BREAKINGCOLT

SAVANNAHSKYE

Contents

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ColtandBella’sPlaylist

I N T R O D U C T I O N

ColtCapestrana

NowthattheRuffinocrimefamilyhasbeengroundintodust,it’stimetotakethe

Capestrana empire to the next level. And we’re going to do it right. No unwilling
girls or virgin auctions. We’re talking a high-class, sweet-ass, underground sex
club.Jobnumberone?Findsomebeautifulexoticdancerstodrawinthefatcats.

I was looking forward to the research when fate took over. One dancer. One

audition.Andsherockedmyworld.Coulditreallybethiseasy?

BellaRuffino

Iwasfinallyhome.Shippedofftoboardingschoolasachild,I’dmadeagreat

life for myself in France, but I was more than ready to step back into the Ruffino
fold.Onlynow,thereisnofold.Becausemyfatherwasmurderedincoldbloodand
my baby brother is doing hard-time in prison…all because of the Capestrana
family.Sonow,I’mcomingforthem,andI’mgoingtoget’emwhereithurts.Right
inthefamilyjewel.

ColtCapestranawon’tknowwhathithim.

C H A P T E R O N E

Colt

few flurries of snow spiraled down from a pitch-black sky as I poked my head
outside.“Everythinggood,BigTon?”Iaskedthebehemothofashadowguarding

thedoor.

“Yeah,Colt,everything’sfine.Wouldyouchillalready?”Asmileflashedatmeand

Big Tony stepped over, still limping a little after the throw-down last month. “I got it
undercontrol.‘Sides,workingsecurityhereisabigsnooze,butatleastit’ssomething
todo.”

Nodding,Ipulledoutmyphone,andwentbackinsidetheclub.
8:47p.m.
Almosttime.
Awarm,dimglowwashedovermeasIwalkedintothemainroom.Withasighof

satisfaction, I looked around. It was a nod to the opulent and swanky speakeasy my
forbearshadrunbackintheProhibitiondays.Hugeartdecomotifsswirledacrossthe
walls,hungwithvintageposters,anddottedwithnooksforpeopletocozythemselves
awayin.

Man, it must have been something living in the heyday of the gangster. Slick

pinstripe suits, fedoras, flapper girls, fan dances, moonshine, and the birth of jazz. I
couldn’thelpbutbealittlenostalgic,evenifI’dbeenbornfiftyyearstoolate.

IwasaCapestrana,afterall.Amafiaprince,mylegacyscrawledonthecityinblood,

booze,andgold.

And here was an underground sex club fit for a shrewd, criminal businessman of

that dynasty. I could almost see a Mustache Pete kicking back in the corner with a
blondeoneacharm.Thoseold-schoolcatswouldhavelovedthisjoint.Especiallysince
itwasgoingtorakeinthedough.

“Thisplacereallycametogetherfast,cugino. We did good,” said my cousin Dante,

suddenlyappearingonstage.Heproppedhishandsonhishipsandbeamedatme.

Icockedaneyebrow.
“We?”Shakingmyhead,Itriednottolaughatthesightofhisrotundformstanding

inthecenterofthesex-forward,racystage.Threegoldpolespokedfromthecenterof
thefloorandvanishedupintotheceiling,anenormousbirdcagehunginonecorner,

andashortcatwalkstretchedoutintotheroom.Thecontrastwaskillingme.Itwaslike
SantaClausataburlesqueshow.

As Dante flushed and grinned wider, I gestured to the left. “Will you just hit the

lightsalreadyandgetdown?Geez.Thegirlsforthetryoutsaregoingtobehereinten.”

“Surething!”Dantecalledback,stillsmiling.
Thestagefloodlightsoutshinedthegoldenglow,hidingthelittlemoundsofsawdust,

unwrappedfurniture,andemptycornersstillleftunfinished.

Once we were ready to open, though, Club Magari would be perfect. Tasteful, but

alsopragmaticwhenitcametomonetizingsin.Itwasalsoabouttobethebiggestcash
cowtheCapestranafamilyhadevermilked.Andithadeverything.I’dmadesureofit.

Therewasamainentertainmentroom,bookendedbyabar,andprivateroomson

the top floors for every kind of indulgence. It would cater to both sexes, offering
anythingtheymightdesire.

Arare,darkgeminthecity’sunderworldcrown.
Itwouldstandinstarkcontrasttotheonemyfamilyhadjustdemolished.Onethat

hadbelongedtotheworstoftheworstinthismobstergame,thelateEmilioRuffino.
He’d twisted and perverted sex for his own ends, sinking to the kind of low that had
madethecoldestandtoughestguysIknewsicktotheirstomachs.

I’d no idea how Ruffino managed to rationalize what he did. Peddling unwilling

flesh,snatchinginnocentsoffthestreets,andsellingthemtothelikesofVictorVolkov.

Well,Ruffinogothis.Putdownliketherabidbeasthewas.Infact,we’dswornasa

familyonthatmonster’sdeadbodythatIwouldneverallowsuchahellholetooperate
againinthiscity.

My employees would own their sexuality and make their own choices, not be

dehumanizedandputonanauctionblockforit.Everylastoneofthemwouldbesafe
andtakencareof.Thatwasthenumberonepriority.

Afterall,Iwastheeldestson,upholdingtheCapestranalineage,andIhadtoknow

where to draw the line. Yeah, maybe this place wasn’t quite Sunday dinner
conversation,butitwasfairenterprise,inmyeyes,andIknew,nomatterwhat,I’dbe
abletosleepatnight.

My fists still clenched every time I saw that haunted look flit into Brenna Fiore’s

eyes – a kidnapped virgin beauty Emilio’d tried to make millions off of – only to be
thwartedbymyyoungerbrotherAxeandahandfulofusinthefamily.

Hardtobelievewe’donlyknownheralittleoveramonth.It’dfeltlikeforevernow.

She’d just slid into place like a piece of the puzzle we hadn’t even known we were
missing.

Danteinterruptedmymelancholythoughts,waltzingdownthesteps,andhumming

to himself. Santo cielo, did I need a drink to deal with his giddy mood right now. He
probably needed three. I headed to the bar, thanking God the liquor shipment had
comeinyesterday.

Tonightwewereauditioningdancersfortheheadlinespotintheclub.Findinggirls

whocouldslinkaroundandshaketheirasseswasonething,butweneededastar.We
neededourveryownSatine.

IscowledasIpulleddownabottleofCristal.HavingthreeyoungersistersmeantI

knewwaymoreaboutchick-flickslikeMoulinRougethanI’deverliketoadmit.

AsIpouredthewine,mythoughtsturnedbacktotheeventsofthepastmonth.So

muchhadchangedsoquicklysinceBrennahadcomeintoourlives.Fourweeksago,
theCapestranasandtheRuffinoshadbeenonthebrinkofwarafterthreedecadesof
uneasypeace.

First they broke the Trinacria agreement, one my grandmother, the infamous

MamaAngeandformerboss,hadenactedyearsagotopreventsextraffickinginour
city.OnlyaRuffinomonsterwouldhaveeverthoughttogobehindourbackslikethat.

Onore tra i ladri. She always liked to say. Honor among thieves. And, non seramo

monstri.Wewillnotbemonsters.

Then,we’devenbentoverbackwardsalittle–goingtotheFedstotrytostopwhat

Emiliowasdoing–auctioningoffunwillinggirlstodirtythugs.He’dcrossedalinewe
couldn’tignore.

ButthenBrennahadbeenabducted,Ruffinowasabouttokillher,orworse,andAxe

hadbeengivenanimpossiblechoicetomake.

AchoicethatshottohellthedealweweremakingwiththeFeds.
MyyoungerbrotherhadpulledthetriggerthatputabulletthroughRuffino’sbrain.
Never would I forget the hard look in my baby brother’s eyes that night. He was

preparedtodoanythingtogetbackthegirlhe’dfalleninlovewith.Whenhe’drunup
thestairsbymetogettoBrenna,I’dbeenshakentomycore,wonderingifitwasthe
lasttimeI’dseehimalive.

Thank God, though, he’d managed to take down that bastard. Honestly, in my

opinion, Ruffino had gotten off way too easy with such a quick exit. After hearing
Brenna’s story, I’d thought up a few nice and long ways to send that demon back to
hell.

After all that went down, we’d cut a new deal with the Feds. Ruffino’s death was

labeledasself-defenseandAxewasletgo.We’dalsocutadealwithacoupleofweasels
inRuffino’sorganization.Theysacrificedtwooftheirguys,sotherestcouldwalkfree,
andthey’dmostlyscattered,though,alongwithRuffino’sRussianpals.

MyfacetwistedindisgustandIalmostknockedoverthebottle,asmyhandsshook

withrecalledrage.

Gutless,dishonorableworms.ACapestranawouldneverstooptothat.
MaybeitwasjustbecauseIwasn’tquiteovereverything,butI’dbeenrestlessand

edgythelastfewweeks,stillspoilingforafight.IkepthearingAxe’sgungooff,feeling
theweightofatremblingBrennainmyarms,andseeingmybrother,splatteredwith
Emilio’sblood,beingcuffedonthewetcement.Infact,myknuckleshadbeenaching
alldayfromdukingitoutwithapunchingbagatthegymfortwohoursthismorning.

EvenafterAxehadbeenreleasedlastweek,andreunitedwithBrenna,something

was still off with me. I was happy and all for Axe, and I adored Brenna, but man,
couldn’tthekidhavefoundhisgirlinalessinsanelystressfulway?

Well,leaveittomyyoungersiblingsandcousinstoconstantlygivemeagita.Those

idiotskeptmeworrieddayandnight.

Buthey,IwasColtCapestrana,andthatwaswhatIdid.Tookcareofeverythingand

everyonewithoutthemevennoticing.Eldestson’sprivilege.

Thankfully,thepunchingbagsandbarbellsatthegymtoldnotales.
MaybeI’llgoagaintonight.

MamaAnge’sdisapprovingfaceflashedbehindmyeyesandIgrimaced.
Well, there was one Capestrana who could catch me out and she was starting to

notice.Workingoutandworkhadbecomeatoo-welcomedistractionagain.She’dbeen
houndingmeaboutsleep,showingupatmyplacewithfood,andcallingthreetimesa
day.

ButwiththeRuffinosvanishingintotheirlittleratholes,barelyshowingawhisker,

the way had been cleared for a Capestrana takeover. If there was ever a time to lose
sleep,thiswasit.

Besides, business and family tension were par for the course in my world. Part of

mynewproblemwasprobablyMikeWestfield.HewastheFedwho’dhelpeduscuta
dealandwasnowrefusingtoaccepttheendofourtruce.Almosteveryotherday,for
threeweeks,he’dcalledandthrownaroundtheword“legitimate”.Somethingtowhich
me,myuncles,andDantehadnearlybustedagutlaughingabout.

Imean,Christ,didn’tweallbutcleanthestreetswithAxe’sdeal?AnyoftheRuffinos

who mattered were dead or in prison, Brenna was safe and happy again. My brother
wasfree,aswereallofthegirlsRuffinohadbeentryingtosell.Volkovhadapparently
vanished,andgoodriddance.

And this business, for being a sex club, was as “legitimate” as it could be. But no,

Westfieldkeptblowingupmyphone,notquitegraspingthefactthatwewerefirmlyon
oppositesidesagain.Ialsocouldn’tgetitthroughtheguy’sthickheadthatthiswould
benothinglikeEmilio’ssexring.Infact,I’dalmostgoneuptoBostontowringhisneck
whenhe’dimpliedasmuch.Likesomestraight-lacedIrishFedhadthefirstclueabout
thisbusiness.Probablydidn’tevenwatchporn.

My girls would have medical insurance, their choice of escorts and services, good

pay, protection, and most of ‘em weren’t even prostitutes. For instance, the girls
auditioningtonightwerejustalittleforeplayintheformofdance.Anecessitytowet
thewhistleoftheclientelebeforetheygotdownanddirtywithotherclubmembers.
Consensually,ofcourse.

Nothingshadyherebesidessomezoningviolations.Nobig.
Cometothinkofit,though,Ihadn’theardfromWestfieldinacoupladays.Ihoped

thatmeanthewasfinallyoffmyjockandbacktochasingbadguysinBoston.

AsIfinishedpouringthedrinksandre-cappedthebottle,theskinonthebackofmy

neckprickled,andItensed.Almostautomatically,Islidathumbalongmygunholster,
and glanced around.The other part of it was that I couldn’t shake off this sense like
we’doverlookedsomething.

Somethingimportant.
So,I’dsentguysoutmorethanonceinthelastfewweekstosniffaround.Readthe

moodofthestreets.“Deadquiet,”they’dreportedeverytime.

Itdidn’tmatterthough.I’dkeptagunandaknifeonmeatalltimessinceRuffino

died.Ignoringyourinstinctsgotyoukilledinthisgame.Butiftherewasatargetonmy
back,Icouldn’tquitepinpointwho’dpainteditonme–theFedsorsomeonenew.

Shovingasidemydiscomfort,Icarriedthedrinksback.BigTonywasjustwalking

in,rubbinghisarms.

“Yo,Colt,they’rehere.I’msending‘emoutbackbeforetheirtoesfalloff.Jule’ssays

she’sgottheline-upallset,too.”

“Thanks,Ton,”Iresponded,handingDantehisdrink.
“Salute!”Dantecriedout,raisinghisglass,andsloppingsomeofitonhimself.
“Wouldyoucalmdown?We’reheretotakenotesandfigureoutwhichofthemis

the best, not get our jollies off,” I said, sitting down next to him, and pulling my iPad
towardsme.Shovingmychairbackaways,Iproppedmyfeetuponthetable.

Forasecond,Dantefrownedandlookedserious,ashepickeduphisiPad.Butthena

pop song blasted over the speakers and he let out a yelp of joy, which turned into a
cheer.Thefirstgirlhadappearedonthestage,andalookofsurprisecrossedherfaceas
shestartedhernumberabeattoolate.

“See,Dante?Youdistractedher,youmoron.Takenotes.”ButDantejustputdown

hisiPadandletoutablissfulsigh,cuppinghischinwithonehand.

Rollingmyeyesandlookingbackatthestage,Istudiedthefirstgirl.Shewaspretty

hot and had a bangin’ body. Pulling my iPad forward, I scribbled down a couple of
things about her sensuality and blonde hair, but also noted she was a little stiff, and
didn’tsmileenough.

Plus,Ihatedthisdamnsong.
IthadbeenstagemanagerJulie’sideatoletthegirlspicktheirownmusicandIwas

regrettingthat.Everygirlshouldhavejustdancedtothesamecoupleofsongs.Keptit
simple.

When the song ended, Dante began clapping and whistling. “Bellissima! Beautiful!

She’ssobeautiful.”Inanundertonetome,hegushed,“Oh,man,Colt,wehavetohire
her.”

IalmostsnortedintomywineasIgrinned.Ohboy.Dante’sinlove.
Again.
Ten girls later and Dante was in love exactly ten more times. Me, though? I was

boredoutofmymind.Grittingmyteeth,Istartedtopassthetimebyhatingeverypop
star on the planet for this shitty music we were being subjected to. Dante, however,
somehowgotmoreenergyastheauditionswenton.

Whenabustybrunettegotonstage,heevenhoppedupandstarteddancingalong

withher,cryingout,“Ilovethissong!You’resobeautiful!Wahooo!”

How’reweevenrelated?
Dantewaswindedashefellintotheseatnexttomeasshefinished.“Damn,Colt.

She’stheone.Ourtopgirl,forsure.Hireher.”

Rubbing my temples, I chose not to respond, simply enjoying the brief silence

betweensongsandfromDante’sincessantyapping.Nomatterhowtediousitwas,we
neededaheadliner.TheClubMagariopenednextweek.

But,damnit,itdidn’tseemlikeweweregoingtofindhertonight.
At that moment, the lights went dim as dark, sultry music poured from the

speakers.Iraisedmyhead,frowning,asItriedtoplaceit.ButI’dneverheardthissong
before.Theviolinsscrapedacrossmyskinandthepianotickleditswayupmyspine.A
lowfemalevoicesinginginhuskyFrenchstartedjustassheappeared.

SlowlyIputdowntheiPad,asmychairhitthegroundwithathud.
All I could do was stare as the world vanished around the girl dancing across the

stage.

She should’ve looked like nothing at all. She wasn’t wearing a thong or a tiny bra

like the other girls. Instead, she wore second-skin leggings and a plain, white t-shirt
knotted at the waist. Instead of platform heels, she wore ballet slippers with black
legwarmers that clung to her trim calves. Her lithe, curvy figure, was almost
completelycoveredbutforatwo-inchpatchofskinaroundherbellybuttonthatmy
tongueitchedtolick.Herlong,redcurlscaughtonherfullbreastsasshemovedandI
wasentranced.JessicaRabbithadnothingonher.

Suddenlysheflashedasmilesuggestingsecretsandsin,andmyheartleapt.
Her hips dipped low as she swung herself over and around the gold pole in the

centerofthestage.Asshespunaroundit,thelookonherfacesaidsheknewshewas
killingit.

Oureyesmetforabriefmomentanddesirepulsedlowinmygut.Herbodymoved

likewindandfire.I’dneverseenanythinglikeit.

Shehastobeprofessionallytrained.
Itwaslikeshewastellingthemusicwhattodo,nottheotherwayaround.Itraced

my eyes over her, watching her muscles move under her simple black leggings.
Flexing,stretching,andexpanding.Mymouthwentdry.

Shewasliketheembodimentofrhythm,passion,andmysteryallcometolife.Her

world was one I didn’t want to leave, filled with that music, and something I’d never
feltbefore.

She’dmakememillionsandIcouldn’tevenbringmyselftogiveafuck.
Ijustwatched,hypnotized,assheglideddownthecatwalk,andthenthesteps.Fora

moment,allIcouldthinkofwasajaguar,slinkingthroughtheunderbrush,trappingits
prey with just a look. Suddenly those long legs were wrapped around me and I was
gettingthebestlapdanceofmylife.Lookingup,Imetherbright,green-eyedgaze,asI
inhaledherexoticscent,andnoticedasprinkleoffrecklescoveringherpertnose.

Whoareyou?
Shewasstunning.Butnotonlybecauseofherbeauty.No,itwassomethinginher

face, something that spoke of fierceness and determination. This was a woman who
playedhard,butworkedevenharder.

Shewastrouble.
AndI’dneverbeensotakenbyanyoneinmylife.
Igroanedandbreathedinherperfumeagain.Popalwayswarnedmeaboutdipping

thepeninthecompanyink,but,damn.

Ihadtorepressagrowlasshegroundagainstmeagain,thepressureinmypants

buildingsofast,itwasalmostfunny.

Almost.
The music faded and those magical hips finally stilled. As I tried to get a grip, she

flippedherhairbackandstaredmerightintheeyes.

“Whaddayathink,bigboy?”

C H A P T E R T W O

Bella

y insides were quaking. I couldn’t believe those words just popped out of my
mouth,butitwaslikethecherryontopafterthatspectacle.

IcouldhardlybelieveIpulleditoff.Andifthatstiffypressingagainstmyv-jaywas

anyindication,Idefinitelydiditwithabigol’bang.

WithmylegswrappedaroundtheoneandonlyColtCapestrana,Icouldn’thelpbut

feelahotrushoftriumphmixinginwithmyicyrage.

ARuffinoalwayspaystheirdebtsinfull.Hopeyoucanaffordme,Colt.
Those three weeks I’d spent studying dance videos online and taking those crazy

hardpole-dancingclasses,(whichhadbeenmurderonmycore)hadclearlydonethe
trick. More than a decade of vigorous ballet and contemporary dance hadn’t hurt,
either.

Madame Lesaude, my ferocious dance instructor and mentor of three years,

would’veprobablylosthermindifsheknewwhatIwasupto,though.ThankGodwe
hadanoceansafelybetweenusandherstudioinFrance.BecausenowthatIwasback
inthesnow-riddengritofurbanNewEngland,Iwasnolongerastudent.

IwasaRuffinoreadytogetjusticeandwatermyroseswithCapestranablood.
Oh,itwouldfeelgoodwhenIsmiledintothisbastard’sface,asIdroveaproverbial

kniferightthroughhisblackheart,andlefthiscorpseforthecrows.Thatwouldwipe
thatinfuriatingsmirkrightoffhisface.

TimehadseemedtostopasI’ddanced,watchinghimwatchme,andtakingasweet,

vindictive pleasure in seeing him stunned. But now, without the music, time started
again,andIhadtogetawayfromhimbeforetheall-toothinveilcoveringmyhatred
startedtoslip.

IhadtokeepplayingmypartifIwantedtogainhistrust.
Hastily,Istoodup,andnoticedtheotherguyatthetable,staringatmelikehisheart

was about to spring out of his chest on a wire. He had big brown eyes, and a sweet
almostchildishlookabouthim.Man,whatagoofball.

AreluctantsmiletuggedatmymouthbeforeIgotahandleonit.IfhewaswithColt,

hewaseitheraCapestranaorpartoftheirgang.Thatmeant,hewasmyenemy,baby
faceornot.

WhenIlookedbackatColt,heseemedtofilltheroomagain.TheeldestCapestrana

sonwastheepitomeof“alleyesonme”.Asheleanedbackinhischair,hewinkedat
me,anddrawled,“Damn,Jessica,notbad.Headlinerspotisallyours.”

“My name isn’t Jessica.” My nostrils flared as I stuck my chin in the air. “It’s…” I

hesitated.

I’dhadastagenameinmind,buthellifIcouldrememberitunderthefullweightof

hisstare.

Luckily,Coltignoredme,stretchinghisarmsout,andputtingthembehindhishead.

“Sureitis.JessicaRabbit.That’swhatwe’regoingtocallyou.I’lleventhrowinabonus
forit.”

“Fine.Butitbetternotbechumpchange.”Itwasarisk,butsomethingtoldmeColt

Capestranalikedachallenge.I’dwatchedallthegirlsbeforeme,andhe’dbeenboredto
tears.Icouldn’taffordtohavehimgettingsickofmeforalongwhile,yet.NotuntilI’d
donewhatI’dcometodo.

Coltandtheotherguylaughed.
“Oh,Ilikeyou,Rabbit.”Hiseyesflashed.“You’refeisty.”
Thenhesuddenlysatupstraight,hiseyesgoingsharp.
“Seriously, though. Name a price. And if it really would bother you, we won’t call

youthat,butIlikethewholepackageonalotoflevels.I’mbankingonthenostalgia
factorforsomeoftheolderclientelewiththemusic,vintageHollywoodbody-typeand
thoseclassichairwaves,andthentheyoungeronesmyageandintotheirthirtieswill
rememberthemovieandthecharacter.We’llget‘emcomingandgoing.Whatdoyou
say?”

Inarrowedmyeyesathim.FirsthewasallMr.Suave,nowhe’sMr.CEO?
My cousin Rudy had warned me that Colt Capestrana was not someone to mess

with. I hated when he was right. I’d expected a grunting meathead and, although he
was muscular and great looking, he was also smart. This display of shrewd business
senseleftmefeelinglessthancomfortable.

Shrugging, trying to play coy and buy time, I asked, “How about we negotiate all

thatlater?Icouldreallyusesomewater.Please?”

“I’llgetit!”theotherguyvolunteered,jumpingup,andknockinghischairoverin

theprocess.“Oh,sorry,Colt,”hemumbledasheranoff.

Colt meanwhile, let out something between a sigh and a laugh, his face softening.

Something warm fluttered in my chest, as he said, “Forgive my bumbling cousin,
Dante.Hemeanswell.”

“Colt! That was all the girls!” came a crisp female voice from the stage. Turning, I

sawJulie,thestagemanager,wavingatus.“It’slate,I’mheadin’out,”shebarked.“Ton
canlockup.”

“Don’t worry about it, Jules, you can both go home. I’ll lock up. And thank you,

you’reamazing.Truly,Icouldn’tdothiswithoutyou,”respondedColt.

I was surprised to see Julie melt a little on the spot. She was a graying, tough old

broadwiththickthighs,andbeadyeyes.ButevensheseemedunabletoresistthisColt
andhischarm.

I’dkillmyselfbeforeIletthosemovesworkonme.
AfterJulieofferedColtareluctantsmile,shelookedatme.“Girlie,youcandance.

Colty,makeheragoodoffer,anddon’tforgetabouthealthinsurance.”

Andwiththatshemarchedoff.
“Julesisthemamabearofstagemanagers,”Coltsaidinmyear.“Ihiredherincase

anycustomersgetwiseandtrytogobackstage.Womantotesaroundbrassknucklesin
herbra.”

