Page 18 of Hostile Secret
“I don’t understand. Why Giovanni Souza… why him? He’s… so shut off, but something has changed—he’s––” Deafening thunder muffles the rest of her sentence. My fists clench, wanting to hear more. “I know this isn’t what you’d want for me… why would Dré do this to me? Why would he make me move to North Colombia?”
Anger ripples through my tense muscles. Whoever the hell she’s confiding in will be dead by sunrise. I’d warned her not to give anyone our location or my name.
A blinding blast of white light bursts in through the windows, highlighting the jersey shorts and buttoned pajama top she’s prancing about in.
Jesus fuck, they rise so high I can see the curve of her ass cheeks.
“I hate it here…” Who the hell is she talking to? “… and I hate Giovanni fucking Souza.”
The sight of those long bare legs turns my dick to stone, even though I’m enraged. In fact, that’s an understatement—my temper is one degree less than boiling point.
Ending the call, she clambers onto the bed, slips under the bedspread, and pulls it over her head. I’m rooted to the spot, my dick throbbing. Possessive adrenaline courses through my veins.
Not caring for her privacy, I push the disguised wall cladding doorway inwards and pad across the room cloaked in shadow. The rowdy thunderstorm dulls the sound of worn floorboards groaning underfoot.
Swiftly moving to her bedside table, I pause for a second to study the mound her unmoving body forms under the clean sheet.
She’s not terrified by the thunderstorm—or about breaking my inflexible rules.
Ripping my gaze away, I snatch her cell phone and realize there’s no way to unlock it without using her face as ID. As I stand there, the covers fling back and she jackknifes to sit, her hands clamped around the handle of a silver semi-automatic revolver.
Jesus, she’s sexy––and unbelievably bold.
Those who confront a guy like me would always face the consequences. They’d earn a bullet to the brain or the slice of a swift blade that severs the flexor tendons in their forearm, ultimately disarming them. So, the fact she’s pointing a gun at me is interesting. There’s only one way this would end.
Her brows scrunch together. “Dré?”
I don’t speak as she squints to take in the tattoos covering my torso, finally understanding my twin isn’t the only one who’s inked.
“Gio? Why the hell have you got my phone?” Her aim doesn’t waver.
“I would advise you to lower your weapon, niñita.” My voice competes with a crash of thunder.
“And I would adviseyouto hand over my phone and get the hell out of my room.” Apprehension flashes behind her eyes, giving away her uncertainty.
“No deal.” I step into her aim, so the barrel of the shiny gun prods my sculpted pec. “If you’re going to use that thing, then go ahead, niñita. Try to shoot me and we’ll see what happens.”
Glaring at me, those flaring pupils of hers dilate to form a cosmic loop of blue as tempting as a siren's snare.
The second her pouty soft lips part, a hedonistic rush powers through me, confirming my suspicions.
I’d enjoy punishing India Hardy all night long.
“Don’t test me, Gio.” She raises her chin in defiance. “I don’t actually want to shoot you.” A wisp of warmth whispers over the icy edges of my heart. “And you showing up in my room doesn’t terrify me, if that was your intention.”
“After the conversation you just had, you should be fucking terrified of the consequences.” My pulse quickens.
It takes all of my training to portray calmness rather than force her irresistible body onto the mattress. I’m on the verge of snapping and doing something morally damning.
Long loose hair tumbles over proudly drawn back shoulders, the lengths resembling threads of the finest gold. Her forehead creases as she takes a quick breath.
“How long have you been in my room?” That feminine voice I’ve grown to appreciate penetrates the inner battle I’m struggling to win.
Should I punish her for daring to betray my confidence or destroy her virginity until she passes out?
“Long enough to hear my name and our location leave your mouth.” Cold steel bites my skin, but I’m completely unaffected by her bullshit threat. “What part of the rules didn’t you understand? Who were you talking to?”
“That’s none of your business.”
