Page 24 of Hostile Devil
His pupils flare and the intensity of his hold on my neck lessens. “We had a plan, and you carried it out like a true Souza. You were drugged, penniless, barefoot, and had no phone. Yet you still made it home to Leo. And I know you told Dré to send men in after me, because I heard one of Blanco’s guys report an attack on the warehouse. Our guys blew it up when they found out I wasn’t there. Reno would be proud of you, India.”
My heart pumps harder. “And what about you?”
I suck in a ragged breath when his forehead settles on mine. “You have nothing to prove to me. I’m always in awe of you,” he says thickly, refusing to unite our lips. Despite that, his eyes turn wolf-like. “But this time you’ve gone too far.” He licks his lips with dark intent and my belly flips.
12
INDIA
“I’vegone too far?” I say incredulously and thump his chest. “You’re the one who’s gone too goddamn far, Gio.”
His eyes drill into mine. “Are you kidding me right now? You’re angry with me, little miss fucking danger hunter.”
“Yes, I’m angry with you.” I fist his top. “You were a few miles away all this time and didn't trust me with your secrets. But I know what the real truth is.”
His nostrils flare and he drops all contact.
“You’ll always have secrets and I’ll never know what you’re hiding. We’ll never be close like André and Sinéad, because you don’t trust anyone––including me. Those two are tight. I envy the relationship they have, but you’ll never see me as an equal. I’m more of a stray pet you took in out of duty and gave a bed to.” I swallow the lump in my throat and gaze past him. “I have to get back to Leo. Please get out of my way.”
He steps back, folds his arms and eyes me quietly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll continue to play the game. Leo is oblivious to the truth.” I skirt around him and head for the door, not finding a handle or any normal method of unlocking it. Typical Gio. “Let me out.”
“No,” he replies, his voice husky.
“You don’t want me here—you never did. Let me out. I need fresh air.”
“No.” He repeats, gently rubbing his thumb across his bottom lip as he stares at me from under the messy hair hanging over his brow.
My insides clench at the texture of his baritone and the way he’s just standing there, his gaze wandering all over me.
Any normal woman trapped in a cave with a dangerous gangster would search for a weapon and scream at the top of her lungs. But this syrupy, hot lust spreading through my body is making it impossible to think of doing anything else other than unbuttoning his pants.
I love Giovanni Souza, but his secrets are tearing us apart.
“India.” He folds his arms and widens his feet. “I’m training those people out there to be more like me. I made a mutually beneficial pact with Carlos to create a squad of soldiers that both families would have access to. That doesn’t mean we’re partners, or even allies. He’s a traitor who’ll get what’s coming to him, eventually. Whereas you––you’re my family. I trust you, and I would never risk your safety.”
He takes a step closer. I’m drunk on how his words make me feel lightheaded and how his powerful presence sends my pulse racing.
“Perhaps I should have told you about this place and what I’m doing,” he continues. “But the less you knew, the less you’d worry. Do you understand that?”
I nod, appreciating his honesty and try to play it cool when he takes another stride forward bringing us toe to toe.
“Who is Buffy?” I whisper, shocked at how breathy I’ve become. “She knew who I was.”
“She’s a nameless soldier who I’m certain will knife me in the back one of these days. Unless I find a reason to shoot her first. The woman is one of Blanco’s soldiers. He probably told her all about us.” Giovanni yanks me into him. “By the way, there’s no way out of this room unless I’m in the mood to open the door. And I’m definitely not in the mood to open it.”
“What are you in the mood for?”
“You, baby.” There’s an edge to his tone that excites me.
I inhale and exhale in tiny puffs, my veins pumping faster. “That man thought he was part of a trial and you killed him for no reason.”
“I had a solid reason.” His lips quirk into a faint, rare smile. “If your blood spills, people die. It’s that simple. Get used to it, because that’s never going to change. Not even if you hate me for it.”
He dips into me and runs the tip of his tongue across my bottom lip, tasting the blood that's still there.
Under the truth of his admission, I decide I’m ready to shake off the light he holds me in and harness the darkness living within him by putting my cards on the table. “Train me to be like you… please. Let me join your team.”