“What, really?” I laughed, whirling around, and nearly bumping into him. At 5’8 I

wasrarelyimpressedbytallguys,butColtloomedoverme,oversixfeetofrockhard
muscle. I took a step back, trying to ignore the warm, inviting scent of his expensive
cologne.

Smellsreallygood,though.
ThenImentallykickedmyself.
Enemy.Revenge.Family.Hello?
Hesmileddownatme.“Dante’sprobablygotyourwater,ifhedidn’tgethishead

stuckinthefridgeagain.Shallwe?”

Itookhisofferedarmandtriednottothinkabouthowstronghisforearmfelt.He

remindedmeofGustav,arockclimberI’dmetatschool,wholikedtowalkaroundon
his hands for fun. But Gustav didn’t have Colt’s height, his broad shoulders, and his
muscularbackslopingdowntothatfirmass.He’dneverwornathree-piecesuitthat
madeyouwanttolingeroverunbuttoningit.

All it took was closing my eyes for a second and remembering the vision of my

father’s casket sliding into the ground, and suddenly, my resolve was back, stronger
thanever.

“Aw,man,”Dantemuttered,appearingwithaglassofwater.“Majustcalled.Igotta

go.”

Colt laughed, pulling away from me, and clapped his cousin on the shoulders.

“Night, Dante. And thanks for, ah, all your help tonight. Tell Auntie Gina I send my
love.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Dante sounded subdued as he handed me the glass. “You did really

good up there, you know.” He was so sincere that I just stared. “You could be a
professionaldancer.”

“Thankyou,”Imanagedtogetout.“Uh,nicemeetingyou.”
“Bye,”Dantesaidglumly,trudgingofftotheexit.
“Cuz,don’tbesodown.Theshowsarestartingnextweek,andwehavemoregirlsto

audition tomorrow!” Colt called after him, but Dante just half-heartedly waved as he
vanisheddownthehall.

Sippingmywater,itsuddenlyhitmethatIwasalonewithColtCapestranainhisbig

barroom-cabaret-sex-house-whatever. My hands began to shake and I hastily put the
glassdown.

“So,Rabbit.”Colthoppeduponthebarwithhislegsswingingovertheside.“Gota

realname?”

“Of course, doesn’t everyone.” I came to a sudden decision. “Bella Lesaude.” Half

right, half wrong and far enough from Isabella Ruffino that he’d never make the
connection.Especiallyconsideringhowfarmyfatherhadalwaysgonetokeepmeout
ofthelimelightandofftheradar.Sonsinthefamilybusinesswereonething,butDad
hadalwaysbeenterrifiedofmegettinghurtiftheotherfamiliesknewaboutme.

Guiltprickedatmefordisobeyinghiminthis.He’dneverwantedmetocomeback

totheU.S.andjointhefold,butsurely,he’dunderstand.Withhimdeadandmylittle
brotherinprison,Ihadnochoice.SomeonehadtomaketheCapestranaspay.Itmight
aswellbeme.

“Nice to meet you.” He stretched his entire upper-body and I bit my cheek as his

well-defined arms strained the seams of his jacket. “If you somehow didn’t know
already,I’mColtCapestrana.”

“Yeah,Iknowwhoyouare,”Ireplied,staringhimdown,andstrugglingtokeepmy

voiceeven.

Glancing him over, I took his full measure, and realized this guy was a hard-core

Casanova.Notonlydidhehavethatwinningsmile,buthehadacaptivatingwayabout
him, along with a charismatic personality. Energy and masculinity flowed off him in
waves, making me want to step closer almost instinctively, despite what my brain
knewwastrue.

Allofwhich,hewasclearlyawareof.Herewasamanwhopulledgirlsinwithjusta

lookoraturnofphrase.Hisvoicewassexy,too,lowandmellow,asthoughhesavored
eachwordashespokeit.Brighthazeleyes,glintingwithgold,flashedinhishandsome
face,andperfectlysetoffhisdarkoliveskin.

GoddamnCapestranasandtheirgoodlooksandsilvertongues,Igrowledtomyself,

glancing away from that smile. But I couldn’t help wondering how my name would
soundcomingfromhislips.

“Of course you do,” Colt replied. I raised an eyebrow and looked back. He didn’t

soundsmug,justmatter-of-fact.“GotanyItalianinyou,Is-a-bel-la?Po’diItaliano?Piu
Siciliu?”

IfoughtdownafewbutterfliesasColtliltedmyname.Ihadtoadmit,itwaspretty

good.

“Uh,well…”ForsomereasonthewayhewaslookingatmemademefeellikeIhad

todenythat.Vigorously.“Nope.Notanounce.I’m…Swiss.”

WhydidIsaythat?AndhespeaksItalianandSicilian?!
“Swiss?” he asked, cocking his head with a frown. “Hm. I don’t know, Bella, you

don’tlookSwiss.YoulooklikeaNorthernItalian-Sicilianmixtome.”

Ishivered.Damn,Rudy,youweren’tkidding.Thatwasafreakishlygoodguess.Colt

wastoosharp,quick,andobservantforhisowngood.

I’dreallyhavetowatchmystepfromhereonout.
“Andisn’tLesaudeFrench?”Coltasked.
“Oui, monsieur.” Getting a grip on myself, I continued, “If you must know, the

LesaudeswereoriginallyfromFrance,butmovedtoSwitzerlandalongtimeago.So,
I’m French, yes, but I’m also Swiss.” Huffily, I asked, “We done with the geography
lesson?”

“For now.” Colt looked at me for another moment, then hopped down off the

counter.“Youwantatourofyournewpalace,PrincessBella?”

“Princess,really?”Isnorted,tryingnottoletthedeadpanicshowonmyface.My

fatherhadcalledmeexactlythatasalittlegirl.JesusChrist,wasColtontome?Whatif
he’dknownthewholetime?

Suddenly,myhandswenticecoldasIrealizedwewerealoneintheclubandnoone

knewIwasevenhereexceptthepeopleonhispayroll.

I’dsashayedinthinkingIwasthecat,butwhatifI’dbeenthemouseallalong?
“Yeah,you’retheprincessofthisnewclub.Didn’tyouknow?Withdancinglikethat,

you’llbepullingcrowdsfromacrossthecountry.Comeon,letmeshowyoutherestof
theplace.”

“Well…”
Ididn’twanttogo.Whatifhewasluringmetoaroomwithaplasticsheetonthe

floor, for Christ’s sake? But if he wasn’t suspicious before, refusing would definitely
triggerhissuspicions.Decisions,decisions.

Whatdoesyourgutsay,Bella?
“Yousay‘well’alot.Gottathinkbeforeyouspeak,huh?”Coltasked.
Iblinked,swallowing,asmymindandheartbegantorace.
“Got something to hide? Well, that’s a good thing. We all have secrets, Bella. The

clientswillloveit.Theywantawomanwithsomemystery.”

Iwasalmostshakingwithrelief.Eitherhewastheworld’sbestactor,andIwasstill

markedfordeath,orhereallywasjusttalkingandmyownguiltwasdrivingmenuts
likeareallifetell-taleheart.

Takeachillpill,Bells.
Turning to the stage, Colt gestured at the room. “I’ll take that as a yes. This is the

mainroom.Entertainment,dancers,booze.”

He sauntered away from me and I couldn’t help but watch him walk. I wondered

whathe’ddoneinhislifetoaccumulatethatmuchself-assurance.

“It’sgorgeous,”Icommented,forcingmyselftoputonefootinfrontoftheother.
Colt continued on, explaining, “The first floor is mainly table service, with a few

roomssetasideforamoreintimatesetting.Butthesecondfloorandthirdfloor.”Helet
outadarkchuckle.“That’swheretherealfunbegins,Izzy.”

“Bella,”IbitoutbeforeIcouldhelpit,lookingup.
“Justtryingitout.”Coltwassmilingatmeasheledmeovertoacurvingstaircase.
Don’tbeabitch,Bells,flirt!Itoldmyselfsternly.
Asweenteredthesecondfloor,Ipurposefullybrushedmyshoulderagainsthis.“I

wasjustteasingyou,Mr.Capestrana.Callmewhateveryouwant,justdon’tcallmelate
forcocktails.”Ilingeredonthecockpartandmanagedawink,butassoonasIsaidit,
myfaceflamedred.Lame.

Killmeknow.
Colthowledwithlaughterandbeganwalkingbackwardsdownthehall.“JustColtis

fine,Bella.”HesangoutmynameandItriedtocalmtheheatinmyface.“So,theseare
thenaughtyrooms.Caretotakeapeek?”

“Ofcourse.Although,I’llwarnyou.Idon’timpresseasily,”Iresponded,twistingmy

fingersthroughmyhair,andtryingtorememberhowmygirlfriendsinFranceflirted.
Onawhim,Imurmured,“Mais,tuesdrôle.”

Keephimguessing.ThathadbeensomegoodadviceandIwasdeterminedtotry.
Pausinginthehallway,Coltleanedover,andopenedadoor.
“Ladies,first.”AsIpassedbyhim,hewhispered,“J’aimeraismieuxteconnaître.Oh,

and,merci,Iamprettyentertaining.”

I’dliketogettoknowyoubetter.

Without realizing it, I stopped short, and my heartbeat took off. Colt was standing

directlybehindmeandhisbreathtickledthehairagainstthebackofmyneck.

“YouspeakFrench?”Ihalf-whispered.Notonlythat,butflawlessFrench.
“Youcankeepwalking,youknow.Nomonstersinhere.”
I rushed in as Colt flicked on another light, brightening the dim room. “And oui, I

speak a lot of languages. You could almost call it a hobby, I guess. I tend to like a
challenge.”

There was something in his words that hit me hard in the gut and my cheeks

flushedagain.Wildly,Ipressedmyhandstomyface,andpretendedtobeengrossedin
thischamberofkink.

Ineverblushed.Whatthehellwasgoingon?
Notonlythat,butIcouldn’tthinkofasingleresponse.
Afteraminuteorso,Coltasked,“Hey,whatwasthatsongyoudancedto?I’dnever

hearditbefore.”

I could sense his eyes following me around the room and I told myself it wasn’t

makingmeflustered.Probablythewhipsandhandcuffswere.

Buteagerforthedistraction,Iquicklyanswered,“Oh,it’scalledHomme.”Irambled

on,“It’sbythiseclecticNewYorkband.Doesn’titsoundlikesomethingoutofthe20’s,
though?Ithoughtitmightbeagoodchoice.”

“Itwasagoodchoice.”Colt’svoicegotalittlehuskyandmyheartskitteredaround

inmychest.“Gotafeelingthere’salotyoucouldteachmeaboutmusicanddancing.
MaybeSwisschocolate,too.”

Foramoment,Iwasdizzy,reelingwithahotrushofbloodthroughmybodythat

hadmylegstrembling,andIrealizedIwasgettingflustered.

ThenIsuckedinadeepbreath.Getagrip.You’reafiercebitch.Don’tfallforhislines.
It was probably just this crazy, impressive, and luxurious room. All crimson and

gold,withagorgeousbedoccupyinganentirewall,andastripperpoleinthecorner.

It’dmesswithanyone’shead.
“Yeah, no one’s got anything on me when it comes to that,” I finally responded,

glancingathimovermyshoulder.Then,Iforcedacoysmileonmyface.“So,thisisa
kinkroom,huh?”

“Yes.Whatdoyouthink?”Coltasked.
“It’snotbad.”Ilookedaround,thenfroze,realizingwhatI’djustdone.
Colthadn’tspokeninEnglishorFrench.
He’dspokeninItalian.
Si.Checosaneipensi?
Itwasbrazenitout,orfallapart.Fightorflight.
Fuckthat.I’maRuffino.
Smilingwidely,Iturnedtohim.“You’reprettycleverforsuchahandsomeguy.”
Lounging against the doorframe, Colt tilted his head, and smirked. “And you’re a

puzzleI’dliketosolve.I’dbelyingifIsaidIwasn’tatadenchanted,BellaLesaude.Sure
you’renotItalian?”

Trying to mimic my friend Viviane’s elegant shrug, I just smiled at him, and used

hercatch-phrase,fillingmyvoicewithaslightFrenchaccent.“No,no,Ijusthavezat
effectonmen.”

Thankfully,Coltlaughed,inamerryandearnestway.“Ibelieveit,princess.”Then,

aswelefttheroom,heaskedme,allcasual,“So,howmanylanguagesdoyouspeak?”

“Just the romantic ones,” I responded with a smile, willing my heart rate to slow

down.

“I thought you let your body do that,” Colt said, with a perfectly straight face,

althoughhiseyeswerefullofmischief.AndIlaughedtohidehowtongue-tiedIwas.

“Look,I’msorryIdidn’ttellyou.It’sjust…mypastissomethingIdon’tliketothink

about.I’mfocusingonthefutureandmynewlife.”

“I understand that completely. Hopefully, we can help with that here.” His smile

was patient and sweet, all the swagger gone, and somehow that was even more
unsettling.

Iclearedmythroatandwavedahand.“Please,sir,leadon!”
Therestofthetourcontinuedinthatvein.We’dlookatrooms,Iwouldtrytogetthe

betterofColt,andhe’dalwaysside-stepmeinawayIdidn’texpect.Itbecameasortof
game. I’d forgotten how impertinently comical New England Italians could be. Our
bantergotquicker,andIbegantorelax,andflirtwithease.

By the look on Colt’s face, he liked how I was keeping up, and I felt a thrill of

satisfaction.

ImusthavemissedNewEnglandmorethanIrealized.
“Topfloorisallthesecretfantasysuites,”Coltwhisperedintomyhairasweclimbed

tothethirdfloor.IwaswalkinginfrontofhimandIknewhe’dbeencheckingmeout
theentiretime.“Thinkyoucanhandleit,Rabbit?”

“If I’m the rabbit, does that make you Alice?” I asked, pausing, and half-turning

around.“AmIleadingyoudowntherabbithole?”

My breath caught. We were at eye level, our faces inches apart, and he slowly

smiled.Icouldn’tmove.Thelightandshadowsplayedonhisface,bringingoutthegold
inhiseyesandskin.

Suddenly,itwasasthoughIwastheonewhofelldownarabbithole.AndnowIwas

ontherunfromagilded,dangerous,andfar-toohandsomeshadowyprince.

MaybeIaminovermyhead.
“Well,whowouldn’twanttotumbleintoWonderland?”Coltbreathed,asthatsinful

smilecurleduponhisface,andhiseyesglinted.“Aplaceofdark,madmagic…Wantto
gorightnow?”

Heat bombarded me, rushing over my skin, and diving between my legs. Shaking

my hair back, I all but ran up the rest of the stairs, and tried to fight down the
butterfliesbumpingagainstmyribcage.

Then,somehow,Iyawned,andrespondedinaboredvoice,“Mmm,notreally.It’s

gettinglate.”

“Oh,ofcourse.Let’sgo.”Colttappedmyshoulder,allbusinessagain,andweturned

around.

“Thanksforshowingmearound.Andyouknow,Colt,”Isaid,tryingtobeniceand

flirtyagain.“Itlookslikeyouthoughtofeverything.”

Coltglancedback.“Iknow.”HislookwassocheekyIhadtosmile.
Arealsmile.
Justin.

Thenamehitmelikeawhip.Fortherestofthewaydownstairs,Iberatedmyself.

You’relettinghisgoodlooksandthatfake-asscharmrattleyou.Honestly,Bells.

Bells.
Thatwasmybabybrother’snicknameforme.
Justin, an innocent kid rotting in jail because of the Capestranas’ insatiable greed,

phonyhonorcode,andtheireldestson.

I hadn’t been able to get in to see him because he’s been in the shoe, but it didn’t

take much to conjure an image of Little Justin, wearing prison orange, staring at me
frombehindaglasswall.Hisbigbodyalreadygettingthinner,eyesempty.Suddenly,
the hard glass was under my fingertips while I tasted the stale air, and smelled of
bleach.

Swallowing, I forced my mind back even further again, to that cold, black day a

coupleofweeksago.AburningsensationpushedintomythroatandIlookeddown.

Myfather’sfuneral.
He’sdead,I’msorry.ShotbyaCapestrana.No,Axeisnotinjail.HisbigbrotherColt

made a deal with the Feds and the police. Never mind all that, though. You gotta come
home,Bella.Justin’sinbigtrouble.

After Rudy had called me, I’d slid down to the floor in disbelief, sobs racking my

body.ButbythetimeI’dsteppedonAmericansoilforthefirsttimeinoveradecade,
I’dbeenencasedinice.

Ruffinosdon’tcry,Isabella.
Thosewordsfrommyfatherhadechoedinmyheadforweeks.I’dstoodaloneas

theyloweredhiscasketintothemuddyground,shiveringdowntomyverysoul,and
refusingtoweep.

Barelyanyonehadcometotheservice,either.Aftereverythingmyfatherhaddone

for them. And so I vowed on his grave to destroy the Capestranas with one fateful
strike.

I’dtakedownColt.Thecharmer,thegoldenson,thePrince.
EvenifIhadtopaythepiperwithmyownlife.
Withthosetwomemories,itwaslikeI’djusttakenadipintheNorthAtlantic.Fully

focusedonceagain,IglaredatthebackofColt’shead.

“Let’stalknumbers,”Isaidcurtly,aswereachedthemainfloor.
ThenexttwentyminutesbasicallyboileddowntoColtquietlyexplainingthework,

schedule,andcontract.Hewastheconsummateprofessionalagain,notaglimmerof
his charm in sight, except for the occasional flash of amusement in his gold-brown
eyes.

AsthoughIwasentertaininghimstill,evenoffstage.Itsolidifiedmyhatred.
Butwhenheofferedthefinalpaymentplan,Itrippedupagain.“$2,000aday?Even

aftertaxes,that’salotofcash,”Imurmured.

ThenIwinced,wishingIcouldbitemytongueoff.
ButColtonlylaughed,too.“Bella,you’reacard.Youdon’tgottaworryabouttaxes

here.”

“Oh, I was kidding,” I said quickly and stuck my tongue out at him. Colt laughed

again.

TenminuteslaterandBellaLesaudewasofficiallyworkingforColtCapestrana.And

it had been easy. Well, easy enough, at any rate. Pretending to be a gentleman, Colt
walkedmetothedoor,andshookmyhand.

“I see a great partnership between you and me, Bella,” he said with his signature

smile.

Ijustslowlysmiledback,tuggedmycoatcollarup,andnodded,beforeIsteppedout

into the snowy midnight hour. I was walking out, not only with my cover intact, but
alsoaliveandwell.Wewerepartners.ExactlylikeI’dplannedit.

LittledidColtknowthathe’djustmadeadealwiththedevil,andIwasgoingtolead

himstraighttohell.

C H A P T E R T H R E E

Colt

he club was finally ready for business, and I was filled with exultant relief as I
walked through. But I had to wonder – why were half the lights off? Did a fuse

blow?OrdidDantetripoversomethingagain?

Thenacandleburstintoflameonatable,followedbyanother,andanother.Soonthe

roomwasfullofred,flickeringlight,andIstopped,handsinmypockets,fullofastrange
mixofamusementandanticipation.Atthatmoment,IrealizedIwasdressedlikea20’s
gangster, complete with suspenders, oxford shoes, and a fedora pulled low. There was
evenaredrosetuckedintomyshirtpocket.

“Thisisyourdoing,isn’tit?”Iaskedwithachuckle.
A spotlight hit the stage, illuminating Bella in a single beam. She nodded, spreading

herhandswide,andflashedmeasmilethatcouldmeltthepaintoffabarn.

“Ofcourse,”shesaid.
Before I could respond, she tossed her hair back, and began to dance to a haunting,

unfamiliartune.Fullofdesireandhunger,thenotesslippedacrossmyskinlikeacaress,
makingmyheartrace.

Then she twirled, tossing clothing away from her body like slinky scarves, and I no

longercaredaboutthemusic.Finally,shewasleftinonlyanelaboratebeadedbra,anda
long,sheerskirt,slitallthewayupherleg.

Time flashed forward and suddenly, I was sitting on a chair on the stage, and Bella

wasmakingherwaydownastaircasetowardsme.Ifollowedhereverymove,mygaze
trailingfromhercalvestoherface.Themusicchanged.Itbecamehungrier,moreragged,
anddesperate.

AndJesusChrist,sodidI.
“You’lllikethis,Colt,”Bellamurmured,leaninginandgrabbingasuspenderineach

hand.

Ismirkedassheletthemgoandtheyslappedagainstmychest.“Nah,I’mlikeyou.

Don’timpresseasily.”

Straddlingme,Bellagroundherhipsdownontomine,andsmirkedrightback.“Then

what’sthatinyourpocketdownthere?”Shelaughedandarchedherback.“Admitit,Colt,
youwantthis.”

Shehadmethere.Myachingcockwasabouttotearrightthroughmypants.
“Yeah,maybejustalittle.”Butmycasualwordswerebeliedbythegritinmyvoice.I

wasn’tfoolingeitheroneofus.Iwantedhersobad,Icouldalmosttasteit.

Iwasreadytotasteit.
ButthenIglancedoutintotheshadowymainroom,feelinglikesomethingwasthere,

watchingus.

“Nothere,though.”
“Aw, no one’s here, big boy, shhh.” Bella pressed her cheek against mine, slid her

hands down around my back, and pressed her breasts into my chest. I could feel the
beadstearingacrossmysilkshirtandwithoutthinking,Iseizedherhips.Herscentwent
straighttomyheadandIpressedmymouthtohershoulder.

Herskinwaslikepeachesandcream,sosoft,sodelicious,Icouldn’thelpbutgiveher

theedgeofmyteeth.

“Mmm,” she purred in my ear. “Was that so hard?” Then she laughed as my hips

bucked against her of their own accord. “Oh, honey, I already knew you were. Just like
during my audition.” She bit my earlobe and I groaned. “It was written all over your
face.”

“Damn, Bella, you’re stealing my moves, here,” I tried to joke, but my head was

spinning,andIcouldbarelythinkstraight.AllIcouldfeelwastheragingpressureinmy
pantsandthegyrationsofBella’sbodyagainstmine.“Andwhatdoyoumean?Iwasall
businessduringthatlastdance.”

Slidingherhandsintomyhair,sheleanedbackwithacunningsmile.“Sure.Butyou

couldn’thelpwonderinghowagirlwhomovesanddanceslikethatisinbed…”

“Thatwasn’tthewholeofit,Rabbit.”Slidingmyhandsdown,Igrippedherfirmthighs,

andBellasquirmed.

“Oh, really?” she panted, staring at me, eyes dark green with lust. “What’d I miss

then?”

“ThatIplannedonfindingout.”
Istoodupandshesquealedwithdelight.AsIcarriedherdownthehall,shewrapped

herarmsaroundmyneck,andplantedkissesalongmyjaw.Partofmewantedtotake
herrightthenandthere,butwehadtogetsomewheresafe,somewhereprivate.

In another moment, we were on the third floor, and I stumbled into one of the dark

roomscompletewithabed,beforekickingthedoorshutbehindus.Candlesflaredupand
Bellaglancedaround.

“Aw,allforme?Didn’tthinkyouweretheromantictype,Colt.”
“Youhavenoidea,”Isaidinalowvoice.Iheldhergazeandloweredherfeettothe

floor slowly, savoring every soft inch of her on the way down. “You’re not gonna know
whathityou.”

“Proveit,”Bellachallenged,hereyesflashing.
Steeringherbackwards,Ilightlyshovedherdownontothebed,andstaredatherfora

moment.Herredhairfannedaroundheronthedarkcoverlet,andthecandlelightdanced
acrossherbody,glintingoffthatnefariousbra.

Bending over her, I dragged a thumb across her luscious lips, and then traced my

fingertipslightlyoverhercollarbone.HerchestbegantoriseandfallfasterasIskimmed
between her breasts. Then her pupils dilated, as I traced my name across her flat

stomachwithmyindexfinger.

“Mine,”Iwhispered.“Signed,sealed,andabouttobedelivered.”
Wrapping my arms around her back, I pressed kisses on her stomach and both hip

bones.AmoanflutteredfromBella’slipsandIsmiled.Workingmywayup,Imovedmy
lipsalonghercollarbone,andthenbitithard.

Bellaarchedup,diggingherfingersintomyshoulders,andsnapped,“Colt,ugh,just

kissme,already.Iwantyourtongueinmymouth,now.”

“Patience,Rabbit,”Iwhisperedagainstherneck,savoringhersalty,intoxicatingskin.

“I’mnotdoneyet.”

With a huff, Bella wrapped her legs around my waist, grabbed my suspenders, and

pulledmedowntothebedontopofher.Ilaughedagainstherskin.

“DoIstrikeyouasapatientwoman?”shegrowled,thevibrationspulsingagainstmy

lips.

