Page 513 of One More Kiss

Paolo

I gazedaround the entryway of the Bilotti mansion. Marco held the door open, and a tall man I hadn’t met walked through the door. I was next to Vincenzo, ready at any moment.

“Joe,” Vincenzo said as the man strode toward us.

Security had been tightened. No one was getting in without the boss’ say so and no one left unless the boss allowed them to leave.

A week had passed since Leon lost his life by the bomb that was planted in his SUV in hopes of taking out Avery. My contacts at the police department didn’t have a lead on the bomber. No surveillance cameras picked up an image of the man.

My gut clenched every time that I thought about what could have happened had I not been following Avery. She would be gone and Vincenzo would be on the warpath, putting himself out in the open to take out anyone who tried to keep the killer from him.

Justifiable homicide. As fucked up as it was, me being a cop and all, if someone killed Avery and Vin went after them, I wouldn’t stand in his way. Part of me knew I would be right next to him.

“Boss?” Joe said, shoulder straight.

At the mention of Joe’s name I put a few things together. He’d joined six months ago. When I asked about him Vin said he was out of town working on something. I’d asked what Joe had been up to, but Vincenzo said it didn’t matter to what he needed me for.

Since the death of Leon, every man had become better at watching their surroundings and being vigilant in case they were being watched.

Vincenzo pulled him in for a hug. “I know you just got back, but I need you to take Timmons and go find out what the fuck is happening with my product. Everything from your trip is stuck in the docks. Find out why.”

Timmons was green as fuck, eager to do the boss’ bidding. He would drop to his knees and kiss Vincenzo’s feet if the man asked him to.

Joe nodded and then departed without another word.

“Paolo,” Vin said, turning to me with a scowl. “Follow me.”

He waved two fingers.

I followed him towards his office.

Avery was seated in the kitchen eating a slice of toast. The moment our eyes connected, hers lit up and she smiled in my direction.

Just like every time the woman shined her beauty on me, my cock hardened, my stomach clenched, and my heart raced. I wanted her—there was no fucking denying that—but I couldn’t have her.

“Vin?” I said once the door was closed behind us in his office.

He snarled as he took a seat. “I don’t know what the fuck you think that you’re doing with my daughter, Paolo, but whatever the fuck it is, it stops now.”

I raised a brow at him and wondered what the hell went through his head sometimes. Not once had I done more than smile in her direction.

“You want me to stop guarding her?” I asked slowly as though I’d missed something.

In the past week, I’d spent time with her under the guise of protecting her. While I knew that me being at her side was probably the safest place for her, I didn’t mind the extra quality time together.

Everyone knew that Frank was behind the bomb. The man was the only known enemy of Vincenzo, not to mention the two had been in a decade long war. It made sense. But I’d seen so many scenarios where the obvious wasn’t necessarily the right person, so until I had the definite answer, I reserved my judgment.

Marco scoffed. “I bet that is what it is.”

"Being close to Avery is the only way that I can keep her safe," I told the asshole. "We all know what happened last week. Are you willing to let that happen again?"

"No," he grumbled, his eyes narrowed into slits as he glared at me.

I sunk into a chair and glanced at Vin. In the past week, he’d developed deep bags under his eyes, and the lines in his forehead were more prominent. He looked like he had aged in the space of a week.

"Anything happens to her, Paolo, and it'll be your head I'll take first."

"Nothing will happen to her under my watch," I said.

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