Page 12 of His Nephew's Ex
Outside, the night air feels like ice after the heat of his attention. I hail a cab with shaking hands, my mind reeling from everything that just happened.
I came looking for help dealing with Flavio, and instead I found something infinitely more dangerous. I found a man connected to the Silver Devil himself, a man who could probably destroy me with a phone call but instead, chose to hear my plea and send me home.
The cab pulls up to my building, and I stare up at my apartment windows, wondering if Flavio is watching from somewhere in the shadows. Wondering if the Silver Devil has already put his eyes on me, too.
Wondering what I’ve just set in motion by walking into the devil’s den and asking him to dance.
My phone buzzes as I climb the stairs to my apartment. A text from an unknown number:Still awake, little bird.
I stare at the message, my heart hammering against my ribs. Part of me wants to delete it, to pretend I never gave in to dating a psycho.
But as I unlock my apartment door and see one of the photos of me lying on the floor where I dropped it when I was on my way out, I know there’s no going back.
I’ve crossed a line tonight that can’t be uncrossed. I’ve asked the devil’s right-hand man for help, and now I have to live with whatever price his boss will demand in return.
But will I survive long enough to pay it?
5
Simeone
The sound of a woman’s voice echoes through my estate, cutting through the afternoon quiet like a blade through silk. I don’t look up from reviewing intelligence reports—after twenty years of building an empire, interruptions have become routine. What makes me pause, pen suspended over documents detailing territory disputes and revenue streams, is the sheer defiance in her tone despite being here at my invitation.
“Sir, she refuses to wait in the sitting room as instructed. She insists on seeing you immediately.”
“Then let her through.”
I sent the car for her an hour ago, expecting compliance with my security protocols. Instead, she’s clearly turned a simple escort into a standoff with my men. This is undoubtedly the woman Tiziano described from the Viper’s Den. Brave, reckless, and apparently immune to intimidation, even when walking voluntarily into the lion’s den.
The sound of the heels clicking against marble grows louder, each step echoing with determination. I set down my pen and lean back in my leather chair, genuinely curious about what kind of woman turns my invitation into her own personal conquest.
Two taps on my office door, and then it bursts open without waiting to be asked in. Suddenly, I realize why my men couldn’t contain her. She’s a force of nature cloaked in a petite brunette—full of fire and fury in a black dress that hugs curves I shouldn't be noticing. Her dark eyes burn with the kind of righteous anger that has toppled kingdoms.
“Simeone Codella?” She plants herself in front of my desk like she owns the room, chin lifted in defiance that should be suicide, but somehow looks magnificent. “We need to talk.”
Behind her, Tiziano appears in the doorway with three guards, all looking like they’ve been caught in a tornado. My lieutenant’s winter-pale eyes meet mine, and I see both apology and admiration in his gaze.
“Boss, we tried to follow protocol, but she—”
I raise one finger, silencing him without taking my eyes off the woman who just invaded my sanctuary. She’s breathing hard from her march through my estate, her chest rising and falling in a rhythm that draws my attention to places it shouldn’t go.
“Leave us,” I say quietly.
Tiziano hesitates. “Sir, we haven’t searched her for—”
“Did I stutter?” The edge in my voice sends all four men scrambling for the exit. The door closes with a soft click, leaving me alone with this beautiful, dangerous creature who clearly has no idea how close she just came to dying.
I study her for a long moment, cataloging every detail. The way she stands like she’s ready for battle. The slight tremor in her hands that betrays nerves beneath the bravado. The expensive quality of her dress that suggests she’s not some desperate street girl looking for money.
“Impressive,” I say finally, rising from my chair with deliberate slowness. “Most people follow instructions when I send a car for them. The few who don’t usually end up as cautionary tales.”
“I tried following your man’s instructions. He wanted me to wait in some stuffy sitting room like a supplicant.” She doesn’t back down as I round the desk, doesn’t flinch when I move close enough to catch her scent—jasmine and determination. “I decided to bypass the protocol.”
“By refusing my security measures?”
“By treating this like what it is. A meeting between two adults.” A smile plays at her lips, sharp as a knife. “Unless you prefer your guests to grovel?”
Despite myself, I’m impressed. The combination of intelligence, courage, and stunning recklessness is intoxicating. It’s been years since anyone surprised me, and decades since a woman made me want to simultaneously protect and possess her.