“Well,no.ButIcan’tquiteputmyfingeronwhatkindofwomanyouare,”Iconfessed.

Raisingmyhead,Imethereyes,andfroze.

“Andyouneverwill,Colt.”Hergorgeousfacelookedhardernow,leaner.Herskinso

pale,shecould’vebeenacorpse.Sheletoutamalicious,chokinglaughthatsentdread
skatingdownmyspine.“Notuntilit’stoolate,anyway.”

Sheleanedintokissme,andhersmilesuddenlybecameferal.Foramoment,itfelt

liketimeshudderedtoahalt,andIdidn’tknowwhethertokissherorkillher.

Asnapreverberatedthroughtheroomasfangsextendedfromhergums.
Whatthehell?
“Whoareyou?”Idemanded,asthelightaroundusdied,andallthatwasleftwasher

sharp,crookedgrin.“Whothefuckareyou?”

ITTING

BOLT

UPRIGHT

,Igrabbedforthegunonmybedsidetable,andglancedaroundmy

room. Cold sweat poured down my skin and all my muscles tensed. My eyes flicked
fromspottospot,asthoughexpectingtoseeashadowwithteethleapoutatme.

Andeventhoughtheroomwasempty,Iremainedfrozen,onehandonthegun,and

mychestheaving.

Why’dithavetobefangs?Ifuckinghatedvampires.
Hearingnothing,Ibegantorelax,thenjumpedwhenaclickofnailstappedacross

thewoodenfloor,andmydogToroploppedhisbigchinonthebed.

Iblewoutasighofreliefandlaughedatmyparanoia.Ifanythingwasup,Toro,my

big,110poundsofCaneCorsodogwouldhavewokenuptheentireneighborhoodwith
hisdeep,boomingbarks.Hewasbetterthanmystateoftheartsecuritysystem.

Leaningover,Iruffledhisears,andhehuffedloudlythroughhisnose.
“Gottagoout,bud?”Iyawned.AsIstoodup,Iwinced,realizingIwastotingaround

enoughmorningwoodtoerectacityblock.“Dammit,Bella,”Igrowled.

OrdammitColt?
BecausewhostillhadahardcockoveragirlwhohadjustgoneallDraculaonthem,

evenifitwasonlyadream?Imadeamentalnotetoaskifherrealnamewasn’tBella
Legosi,thenIsmirkedalittle.ToobadIhadwokenupbeforeitgotrealdownanddirty.
Maybenexttime,dreammewouldstopaskingquestionsandletthevampireshowme

whattheundeadwerelikeinbed.

But as I left my room, crossing to the sliding glass doors of the patio, I again

wonderedwhythedreamhadtakensuchadarkturn.

Then I shrugged it off, whistling for Toro, and opened the doors. Just a dream.

Peeringoutsideashetrottedout,Ibreathedinthesharpwinterair,lettingitclearmy
head.

GodIlovedthisapartment.Whilethetop-floorpenthousehadbeenkindofaripoff,

Ididn’tevencare.IthadroomtospareforToroandme,and,asthefirstplaceI’dever
owned, I’d poured bank into it. The patio took up almost half of the whole floor,
completewith a grassy area,trees, and most importantly,a Jacuzzi. Inside, the floors
werealldarkwood,whilethewallswereapalegold-leafprint.Reprintedpaintingsby
OldItalianmastershungeverywhere,andmyfurniturewasbig,cozy,andsumptuous.
Icouldn’thelpbutthinkhowsexyvampireBellawouldlooksprawledonit.

After Toro finished his business, I fed him, and took a cold shower. I was still stiff

andtryingnottothinkaboutBella.Off-limits,Itoldmyselfsternly.You’reherboss.But
her wicked green eyes, red hair, and throaty voice confronted me with every other
thought.

Since she’d been so sketchy with personal details, I’d spent the hour or so before

falling asleep coming up with all sorts of theories. At the very least, I knew she was
hidingsomething.Possiblyontherunfromawarrant,ormaybejusttryingtostarta
newlifeafterabadbreakup.Butitwasdefinitelysomething.Nootherexplanationfor
allthatnervousenergyshe’dtriedtohide.

I’dtoyedwiththeideathatmaybeshe’descapedarichbenefactor,orsomeabusive,

wealthyprickofaboyfriend,butitwasdoubtful.Belladidn’tseemlikeagirlwhoput
upwithbullshit.

Nah,itwasmorelikelythatshewasthedaughterofsomerich,important,andstrict

daddywhowasbigininternationalfinance,anddidn’twantherdancingforaliving.It
wouldexplainwhyshe’dknownallthoselanguages.Nowshewasprobablytryingto
getsomeexperiencebeforegoingprofessionalinNYC.

Her shocked face when she’d mistakenly admitted she understood Italian popped

intomyhead,andIlaughedoutloud.

You’regonnamakemylifemorefuninthemeantime.
AsIgotoutoftheshower,myphonechimed,signalingamissedcall,andIfrowned.

Which family member needed something now? Glancing at it, I shook my head and
snorted,startlingToro.

“Guess who?” I asked him, and he cocked his head, tongue lolling out. “Yup, our

favoriteFed,MikeWestfield.”

Suddenly, I paused, feeling the urge to call him back. In the light of day, a whole

newtheorypresenteditselfasWestfield’snumberblinkedonmyphone.

WasthereanywaypossibleBellacouldbeaFed?AplantofMike’stogetsomething

onmesowe’ddomoreofhisworkforhim?

ThenmyfacetwistedasItriednottolaugh.
Bella,thejumpy,sexyRabbit,whosassilyflirtedinFrench,butbetrayedhernerves

bytwistingherfingersinherhair.Yeah,right.No,Bellahadspentyearsstudyingdance
like she’d said. The way she moved was proof enough of that. Even the way she

walked.Youcouldsensethedeliberatenessineachofhersteps.Elegant,striking,and
focused.EventhebestundercoverFedcouldn’thavemovedlikethat.

If that theory was banging around in my cranium, I was pushing it with being

vigilant.JustbecauseI’dbeentaughttosleepwithoneeyeopendidn’tmeanIhadto
payavisittoUncleJoe’sparanoia-crazy-town.

IfBellawasontherun,shewassafewithme.Ifshewantedtotalk,shecould.
Eitherway,soonerorlater,I’dfigureherstoryout.
OrI’denticeitout.
WhatcouldIsay?Girlslikedtalkingtome.Itwasagift.
Toroliftedhisheadatthatmomentandskitteredoutofthebathroom,headingfor

the front door, whimpering eagerly. Throwing a towel around my waist, I followed
him,andsureenough,someoneknockedtwosecondslater.

Yankingitopen,Igrinnedatmytwovisitors,oneofwhomletoutalittleyelp,and

theotherwhoglaredatme,hisnostrilsflaring.Theymadequiteapair,thesetwo.

Angelino, my little brother, who was more often than not called Axe, due to his

charming personality, towering height, and hard jaw. You’d never know it with all
thosemuscles,buthehadagoodheart,andagoodheadonhisshoulders.Brenna,his
“pecorelle”,or“littlesheep”,waslikeawarm,exoticflower,withgreatblue-greeneyes,
darkhair,andanexquisiteface.Shewasapetitething,especiallynexttomybrother,
andIlikedheralot.

“Christ, Colt. That’s how you answer the door?” Axe’s face twisted into his usual

scowl.“Putsomefuckingclotheson.You’regonnagivemeandmygirlnightmares.”

“Morelikesweetdreams,”Isaid,andwinkedatBrenna,whomadeafacelikeshe

wastryingnottolaugh.“Buongiorno,youtwo.”

“Morning,Colt.”AlaughescapedBrenna.“Nicetoseeyou.”
“Itis,isn’tit?”Imused,stretchingmyarmsout,andflexing,moretogetariseoutof

mylittlebrotherthananything.

“Get outta the way,” Axe snapped and I laughed. Busting his balls was one of my

favoritepastimes,besidesteasingmytwinlittlesisters,AvaandSophia.

NotTrina,myothersister,though.NobodyfuckedwithTrinamuch.Shehadclaws.
AsAxeshovedbyme,Brennatrailedafterhim.Torolifteduphishead,andtrotted

afterthem,head-buttingBrennaforpats.

“Sowhatbringsyoutomyfineabodesoearlyinthemorning?”Iasked.
“Mama Ange,” Axe sighed, holding up a stack of Tupperware, and a bag. “Go get

dressed,yougoomba.Yamakin’melosemyappetite.”

Foramoment,Iwastemptedtostrutintothekitcheninthebuff,andreallysetAxe

off,buttherewereknivesinthere.AndAxehadjustspentthreeweeksinjail,working
outthewholetime.

More importantly, though, I was starving. Already I could smell Mama Ange’s

homemadesausageandmymouthwaswatering.

Five minutes later, when I walked into the kitchen fully clothed, I paused in the

doorway.Astheyputoutbreakfast,AxeandBrennawereflittingaroundeachotherin
asynchronized,instinctivekindofdance.Then,IwatchedasBrennabrushedherhand
alonghisshoulders,Axetuggedonherponytail,andtheysharedasmile.

I couldn’t help but smile to myself, happy to see them like this. But when Brenna

lookedoveratme,asIslidintoaseatatthebar,guiltspearedmystomach,andIstifled
asigh.

IfI’dgonetoRuffino’sauctionthatnight,asintended,wouldBrennaevenbealive?

WouldRuffinostillbesellinggirls?

Questionslikethosehadhauntedmethelastfewweeks.
Aftertheauctionthatnight,whenI’dmetupwithAxetofindoutwhat’dhappened–

thekidwasjustsupposedtogoandsniffaround,notbidonanygirls–he’dinsistedthat
hehadtodoit,andthatIwould’vedonethesame.

At the time, I’d been so furious and worried, I’d insisted I wouldn’t have, that I

“followed orders”, and wouldn’t have blinked at Volkov bagging a virgin. So, in these
pastfewweeks,afterspendingalotoftimewithBrenna,I’dbeenoverwhelmedwith
disgustatmyself.WhileAxebelievedIwould’vedonetherightthing,alongwithDante,
Trina,andMamaAnge,Iwasn’tsosure.

OnlyPopunderstood,whenI’dhesitantlybroachedittohim.
“You’retheoldest,Cosimo,”he’dtoldmebluntly.“Youmakethehardchoicessothe

restofthemdon’thaveto.Youalwaysputfamilyfirst,rightorwrong.Angelinoislikemy
mother, that noble streak is stronger in them. He’ll choose right, thinking that in some
way,itisputtingfamilyfirst.

“And,whilethissituationworkedout,italmostdidn’t.Weteeteredonaknife’sedge,

there. You know better than anyone how quickly it coulda went to hell. So, I wouldn’t
wastetimewonderingwhatyouwould’vedoneinAxe’splace.You’renotinAxe’splace.
Yougottabeyou.”

AsIwasleaving,Popwatchedmego,lookingunusuallypensiveandgentle.
“Colt, don’t torture yourself. It all worked out. And if anything, maybe something

biggerwasatworkwhenitcametoBrennaandAxe.Capisci?Allisexactlyasitshould
be.”

Yeah. Maybe one day I could stop and forgive myself. For now, I could just be

gratefultothepowersthatbeAxehadwoundupatRuffino’sthatnightortherewould
belivesonmyconscience.

“Colt!”BrennasnappedherfingersinmyfaceandIblinked.
“Yes,pecorelle?”Iaskedwithaninstantsmile.“Somethingthematter?”
“Don’t call me that.” Rolling her eyes, Brenna added, “I only asked you like four

timesifyouwantsomecoffee.”Foldingherarms,sheshotmeasuspiciouslook.“Have
youbeengettingenoughsleeplately?”

“Oh, sure. And yeah, thank you. You’re a gem. However, did my meathead little

brotherlandyou,again?”

Axe glared at me. “You wanna eat today, Colt?” Then he stopped and squinted,

lookingatmeharder.“Brenna’sright.Youlookbeat.”

“Please,”Isnorted.“Ilookamazing.Andyoubettergivemefood,unlessyouwant

to bring down the wrath of the Ange. Chop, chop, little brother chef, fratellino
capocuoco.”

Axe muttered something rude in Italian under his breath, spearing the breakfast

sandwichhewasmakingwithmorezestthannecessary.

“Iloveyourapartment,Colt,”Brennaquicklysaid.“It’sveryyou.Largerthanlife.”
Lookingaround,Inodded,andsaid,“Thanks.Ohyeah,thisisyourfirsttimehere,

isn’tit?”

“Yeah.”ShecamearoundandscratchedToro’sears.“Butnotmyfirsttimemeeting

thislovebug,ohno.”BrennakissedhisnoseandToro’stailthumpedonthefloor.

Gesturingaround,Isaid,“Well,thisisprettymuchit.I’dtakeyououtonthepatio,

butit’sanicymess.Andmyroomisamess.Andthatloft,whichismyoffice,isalsoa
mess.Sorry.”

“Wow,greattour,Colt,thanks,”Brennalaughed.
“Secondoneinlessthantwelvehours,too.”Ilaughedalongwithher.“LastnightI

wasshowingofftheclub.”

“That place done yet?” Axe asked, handing me a plate of food. “Wait, weren’t the

dancerauditionslastnight?”

MybraininstantlyshottoBellaasItooktheplate.“Theywere,”Isaidwithanod.
Axeheldhisownsandwichaloft,readytobiteinwhenhestoppedshort.
“Whydoyoulooklikethat?”heasked.
“Likewhat?”Isaid,takingabiteofmysandwichandgroaninginpleasure.“Ohmy

God,sogood.Almostenoughtomakemewanttomovebackhome.”

“Don’ttrytochangethesubject,”Axesaid,scowling.“Yougotthelookinyoureye.

Didyoufuckoneofthosegirls?”

“Why, fratellino, whatever are you implying?” I asked, taking another bite of my

sandwich.

“Sincewhendoyoufoolaroundwithemployees?That’snotlikeyou.Youshouldn’t

evenjoke,youknowPopwouldblowagasket.NevermindMamaAnge.”

“That’srichcomingfromthemanwhobasicallystoleourBrenna,”Iretorted.
“Thatwaswaydifferent,”Axesaid.“I’dneverfoolaroundwithanemployee.”
“Oooh,isshepretty?”Brennapipedupatthesametime,sittingonastoolnextto

me.

“Whoah,youtwo,”Isaid,holdingupmyhands.“Iwaskidding,nothinghappened.I

justshowedtheheadlinedanceraroundasacourtesy.”

“So,what’shername?”Brennaasked,assheacceptedaplatefromAxe,andstudied

me.“Where’sshefrom?Howoldisshe?What’saheadliner,anyways?”

AxelaughedasIstaredatBrenna.
“Geez, nosy, take a breath. And Bella Lesaude, if you must know. She’s the most

incredible dancer I’ve ever seen, I’ll give you that. And the headliner is the main
attraction,thebigto-do.NoideawhereBella’sfrom,butshe’sinhermid-twenties,I’d
say.”

“She sounds interesting,” Brenna said, exchanging a knowing look with Axe, and

thenshootingmeaninnocentsmile.“Ican’twaittomeether.”

Theconversationturnedfromthere,muchtomyrelief,andwespentthenexthour

eatingandcatchingup.

ButwhenBrennawenttothebathroom,Axeleanedacrossthecounter,eyebrows

raised, and punched my shoulder. “Don’t fucking lie to me. What’s the deal with the
dancer,Colt?”hedemanded.

Itookmytime,takingalongsipofmycoffeebeforeshrugging.“Whatthehellare

yatalkingabout,kiddo?”

“Please,”Axesnorted,“Iknowyou.Isawyourface.EvenBrennanoticed.”

“Oh, you mean Bella. Yeah, she’s somethin’ else. Exciting. Piqued my curiosity,

sure.”Shrugging,Itookanotherswigofcoffee.“Mighthavetotapthatjusttoclearmy
head.”

“No.”Axestoodupstraight,foldedhisarms,andshookhishead.
“No?” I asked, smothering a laugh, as I grinned at him. “Do go on, fratellino. My

squirtbrothertellingmewhatIcanandcannotdo.”

“It’snotthat.Ijustworryaboutyou.Allyoudoiswork.Youhavenolifeoutsidethe

family,andifyoudo,it’sall…bullshit.”Hetossedahandaroundatmyapartmentand
rolled his eyes. “Like, who needs all this shit? Don’t you want something real? Not a
stripper who works for you to tap, but like…maybe you should start thinking about
settlingdown,Colt.”

Ididn’t know whether tolaugh or punch him.Was my younger brother seriously

standinginmykitchenlikesomewiseoldgoat,givingmeadvice?

“Stopit,Angelino,you’rekillingme.”
“What’dhedonow?”Brennaasked,bouncingbackintotheroom,andgoingupto

Axe.

Ishookmyhead.“It’sbetterifyoudon’tknow.He’stalkingcrazy.”
AxescowledatmeasBrennatuggedonhisarm,demandingtoknowwhatwewere

talkingabout.Flushingadullred,hemutteredhe’dtellherlater,towhichBrennastuck
outherlowerlip,andhehadtolookaway.

TothinkI’dseethedaywhenmytoughasnailslittlebrothermethismatch.
Aswefinishedoursandwiches,BrennastillhoundingmeandAxewithquestions,I

wasclippingTorotohisleashwhenmyphonebuzzed.Lookingdown,thenoisearound
mereceded,andbloodrushedinmyears.

ItwasfromBella.
Youbusy?Thenawinkingemojipoppeduprightbehindit.
WasIbusy?IthoughtaboutthequestionandthemillionandonethingsIneededto

do today, but my dick was clearly controlling my fingers because what I typed back
was:

Nope.What’sup?
Thosethreeblinkingdotsskitteredacrossthescreen,andIwaitedforhertoreply.
But as amped as I was at the thought of seeing her again, I couldn’t stop thinking

aboutthosedamnedfangs…

C H A P T E R F O U R

Bella

waited,staringdownatmycellphone,literallyholdingmybreath.

Ithadbeenariskymove.Onethatmightbepremature,consideringColthad

onlyhiredmetoworkathisclubthedaybefore.Iwasprettysuremostcareergurus
woulddiscouragetextingthebosslikewewerefriends.Thenagain,mostcareergurus
weren’tgivingadvicetoagirlworkingfortheheirtoamajorcrimesyndicate.

More importantly, they hadn’t felt the hard-on pressing against me when I’d been

dancingforhim.

Asizzleranthroughme,andItampeditdown,butfeltnoguilt.Notanymore.There

wasnopointinfeelingguilty.Biologywasbiology.Ihadn’tgottenlaidinoverayear
andhewasahandsome,powerful,red-bloodedmalewho’dmadenobonesabouthis
attraction to me. There was nothing I could do about the fact that my pheromones
responded.I’dspentthenighttossingandturningandtryingtofigureouthowtofixit.
ButsometimebetweenfourandfiveAM,ithadhitme.

Icouldusethistomyadvantage.
I’dtakenthejobtogetmyfootinthedoorsoastogetcloseenoughtoColttohit

himwhereithurt.

Inthebusiness.
I planned to gain his trust, and not only make sure that all the cash that club was

boundtobringinendedupinanoffshoreaccountwithmynameonit,butalsomake
suretheFedshewassofondofgotenoughdirtonhimtoputhimawayforaslongas
Justinwouldbelockedup.

Plusoneday,becausefuckhim.
ButthenIrealized…WhatdidaSicilianmalevaluemorethanmoney?
Twothings.
Familyandpride.
Ifyougottadestroysomeone,doitfromtheinsideout.Crushtheirfuckingheartand

soul.

MyfatherneverknewIoverheardhimtellingoneofmyunclesthat.Asachildit

hadfrightenedme,butnowitwasjusttheadviceI’dneeded.Thanks,Daddy.

Iwasn’tgoingtokillColtCapestrana,afterall.Ohno,fartoopainless.

Iwasgoingtodestroyhim.
FromthefewcasualremarksColthaddroppedlastnight,Inowknewbeingthefirst

sonofhisgenerationwasarolehetookseriously.Further,Nevio,anotheroneofmy
cousinslyinglow,hadtoldmelastweekhowtheCapestranasnotonlyadoredColt,but
relied on him for everything, from errands to advice to business problems. He was
theirgo-toguy.

So,nowIhadtofigureoutawaytouseallthattohumiliatehimintothedust,and

alsoensurehelosttherespectofeverylastCapestrana.

Itwasperfect.NotonlywouldColtsuffer,buthisfamilyaswell.
BythetimeIwasthroughwithhim,he’dbeashattered,brokenman,withnooneto

turnto,andnothingleft.Enjoythatspotlightwhileitlasts,Colt.

Andthegrandfinale?Itwouldbreakhisdearolddaddy’sheart.
Word on the street was that Axe was trying to go legit. With no heir to the

Capestranaempire,Salvatorewouldbeforcedtopackitallup.

So,ifthecrushingpremonitionofhisyoungestsonbendingovertopickupthesoap

didn’tgivehimaheartattack,thethoughtofhiseldestgrowingoldinjailwould.

Duringthisbrainstorm,anoldmemoryhadpusheditswayforward,andI’dhada

split second of gut-wrenching guilt on that part of the plan. I found myself
rememberingashadowychurch,thesmellofincense,acircletofflowers,andadainty
dress.Allinthecolorwhite,fromheadtotoe.

Myfirstcommunion.
Myfatherhadn’tbeenthere,eventhoughhe’dpromisedhewouldbe.
OneoftheCapestranas’distantcousinshadbeeninmygroup.Shehadaboldway

abouther,andIrememberedherdancingaroundherparentsaftertheserviceinthe
parkinglot,whileAxechasedher.Colthadbeenstandingupstraightnexttohisfather,
swinging the hands of two, tiny adorable twins. My eyes had been drawn to him
instantlyashe’dlookedlikeareal-lifelittleprince.Eventhenhewastoohandsomefor
hisowngood.

I’d watched the lively, chaotic mess that was the Capestranas. None of them gave

me a second glance because, little did I know then, that my father had pretty much
denied my existence once his empire started to grow. But I must’ve been staring
because Salvatore had smiled down at me with kind eyes and congratulated me so
sincerely, I’d kept it in my memory this whole time. Even for the short time I
rememberlivingwithmyownfather,hehadalwaysbeendistracted.Hewasn’tmean,
butitwaslikeheneverreallysawme.Salvatorewasn’tlikethat.Notwithmeoranyof
hisfivechildren,whotheneruptedintoachorusofwolf-howlsastheyranaroundlike
animals.

Salvatorehadjustburstoutlaughing,scoopingupthetwoclosestintoabearhug,

andmakingthembothshriekwithgiggles.Meanwhile,theirmotherhadscoldedColt
bykissinghimonthehead.

Irememberedhowmychildishhearthadsqueezedwithjealousyandlonging.
Then, I’d shoved that memory aside. It didn’t matter how nice the Capestrana

patriarchhadbeentomethatday.Onepleasantmemorydidn’toutweighallthehell
they’d wrought upon my life. Salvatore’s old smile didn’t change the newly carved
headstonewithmyfather’snameonitorgetmybrotheroutofjail.

Besides,everythingmyfatherhadeverdonewastohelpmegetaheadinlife.That’s

whatcounted.Notlaughter,hugs,andgamesinachurchparkinglot.

Drummingmyfingersonthecounter,Itriednottolookatmyphone,eventhough

afullminutehadgonebysinceI’dsentthattext.Aimlessly,Ibegantodancearound
thetinykitchenofmystudioapartment,mullingovermyplans.

If I was going to follow Daddy’s advice, I couldn’t keep Colt at arm’s length any

longer.Thebestbetforsuccesswaslettinghiminclose.MaybecloserthanI’deverlet
inanyone.

Sobeit.IhadtoavengetheRuffinoname.
Nervously,Ispuninacircle,andtwistedmyfingersintomycurls.
ButhowfarwouldIhavetogo?AndwhatifIcouldn’tfindmywayback?
In spite of myself, I remembered holding on to Colt’s forearm, his upper body

stretching as he sat on the bar, and then his eyes, staring into mine, as he smirked
aboutWonderland.

“Wannagorightnow?”
MyphonebuzzedandIjumped.Snatchingitup,Isawhislaconicreply.
Nope,what’sup?
Ibitmylip.Oh,Coltwasmakingmeworkforit,huh?
On impulse, I texted him back that I was thinking about getting a fabulous, super

sexy costume for opening night, and whether the club could front the cash for the
clothes.Thentakingadeepbreath,myfingersflying,Itappedout:

Maybeyou’dliketotagalongandofferyouradvice,bossman?
His reply came almost immediately, agreeing to everything, and then an address

camethrough.

Meetmethereinanhour,followedbyarabbitemoji.

