alessio starts stitching.
I give him the rundown while he works.
“So, you think it was the Bratva?” he asks, finishing up.
“Most likely. Take their phones to Shaw. He’ll have answers in a couple days. But it’s no secret Kozlov’s pissed. Watch your back when you leave.”
“I will, but he’s likely targeting you specifically. You’re the one who stole the information to torpedo his casino project.”
“What’s going on?”
Paige’s voice comes from behind me, and I turn to find her at the foot of the stairs, hair falling in damp waves, skin flushed from the shower. I wonder if that pretty pink color trails down her tits, her stomach, between her thighs...
Alessio tugs at my wound as he ties off the stitches, and Paige’s eyes track the movement. Her mouth drops open, and she rushes forward.
“Oh my God. Are you okay?”
The concern in her eyes settles under my skin, but I shrug it off. “I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.”
“Bullshit,” she snaps, and my cock hardens instantly. That fire in her eyes gets me every fucking time. “I heard the end of yourconversation. The Bratva is after you? That’s the Russian mafia, right?”
I turn to Alessio and gesture toward my gym bag. “The phones are in there. Take them to Shaw today and get the word out. I might have a target on my back, but everyone needs to be on high alert.”
“Got it.”
He nods to Paige—who’s gone pale at the mention of the threat—and leaves. I wait until the door closes before speaking.
“Yes, the Bratva is after me.” I hadn’t planned to tell her about the danger, but the worry in those big hazel eyes pulls the truth from me. “They’re our enemies, and I’ve pissed them off. But they’re weaker than us, a smaller organization that’s been pathetically trying to seize power for decades. Kozlov, their leader, has always been an impulsive fool.”
“You’re acting like they aren’t much of a threat, but you’re hurt.”
I glance at the neat line of stitches on my bicep. Nothing but another scar to add to my collection. A hazard of the job.
“You should see the other guy,” I say with a grin, but it doesn’t lighten the mood.
Paige bites her bottom lip, eyes locked on the dried blood on my arm. “You know, I hoped the potential danger you told me about back in Phoenix was more hypothetical, but look at what’s happening. I’ve only been part of your world for less than two weeks, and there’s already this looming threat...it feels so real now.”
“It is,” I admit, hating the fear in her eyes but knowing she needs to understand. She needs to know she’s not safe outside thesewalls. She’s been scoffing at her bodyguards, but now maybe she’ll understand their necessity.
Paige is my weakness. She’s carrying my heir—at least, she says she is—which makes her the perfect target for someone like Kozlov. A man who wouldn’t hesitate to hurt a pregnant woman to send a message.
Rage surges through me at the thought, and it must show on my face because Paige cups my cheeks with her hands. “Dario, how serious is this? Would they come here for you? For me?”
“No,” I snarl. “They might try, but I’ve made this place a fortress. After my uncle’s wife was taken, we changed everything. The doormen work directly for me—trained in combat, armed at all times. I can lock down the elevator from here.”
“Anything else?” she asks, her expression unreadable.
“I can track your phone.”
“I should probably be bothered by that, but...I’m scared, Dario.”
“I won’t let anything happen to you.”