LAUGHED

,myveinsfizzingwithtriumphandanticipation,andIrushedofftogetready.

HOUR

LATER

, I was standing in front of some ritzy sex store, tapping my heels, and

freezing my ass off. The few people on the street kept giving me curious looks, and I
madeaface.Iwaswearingknee-highblackbootsandashortsweaterdress,goingfor
sexyParisian,nothookerchic,butI’dapparentlyovershot.

Prudes.
Glancingatmyphone,IrealizedIwastenminutesearly,andtookthetimetotext

my cousin, Lisa, again. Besides my grandfather, one uncle and a cousin, none of the
extended family had been in touch with me since my dad’s murder, nor had they
botheredtocometothefuneral.Thatdidn’treallybotherme,butLisa’sdistancehurt.
We’dbeenbestfriendsaskidsandthenpenpalsforyears.

“Aw,Rabbit.Youdidn’thavetogetdressedupforme,”alowvoicemurmuredinmy

ear.

Spooked, I shoved my phone away, and whirled, hoping Colt hadn’t read Lisa

Ruffino over my shoulder. Goddamn him sneaking up on me. And goddamn him

lookingsosexyinanArmanileatherjacketwithapoppedcollaranddarkjeans.

“Aren’t you freezing?” His warm eyes twinkled at me, then he tilted his head, the

amusementbecomingconcern.“Hey,youokay?Youlookalittlepale.”

Forcingagrin,Iloopedmyarmintohis.“NowIam!Thankssomuchfordoingthis.

Youreadytospendsomecash?”

“Why do you think I picked this place?” Colt led me inside and shot me a devilish

smile.“Getwhateveryouwant.Allonme.JustsolongasIgettoseeit.For,youknow,
businesspurposes.Yourepresenttheclub,afterall,andwewanttoputourbestfoot
forward.”

Squeezing his arm, trying to ignore the rock hard biceps through the leather, I

responded,“Deal.”

Aswewalkedfurtherin,Icouldunderstandwhytheonlinereviewshadsalivated

overthisstore.Mostofthemsaiditwastheperfectplacetogetinthemoodorspice
things up in the bedroom. Wall to wall naughty, with everything from toys to role-
playing costumes to condoms, the racy, red décor gave the impression of wandering
intosomeforbidden,secretlair.

“Wow, Big Tony is packing some serious heat,” he said with a grin as we passed a

twelve-inchdildo.

Cometofindout,BigTonywasreallyonlymediumintheschemeofthings.When

wegottotheThePunisher,myeyesnearlypoppedoutofmyhead.

“Howwouldthatevenwork?”Iasked,cockingmyheadtotheside.
Coltjustletoutalow,longwhistleandshookhisheadinawe.“Andwherewoulda

person even store it? That’s not fitting in a chick’s bedside table. That needs its own
guestroomorsomething.”

We continued making jokes as we wound our way through the place. Inside,

though,Ikeptthinking,we’llseewhohasthelastlaugh,Mr.Comedian.

But as we got deeper into the store, the toys became more sensual. Our banter

becamealittlemorestrained,especiallyaswewalkeddownanaislefullofridingcrops
andrestraints.

Outoftheblue,animageofColtstandingovermewithafeatherywhip,metiedto

hisbed,flashedintomymind.Iswallowedhard.

Whatwasthisguydoingtome?
Alittlestunned,Itriedtowalkfaster,butColtwasslowingdown.WhenIglancedat

him, he looked preoccupied, which was almost funny with all this erotica around us,
butheactuallylookedsosexy,Ialmostboltedthenandthere.Heatwascreepingup
fromdeepinmygutandIdidn’tlikeitonebit.

“Hey,Bella.”
Colt stopped, and looked down at me, his eyes hooded and his gaze hot. Reaching

outwithhisfreehand,alittletentatively,hebrushedacurlfrommyface.“Where’sthe
fire?”

Myskinwenthot,andIfiddledwithmylongsleeves,wishingI’dwornadifferent

dress.

Hisfacestilltense,Coltgesturedovertoarackofridingcrops.“Don’tyouwantto

checkouttheselection?Afterall,you’llbeseeingthemoftenifyoueverventureinto
otherroomsoftheclub.”Hisgrinwasslowandsensual,andhitmerightinthelady

parts.

“I’m,uh…”Iswallowedhardandtriedtokeepthefull-bodyflushfromcreepingup

tomycheeks.“I’mnotintothatkindastuff,”Ifinallymanaged,myheadspinningwith
imagesofmeandColt.

“My mistake.” Colt stretched, and began walking again, now grinning, like I’d

amusedhimsomehow.

Forsomereason,thatirkedme,andthewordscameoutbeforeIcouldstopthem.

“Whatareyousmirkingabout?It’strue.ItrieditbeforeandIdidn’tlikeit.”Itwasalie,
butwhatever.Itwasn’tthebiggestoneI’dtoldhim.

He turned back to meet my gaze and the heat inside me cranked to a full-fledged

infernoasthesmileslidfromhisface.

He closed the distance between us, stopping just inches from me. “I’m the boss,

right?”

I nodded, my stomach flopping restlessly as his scent washed over me. “Yeah,” I

squeakedout.

“One of the new rules of you working for me? Don’t ever tell me about you and

anotherman.”

His voice was all grit and I shuddered. I should’ve hated it. The male chauvinist

tryingtocontrolmeandmylife.Instead,mylegsturnedtomushasIimaginedhim
usingthatsamevoiceonmeinbed.

He held my gaze for a long moment and then turned away before stopping and

turningback.

“And, for the record? You might’ve tried it before, but you never tried it with me.

You’dbesurprisedbywhatIcouldmakeyoulike,littleRabbit.”

Istood,frozeninplaceuntilhewalkedbackoverandtookmyhand.“Comeon,let’s

getthisoverwith.”

Colt pretended to be resigned as he led me over to the sexy lingerie and costume

area. But then his eyes lit up as he looked around and his smile grew downright
diabolical.

Herubbedhishandstogetherandnodded.
“Thisisgoingtobefun.”

Colt

ESUS

HRIST

AxehadgivenmearaftofshitaboutwantingtosleepwithBella.He’dbeenareal

dickabouttakingToroforhiswalksoIcouldchangewhenhefoundoutwhereIwas
going.IfBrennahadn’tbeenthere,Ihadafeelinghewouldhaveoutrightrefused.My
onlyhopehadbeenthatthisnew“legit”Axewouldn’tratmeouttoPop.

Since then, though, after spending more time with Bella, I’d just about convinced

myselfhewasrightafterall.EspeciallyafterI’dgoneallalphaassholeonherwhenshe
saidshe’dbeenspankedwitharidingcropbefore.

Whathadgottenintome?Shewasn’tmine.Ididn’thavetherighttobejealousat

thethoughtofanotherman’shandsonher.

Butdamnit,Iwas.Infact,partofthebloodstillpumpingthroughmewasstraight

up fury. All I could think about was bending her over and sliding in so deep, she’d
forgetherownname,never-mindhis,whoevertheluckyfuckerwas.

Allthathadmademerealizeaquicktumblewasaseriouslybadidea.Nothingcould

comefromitbuttrouble,justlikeAxesaid.

Then she sashayed out in a she-devil costume, complete with horns and my cock

leapttoattentionanddisagreed.

Traitorousbastard.
“Nice,”Icommented,“butI’mnotsureit’sopeningnightmaterial.”
WhenBellahadtextedmeherbigideaearlier,Ihadn’thadthehearttotellherthat

Julie’dalreadypickedoutcostumes.Besides,itwastoogoodanopportunitytopassup.
AndBellacouldalwayswearanythingwegotanothertime.

Ormaybegivemeaprivateshow.
Now,however,thisdressingroomareawasallbutturningintoone.Ididn’tknowif

itwasthecoldweather,orjustdumbluck,butthewholestorewaspracticallyempty.
Honestly,partofmethoughttodaywassettinguptobeyourbasictag-alongshopping
withachick.AtleastI’dbewithBella,I’dthought,andIcouldmaybelearnalittlebit
abouther.

But now, I was basically trying not to lose my shit in a public place, as my pants

grewtighterandtighterwitheachcostumechange.

Next,she’ddeckedherselfoutasabellydancer,whichhadthrownmeforaloop,as

I’d desperately tried not to think about my dream from last night. Things only got
worsewhenshedonnedbadcop,andthenFrenchmaid.

Maybe she was getting back at me for teasing her, but she made it so goddamned

fun.IwaspayingforitnowandIhadthefeelingsheknewit.

Withaflirtysmile,shevanishedbackbehindthecurtain,andItappedmyfoot,filled

withbothdreadandimpatience.Finally,Bellaappearedagain,thistimeasanaughty
librarian.Slappingtheruleragainstherpalm,shelookedatmesternly.

“There’safinetopayforlatebooks,youknow.”
Shetriedtosayitseriously,evenasasmilespreadacrossherface.
Hooking my hands behind my head, I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. But

thatslapofwoodonskinhadnearlymademejumpoutofthechair.

HowIwouldlovetouseitonherandseethatpinkimprintonherperfectass.
“I’llkeepthatinmind.Butnah,notquite.Needstobefancier.”
“Oh,Iknow.Theseoneswerejustforfun,”Bellasaidsmugly.
Whichmeantwhat?Shewasabouttogetserious?
Mycockswelledagainandthrobbed,remindingmethatthesituationwasalready

prettyserious.

Isworetomyselfasthecurtainswooshedclosedbehindherandshiftedinthechair.

HowmuchmorewasIexpectedtotake?

“Ready?”Bellasuddenlytrilledfrombehindthecurtain.

Above us on the sound system, which had not been helping matters with its fuck-

me-hard-and-fastplaylist,suddenlycameonaremixofKillingMeSoftly.

Fateandhersicksenseofhumor.
Wellplayed,ma’am.
Gritting my teeth, I silently prayed this was the last one, and commanded, “Yep.

Don’tgoshyonmenow.Getouthere.”

Shedidn’trespond,butIheardthesoundofazipperbeingslowlypulledup.Bella

was probably taking forever on purpose, and I sighed and massaged my aching
temples.

Maybethishadn’tbeenmybestidea.
Astheredcurtainrustled,Itensed,holdingmybreath.Butthenitwentquietagain.

What,wassheintherestaringatherself?

Fuck’ssake,woman.
And even though it was the last thing I should have been thinking of, my mind

flashedbacktomydream,andBellalyingonthebed,withherhairinahaloaround
her.ThenIrecalledthelapdancefromthenightbefore,whichseemedlikeagesago
now,sinceIalreadywantedanotherone.Igrimaced,unabletothinkofanythingthat
mightcalmthisraginghard-on.

“Hey,”cameasoft,uncertainvoice.“How‘boutthis?”
Lookingup,myjawdropped,wonderingifmyzipperwouldfinallygiveupthegood

fightandpop.

Shewaswearingsomekindofanold-fashioned,low-cut,blackbustier,dustedwith

glitterandendinginaredtutu.Fishnetshuggedherperfectlegsandabow-tiechoker
circledhergracefulneck.

Butthepiecederesistancewasapairoflace-embroideredbunnyears.
Her green eyes gleamed, but her cheeks were flushed, and she had her arms

clampedaroundhermiddle.

“Holy shit,” I finally managed to get out, as my arms fell loosely by my sides. I

wonderedhowlongI’dbeenstaringather.“You’relikevaudevilleplayboybunny.”

Bella’scheekswentevenpinker.“Yeah,Ithoughtthismightwork.”Shesoundeda

little breathless, meeting my eyes, and quickly looked away, twisting her fingers into
herhair.“It’skindofexpensive,though.”

“No, we gotta buy that.” My heart was drumming in my chest and I clenched my

fistssoasnottoreachoutandtouchher.

“Wedo?”Bellaasked.
“Yes,”Isaidbluntly,leaningforward,stillgob-smacked.Forthefirsttimeinmylife,

Iwasatalossforawittycomment,andIdidn’tcare.

A long tense moment followed. For a second, I thought Bella was going to walk

towards me, and give me another one of her award-winning lap dances. Then she
jerkedherheadinanodandvanishedbackbehindthecurtain.

Ihadtorepressagroan.
“Merde!”BellasuddenlysworeinFrench.“Ohno.Ow,shit…”
Inasecond,Iwasinfrontofthecurtain,andasked,“Hey,whathappened?What’s

wrong?”

“Oh,ha,it’snothing,haha…Ow!”Bellawentquietandsighed.“Um,actually,could

youcomeinhereandhelpme?Myhairgotcaughtinthezipper…”

Clearingmythroat,Ihesitated.Ontheothersideofthiscurtainwasatinyroomand

bunny-earedBella.Sofar,I’dmanagedtobethegentlemanGrandmaAngehadraised,
butthiswastoomuch.We’dbetooclose.

“Colt?”sheasked,hervoicehighandshrill.
I could tell she was starting to panic and I sucked in a harsh breath. “Yeah, right

here.”Islippedinandwasmetimmediatelywithapairofbigluminous,anxiouseyes.
BellaimmediatelyturnedandIsuddenlynoticedshehadalittlewhitebunnytail.

“Didn’tnoticethetail,before,Rabbit,”Isaidinalowvoice,mybonergettingeven

stifferatthesight.

“Nevermindthat,canyougetitout?”Bellaasked,hervoicegettinghigher.
Reaching out, I gently untangled her hair while trying not to drown in her scent.

Some part of me wanted to luxuriate in this moment, take my time, but instead I
hastilyfreedher.AnothersecondinhereandIwasgoingtoloseit.

“Allset,”Ifinallysaid.
Shaking her hair out, Bella reached back, and tugged the zipper down. “Hey,

thanks,”shesaid,turning,“Iappreciate—”

Butshedidn’tfinish.Atthatmoment,thebustiersuddenlysplitdownthemiddlein

front, and I had the dazed realization she must have gotten it a size too small. Her
breastspoppedout,herfacemakingacomical“O”inshock,andhercheeksflamed.

“Bordeldemerde,”shemurmured.
I should’ve turned away. She should’ve covered up. Instead, the two of us stood

there.Herpupilsdilatedandsheswayedtowardme.

“Stop looking at me like that,” she whispered. But even as she said it, her fingers

curledintomyshirt.

Her full breasts were perfect. More perfect than even in my dreams, the pink

nippleshardalready,andjustaskingtobetakenwithoutmercy.Itookastepforward,
closingwhatlittlespacehadbeenbetweenus.

ThenImethergaze,andallIcouldhearwasthewhooshofmybloodroaringinmy

ears. But neither of us moved, even as our breathing grew shallow in sync, her soft
partsplasteredtomyhardones.

Foralongmoment,wejuststaredateachother,thetensionscreamingtoafevered

pitch.

Finally,asnarltorefrommythroat,andIshovedBellaagainstthemirror,capturing

hermouthwithmine.

Nothingbuttrouble…

C H A P T E R F I V E

Bella

neverthoughtthereexistedabetterfeelingthanwhenIwasuponstage,letting
themusicmovethroughme,andgettinglostinaworldofsound.

Iwaswrong.
Sure,I’dhadboyfriendsandloversovertheyears.Mosthadbeendecentenough.
But I’d never had a kiss that made me feel like I was on a whole other plane of

existence. I’d also never known a man like Colt before. As my rationality vanished, I
hadthestrangestsensation,likemybodywasbecomingmoltengoldunderhistouch.

WhenColthadpushedmeupagainstthewall,Iwasalmostafraiditmightgiveout

underhisstrength.He’dlockedonebighandontomyshoulder,brushinghisfingersup
myneck,whilecirclinghisthumbatthebaseofmythroat.Hisotherhandhadbegun
to knead one of my breasts, and the bulge in his pants rubbed roughly against my
stomach.

Coltwasn’talldominationandrawmasculinity,though.Hewasdeftwithhistouch,

skilledwithhismouth,andinmoments,I’dheardnoisesescapingmythroatIknewI’d
nevermadebefore.

AndIwashelplesslyadriftinhisintensity,unabletodoanythingbutrespond.
Now, the kiss was deepening more, and my hands were pushing into his jacket,

fingersdraggingacrosshishardabs,andaroundtohisbroadback.Themorehekissed
me,themoreIforgotwhohewas,whoIwas,andwherewewere.

At first, it was just a primal need tugging between us that needed to be sated. But

thenourcaressesslowlybecamemoreintimateandsomehowsweeter.

ItwasthenthatsomethingseemedtoshatterdeepinsideofmeandIalmostfeltlike

crying. It was as though Colt’s mouth and hands were worshipping me, and some
perverselittledemonhissedthatIwasn’tworthyenough.

Thenhepushedbothofhishandsinsidethetornbustier,andhiscallousedfingers

onmybarebackannihilatedwhatfragmentsoflogicI’dhadleft,alongwiththatvoice.

Time,space,names–winkedrightoutofexistence.
Allthatmatteredwashislips,hishands,andthathedidn’tstop.
Reachingup,Ilinkedmyarmsaroundhisneck,pullinghimevencloser,andletmy

fingers drift through his thick hair. He made a low sound of satisfaction in his throat

andahotacheflaredbetweenmythighs.

About to hook a leg up around his waist, a sudden, sharp clearing of a throat

soundedinmyperiphery,andtimestartedagain,pinningmelikeapianofallingoutof
thesky.

Ifroze.
Iwasstandinginadressingroom,makingoutwithColtCapestrana,andenjoyingit.
Colt was pulling away, laughing, and whispered in my ear, “Think we’re busted,

Rabbit.How‘boutwegobacktomyplace?”

Nausea churned in my gut and I pulled away in one swift motion. “Uh, well...” I

couldn’tevenlookathim,asmyfistsknottedbymysides.“I-Ishouldgetdressed.”

IsawColtgototouchmeoutofmyperiphery,andIcouldn’thelpit,Iflinched.His

hand dropped and he vanished out of the room. In a daze, I got dressed, vaguely
listeningtohimschmoozethesalesladywho’dcaughtus.Silently,Isentheraprayerof
thanks.

Ifyoudidn’tcomeby,Imayhave…
OhGod,Icouldn’teventhinkaboutit.
Somepartofmewantedtocurlintoaballinthecornerandneverleave.Myheart

wasgoingamillionmilesaminuteandmyhandswereshakingasIpulledmyboots
on.

BythetimeIwasdone,andmusteredthecouragetocomeout,Coltwasalone,and

as usual, smirking, hands in his pockets, looking like the cat who’d swallowed the
canary.

Orinmycase,thefoxwho’dsnaredtherabbit.
Takingadeepbreath,Iflashedhimasmile,andwalkedover,desperatelytryingto

appear collected, even as the ground seemed to lurch under my feet like a carnival
ride.Reachingup,Itouchedhislips.“Thiscolorlooksprettygoodonyou.”

Colttookmyhandandkissedmyfingertips.Ashockofpleasurewentthroughme

evenasmymindshrieked,No!Stopdoingthistome!Lockingmyspine,Iforcedmyself
tokeepsmilingandalsorememberwhoColtwas.Notthewayhismouthorbodyfelt
pressingagainstmine.

Thatsharpenedmyfocus.Icouldn’tcompletelyshuthimdown,soI’dhavetoplay

hardtoget.Menlikedcoy,right?

Yougotthis,Bells!Deepbreathandchill.Itwasjustakiss.
“Don’t worry about it.” He finally let go of my hand, and wiped his mouth, while

lettinghiseyesrunoverme.“Youwanttocontinuewhereweleftoff?”

Keep‘emcloseenoughtohookhim,butnotsoclosethatyou’rethepreythistime.
I responded, trailing a finger down Colt’s chest, “We don’t want to rush things, do

we?Anticipationishalfthefun.”

Coltnodded,buttherewasnohidingthepainedwince.
Good.AtleastIwasn’ttheonlyoneaching.
He regained his composure quickly, and the cocky bad-boy grin was back in an

instant.“Wellthen,I’mstarving.Letmetakeyoutolunch.”

Icouldtellbythewayhewasstilllookingatmethathewashungryformuchmore

thanlunch,butgratefulforthesubjectchange,Inodded.

Colt explained on the way out that he’d paid for the vaudeville playboy bunny

costumeandaskedthewomantomakesurethenewbustiertheysentalongwasalot
sturdier. Nodding, barely listening to him, I still tried to wrap my mind around what
hadhappened.

YoukissedColtCapestrana,that’swhathappened.
Andyouwereaboutreadytodoahellofalotmore.
Thatwastheplan,though,right?Hook,line,andsinkthisCapestrana.
Onceoutside,thecoldairseemedtosnapmeoutofmydazealittle,andIwasable

toatleastparticipateintheconversationlikeanormalhuman.Sinceitwassocold,we
onlywalkeddownalittleways,beforeColtledmeintoagorgeousbistro.

Bythetimethebreadandwinecame,Iwasmyownwomanagain.Sure,therewere

afewmomentswhereIlingeredonColt’sfulllips,squarejaw,andbighands,butthat
wasokay.

Noguilt.
To my surprise, Colt backed off too. He was considerate and giving me space, not

flirtingortryingtoplayfootsie,asIexpected.Atfirstourconversationwasfairlyinane,
butthenitturnedtothefood,andColtregaledmewiththetimetheCapestranafamily
hadtakenoverthisveryrestaurant.

“Yeah,wewereherethreehourspasttheirclose.Somydadbuysthemanagerand

waitstaff a bunch of drinks, and then they didn’t want to leave.” His face crinkled up
withlaughter.“Butthentwoofmycousinsgetintoit,breakatable,thecopscome,and
so ended another Capestrana family outing.” He shook his head. “Probably why we
don’teatoutmuch.ThatandMamaAnge,she’smygrandmother.She’dresentit,even
ifthisplaceisoneshe’lldeigntoeatin.”

“She’s that good of a cook?” I asked, trying to remember if I ever saw his

grandmother.

“That good. I’m not half bad either.” He winked. “Neither is my brother, and our

sisterTrinaisanamazingbaker.ButDanteshouldn’tbeallowedwithinfourmilesofa
stove,andneithershouldthetwins.”

Alittlecuriousinspiteofmyself,Iasked,“Howmanycousinsdoyouhave?”
“Justfirstorallthesecond,third,fourth?”Coltlaughed.
“Youknowyourfourthcousins?”Igiggledtoo.“Ibarelyknowanyofmyfirst.”
“Yeah,myfamily’stightlikethat.”Hiseyeswentsoftforasecondandanuglyspike

ofangershotthroughme.“They’reapainintheass,don’tgetmewrong,butIwouldn’t
changeitfortheworld.”

Colt went on, enjoying himself, and regaling me with stories, most of which

involved Dante and Axe, who seemed to be his partners in crime, but also about his
sisters,andaslewofotherCapestranasIdidn’tgivetwoshitsabout.

I was quiet, nodding along, and smiling, even though I was simmering with rage

inside. At one point, he said something about “Axe and Brenna”, and I tried to figure
outwhoshewasinhisfamily,butIhadn’tbeenpayingcloseenoughattention.

Because any time Axe’s name was mentioned, white-hot fury lashed through my

brain.

Whatbullshit.Howcouldhesithereandspinallthisnonsensewithsuchastraight

face?

All these people he was portraying as a comical kind of circus troupe who loved

each other were lies and dust. So they were cute kids and their daddy loved them. I
knewwhatbloodthirstycowardstheCapestranaswere.Afterall,didn’thisfamilysnitch
onminejusttogetalltheactioninthiscityforthemselves?Didn’ttheyletJustintake
thefallsooneoftheirowncouldwalkfree?

Oneoftheirownwhohappenedtobethissmarmybastard’syoungerbrother,and

ohyeah,hadmurderedmyfather.Foramoment,Ithoughtabouthowgooditwould
feeltouseagunonAxe.

Shiftinginmyseat,Icontinuedtosmile,evenasColt’sstoriesgotdrownedoutby

theheavydrummingofmyheart.

I couldn’t believe I almost got charmed by a Capestrana or forgot how fake they

reallywere.

Morethanthat,Icouldn’tbelieveIkissedhimandhadenjoyedit.
Glancing around the restaurant for the waiter, because God did we need another

bottleofwine,Isawthefrontdoorswingopen,andamiddle-agedcoupleentered.

Thewomanarrestedmyglance.Shehadakindface,old-fashionedcat-eyeglasses,

andahugepoofofblackcurls.

Myentirebodylockedup.
Mrs.Tarillo.Shit.
Withouteventhinking,Idoveunderthetable,cryingout,“Oh,oops,droppedmy-

uh,earring!”

WhatwasshedoingoutofStatenIsland?
Iwhimperedinmyhead,pretendingtocrawlaround,andlookformyearring.Mrs.

Tarillohadbeenmybabysitterasakid,watchingmewhenevermyfatherhadbusiness
inNewYork.Infact,I’dspentmoretimewiththeTarillosthanmyownfamilysome
months.Nowayshecouldn’trecognizeme.I’djustseenheratmyfather’sfuneral.

Jerkingaroundtotrytoseeifshewasgone,IsmackedmyforeheadintoColt’sknee,

andheletoutachokedgrowl.

“Uh,Bella,youwantsomehelp?”Icouldpicturethegrinonhisfaceashetappedhis

foot.

“Nope,I’m good!” I squeaked,a warm flush ofembarrassment rising in my chest.

ThenIletoutanenormoussneeze,hittinghiskneeagain,andhejumpedalittle.

Smooth,Bells.
Thiswasgoinggreat.Allthatoh-so-necessaryangerI’dbeenworkingupatburned

awayundertheheatofmypanicandhumiliation.

IstayeddowntherelongerthanIprobablyhadto,andwhenIcrawledbackout,my

cheekswereonfire.Tomakemattersworse,Icrackedmyshoulderonthetableedge
asIemerged.

Twopairsofeyeslockedontome.OnebelongingtoColt,theotherbelongingtothe

waiterwhowasholdingabottleofwineforhisapproval,nowwithhisjawonthefloor.

“Hi,there,”Isaid,tryingtoappearnonchalant.“Ijustdroppedsomething,isall.”
“Riiiight.Uh,I’llgetyouruh…I’llberightback,”saidtheshell-shockedkid,andhe

gave me a funny look, before shooting Colt a masculine nod of approval tinged with
hero-worship.

MyentirebodywenthotasIrealizedthatidiotprobablythoughtIwasdownonmy

kneestodoalittleinpublicknob-slobbing.

Jesus,couldthisdaygetanyworse?
ReluctantlyImetColt’seyes,andnoticedhewasstaringatmynakedears,afrown

marringhisbrow.

“Um,IforgotIwasn’twearingearrings.”
WishingIwaswearingalowcuttop,Iinsteadhadtomakeduewithsqueezingmy

arms around my middle and propping up my boobs, hoping that was enough. “I’m
suchaditz,huh?See,Ihavethisonefavoritepair,andtheyalwayspopoff,sowhenI
touched my ear, I thought it happened again. But then I remembered I didn’t wear
themforthatveryreason!Isn’tthatfunny?”

Colt raised his eyebrows slowly. He was smiling, but his eyes were studying me

carefully,andthenheglancedaroundtherestaurant.

Achillshotupmyspine,butitdissipatedasheshruggedandfacedmeagain.
“Soundslikeyouneedsomenewearrings.”
I waited until he was looking at the menu again and shot a look around the

restaurant myself for Mrs. Tarillo. I almost went boneless with relief when I saw the
backofherhairpoofontheothersideofthehugeroom.

“Yeah, for sure,” I chirped and took a deep swig of my wine. “So what were you

saying?”Athrobofpainwentthroughmyheadandshoulder,andItookanotherswig.

“We should probably order.” As he read the menu, his smile tugged up into one

cheek.“Ifthatpoorwaitereverrecoversandcomesbacktoourtable,thatis.”

Riiiight.

Colt

ELL

,thatwassomethin’youdidn’tseeeveryday.

WhenBellahadcrawledoutfromunderthetable,herfacehadbeenalmostasred

as her hair. She tried to play it off, but I saw the way her eyes darted around the
restaurant,andthenhowherbodyhadsaggedwithrelief.

As a nickname, Rabbit was becoming more and more appropriate for this skittish,

beautifulwoman.NowIreallyhadtowonderifshewasonthelamfromanabusive
relationship.I’dtriedtoseeiftherewasanyoneinthebistrowhoseemedoff,butno
alarmbellsrangforme.

WatchingBellaplayingwithherhairassheorderedherfood,andunabletomeet

the waiter’s eyes, made my gut clench with anger. If there was some dickhead after
her,I’dbemorethanhappytogivehimaproperwelcometomycity.

Huh.MaybeIshouldaskWestfieldtocheckitout.Givehimsomethin’todobesides

irritateme.

Bellalookedup,asthoughsensingmygaze,andgavemeasmallsmile.
Then and there I decided I had to keep an eye on her. Take Bella under the

Capestrana wing, so to speak. Even though my family could be extremely insular in

some regards, we also tried to live up to my grandmother’s example. Mama Ange
alwayslookedoutforanyonewhowasstruggling.Herwholelife,she’dalwaystakenin
what Pop called “strays”, people who had nowhere else to go. More than once, we’d
comehome,andshe’dhadawomanontherunfromherhusbandsleepinginthespare
roomorahomelesskidatthetableoranevictedfamilycampedout.

Myheartseizedinmychest.
ThatwashowImetTrent.
ButIdidn’twanttothinkaboutmyoldbestfriendrightnow.Itwashardenough

meeting his kid’s eyes every time Trent Jr. babysat Toro for me. Diane, Trent’s wife,
workedforme,andalsolivedonthefloorbelowme.Ilovedthemboth,butsometimes
it was hard having them so close by. Trent had been one of the few people besides
familyIcouldrelyonandtalktothatIdidn’tfeellikeIneededtoprotect.Iwasn’tthe
heirtothethronetohimortheonetocallwhenheneededsomeonetodothehard
shit.

Wewereequals.Buddies.
Andfuckingcancerhadstolenhimaway.
Even now, I wondered if I had taken better care of him…watched closer…noticed

howthinhe’dbeengettingorhowlongthatcoldhadstuckaround,ifhe’dstillbehere.

Shakingmyhead,IinsteadfocusedonBella,whowasswayingtoasmoothSinatra

jam.Hercheeksstillhadaflushofcoloronthem,fromthewinethistime,makingher
freckles stand out even more, while the green in her eyes was the shade of a lazy
summerafternoon.Again,Irelivedthatdesperate,bittersweetkiss,andalmostsighed.

Goddamnthatsaleswoman’stiming.
“What’reyouthinkingabout?”BellaaskedsuddenlyandIrealizedwe’dbothfallen

quiet.Butithadbeensuchacomfortablesilence,Ididn’tevenmind.

Hoping I never forget how beautiful you look right now, I thought, but instead, I

remarked,“Oh,IwasjustrememberingallthestuffIgottadotoday.”Anideahitme
andIsmiledbroadly.“Actually,maybeyoucanhelpme.”

“Me?”Shelookedwary.“Withwhat,exactly?”
“Since I helped you today,” I remarked innocently, and Bella bit her lip, “I was

wonderingifyou’dcomewithmelaterontohelpmepickoutsomeglasswareforthe
club.MamaAnge…”Isighed,rubbingmyfaceinbothamusementandexasperation.
“She wanted to help, so she got some. And they’re mason jars. I was like, Ange, it’s a
club,notacountrywedding.”

Bellalaughed.“Betshedidn’tappreciatethat.”
“ShetoldmethatifIwasgoingtobeanungratefulgrandsonIdidn’thavetoaskfor

herhelpinthefirstplace.Iwasn’tgoingtotellherthatshewastheonewhooffered,
but Beppe for some reason, opened his big mouth. And she just goes, ‘chi ha capo di
ceranonvadaalsole.’Andthenshethrewhershoesatus.”

“Ha!She’soldschool,”saidBella,hereyeslightingup.
“Oh yeah. But, I need to get that glassware today, and I need the right touch.

Preferably a woman’s, say a woman who has an eye for style, maybe one that spent
timeinEurope,andcanappreciatefinecraftsmanship?”

“Oh, I see. Well, I guess you’re lucky I’m around, huh? Otherwise you’d have art

deco and country chic, eek.” Her nose wrinkled and the urge to kiss her gripped me.

“S’poseIcould,sure.”

Shefinishedherwine,andIhappilytoppedheroff,notingthetipsyglintinhereyes.

IwonderedifmaybeIcouldgethertospillalittlebitmoreaboutherself.Wasthattoo
devious,orjustdeviousenough?

Our food came, served by the waiter who was now as solemn as a monk, which

causedustoburstintolaughterwhenhewalkedaway.

“OhGod,Ican’tevenlookathim,”Bellamurmured,leaningagainstherhand,her

shouldersshakinginmirth.Thenshepickedupabiteofherbeefbourguignonandher
eyesclosed.“Wow,thisisthebestI’vetastedsinceleavingFrance.”

“Did you live there?” I asked, even though I was already certain she had. It

explained the little mannerisms, the way she spoke French so well, and her taste in
clothes.“BetyoustudieddanceinParis,huh?”

Bella’seyesopenedandsheshotmeasassylook.“You’reveryobservant.Ididlive

thereformanyyears,yes.”

“HaveyoueverbeentoLaMaisondesFrigos?”Iasked,namingoneofmyfavorite

restaurantsinParis.Ilikedtogotherealone,todrinkwinewiththeartists,andpretend
Ihadnoresponsibilities.ButIcouldsuddenlyseeBellawithmethere.

“Yes!” Bella exclaimed, looking the happiest I’d seen her yet. “Oh, that was one of

ourfavoriteplaces.Viviane,myfriend,shelovedtodateartists,getthemtopainther.
Her flat was full of all these portraits and nudes of her, it was incredible.” A laugh
bubbledoutofBella,thensheburstouteagerly,“WhataboutLeVieuxChalet?”

“Picasso’splace?But,ofcourse,”IrespondedinaFrenchaccent.“Iwenttherethis

onespringnightandImusthavesatthereforhours.”

“Musthavehadgoodcompany,”Bellateased.
“Actually,Iwasalone,”Iresponded,frowningatmywineglass.WhenhadIfinished

thisoff?“MostofthetimewhenI’moverseas,I’mtravellingalone…”

Hereyebrowsdrifteddown.“Wait,really?Butallyourcousins,yourfamily…”
I shrugged. “I kind of like to keep that stuff a little separate. My family claims

enoughofmysoul.Besides,mostofthemdon’treallycareforartandfoodandmusic
like…that.”IalmosttoldherabouthowIgotthatkindoftastefrommylatemother,
butthenIstoppedmyself.

Bellaaskedmeaboutotherplaces,andfromthere,wecouldn’tstoptalking.Iwasn’t

sure whether it was the wine, the food, or the way the mid-afternoon sunlight was
creeping into the bistro, but this was a real conversation. We talked endlessly about
Europe,theartwe’dseen,therestaurantswe’dbeento,andplaceswe’dliketogostill.
Partofmewantedtoaskherhowshe’daffordedthatlifestyle,buttheotherpartdidn’t
wanttopry.Iwasjustenjoyinghercompany.Shehadasillysenseofhumorlurking
underallherelegance.Again,Ifoundmyselfwonderinghowshewasn’tSicilian.But
maybeIwasjustabitprejudiced.

Thepoorwaiterbecamethebuttofalotofourjokes,whichheneverknew,because

we kept slipping into French and Italian. Bella could keep up with me and soon our
conversationwaspuncturedwithmoreandmorelongspellsofuslaughingourasses
off.

A few times, I noticed other patrons glancing over at our table, and I wondered if

maybewe’dhadjustatadtoomuchtodrink.

Damn,Bellawastrouble,justasI’dfirstthought.Shewasnotonlysmart,worldly,

and well-traveled, but now I was realizing, sharply comedic to boot. Her personality
drewmelikeamothtotheflame,whilelightinguphergorgeousface,andexpressing
itselfinhercurvyfigure.

Icouldhavesatthereallday.
OnceIrealizedthat,IknewI’dhavetotreadlightlyfromhereonout.Thelastthing

IneededinmylifewastoenduplikeAxewithaballandchain.Perfectforhim,butfor
me?Notsomuch.

WewereexpandingourreachandabouttomaketheCapestranafamilynamethe

toastofthetown.AwomanasdistractingasBellawouldonlyderailthat.

Nomatterhowtemptingthepictureofheronmyarminabackless,golddresswas.
Ihadtotakeagiantstepback…
Startingtomorrow.

C H A P T E R S I X

Bella

inking further into the squashy passenger seat of Colt’s truck, my eyes began to
driftclosed.Betweenshopping,andthegallonofwineIdrank,Iwasdeadonmy

feet.SowhenColtinsistedondrivingmehome,Ididn’tfighthimtoomuch.

Itwasalmostteno’clockatnight,theskydottedwithsharpstarsthatscoffedatcity

lights,andasmoothR&Bsongwasslippingfromthespeakers.Coltwassingingalong
underhisbreath,andIsmiledtomyself,shakingmyhead.Eyeinghimsideways,Isaw
himglanceover,andhesangthenextlyricalittlelouder.

“Ijustwannaseeyourbodymoveindifferentways/AllIwannadoiscomecloseto

you…”

Damn, Colt wasn’t half bad. Voice was kind of like the drip-drip of dark hot

chocolate.

Yum.
“Who’sthisby?”Iaskeddrowsily.Icould’vefallenasleeprightthenandthere.
“ToryLanez.Bestartisttocomeoutinthelastfiveyears.Song’scalledSayIt.You

should get it and check ‘im out. Maybe make up choreography for it,” replied Colt,
glancing over at me again, and smiling. “Hey, Rabbit, don’t fall asleep on me now.”
Reachingover,hetuggedonthetiesofmyboot.Thenheslidhishandup,laidithigh
ononethighandleftitthere.

Thatwarmpressuresnappedmeawakeimmediately.Suddenly,asthoughmymind

caughtuptowhatmybodyalreadyhadrealized,IsawthissituationfromColt’seyes.

Madeoutinadressingroom,hadlunch,wentshoppingforhours.
Wasnowdrivingmehome.
Hismindwasalreadyinmybedroom.
SomethingtoldmethatColthadprobablynevernotbeeninvitedupbefore.Thathe

wasusedtogettinghiswaywhenitcametoscoring.

Well,isn’tthattoobad,‘causeit’snothappeningtonight,Itoldmyself.
Buteventhatfirmlittlevoiceinmyheadsoundeduncertain.
Swallowing,Ihadthesuddenurgetoinsisthedropmeoffatthenextstreetcorner

and run the rest of the way home. His hand was one thing, warm on my thigh, the
fingersjustbarelymovinginsoftcircles,butColt’spresencewasanotheraltogether.

Therewasjustsomethingabouthimthatoverwhelmedmycommonsense.
Me, Bella Ruffino. Tough bitch who’d navigated through childhood all on her own

withouthands-onparentstoguideher.I’dbackpackedalone,hikedandbikedandheld
my own in the toughest cities in the world. Now here I was, brought low by a
Capestrana.

Iwasalmostincredulousatthethought,abitbruisedego-wiseeven,butIwasalso

smartenoughtoknowthatIdidn’tthinkIcouldresisthimtonight.

Not after this day, where Colt had somehow taken me outside of myself. He’d

figuredoutawaytodrawacirclearoundjustmeandhim,makingtherestoftheworld
seemfaraway.InsteadofbeingonoppositesidesinthemidstofaMafiavendetta,we’d
beentwopeopleenjoyingourselves,andhavingreal,vibranttalks.Insteadofsecretly
plotting revenge, and learning his weaknesses, I’d eagerly discussed food, music, and
travelwithhim.

I’dactuallylaughed.Notonlythat,I’dmadehimlaughandithadfeltsogood.
Biting my cheek, shame whiplashed through me. I failed my family today. Once

again,I’dforgottenwhoourfamiliesevenweretooneanother.

Swornenemies.Mongooseandcobra.Whycouldn’tIkeepthatinmyheadwhenhe

gotclose?

Looking out the window, I tried to ignore how my traitorous body was melting

underhistouchlikewaxandattemptedtogaugehowcloseweweretomyapartment.

Racking my slowly-numbing brain, I also tried to figure out how both to play coy,

and get him to realize he wasn’t getting any tonight, while not shutting him down
completelyforthefuture.

Ineededtoretreatalittle,re-evaluate,andplanmynextmove.
And,moreimportantly,Ineededtogetoutofthisdamnedcar.
IfIhadn’tsenthimathousanddifferentsignalstoday,thiswouldbesomucheasier.

Ishould’vegonehomeafterlunch.Ishouldn’thaveevengonetolunch!Thatclosecall
with Mrs. Tarillo had shaved years off my life. And of course, every time I thought
aboutdivingunderthattable,mycheekswenthotwhilepanicboiledinmygut.

Whatifshe’dseenme?WhatifColtknewsomethingwasupandwasnowjustbiding

histime?

MyimaginationconjuredupanimageofwhatColt’sfacewouldlooklikeifheknew

whoIreallywasandithitmelikeaslap.

Flinty-eyed,hissmilecold,asMrs.TarillowarmlywelcomedEmilioRuffino’slittle

girl back to the States. I’d have probably been found floating in the East River
tomorrow.Orpartsofme,atleast.

Any of the lingering lethargy from the meal and wine faded, leaving me so wide-

awake,IwonderedifI’deversleeptonight.

I shifted uneasily in the seat without thinking. Colt gently let go of me and a little

huffescapedmylipsbeforeIcouldstopit.Silently,Iprayedhewouldinterpretthatas
displeasure,notasthereliefitactuallywas.Suddenlythememoryofourkissforcedits
wayforwardandmythightingledwherehe’dbeenholdingit.

Iseriouslyneedtogetoutofthiscar.
ItwaslikeI’dinadvertentlybecometheropeinsomegameoftug-of-warbetween

twosidesofmyselfandIwasn’tsurewhichsideIwantedtowin.

OnceIwasawayfromhisdamnscent,whichwasmakingmymouthwatermore

than the food from that bistro, I’d be good. At least Colt was interested in me and I’d
taken the first steps towards gaining his trust. He didn’t know who I was. And all I
neededwassomespace.

Thebattlemayhavebeenlost,butthewarwasfarfromover.
AwarColtdidn’tevenknowhewasin,nevermindthathewasgoingtoloseit.
Iwassocaughtupinthestormofemotionsbuffetingmyovertiredbrain,Ididn’t

realizewe’dparkedandthatColthadalreadyhoppedoutuntilhiscardoorslammed
behindhim.

Ohno.
Poppingmydooropen,Coltextendedahand,andhelpedmeout.
“Thanks,”Isaidquickly,tuggingmyselffree.“I-uh,hadfuntoday.Thanksagainfor

thefoodandtherideandeverything.I’llseeyouMondayatrehearsals!”

Pleasegohome.
“You’rewelcome,”saidColt,asheclosedthecardoor,anditchirpedashelockedit.
“Oh, Colt, you don’t have to walk me up. I’m fine from here.” I glanced around, a

little embarrassed at the humble, lopsided brick building looming in front of us. His
truckalonelookedlikeitwouldpayforeveryapartment’srentinthere.Forthenext
fiftyyears.

“Bella.”
Ilookedup,sawthestubbornlineofhisjaw,andsighed.Lostcause.
“Thisain’tthegreatestarea.YoubetyourprettyassI’mwalkingyouallthewayin.”

Heglancedaround,hislipcurlingalittle,asthoughreadytothrowdownwithanyone
who came into his line of sight. “Maybe I should take you shopping for a new
apartmentnext.”

“Oh,uh,well,thisisjusttemporary…”ItrailedoffasColtbeganwalkinguptothe

building.Lettingoutafrustratedsigh,Itrottedafterhim,wincingasmytoespinchedin
myboots.

AllIwantedwastobeinmyPJ’s,withalockeddoorbetweenme,andthisinsistent,

persuasive,andpain-in-my-pretty-ass,six-foot-twoalpha.

ColtstoodcloseasIfumbledwiththekeysattheoutsidedoor.Hissmellwasdriving

mewild,andIbitmylip,rememberingthesculptedfeelofhisback.Thepressureofhis
lipsonmine.Thehardbulgeswellingbetweenhislegs.

Finally,Igotthekeyinandweentered.Colt’seyebrowsshotuptohishairline,andI

couldtellhewasrefrainingfrommakingacomment,thoughhisappalledfacesaidit
all.Thehallwaywaspoorlylit,fullofburnedoutlightbulbs,thetiledfloorwascracked,
andtheelevatorhadaforsaken,horror-moviekindoflooktoit.

Isighedasweapproachedtheelevator.UsuallyItookthestairs,buttherewasno

waymyexhausted,batteredfeetweremakingitupsevenflights.

Aswewaitedforthedoorstoopen,Iagainmadeahalf-heartedattempttogethim

togo.

“Youreallycanleave,Colt.I’mokay.Thankyou,butthisistoomuch.”WhatIreally

meantwas,You’retoomuch,butcloseenough.“It’sbeenalongdayandyoustillhave
todriveallthewayhome.”

“My grandmother would never forgive me if I didn’t walk a girl to the door,” Colt

retortedwithalazysmile.Atthatmomenttheelevatordoorsrumbledopen.“See,even
theelevatorknowsalosingargumentwhensheseesone.”

Iforcedoutalaugh.“Well,thanks,”Isaidaswewalkedinsideandthedoorscreaked

back closed. Standing together in that dim elevator was making my blood whoosh
throughmybodyatalarmingspeeds.

Eachfloorseemedtopasswithexcruciatingslowness.
Damnitalltohell thatIhadto liveinthischeap-assplace. Evenaftermostof his

personalassetswereseized,myfatherhadleftmeenoughmoneyinalegitimatetrust
fundthatIcould’velivedinaManhattanpenthouseifIwanted,butIdidn’tthinkthat
quitefittheimageofa“strugglingdancer”shakingherassfortipsinanunderground
club.SoI’dgrabbedthefirstclean,top-floorapartmentI’dseen.

AndnowIwasstuckinthissketchy,snail-likeelevatorwithColt.
Asthoughtakingoffensetotheveryidea,thelightsintheelevatorflickered,then

blinkedoffforamoment.Myspineprickledastheycamebackon.Butwewerealmost
there,passingsix,headedtowardseven.

Was it my imagination or was this fucking elevator slowing down? Something

reverberatedunderourfeet,thenthewholeboxgrindedtoastopandthespacewent
black.

Thiscouldn’tbehappening.I’dbeenprayingtogetsomespaceandnowitwaslike

myworstnightmarecomingtolife.NotonlydidInothavespace,butwewerestuck
togetherinadark,quietlittleroom.Colt’sscentanddark,sensualpresencefilledmy
sensesandmyskinprickled.

Heartpounding,Irealizedbothofuswereholdingourbreath.
Again, I had the sensation of being tugged between two extremes. Wavering on

somethin,fragileline.Pushed.Pulled.Flippedupsidedown.

And suddenly, all the reasons I wasn’t supposed to touch him skittered away.

Somethingsnappeddeepinsideofme.Alwaysquickonthedraw,itwaslikeColtknew
it.

“Bella.”
Mynamewasnothingmorethanalowgroanand,asecondlater,wewereallover

eachother.Pickingmeupwithease,Colthadmylegsaroundhiswaistashecrushed
hislipsagainstmine.Steppingforward,hepressedmeagainstthecoldmetalwall,and
hiked my dress up. His hands gripped my ass and he ground against me, his cock
strainingagainsthisjeansandhittingmeinjusttherightspot.

“Jesus,” muttered Colt, breaking the kiss with a gasp. “Fucking finally. I was just

aboutatmybreakingpoint.Iwanttotasteeverylastinchofyou.”

Yes,pleaseyes,Ithoughthelplessly.
Icouldn’ttakethispowerfulneedanymoreeither.
The sweater material was so stretchy that he managed to tug it down to the point

that my cleavage and half my bra was exposed. His teeth, followed by his tongue,
scraped across my collarbones, and the swells of my breasts. Reaching up, I ran my
fingersthroughhishair,moaningashekissedmyneckagain.Hisfiveo’clockshadow
prickedthesensitiveskinandheatflashedbetweenmylegs.

Thenourmouthsmetagain,tonguesfighting,andIwasdiggingmyfingersintohis

shouldersunderhisjacket,thenhisshirt.Thedarknesswassuperchargingourfrenzy

somehow.Itwaslikewecouldn’tgetenoughofeachother,witheachtouchincreasing
ourwant,andourneedtolearneachother’sbodies.Leavenoridge,nocurve,nopiece
ofskinuntouchedoruntasted.

Colt shrugged off his jacket and I let out a whimper as he tossed it. He hiked my

dress up to my waist and I squeaked when the cold metal hit my bare back. But Colt
warmedmeup,hishandsroamingupanddownmybody,asheletoutarough,sexy
soundthat,onitsown,wouldhavemademewetifIhadn’tbeenalready.Myskinwas
becomingfeverish,mymindspinning,andbackarching.

Sweatdrippeddownmyneck.Colt’sskinwasbecomingslick,too,asIexploredhis

hardstomachunderhisshirt.Hegroanedintomymouth,thenourteethclinkedhard
aswekissedwithmoreandmoreurgency.

Colt’s hands found my breasts, rolling the hardened nipples between his fingers.

Then he pinched. Tugged. I cried out in his mouth, and he closed his teeth over my
bottomlip,makingmearchevenmore.

Whenwebrokeapart,bothofusgasping,hisnamefellfrommylipsinadesperate

plea.

“Colt.”
AndIknewtherewasnoturningback.

Colt

LEFT

thefuckingcondomsinthecar.

ThesecondBellasaidmynameinthatsexylittlemoan,thatwasallIcouldthink.

ThatandhowI’dunderestimatedhowdistractingshewas.

SincewhenwasColtCapestranacaughtwithoutarubber?
ButIwasstucknow.Literally.
“Colt,” Bella whimpered again, her hard nipples rubbing against my palms, and I

caughtadeepwhiffofherscent.AllIwantedwastomakehercomelikeshe’dnever
come before. I didn’t want her murmuring my name. I wanted her screaming it. I
wantedtomakesuresherememberedthis.Rememberedme.

I said a silent prayer for strength and, releasing her luscious tits, I let my fingers

smoothdownherstomach.Sofuckingsoft.Iletherlegsslidetothefloorandthenbent
down and laid a kiss on her lower belly. Her ab muscles jumped beneath my mouth
andIgroaned.

ThenIslidmyhandsdowntoherjuicyassandsqueezed.ShearchedagainstmeasI

dipped my fingers into the waistband of her tights and slid them down. I yanked her
bootsandtightsoffinonemotion,prayingtoGodtheelevatorwouldstaystuck.

Bella let out a sharp gasp as I straightened and spread her legs wide for me. She

hookedoneofthembackaroundmywaisteventighterthistime,herheeldiggingin
myass,anditwasallIcoulddonottoyankdownmyzipperandburymyselfdeep.

Pinningherinthatpositionwithmythighs,Isuckedonhernippleandtuggedher

pantiesaside.Excitementracedupmyspine.Backandforth,backandforth,Iteased
theouterfoldsofherpussy.Shewasalreadysowet.

“Dark, mad magic, Rabbit,” I whispered into her ear as I slid a finger into her wet

heat.Forasecond,shefrozeandthenshebuckedagainstme,buryingmydigitdeeper.
Thefeelofhertightchannelclosingaroundmemadethebloodrushtomyearsand
mycockpulsewithneed.“Youlikethat?”Slidinginanotherfinger,Iflickedthatlittle
bundle of nerves with my thumb, and she let out a squeaky mewl. “I got something
elseyou’lllike,too.”

Keeping her pinned to the wall, I pinched her clit with my left hand and captured

hermouthagainasItwirledmyrighthandfingersinalittledeeper.

BellagaspedintomymouthandItooktheopportunitytodominatehertongue.A

humsoundedinmythroatasIclosedmyeyestopicturethesceneIcouldn’tseeinthe
darkness.Myframepressingherhalf-dressed,gorgeousbodytothemetalwall.Herred
hairfallingintohereyes.Herplumpbreastsbouncing.Andherwetlittleslit,filledwith
myhard,callousedfingers.

Her silky folds were even more delicious than I’d imagined and my cock raged

insideofmypants.

Pullingmymouthaway,Igroaned,“Youfeelsofuckinggood,Bella.”
Shegrabbedthefrontofmyshirt,panting.“Don’tjustplaywithme,Colt,fuckme.”

Hervoicewaslow,sexy,andcommanding.

God,Iwantedto.ButifMamaAngewould’vekilledmefornotwalkingagirltothe

door, she’d have castrated me for sleeping with one without a rubber. I was a lot of
things, but I was no deadbeat dad and I wasn’t ready to become a father or put Bella
intoapositionshemightregret.Istruggledtofindmymentalcenterandpushedaside
theneedclawingatme,insteadfocusingsolelyonBella.

I began pumping in and out of her with my right hand, rubbing her clit with my

thumb,andusedmylefthandtofistintoherhair.HercurlsweresosoftandItugged
herheadbacktobarehernecktome.Then,asInippedalongtowardherjaw,shecried
out,anddugherfingernailsintomyshouldersasthoughtryingtosteadyherself.

“Please,Colt.”
“No,no.Idon’tthinkso,”Iraspedout.Givingherhairagoodfinalyank,Icaptured

bothofherforearmsinoneswiftmotion,andpinnedherarmseasilyaboveherhead.
“Thisisallaboutyou,Bella.Comeforme,Rabbit.Youknowyouwantto.”Myfingers
movedfaster,plunginginandoutnow,longdeepstrokesmeanttodriveherwild.She
shuddered against me and my cock wept. “Yeah, how’s that?” I demanded, jaw
clenchedasIfoundmyownneed.

“Yes,yes,more,morelikethat,”Bellanearlyscreamed.
Her breasts were heaving against my chest, and I wished the lights were on so I

couldwatch.IwantedsobadlytoseeBellaasshecameundone.Instead,Icouldonly
imagine how she was tossing her head, biting her lip, her body thrashing under my
touch. Closing my eyes, I pressed my face into her neck to breathe her in. Pumping
evenharder,Ibegancurlingmyfingerseachtime,andBella’sbodybegantoshake,the
soundsspillingfromherthroatcomingfaster,andfaster.

Itwassohot,Ialmostexplodedinmypantslikeateenager.

“Don’tforgetwhomadeyoufeellikethis,”Igrowled,pressingmycheektohersand

somethinglikeawhimperescapedherchest.“Imaginemyswollencockramminginto
yourtightlittlepussy,Bella.Imagineitrightnow,andfuckingcomeforme.”

SoundswerespillinginatumultfromBella’slips.Nudgingheropenevenwider,I

nowdroveinandoutwiththreeofmyfingersinamerciless,unrestrainedrhythm.

Slidein,pullout.Push.Curl.Pant.Again,andagain.
Fuckyes.
Asexy,deep-throatedscreameruptedfromBellaasherbodywentrigidundermy

hands.Moltenwallsclenchedaroundmyfingers,andshecame,shakingsohardthatI
hadtoloopanarmaroundherbacktokeepherfromfallingonthefloor.Foralong
moment, we stayed like that until the quakes became light tremors and her breath
begantoslow.

“Oh,Colt,ohmyGod,”shemurmured,asshegotherfooting,andIletgoofher.
“Fuck,”Imutteredandslidmyhandout,alreadymissingherwarmth.Istumbled

away,forgettingwhereIwasuntilmybackhittheoppositewall.

Foramoment,allIcouldthinkaboutwasstartingalloveragain,butthistimewith

mymouth…andthenmyhandsagain,andthenmycock.

Keepingherupallnightlong.
I wanted to drag my tongue across her dancer calves, bite that toned ass, and

memorizehermouth.Hearhermakethatnoiseoverandoveragain.

But something had splintered apart in me when Bella had come. My big plan for

making this memorable for her had backfired somehow. Now all I could think about
washowI’dneverforgetit.Ihadn’tevencomeanditwasoneofthemosteroticand
hottestexperiencesI’deverhad.

Thedark,thecloseness,herscent.Ourharshbreathingasitechoedintheelevator.
Maybe it was making her come but being left hard and wanting…or maybe it was

somethinginhervoiceasshesaidmynamethathadshookme.Mymindcouldbarely
hangontothosethoughts,though,asIreacheddownandfoundmyjacket.Itwaslike
everythingwasfightingmeasItriedtocomeupforair.

Don’tlethergo!roaredavoicedeepinsideofme.Grittingmyjaw,Iignoredit.Itwas

exactlythatkindofshitthatwasthereasonIneededtogetthefuckoutofhere.

I could hear Bella now, quietly shuffling, straightening her clothes and saying

nothing.Icouldhearherfumblingforthebuttonsontheelevatorand,asecondlater,
thelightsflickedonandoureyesmet.

Shewasadisheveled,gloriousmessofrosycurlsandcheeks.Ahickeyblossomed

on the side of her neck, her eyes were heavy-lidded, and her lips swollen from my
mouth.ShelookedalmostasshatteredasIfelt.

The box lurched into motion and I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the painful

acheofmycockthatwasstillsohard,itcould’vecutglass.I’dtoldherthiswasadark
place of mad magic. One I hadn’t realized was pulling me in so deeply and quickly.
Sensing I was treading dangerous waters I’d never been in before, I forced myself to
lookaway,eventhoughitwaslikebeingcutopenwithawhip.

When we reached her floor, both of us left the elevator immediately. Bella’s head

wasdown,andshesaid“goodnight”soquietly,Ialmostdidn’thearher.

Iheardthesnapofherdoorclosingthough,anditjerkedmeoutofmystupor.She

hadn’teveninvitedmeinandIcouldbarelybringmyselftocare.Ihadtogethome,
getthehellawayfromher,andjerkoffthistension.

Getheroutofmyhead.
Outofmysoul.
Outofmyblood.
Turningonmyheel,Ifoundtheexitstaircase,andstormeddownthesevenflights.

Bella was the first woman to ever blue-ball me twice in one day. She’d woven a web
aroundmeandIhadn’tseenituntilitwastoolate.UntilIwasbouncingofftheropes,
spinning,andhittingtheground.

I’dknownshewastrouble.Ijusthadn’tknownIwasintrouble.
Because, not only was this woman setting records. She was also fucking with my

headlikenooneeverhad.AndIwasColtCapestrana.Ididn’tgetmyheadfuckedwith.

Christ,didIneedtogetoutofthismessbeforeitwastoolate.

C H A P T E R S E V E N

Bella

henextmorningIlaycurledupinbedforhours,fingersknottedintheblankets,
andamessofemotionsburningtheirwaythroughmybody.Desirestillpulsed

through me like a runway for more bad decisions, while shame, shock, and sorrow
burrowedintomygut.

When I first woke up, still half-asleep, I’d reached over for Colt. Then I sat up

straightinbed,tryingtocatchmybreath,eyeswide.

Whatthehelliswrongwithme?
Acruelreplymockedme,likeatwistedlullaby.
Sleepwiththeenemy,thensleepwiththefishes.
Icouldn’tbelieveIletthingsgothatfarlastnight.ItwasasthoughI’dstumbledin

and out of a dream in that elevator. Colt’s suggestive promises still whispered in my
ears.Icouldfeelhislipsagainstmyneck,handsroamingovermyskin,andthenthose
big,capablefingersbringingmeovertheedge.

Honestly,nowIcouldn’timaginewhatactuallysleepingwithhimwoulddotome.
Hey,noguiltthough,right?
Well,maybealittleguilt.
IdidwakeupcravingColt,afterall.AndneverhadIthirstedafterpleasurefroma

manlikethis.Sosatisfying,ithadyoushakinglikeanaddictformore.Soconsuming,
youwerereelingfromtheaftershockshourslater.

Nobiologyintheworldcouldcreateanattractionlikethat.
Liftingahandtomyeyes,Iwatchedmyfingerstremble,andclencheditintoafist.I

didn’tknowwhatthehellwaswrongwithme.ButIhadtogetittogether.

MaybeIwassubconsciouslyworkingoutabsentdaddyissuesorsomething.Imean,

afterall,Emiliohadlandedmeinthismess,whetherheintendedtoornot.

Ormaybeayearwithnoplayreallydidtakeatollonagirl.
Also,asmuchasItriedtorecapturethathatredanddisgustthathadsustainedme

theselastfewweeks,Icouldn’t.IcouldbarelysummonashadowofwhatI’dfelt,it’d
beensooutpacedbythesewild,uncontrollabledesiresforColt.

NowIwasafraidinawayIhadn’tbeenbefore.Butgrittingmyteeth,Icrusheditall

down.

Everything’sgonnabefine.I’llfigurethisout.AndColtwillgethis.
Checkingmyphone,Isawthatitwasaftertenandforcedmyselftogetoutofbed.

AsIstretched,Ismirkedalittle.Iftherewasonegoodthingaboutanyofthis,itwas
thatColtwasclearlysupernovalevelsofhotforme.

Whentheelevatorhadstartedworkingagain,he’dlookedlikesomeonehadhithim

in the head with an anvil. And if his dick had been any harder, he could have hit a
homerunoutofCitiField,Grandersonstyle.

Slowly I stood up, and made my way across the room, pausing to glance in the

mirror.LightlyItouchedthehickeyonmyneckandgrimaced.

How the hell was I going to use Colt’s attraction to me to my advantage now,

though?AndhowwasInotgoingtokeepthinkingaboutthoseskilled,bighandsofhis?
Iwasstuckbetweenarockandahardplace,orrather,ahardcockandapairofmagic
hands.

“Merde,”Imutteredoutloud.
Thenmyphonebuzzed.Myheartleaptintomythroat.WhatifitwasColt?Whatif

hewantedtohangout?ShouldI?AndwhydidIsuddenlyfeellikeoneofthosegirls
whofreakedoutandoveranalyzedeverymoveaguymadetofigureoutwhetherhe
likesher?

Snatchingmyphoneup,Iscannedit,andmyshouldersslumped.Itwasmycousin

Lisa,finallytextingback.ReliefmixedwithdisappointmentthatIdidn’twanttothink
about.

Shewantedtomeetupforhotcocoaandgirltalk.Apparentlythereasonshe’dbeen

blowing me off was because she was out of the country, backpacking in Australia up
untiltwodaysago.

Itypedoutaquickreply.
Damn,girl.Noapologyneeded.Should’veknownitwassomethinglikethat.
Lisawouldknowwhattodo,Irealized.Shewasmyclosest,wisestgirlcousin,and

wouldhaveinsideintelontheCapestranas.Also,Justinmentionedhowsheusedtodo
the books for my dad while she’d been in college. Texts flying, we coordinated a
Manhattanoutingandplannedtospendtheafternoontogether.

NotonlydidIneedtogetmymindoffofthings,namelyColt,butIalsocouldn’trisk

beingseeninthistownwithher.Someonefromtheoldneighborhoodcouldrecognize
Lisaandmightstartputtingtwoandtwotogether.

Onceshe’dagreed,Igotreadyfortheday,dressingdownalittle.Chunkyscarf,plaid

leggings,andcombatboots.Nothigh-highsforawhile.

On the train to Manhattan, I found myself shifting around in my seat as my

thoughtskeptcirclingbacktoColt.Itwasinsane.Howdidhedothistomeinsucha
shortperiodoftime?Todistractmyself,Ithumbedthroughmyphone,andopenedthe
podcastsapp.

IneededsomethingtomellowmeoutbecausemynerveswerefriedsoIcuedup

some meditations and stumbled across something called “meditating your way to
freedom”. It was supposed to help women utilize self-hypnosis to “un-attract”
themselvesfromthe“wrongguy”.

Curious,Iopenedit,andglancedaround.Thetrainwaspracticallyemptysomaybe

noonewouldnoticeifIwasdoingweirdbreathingorohms.

SlowlyIpulledoutmyheadphonesandpluggedthemin.
Closingmyeyes,Itriedtofollowalong.Firstittookmethroughabasickindofdeep

breathing thing, which was okay. But then it started saying, “Now, when you exhale,
pushhimoutofyoualongwithyourbreath.Seehimvanishing.”

Asnortoflaughterescapedme,butIhunginthereforawhile.Thesoothingvoice

wasabittoosmug,andcalm,though,andpartofmewonderedwhatColtwouldsayif
heheardthis.

Can’tgetridofmethateasily,Rabbit.
“Goddamnit,”Imuttered.
“Imagineyou’rewithhim,now,”continuedthevoice.“Hishandsareonyou,butall

youfeeliscoldinside…Coldinside…”

Coldinside,coldinside.
Coldonmyback…
Coldmetalwallsoftheelevatorpressedintomybareback.Warmhands.
Colt’swarmhandsrunningdownmystomach,teasingmythighs,slippingbetweenmy

legs…

Mybreathcaughtasdesiremadeliquidheatsnakethroughme.
Yankingtheheadphonesoutofmyears,Ihadtoquashtheurgetohurlthemacross

thetraincar.Whatbullshit.Ishould’veknownbetter.

Instead, I did what I usually do to numb the world’s problems. Cranked up the

music.

Flippingthroughmyplaylists,IfoundaheavymetaloneIusedinemergencies,and

putmyheadphonesbackin.Rammsteinwas far more satisfying and could dull more
thoughtsthanhippy-dippyself-hypnosisanyday.

Anhourlater,IfinallymadeittotheUpperEastSide,andthePetiteShell.Walking

in,IscannedtheplaceforLisa.Suddenlytwoarmswrappedaroundmefrombehind
andIwasoverwhelmedwiththesmellofacitrusydesignerperfume.

“Bebe!”shoutedavoiceinmyear.“Ican’tbelieveit!”
Extricatingmyself,Iturnedaround,andbeamedatLisa.Shewasacurvy,andglam,

andno-nonsensecitychickallrolledintoone.Rightnowshewaswearingapinkfur-
collaredFendicoat,diamondhoops,andhigh-heeledTimberlands.Shelookedlikeshe
belongedinamusicvideo,notlikesomeonewho’djustbeenbackpackingandlivingoff
thelandinanothercontinent.Lisalikedtocallherselfatough“citybrat”becauseshe
liked the finer things, but, because her part of the family had more financial ups and
downsthanmineduetoherfather’sgamblingaddiction,shealsoknewhowtodigin
andmakeduewithscraps.

Shewasfearless,alsothemostversatilepersonI’devermet.Shecouldtalkabout

anythingunderthesun,fromcelebritygossiptogeopoliticstoindiefilms.Plus,shehad
an endless list of skills. Everything from curling eyelashes with a spoon to
reprogrammingcomputerstopickingalock.

Ifuckinglovedher.
AsIhuggedheragain,Isaid,“Imissedyou,Li.”
Walking over to join the line, I saw a few glances come our way, and Lisa’s lip

curled.“Whatthehellaretheylookin’at?”

LikesomeNewYorkItalians,Lisawasn’tafraidtospeakhermind.Icouldn’tdeny

thefactthatIsometimesencouragedherbecauseitmademelaugh.

So,smilingevenwider,Iteasedher,“Probablythinkthefurisreal.”
“What,fromtheelusivepinklion?Christ.”Sheglaredatacoupleofleggyblondesin

yogagearandpouredontheaccent.“It’sfaux,sweethearts.”

I smothered laughter as the two women turned away looking scandalized, and I

beamedatLisa.

Sheneverchanged,whichwasexactlywhatIneededrightnow.Alittlestabilityand

normalcyinmylife.

“HowwasAustralia?”
“Nevermindthat,howareyouholdingup?I’msosorryaboutyourdad.”
“Thankyou.I’mokay,Iguess.”Iswallowed.“Stilldoesn’tseemreal.”
“Aw,Bebe.IfI’dknownaboutthefuneralIwould’vecomeback.Ihadnoservicein

theoutback,youknow?Bix,that’stheguyIwaswith,well,oneofthemanyways.”She
winked.“Heinsistedonatechnologycleanse,sowecouldn’teventurnourphoneson
evenwhenwedidhaveservice.”

“Bix?”Iechoed,raisinganeyebrow.
“Oh yeah, he’s just a friend from down under,” explained Lisa, waving a hand.

“Enoughaboutme.”Shepausedandtuckedalockofdarkhairbehindoneear.“You’re
backinEhlrich,huh?Butyou’renotstayingintheStates,areyou?”

Ifeltatwingeofuneasiness.
“Well,yeah,Lisa,”Irespondedinalowvoice.“Youknowwhathappened,right?”
A flash of alarm went across my cousin’s face, but then we got up to the counter,

andhadtoorder.

Oncewesatdown,Lisareachedacrossthetable,andsqueezedmyhand.
“Iknowthebasics,Ithink.Look,Bebe,it’snotthatI’mnotthrilledtoseeyou,I’m

justalittleworried.YouhadsuchagoodlifeinParis.Comingbackhereislikegoing
backwards.”

“Ihadtocomeback.”Itookadeepbreath.“Justin’sinjail.”
AhardlookcameintoLisa’seyesandherjawset.“And?”
“Excuseme?”Iasked,staringatherincredulously.
“Oh,no,Bebe.Sorry,I-Ididn’tmeanitlikethat.”Lisa’sfacepinched.“Rudy’stoldme

bitsandpieces,that’sall.Hewaslivingthelife.It’stherisktheytake,youknow?Iwas
surprisedmoreoftheguysdidn’tgetbooked.”

“Well,theCapestranasorchestratedittoletJustintakethefall,”Irepliedhotly.
“Well,JustinandUncleGiulio.Honestly,IthoughtRudywasmessingwithmewhen

hetoldmethat.”Lisaletoutastrainedlaugh.“Icalledhimyesterday,guesshewasn’t
ashighasIthought.”

“Wait, Uncle Giulio got arrested, too?” I frowned. I knew the name but I was

strugglingtorecalltheface.

“Yeah,didn’tyouhear?”Lisapattedmyhand.“Idon’tknowifyouevermethim.He

wasmemorable,themeanolddrunk.Dealtalottablowandshit.Onlyamatteroftime
before he landed behind bars.” Shaking her head, Lisa took a sip, and frowned. “Was
mydad’sgo-to-guyforpainmeds.Wonderwhathe’sdoingnow.”

“Lisa,”Isaidsoftly,myheartaching.“Howishe?How’syourmom?”
Sheshrugged,glancingawayfromme.“Frank’sstillalive,defyingmedicalodds,and

Ma’s hanging in there. She’s got a new man, works construction in Jersey. Solid guy,
kinda boring, but good for her. Both of them are recovering, so as long as one stays
sober,theybothshould.ButMa’sfightingwithFrankagainformoney,tryingtodrag
meintoit...”

“Oh,I’msosorry,”Isaidquietly,wishingIcouldthinkofsomethingelsetosay.
“Forwhat?”Lisalaughed.“Bella,Ihaveagoodlife.Imadeitoutofthatcityalive.

I’mnotanalcoholic,Idon’tgamble,andI’veneverdonedrugs.That’salotmorethan
youcansayformostofthefamily.”Herfacetightened.“Anyof‘embuggingyou?”

“No, I haven’t heard from anyone except Rudy, Nevio, and Grandpa. And you.” I

sippedmyhotchocolate.“Idon’tknowwhy.Althoughyouguysarealsotheonlyones
whoevervisitedme.”

“What’reyoudoingnow,though?You’renotworkingforRudy,right?”Lisastared

medown.“Pleasetellmeyou’renotgoingtowasteallyourtalentbygettingcaughtup
inthefamilybullshit,Bella.Youdeservesomuchbetter.”

“No. There’s no more work for our family in that town anyway, Lisa. The

Capestranasmadesureofthat.”Sheraisedhereyebrowsatme,andIhesitated,before
blurtingout,“ButI’mgoingtomakesuretheypayforwhattheydid.”

Lisa’seyeswenthuge.“Bella,whatthehelldoyoumeanbythat?”
Inalowvoice,Irushedheadlongintoanexplanationoftheeventsofthelastfew

weeks, explaining about the pole-dancing lessons, Rudy and Nevio’s information, the
audition…allofit.

EventhestuffaboutColt.
Icouldn’tholditinanothersecond,andwhenIfinishedtalking,Ifeltlikeananvil

hadbeenliftedoffmyshoulders.WhileIfeltbettergettingitoffmychest,IknewI’d
stunned my cousin because she didn’t utter a peep during the entire story. She just
gawkedatme,lettingherhotchocolategetcold,andsqueezingherhandstogether.

Okay,somaybethishadn’tbeenastellaridea.
I hunched over, and finished in a whisper, “I-I think I might be attracted to him,

Lisa.” I paused. “The elevator thing was mind-blowing. I’ve never come like that
before.Ican’tbelieveit,I’msofuriouswithmyself.”

Lisa’s mouth was slightly open now, face dumfounded. Blinking and shaking her

head,shesatback,andthenletoutachuckle.

“Wow, Bella. Back barely a month and you’re cuttin’ quite a path through that

town.”Shesmirkedalittle.“IknowtheCapestranasareourswornenemies,Trinacrina
agreementbedamned.”Lisatwirledahanduptotheceilingandpretendedtospiton
theground.“Buthoney,Idon’tblameyouatallforwhathappenedbetweenyouand
Colt.Andneithershouldyou!”

“Youdon’t?”Iasked,feelingarushofheadyrelief.“Really?”
“Lordabove,no.Hellno!Goodjobtappin’that,cuz.ColtCapestranaiseverykindof

gorgeous.Mancouldbeinthemovies.Orpornos.”Shepursedherlips.“Buthe’snotall
looks,thatone.Youneedtobecareful,Bella.Ican’tbelieveRudyandNevioputyouup
tothis.I’mgonnakillthosetwo.”

“Theydidn’t,”Ireplied.“Thiswasmyidea.Theywereagainstthis.Ihadtotalkthem

intoit.AndGrandpadoesn’tknow,sodon’ttellhim.Notthathe’dremember.”

“Uh-huh.”Lisarolledhereyes.“Bella,youdon’tthinkyoumightbeinalittleover

yourheadwiththis?Yourmamaneverwantedthistobeyourworld,that’swhyyour
daddysentyoutoStatenIsland,thenFrance.You’reaballerina,Bebe,notagangster.
Girl,youcouldbeonBroadway.Insteadyou’rewigglingaroundapole?Andforwhat?
Vengeancelikeinsomekungfumovie?”

“Ihavetodothis,”Imuttered,feelingchildishallofasudden.“Formydad,andfor

mybrother.”

Lisabentherhead,lookingwornandkindofsad.
“The Capestranas are no joke. Especially Colt. He’s educated, hon. Streets, sheets,

anduniversity.Sure,he’sgorgeousandsmoothasthedayislong,butthatjustdistracts
youfromhowbrilliantandlethalheis.You’replayingadangerousgamethatIdon’t
knowifyoucanwin.Andnotbecauseyou’renotjustasintelligentasheis,butbecause
thisisn’tyourworld.”

Isetmyjawandshookmyhead.
“Thatdoesn’tmatter.I’mgoingtobreakhimthewayhebrokeourfamily,Lisa,no

matterwhatittakes.”

Lisashruggedoutofherjacketwithafrownlikethefurwasitchingher.
“Thisisn’tyourfight,evenifyournameisRuffino.Noticeyou’retheonlyonegoing

after the Capestranas? Let sleeping wolves lie, Bella. Seriously, let it go. Head back to
Paris.”

“Hell,no,”Iburstout.“Ican’tbelievethis,Lisa,youusedtoworkformyfather.He

paidyourwaythroughcollege.”

A small, bitter laugh escaped my cousin’s mouth. “Yeah, Emilio was always

generouslikethat.ArealKingMidaswithhishushmoney.Justbegladhedidn’tturn
youintogold,huh,princess?”

SomethinginLisa’slaughandtonemademeshudder.Icytendrilswrappedaround

myheart.

“Hush money? What’s that supposed to mean?” Watching my cousin’s face, I

thought I saw something flash into her eyes, and horror started to churn in my
stomach.“Lisa?Whatisit?Tellme.”

Mycousinhesitated,thenwavedahandandlaughed.“Don’tlistentome.I’mjusta

bitter bitch, is all. It’s a bunch of old crap between our fathers that has nothing to do
withyouandme,andIwon’tletitpoisonourrelationship.Andanyway,likeyousaid,
family is family,” Lisa rambled, her cheeks pink. “So, hey, if you’re so hell-bent on
staying,whynotcomeintothecity,andlivewithme,huh?TwoRuffinogirls,takingon
NewYork?It’dbefun…”

PartofmewantedtopressLisaformoredetails,butIdecidedtoletitgo.Itwasno

secretthatourfathershadanuneasyrelationship,somaybethat’swhatitcamedown
to.Besides,Ihadplentytoworryaboutwithoutaddingmoretomyplate.

“Onceallthisisoverwith,IthinkI’dlikethat,”Isaidwithanod.
“Soundslikeaplan.Andhey,justbecarefulwiththiswholeColtCapestranathing,

okay?Icouldn’tbearitifsomethinghappenedtoyou,Bebe.”

“Pinky swear. I’ll be super careful.” I was pretty sure that didn’t involve nearly

banginghisbrainsoutinanelevatorsoIwasgoingtohavetostepupmycarefulgame
some,butbeingwithLisamademefeelsortofinvinciblesoIhadfaithIcouldrightthis
shipafterall.

I must’ve been pretty convincing because she smiled and then, instead of harping

onthenegative,wechattedaboutotherthings.Oncewefinishedoursnack,wedecided
to go get our nails done. Walking through a city, enjoying the crowds, gabbing, and
makingslycomments,thiswastheLisaandBellaIknew.

ItwasthemostnormalI’dfeltinweeks.
But then, as we walked along, I saw a man in a Mets cap who looked a little like

Justinwhenhewasakid,anditthrewmewayoff.

Sighing,Isaid,“Hey,Lisa,ifyou’refreelaterthisweek,I’mgoingtoseemybrother.

Wouldyouwannacome?I’dlovethecompany.”

“Oh, honey, would that I could.” Lisa’s pace picked up a little and I hurried along

withher.“ButnowthatI’mback,Igottagetjob-huntingASAP.Youknowme,always
bouncingaround.Can’tkeepmydigsifI’mnotsolventandsoon.”

“Maybeanothertime.”Ismiled,tryingtohidemydisappointment.
Findingatinysalon,weduckedinoutofthecold,andweresetupinstationsright

next to each other. Lisa made the nail artists laugh loudly with her stories about
Australianmen,althoughafewotherpatronsshotherannoyedlooks.ThatwasLisa,
youeitherlovedher,orhatedher.Girlhadnoin-between.Inthatalone,shewaslike
herfather.

Yet even as I listened to my chatterbox cousin tell her stories, I couldn’t help but

noticehereyesseemedtroubled.Morethanoncesheshotmeanaffectionate,worried
look,andseemedtowanttosaysomethingbutdidn’t.

Letsleepingwolveslie.
Herwarningrangthroughmyheadagain.AsmuchasIwisheditwasthateasy,I

wasaRuffino,andnotjustthat,butEmilio’sdaughterandJustin’sbigsister.

IfIdidletthisslide,howcouldIfacemyself?
Whentheladiesfinishedournailsandmovedustothepedicuretubs,Ipulledout

myphonecarefully,tryingnottosmudgethejust-driedpolish.ItwasalotlaterthanI’d
realized,andIwantedtocheckthetrainschedule.

And,okay,maybeseeifIhadanymissedcallsormessages.
Butmyscreenwasblankofnotifications.
AshookedonmeasColthadbeenthedaybefore,hehadn’tcalledme.Notevena

textmessage.

Slumpingintothepedicurechair,takingadeepbreath,Icouldn’thelpbutstareat

myphone,andwonderwhy.

Letsleepingdogslie.
Well,shit.Imightnothaveachoice….

C H A P T E R E I G H T

Colt

hreedays.

Ithadbeenthreedayssincethatnightintheelevator,andIstillcouldn’tsleep

afuckingwink.

Isteppedintotheclub,tryingtogetintothemoodIknewIneededtobeintobe

effective. My usual ass-kicking, charming self. Never had it been such a goddamn
monumentaltask.

Butthen,I’dneverbeenconsumedbyawomanlikethis.Shehauntedmelikeno

one else, and nothing seemed to make her go away. It was driving me half-berserk.
EvenDante,thedumbass,noticed,thoughhejustthoughtIwasfightingoffthefluor
something.

Marone.
I’dbeenrunningaroundsomuchtryingtokeepmybrainbusythelastthreedays,

I’dbarelyevenmadeitintotheclub,butJulesandDanteassuredmeeverythingwas
more than ready for tonight. In just an hour we were doing a meet and greet with
potentialpatrons.Itwasmoreorlessadry-runforallthedancers,bartenders,andwait
staff. They’d be walking around, chatting up the clientele, and offering them a tasty
morselofwhatwastocome.

Ifsomeofthosefatcatslikedwhattheysaw,too,theymightalsokickalittleextra

investment cash our way. Everything had to go smoothly. I had to be on my game,
100%.

But as I was about to walk into the main room, I paused, filled with an

overwhelmingsenseofforeboding.Whatthefuck?Iwasn’texpectinganytrouble.I’d
greased the palms of every cop within a ten-mile radius. Maybe it was just because I
wasfinallygoingtoseeBellaforthefirsttimesinceshe’dcomeforme.

Adjusting my fedora, then my suspenders, I waltzed in, and offered a grin to the

bartender.

“Save that shit for the ladies who aren’t related to you, cuz,” Lainey called out,

laughing.

“Aw, I can’t be happy to see Little Lainey with her liquor serving license finally?

How’rethingsgoing?”

“Seeforyourself,boss.It’sallgood.”ShepausedandgrimacedatmeasIcameover.

“Damn,wantaRedBullandvodka,kid?Youlooklikehammeredshit.”

AreallaughescapedmeandInodded.“IevertellyouhowmuchIappreciateyour

honesty,Lainey?”

“That’s why you pay me the big bucks.” She ran a hand through her pixie cut,

smirking as she pulled down the Grey Goose. “It’s gonna be awesome, Colt. No
worries.”Handingmemyglass,shewinked.“Besides,MamaAngealreadyblessedthe
joint.Whatcouldgowrong?”

“Christ,don’taskthat,”Igroaned,shakingmyhead,andcrossingmyself.
Glancingaroundtheroom,Idownedmydrinkinone.Everythinghadreallycome

together in the last few days. The furniture was finally all in place, every lightbulb
screwedin,andeverythingshonesobrightlyyou’dneverknowitwashalf-donethree
days ago. Fresh flowers and candles adorned every table. Shimmery red, gold, and
blacktableclothsfilledtheroom.Thestaffwascurrentlydressedin1920’soutfits,while
thedancerswereinanarrayofstunningcostumes.

AtrumpetblewandIlookedupatthestage.Thebandwastuningtheirinstruments,

andtheleader,SaxySam,wavedatmeandthenpointedathisfedorawithawink.I’d
boughtitforhim,andbythelooksofhisgap-toothedgrin,helovedit.Heblewafew
notesofanold-schoolsongandturnedbacktotheband.

Wedonegood.Justlookingaround,itwaslikewe’dsteppedbackintime.
Ienjoyedthefeelingforaboutthreesecondsandthenawaitressnervouslyplucked

myelbow,tellingmeashipmentgotscrewedup,andIwasoffandrunningforthenext
hour.

Duringonetripbackstage,Iwashurryingdownacorridorandthenstoppeddeadin

mytracks.Behindahalf-openeddoor,IcouldseeBellaputtinglipstickoninfrontofa
mirror.Hergazewasseriousandjawdetermined.Redhairspilledoverhershoulder,
her eyes were even more-cat like with dark, smoky makeup, and her flowing black
dressflauntedeverylastcurve.

SomethingtightenedinmygutasIwatchedherandthentwistedinagonywhenI

wrenchedmyselfaway.AllIwantedtodowascrashintothatdressingroomandpull
herintomyarms.Butthatwaswhathadgottenmeallfuckedintheheadinthefirst
place.Tonightwasaboutbusiness.Myfamily’sbusiness.Theywereallcountingonme
tomakethisclubasuccessandIwasn’tabouttoblowitoverawoman.

Bythetimetheclientsgotthere,though,Iwasinafoulmood,feelingoutofsorts

andwishingIcouldfigureoutwhattosaytoBella.Ishovedthatalldownthough,and,
smiling, did my damnedest to make these people feel more than welcome.
Complimentswerethrownaround,jokesmade,drinksbought,andtoaststoasted.Jazz
musicflowedjustasmuchasthewineandliquor.Withinanhour,Ialreadyhadfifty
newmemberswiththepromiseoffatannualduesandfeescominginthemailsoon,
andIknewmystaffwasrackinguprespectablenumbers,too.

However,betweenthemind-numbingquestionsandmydeterminationnottohave

anotherdrink,Icouldn’twaitforthisnighttobeover.

Andofcourse,therewasBella,wearingthatblackdress,herhairpinnedup,always

appearing in my line of vision. Every time, too, she seemed to be laughing from the
centerofahungrygroupofmen.Theycircledher,givingherappreciativeglances,and

morethanonceshetossedherhairback,grinningliketheCheshirecatatthem.

Itmadedoingbusinessalmostimpossible.Turningmybackonher,Iwalkedacross

the room, only to turn around when someone tapped me on the shoulder. After
answering the woman’s question, I looked up, and saw Bella tugging on the lapels of
someguy’sjacket.

Clenchingmyjaw,Isqueezedtheglassinmyhanduntilitcracked.
“Shit,”Imuttered.IcarrieditovertoLaineybehindthebarandshemadeafaceand

took it. Then, handing me another water, she leaned over the bar, eyebrows raised.
“Hey,boss.Youalmostlooklikeyou’renothavingfunorsomething.”

“For real?” I asked, genuinely taken aback. I was charming the pants off these

people,wasn’tI?SincewhenwasIanopenbook?

“Calm down, only a Capestrana would see it. You okay, though? Someone causing

problems?BigTonsaysit’sbeenallquietoutside.Nothingtoworryabout.”

“It’snothing,hon,thanksforasking.”Irubbedmyjawandgrabbedthewater.“I’m

alittletired.Beenalongweek.Butthanks,andkeepupthegoodwork,kiddo.”

Christ,nowIgotmylittlecousinworryingaboutme?
Iwassupposedtobetheonetakingcareofpeople,nottheotherwayaround.
Sogetyourmindoffthegirl,stunod.
ButasdeterminedasIwastoavoidBella,myeyesweredrawnbacktoherevery

other moment as the night went on. She shone brighter and brighter as the hours
passed.Thethreedaysawayfromherseemedlikeitonlymagnifiedmyneedandthe
spellshehadoverme.

Moreandmoreguysflockedtoher,notevenbotheringtohidetheirinterest.She

playedthepartlikeapro,teasingoneofthem,makingthemsmile,doingexactlywhat
I’dwantedthegirlstodo.

JealousytorethroughmeanditwasallIcoulddonottostartbashingskulls.
Beingjealouswasanewoneforme.ButBelladidsomethingtomeIcouldn’tquite

comprehend.Halfwayacrosstheroom,andIswearIcouldsmellherdamnperfume.

Itoremygazeawayandloungedagainstthebar,takingabreakfromschmoozing

andtryingmylevelbestnottostareatBella.

Dantehadfinallyshownup.HimandLaineywerelaughingitupbehindthebar.I

usually would’ve joined in, but instead I found myself searching through the room,
huntingforaspecificshadeofred.ShewaslikeadrugandIcouldn’tgetbywithouta
fix.

Ispottedherstandingattheedgeofthedancefloor,gazingattheband,tappingher

foot.Outofnowhere,atallblondeguyappearedatherelbowandhisteethflashedina
widesmile.Leaningdown,hesaidsomethingtoher,andsheshookherhead.

Isawhimcasuallybrushherhairoffhershouldersandmyfistsclenchedwhilemy

lungsstoppedworkingforasecond.

Ragepulsedthroughme.
And,becauseGodfuckinghatedme,atthatverymoment,themusicchangedfrom

an upbeat classic song, to a slow, romantic one. A second later, Bella was taking that
prick’shandandlettinghimleadheroutontothedancefloor.

“Colt, what’s wrong? You look like you’re gonna kill someone.” Lainey’s anxious

voicewasinmyear,andIshookmyhead,pushingmyselfoffthebar.“Needmetoget

abat?”

“It’s fine, kiddo. Just worried about one of the dancers,” I growled, as I patted her

shoulder,tryingtoseemreassuringbutahundredpercentsureIhadsteamcomingout
ofmyears.

“Yeah, ooookay, act like you’re not being hella weird right now,” she retorted,

beforerollinghereyesandflouncingaway.

“Dante, who the fuck is that dancing with Bella?” I snarled, grabbing his shoulder,

andpointingtowardthedancefloor.

Giving me a funny look, Dante then obligingly peered across the room. “Uh, I

believethatisMarcusSchyfe.BigtraderinManhattan.Yep,that’shim.Probablyoneof
the richest guys here, that why you’re asking?” He gazed at me and concern passed
overhispudgyface.“Yo,Colt.Youokay,man?Sureyou’renotsick?”

“Fine,”Ibitout,notgivingashitaboutSchyfe,orhisbillions.
Hehadhishandsonmygirl.
Watching them, I saw his hands move lower, and my temper exploded. I hadn’t

been this angry since the night Emilio Ruffino met his timely end. Maybe not even
then.

Movingthroughthecrowd,deaftowhateverDantewascallingafterme,Iwason

thedancefloorinanothersecond.

Iclappedahandontothemotherfucker’sshoulderandleanedin.
“Sorry,Mr.Schyfe,butthere’ssomethingIneedtotakecareofhere,”Isaidinacold

voicethatbrookednoopposition.Furywaspoundingthroughmyveins,andfromthe
heat coming off my skin, I knew my hard-won smile must have looked like a wolf
baringitsteeth.

Forasecondtheguystaredatmeinblankamazement,andIwonderedifhewas

goingtoargue.Thetensionpassedashecaughtsightofanotheroneofthedancersa
fewfeetawayandshrugged.“Notaproblem.Thankyouforthatdance,Ms.Lesaude,
you’reverytalented.”

Hesaunteredaway,ontheprowlagain.
Smartman.
LettinggoofBella,Iyankedoffmyjacket,andhurleditontoatablenearthefloor.

“Sammy!”Ibarkedout.“CueuptheArgentinetango,perpiacere.”

“Si,SignoreCapestrana.Mypleasure,”hecalledback,andthemusicchanged.
IturnedtoBellatofindherstaringatme,eyeswidewithshockandsomethinglike

fear.

“C’mere,” I muttered in a low, tight voice, holding out my hand. Curious people

werecirclingthedancefloor,andshebitherlip,hesitating.

“What’samatter,Rabbit?Don’tknowthisdance?”Ichallenged.
God, how well I knew her already? She’d never back down now that the gauntlet

had been thrown. The fear faded from her eyes, replaced by determination, and her
lipsthinned.

Shewaspissed.
Good.Thisdancewasallaboutpassionanyway.
Asthesultrymusicstarted,Ipulledherclose,andthendippedherrightoutofthe

gate, because I could. Her throat visibly worked as I pressed my hips against hers. I

keptherdippedforahalfasecondlongerthanIshould’ve,andthenpulledherclose
again. Slowly I moved my hands up from her waist, down her arms, and took her
hands.

I wanted her to know who was boss, and that the boss didn’t like what he’d just

seen.Notonefuckingbit.

Movingacrossthefloornow,IkeptBellaplasteredagainstme,evenasshestruggled

togetsomespacebetweenus.

“It’snotthatkindadance,Ms.Lesaude,”Ibreathedintoherhair.“Givethepeople

whattheypaidfor.”

Inmyhead,IsilentlythankedMamaAngeforforcingusintodancelessonsaskids.

We’dallhatedit,andhadbeenrowdyashellinthoseclasses,butsheknewbetterthan
us.ExcitableSicilianboysneededmusicandmovementtoblowoffsteamorshitgot
broken.

I’dhadachancetorevisitthisparticulardanceonmyimpromptutriptoArgentina

lastyear,brushinguponmyownskillswithabustysingeratablowsynightclub.

ShewasnothingmorethanashadownowthatIhadBellainmyarms,though.
Yeah, she was killing me. I couldn’t sleep. I could barely eat and she haunted my

dreams.Inaword?Shewastrouble.

Butshewasmyfuckingtrouble.Andbeforethenightwasover,shewouldknowit.

Bella

HAT

THE

FUCK

washeaboutrightnow?

Iglaredathimashespunme,buthejustsmirkedback.
One second, he was moving his feet so quickly, I struggled to keep up. Then he

stopped,pullingmeinclose,draggingahandupmyarm,inchinghiswaytothenape
of my neck. My heart was pounding as our faces came within inches of each other.
Keepinguslikethat,hiseyesburnedasheinitiatedthecaminar,andslowlysteppedme
backwardsacrossthefloor.

Suddenlyitwaslikeweweretheonlytwopeopleintheroom.
A strange, magical one, far away from the world. Filled only with candlelight and

music.

Andus.
Damn.
Ihadtoadmit,Iwasblownaway.
Ofallthedancesintheworld,whydidhehavetoknowthisone?
Itwaspuresex,andIstillwasn’tovertheactualnearsexwe’dhadafewdaysago.

MybreathstillcaughtwheneverIthoughtaboutthosebig,stronghandsonmybody,
andIhadn’tusedtheelevatorsince.

NottomentionIhadn’tevenseenorheardfromColtsinceithadhappened.Ithad

feltlikeacruelbutfittingpunishmentforthesefeelingsIwashaving.

Andnowhewasdraggingmeawayfrompayingclientsandleadingmearoundthe

roomlikeIneededtobetaughtalesson?

Squeezinghishands,Iquicklyturnedmybodybackandforth,pullingawayalittle,

andthenhookingmylegbetweenhis,thegancho.ButColtoutsmartedme,pullingme
in,andIlandedonhisbendedknee.Aganchosentanda,whichbroughtussoclose,I
couldsmellhislight,masculinecologne.

“Nicetry,”whisperedColt.
He crushed my side against his chest, digging his fingers into my hip, and blew a

warmbreathagainstmyneck.Adeepshivershotthroughme,makingmystomachgo
tightandheavy.

Back in a standing position, he twisted me, and pulled my back against his chest,

spreading his fingers low across my belly. I was panting now, his hard body rubbing
againstme,myabstinglingunderhistouch.Ashewalkedusbackwardsinfigure-8’s,
myheelswereslippingalittleasIexecutedtheochosstep.Mybrainwasgettingalittle
foggyandIwasstrugglingwithallmymighttohangontoatleastsomeofmyoutrage
andanger.

Anythingtoprotectmefromfeelingallofthis.
Gripping my hip for another moment, Colt then let go and spun me out. Eyes

flashing,heslowlysteppedtowardsmetograbmythighandmylowerback,leaning
meover.

“I hated seeing his hands on you,” he muttered, pressing his forehead to mine,

staringstraightintomyeyes.

AthrillshotthroughmeasIrealizedwhatthiswasallaboutnow.Theblondeguy.

Colt had been trying to stay away from me, but he couldn’t stand the thought of
someoneelsehavingme.

Itriedtotellmyselfthatmygleewasjustbecauseofmyplan.Thatsettingthehook

deepwasthebestwaytogetthejobdone,butIcouldn’tdenytheadrenalinepulsing
throughmeatthethoughtofhisjealousy.

Back upright, he pulled my leg around his waist, fingers caressing my bare thigh.

BeforeIcouldstopmyself,Irememberedthefeelingofhimbetweenmylegs,bringing
metoearth-shatteringecstasy,andhowIcriedouthisname.

Ilookedawayaswemovedacrossthefloor.Wecoulddance,butthatdidn’tmeanI

hadtolookathim.ThistimeItriedtospeeduptoforcehimtofollowmylead,butColt
won out again. I had no idea how a muscle-head this big could keep up with me. I
couldn’tbelievehisskills,either.Hisdancingwasjustasquick,smoothandsharpashis
tongue.

Smooth and gorgeous as the day is long, but brilliant and lethal. I recalled my

cousin’swords,andbitmylip.

ButthewarningmeltedawayasColt’schestpressedagainstmineinthemolineteas

he steered me in a tight, deliberate circle. My breasts seemed extra sensitive, nipples
hard,anddesperateforhistouch.Itriedtopullback,feelingsoexposed,sovulnerable,
buthejustlockedmeincloser.

Then his thigh slid between my legs during the final spin, and he held me there,

pressingitupwards.Asmallgaspescapedmylips.Inspiteofmyself,mybackarched,

exposingmyneck,andColtlaidaghostofakissonit.

Bythetimeheyankedmebackupright,Iwasgasping,butColtwascoolascouldbe.

Hisfaceserious,hepulledmeincloseasthemusicdriftedaway,ourlipsmereinches
apart.Ourbreathmingledandmylipstingledinanticipation.Hishandswereholding
ontomesotightly,itborderedonpain.ApainIneverwantedtoend.

Applause shattered over us, and I blinked as the room came back into focus.

WhistlessplittheairandColtsteppedback.

Abroad,cockysmileonhisface,hegesturedtowardme,andbowed.
“Ifyoulikedwhatyousaw,ladiesandgentlemen,youknowwheretofindus.AndI

personally promise you that Club Magariwill be just as entertaining, if not more so,
everynight!”

More applause as people surged forward, eager to talk to Colt. Buffeted by the

crowd, I managed to fight my way off the dance floor and escape backstage. It was
deserted,thankGod,andIflewintomydressingroom.

AdrysobescapedmeasIshutthedoorbehindmeandleanedagainstit.Myentire

bodywasshaking.Colthadfrustratedmeateveryturn.Turningmeemotionallyinside
outandmentallyupsidedown.JustwhenIthoughtIhadthingsonlock,hesomehow
turnedthetables.

He’devenmanagedtoturndancingagainstme.
I felt exposed in a way I’d never been before. Honestly, I had no idea what to do

next. This was too much. I’d spent years dancing, I’d done the Argentine tango a
hundredtimes.Neverhaditbeensodelicious.Sodarklyintense.

LikeeverythingwithColtCapestrana.Itwasn’tsupposedtobelikethis.Hewasmy

enemy.

Iwassupposedtobetakinghimdown,destroyinghisworld.Notlettinghimshatter

mine.

Stumblingtomyvanity,Isankdownontothestool,andburiedmyfaceinmyarms.
Ruffinosdon’tcry,princess,camemyfather’scoldvoice.
I knew that. I also knew I needed to go back out there and face the music, but I

couldn’tmove.EventhoughthiswasexactlywhatI’dwanted,Colt’seyesonlyonme,I
realizedmoreeachdaythatIwaswoefullyillequippedtohandlehim.

Takingadeepbreath,Isatupandunpinnedmyhair.ItwaskillingmyheadandI

couldn’tthinkstraight.ThenIknottedmyhandsintoitandtriednottoweep.

Pacingaround,Istayedhiddeninthedressingroom,planningonleavingassoonas

possible.Iwassounnerved,though,allIdidwastakeoffmyheels,andnothingelse.I
wastoodistractedtolistentothelogicalvoicetellingmetogetmyboots,mycoat,and
haulass.

WhatamIdoing?WhydidIthinkIcoulddothisalone?
MoreofLisa’swordsresoundedinmyhead,likethevoiceofreason.
You’reaballerina,notagangster.
Maybeshewasright.Maybethiswasallabigmistake.MaybeIwasoutclassedby

thisopponent.

I’dnoideahowmuchtimehadpassedsinceI’dhiddenawayinmydressingroom,

but,pressingmyeartothedoor,Icouldn’thearanythingfromtheoutside.Hurrying
across the room, I picked up my coat, and then saw myself in the mirror. I was still

flushed,myeyessparkling,andsweathadsmudgedmymakeup.IlookedlikeI’djust
hadsex.

ThehickeyfadingonmyneckstuckoutlikeabrandandIlaidahandoverit.
Colt,whatareyoudoingtome?
Asthoughtoanswermyquestion,mydoorswungopen.Coltstormedinandkicked

the door shut behind him. I watched him in the mirror as my heart pounded in my
throat.

Takingdeepbreaths,Itoldmyselftomakenice.Keepinghimclosewastheplan.
Butmyemotionswererampaging,mybloodwasboiling,andmyeyeswerefilled

withunshedtears.SlowlyIturnedaround,rubbingmyarms.

Hisgazedrilledintomeasheturnedthelockonthedoor.
“What’reyou—?No,I’mgoinghome,Colt,”Isaid,mypulseskitteringwildly.
“Likehellyouare.”
Weglaredateachotherforalongmoment.
Suddenlyitwaslikeadamburstinsideofmeasallmyemotionsflaredupatonce.I

couldn’ttakeitanymore.

“Oh,okay.Letmegetthisstraight.Ontheelevator,youwantme,butthenyoudon’t

callme.Idon’tevenseeyoufordays,butthenyouseeaguylikesme,soyouwantme
again.All over me infront of everyone likeI’m yours. Well, I’m not, and I can’t deal
with your games, tonight, Colt.” A soft, sad sound escaped me, and I struggled for a
second,thensnapped,“Go.Justgo.”

HisfacewentbonewhitelikeI’dstruckanerve,andhard.Takingastepback,my

eyes went wide as Colt strode across the room. He slammed me against the wall,
pinningmyshoulderwithonehand,andgrabbingmychinwiththeother.

Forcingmetomeethisgaze,hesnarled,“Makenomistake,Rabbit.Ialways want

you.Everyminute,wakingorasleep.You’reallIthinkabout.”Hisfingersduginalittle
tighter,ashisvoiceshook.“Thewayyoutaste.Thewayyousmell.Ican’tfocus.Ican’t
think.”

Dragging his hand down my neck, Colt gently slid his fingers around it, and then

trailedthemdownlower,tomyheart.

“I’mafuckingwreck.You’redestroyingme,Rabbit.AndifI’mgoingdown,yousure

asfuckaregoingwithme.”

“

C H A P T E R N I N E

Colt

-whatdoyoumean?”Bellaasked,agaspflutteringfromherchest.

“You heard me,” I growled, not letting her move an inch. A pang tore

throughmeasItookinherflushedcheeksandshiningeyes.Hadshebeencrying?

Nevermindsheactuallylookedstunnedthatshehadthiseffectonme.Herentire

bodywastrembling.Anditjustmademewantherallthefuckingmorebecausethat
meantshe’dbeenjustasaffectedbywhatwashappeningbetweenus.

Leaning down, unable to hold back another second, I gently bit her lower lip.

Immediately,hersweetlittlemouthopenedandIstrokedmytongueinside.Cupping
the back of her head, I deepened the kiss. Our tongues battled, but just like on the
dancefloor,Iwrestledtheleadawayfromher.

She had to know I meant every last word. That, yeah, she had me on lock, but

goddamnit,shewasminenow.

Finally,webrokeapart,andItangledmyfingersinhersofthair.Tryingtohidehow

overwhelmedIfeltfromjustthatkiss,Igrinned.

Tiltingherhead,somethingflickeredinhereyes.Shepulledinadeepbreath.“Colt,

maybethisisn’t—”

“No.Let’sgetacouplathingsstraight.”Iheldontohereventighter.“First,Inever

sayshitIdon’tmean.Second,thisisthefarthestthingfromagame.”Myvoicescraped
againstmythroat.

ThenIwhirledheraroundanddippedher.Sheclutchedtightlytomysuspenders,

gazingatme,andsomethingpassedbetweenus.Bendingherovermore,Ikissedher
deeply,completelysupportingherbodyinmyarms.AsIworkedhermouth,Islidmy
legbetweenherthighs,andshegroaned.Mypantswentpainfullytight.

Pullingherbacktoherfeet,Ipickedherupwithoutbreakingourkiss.Bella’slegs

wentaroundmywaistandsherockedagainstme.Breakingourkissforamoment,I
spottedagoldchaiseloungeinthecornerofherroom.I’dforgottenwe’dputthosein
forthedancers.Walkingoveranddroppingherontothelounge,IhoveredoverBella,
anddraggedmyhandsoverherbreasts.Shearchedup,amoanspillingfromherlips.I
circled my thumbs on her pebbled nipples. I couldn’t deal with this dress anymore,
though.Iwantedtoseeherinallhergoddamnedglory.

Reachingdown,Igrabbedthedressintwohandsandrippeditapart.
“Colt!” Bella gasped. She propped herself up on her elbows and her eyes flashed.

“Well,Iguessitisyourproperty.”

Gazing down at her breasts swelling over the top of her black bra and her see-

through,lacypanties,Inodded.SlowlyImethergazeagain.“Yeah.Myproperty.”

Bitingherlip,Bellasuddenlylookedshy,andmycocksurgedinmypants.WhileI

knew there would be no way in hell, barring the apocalypse, that I was getting blue-
balledagain,Iwantedtosavorthis.Iwantedtosavorher.

Pulling Bella upright a little more, I tugged the dress off her, and then unsnapped

her bra in the same motion. She groaned as my mouth met her breast, a hand
squeezingtheother.Suckinghard,Ibitmyteetharoundthathardnub.

Bella’s fingers raked through my hair and a leg wrapped up around my waist.

Grippingherthigh,Ibuckedmycockagainsthercenter,andshemewled.

Liftingmyhead,Ikissedmywayuptoherneck,andthencoveredhermouthwith

mine. Kneading both of her plump breasts, rolling the perfect mounds between my
fingers,Iallbutfuckedhermouthwithmytongue,asIcircledmyhipsagainsthers.

Bellawasmakingsoundsdeepinherchestnow.Oh,justwait,Rabbit.
Breaking the kiss, I pressed against her harshly, squeezing her breasts. “See what

youfuckingdotome,Bella?FeelhowhardIam?You’regoingtosatisfyme,over,and
overagain.”

Looking around, I spotted a loose scarf on the floor, and snatched it up. Grabbing

herhands,andforcingthemaboveherhead,Iwoundthescarfaroundherwrists,and
knotted it. Bella was gazing at me, her entire body now flushed, and skin becoming
slickwithsweat.

Starting at the corner of her jaw, I traced my lips down across her neck, to her

collarbones,andthenlower.Ispentsometimeonherstomach,thennippedthebone
juttingfromherhip.BellabuckedagainstmeandIgrippedeachofherthighstohold
herinplace.

Then I spread her apart, rubbing one of my hands across her pussy. She was wet

andready.Takingherpantiesinmyteeth,Idraggedthemdown,andthenpulledthem
slowlyoff.

ForamomentIjuststareddownather.Bella’seyeswereadeep,sparklinggreen,

making her red hair seem brighter as it fanned around her head. Her naked body
begged for my touch. Constellations of golden freckles sprinkled down her skin. I
wantedtokisseverylastone.

Itwasfarandawaybetterthananydream.
Bella squirmed, raising her head slightly, and I held her gaze, loving how she was

watching me. Locking my hand easily around her thighs, I lowered my head, and
winked.

ThenIslidmytongueacrossherheat.
“Ah,Colt!”shecriedout,liftingherhipshigh.
“You’remynewfavoritedessert,Bella,”Isaid,shovingherbackdown.
Tracing my tongue across her again, she jerked, and moaned. Slowly I began to

trace out her name, doing the B a couple of extra times. Now Bella began writhing
under me. By the time I got to L, she was panting, arching up, and pushing her hips

towardsme.

“Yes,ohyes,Colt.Mmm,”shemurmured,twistinghertorsobackandforth.
Now I wrote out my name. Over and over again. Then I ate my dessert without

restraint,lavingthatcreamycenter.Itdroveherwild.Shewassofuckingresponsive.

WhyhadIwaitedtodothis?
Finally, Bella clenched hard, letting out a scream of bliss. Leaning back, I watched

her entire body shudder on the chaise, chest heaving, and muscles rippling with
pleasure.

“OhmyGod,”shemurmured,eyesclosed.“It’sneverbeenlikethat.”
Gettingtomyfeet,Ireachedup,anduntiedBella.Sherotatedherwristsandthen

grabbedme.Slowlyshepulledonesuspenderdown,thentheother.Whenherfingers
flewtothewaistofmypants,Ididn’tstopher.

Sheslidtoherkneeswithouthesitationandlookedupatme.Fuckifthiswasn’tthe

hottestthingintheworld,agorgeous,nakedredheadabouttosuckyouoff.Hergreen
eyesgleamed.Sheknewittoo.

Undoingmybelt,Islowlysliditoff,anddroppedit.
BellareachedformypantsandyankedthemdownbeforeIcouldevenblink.Her

eyeswentwideasshesawmyhardcock.

Withalickofherlips,Bellawrappedtwohandsaroundmyshaft,andthengently

nippedatmytip.Ijumpedasasizzleofheatshotthroughme.Shecircledhertongue
andthentookmeinhermouthdeep.Starsexplodedbehindmyeyelidsasshesucked,
drawinghard,hertongueworkingmeoverandover.

NowonderIcouldn’tgetthiswomanoutofmyhead.Shewasmagic.
I watched as Bella bobbed up and down, slowly at first, and then faster. Unable to

helpmyself,Ireacheddownandfistedahandinherhair,pickingupthepace.

ThesightofBellawithherredlipswrappedaroundmycockwasalmostenoughto

makemecomerightthenandthere.Ihadtogritmyteethtoholdmyselfback.

“Yes.Likethat,yes,”Igrowled.“Youlikebeingonyourknees,Rabbit?Ilikeittoo.”
She scraped her teeth across me, and I quivered. Bella met my gaze as she

swallowedmewhole,suckinguntilmyeyescrossed.

Jesus,Ididn’twanttocome.
Iwasn’tgoingtocome.
AndthenIwascoming,sohard,mylegsbuckled.Witharoar,Ispurtedintoherhot

mouth as adrenaline shot through me. Decadent satisfaction pounded through my
veinsand,suddenly,Ifeltinvincible.

Panting,Iletgoofherhair,andBellagazedupatme,swallowing.
Thiswomanwaskillingme.
Shestoodupandyankedmyshirtovermyhead.Hereyebrowsroseasshegazedat

mynakedbodyandIletmyeyesrunoverheragainaswell.Shewassogorgeous,both
toned,andshapely.

Bellawasn’tjustadancer,shewasallwoman.
“Turnaroundforme,”Idemandedinalowvoiceandwatchedasshedidso.Herass

waspertandperfect.“I’mgonnatakeanibbleonthat,”Isaidasshefacedmeagain.

Iwasalreadyhardagain,andherewebothfinallywere,withplentyofnightleft.

Bella

ERVES

AND

EXCITEMENT

bubbledinmychestasIstaredatColt.Darkhairsweptacrosshis

chestanddownhisstomach.Milesoflong,hardmusclesswelledunderhisoliveskin.

Deeplyridgedabs,pop-outpecs,andbroadshoulders.
Withamassive,hungcockswingingbetweenhisthickthighs.
AndthisGodwasgazingatmelikeIwasagifttohim.
He flashed a condom between his fingers, then he opened it and rolled it over

himself.

Reachingout,heleisurelypulledmetohim.Asighescapedmewhenourbareskin

met.

ThiswouldbethetimetobackawayfromthisbeforeIdrownedinhim.Thiswould

bethetimetorunbeforeheatemealive.ButmybrainwasinadeepfreezeandIwas
an animal of pure instinct. All I wanted was to be devoured by him again and again,
andthenreturnthefavor.

Coltwaswalkingmebackward.Thenheslammedmeagainstthewallagain.“Thisis

what I wanted to do when I first walked in. I could barely even think straight. Could
barelyholdback.”Hisgazewasthatofastarvingmanwho’dfoundsalvation.“NowI
don’thaveto.”

Inonemotion,hepickedmeup,holdingthebottomofeachofmythighsinhisbig

hands,andhiscockpressedagainstmypussy.

“Oh,yes,”Iwhimperedandwrappedmylegsaroundhiswaist.“Don’tholdback.I

wantyou,Colt.Iwantyousobad.”

Propping me more firmly against the wall, Colt reached down with one hand, and

teasedmyfoldswithhisbigfingers.

I let out a long cry as he slipped a finger into me. Usually I was quiet in the

bedroom,butColtmademeloud.Uninhibited.AndIlikedit.

After playing with me with his hand, he pulled out and dragged his already-hard-

again shaft against me. Moans fluttered from my throat. I’d no idea how something
thatbigwasgoingtofitinsideofme,butIdidn’tevencare.

AllIwantedwastoberavagedbyColt.Spanked.Tiedup.ScreaminghisnametillI

lostmyvoice.Hisbighandsonmybareskin.Hiscockinsideofme.Moreandmoreof
thatecstasy.

I didn’t even know who I was anymore, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

EspeciallywhenIwasinColt’sarmslikethis.Abouttobefuckedoutofmymind.

“Youwantthis,don’tyou?”Heteasedmyentranceagain.
Bitingmylip,Inodded,andsaidinabreathlessvoice,“Yes,please,yes.”
“Rightanswer.”Coltgruntedandslidtheheadofhiscockin.“Fuck,you’resotight,

Rabbit. Just like I’d thought. But also even better than I’d imagined.” He slid in more
andmybrainbegantoturntomush.

Struggling to hold on to a fraction of rationality, I asked, “You-you thought about

this?”

“Bella.”ColtlookedmedeepintheeyeandIcaughtmybreath.“Idreamed about

this.”

Andthenslidingbackoutalittle,hejerkedhishipsforward,andslidallthewayin.
Myheadfellbackagainstthewallashisgirthfilledme,stretchingme,andrubbing

thatdeeplittlebuttonofmindlessgratification.

Whenhepulledoutandslammedbackin,Ibegged,“Yes,more,pleasemore.”
With a snarl, Colt began pummeling me. I held on to his shoulders tightly, as

incoherentwhimpersandsqueaksburstfrommylips.

AllIwasconsciousofnowwasthesensationandColt’sscent.Itwashedovermeas

our bodies rose and fell together. My breasts bounced against his hard chest, his six-
pack moved against my stomach, and his fingers clenched my ass. Meanwhile, I dug
myheelsintohisback,andmyfingersintohisshoulders.

Ourskinwasrubbing,andsliding,soakedwithsweat.
Thenourlipsmetagainashemovedevenfaster,myarmslockingaroundhisneck.

Raisingmehigher,Coltbegantopoundintomeatafaster,deeperangle.

Finally,Ihadtobreakourkiss,barelyabletopullinoxygen.
WhitelightburstovermeandIfeltmywallssqueezinghardaroundhim.Pushing

myfaceintoColt’sneck,Icriedouthisnameoverandoveragain.Waveafterwaveof
pleasure rose, crested, and then rose again. It kept going, as multiple orgasms shook
throughme.

Atonepoint,IwasawareofColtalsocoming,hisbreathingraspinginmyear,and

hisgutturalgroan.

“Bella.”
Whenhesaidmyname,Ialmostcameagain.
Eitherway,itseemedtotakeforeverformetocomedownfrommyecstasy.Even

though it consumed me in an instant, ripples of satisfaction kept darting through my
body,lightingupeverysinglenerveending.

Coltwasholdingontometightly,lettinghisfingersrunthroughmyhair.Finally,he

slowlyslidoutandIwhimperedwiththelossofhim.

Forawhile,Coltheldmelikethat,asthoughhisbodywasstillrecoveringfromour

intensity,too.Thenhepressedasoftkisstomytemple,asheslidanarmaroundmy
back.Hisotherhandwasdrawingcirclesonmyass.

Thenheslappedit,joltingmeoutofmydaze.
“Hey!”Iexclaimed,raisingmyhead,andColtgrinnedmischievously.
Kissingmynose,hegavemyassanotherslap,andwhispered,“Break’sover.”
“WhosaidIwantedabreak?”Iretorted.“Youweretheone—”
But I didn’t get to finish, as Colt walked over and set me on my feet by the chaise

lounge.Thenhespunmeandslappedmyassagain.

Abouttosaysomething,Iinsteadsqueakedashepushedmyhairtotheside,kissing

thenapeofmyneck.Hishandscircledaroundtomystomach,fingersmassagingallup
anddownit.

Then he began to explore me, running down to my thighs, teasing close between

them, and back up to my breasts. His expert fingers had my nipples hard within

moments. I arched against him, stretching my arms overhead, and letting them dig
intohisscalp.

“You’regonnapayforthat,youknow,”Coltwhispered,kissingbehindmyear.
“We’llsee.”Ismiledandthengaspedasheshovedmeforward.Ifellontothechaise

lounge,myhandsproppingmeup,andassintheair.Iwiggledmybottomagainsthim.

Therewassomethingdarkanddeliciousaboutthisposition.Somethingaboutbeing

exposedandatColt’smercythatwasmakingmehalf-deliriouswithanticipation.

Plus, I’d never been taken like this before. My sex life pre-Colt seemed hilariously

vanilla.

“Fuck, Bella. I thought I was a handful.” He gave me a smack and skimmed his

fingersacrossmycheeks.Thensuddenlyhekissedthebaseofmyspine.

Myentirebodyjumpedatthecaress.I’dneverimaginedthatspotwassosensitive.

ThenColtbegantokisshiswayupanddownmyback,andmyarmsbegantoshake.

The heat between my legs was getting unbearable and I tried to rub my thighs to

releasesomeofthetension.Buthejustputhishandonmyback,holdingmeinplace.

IthoughtIheardacrinkleoffoilatonepoint,buthestilldidn’ttakeme,andIbit

downawailofdisappointment.

Suddenly Colt bit my ass and I let out a half-moan, half-laugh. He peppered kisses

acrossmycheeks,alternatingwithbites,andnowmylegswereshaking.

“Colt!”Hisnameescapedmylipsinabreathlesswhine.
Suddenly his cock impaled me and I cried out in satisfaction. Colt reached up,

tweakedmynipples,andthenbegantomoveagainstme.Gyratinghiships,hehitme
inwayshehadn’tbefore,makingspotsappearbehindmyeyelids.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I pushed against him, and met him thrust for thrust. At

first,ourpacewasdeliberate,butthenitpickedup.Soonhewasfillingeveryinchof
meinrapid-firestrokes.Hisballsslappedagainstmyass.

“Deeper,harder,faster,”Ibeggedagainandagain.Vaguely,Ifeltalmostsurprisedat

myself.

Withagrunt,ColtobligedandsoonIwasclenchingaroundhim.
“Colt,yes,oh,Colt!”IscreamedoutasIcame,theorgasmspiralingthroughmelike

awhite-hotflame,beforeburstingintoaninferno.

Eroticpleasuresparkedupanddownmyspine.Frommyfuzzybraintomycurling

toes.Everylastinchwasfulfilled,justasColthadpromised.

Hecameasecondlater,snarlinginsatisfaction,andthengavemyassahardslap.

ThepainricochetedanotherorgasmthroughmeandIclenchedaroundhimagain.

WhenColtpulledout,mylegstrembled,thengaveout.Islidtothefloor,restingmy

upperbodyonthechaiselounge.

Suddenly Colt’s arms went around me and in another second we were snuggled

together on the lounge, our bodies hopelessly intertwined. I rested my head against
him, listening to his heartbeat pound under my ear, and rubbed my cheek into his
chesthair.

Thenthebastardbegantotickleme.
“Had a feeling you were ticklish,” Colt said in a satisfied voice, as tears streamed

frommyeyes.

“Ah,notfair,”Igasped.ThenIreachedupandasked,“Areyou?”

Itriedtoticklehimback,buthegrabbedmyhands.Oureyesmetandourbreathing

becameheavy.Inanothermomentwewerekissingagain.

Mylastcoherentthoughtwasasimple,impossible,heart-breakingwish.
Ineverwantedthisnighttoend.
Becausewhenitdid?Wewouldstillbeenemies,andI’dhavenochoicebuttofinish

thejobI’dstarted.ButitwasColt’swordsthatwouldhauntme,likeapremonition.

“You’redestroyingme,Rabbit.AndifI’mgoingdown,yousureasfuckaregoingwith

me.”

C H A P T E R T E N

Colt

sImademywaybackintothebar,myheartwasjack-hammeringsoloud,Icould
hardly hear myself think. But that was probably a good thing. Because the one

thoughtIcouldn’tshakewasjusthowbadlyI’dfuckedup.IfI’deverdoubtedthatBella
washidingsomething,theterrorandguiltonherfaceasweseparatedthatlasttime,
stillgasping,wasenoughtoerasethatdoubtforgood.

Onesecondwewerelaughingandplaying,thenext,itwasdeadserious.Insteadof

fucking, we were making love. Sweet, soft and slow. When we broke apart, that
trademarksmilewasgone.She’dlookedhaunted,likeshecouldn’tgetawayfromme
fastenough.AndIcouldn’tlie.Ifeltthesamefuckingway,becausewhateverthatwas?
Whateverhadjusthappenedbetweenus?Hadknockedmeonmyass.

FromthesecondIsawheronthedancefloor,somethinghadtakenoverme.Iwas

like a man possessed. I’d risked insulting a potential client, danced the goddamn
Argentinetango,andthenbrokenoneofthefamily’smostimportantrulesbysleeping
withmyemployee.

But worst of all, I’d let her in. This sexy, hot-as-fuck dancer who was hiding

somethingdark.I’dletherintomyhead,andshehadherclawsindeep.WhatIneeded
todowasgetsomedistancebetweenusagain,ASAP.

I’dbarelyglancedatherasImademyescape,tellingherthatIhadtogetbackand

entertaintheguests.Bellajustnoddedandlookedrelieved.Thenshe’davoidedlooking
atmeasshepickedupherclothesandgotdressed.Herresponse,inaflat,distantvoice,
wasarequestthatIclosethedoortightlybehindme.

Shemayaswellhavetoldmetonotletithitmeonthewayout,too.
Heading back out into the club felt like stepping into a different world. It was like

hourshadpassed.Years,even.Forasecond,Iwasdisoriented,watchingthebandplay,
people drink, and talk. It was unreal, almost dream-like. Like I was looking at a fun
housemirror.

Bella, with her messy hair, smudged makeup, and bright freckles. Now that was

real.

Forcing a smile onto my face, I strode across the dance floor, trying to slow my

heartrate,andnotthinkabouther.

Don’tfuckthisupmorethanyoualreadyhave.
Important night, rich guests, and a family name to uphold with lots of people

counting on me and this venture to pay their bills. How had I allowed myself to lose
sightofthat,evenforasecond?

ThenBella’sgreeneyes,softwithdesire,invadedmybrain.Ileanedagainstawall,

tryingtogetmybearingsandfindthefuckingbar.Damn,Ineededadrink.

Nearby,IsawDanteentertainingacrowdedtable.Heexcusedhimselfwhenhesaw

meandhurriedover.ThenhiseyebrowsshotupasIdraggedhimintoaquietcorner
where we could talk. I couldn’t take it anymore. In fact, I was almost tempted to tell
himtoslugmeinthefaceandwakemethefuckup.NotthatsweetDantewoulddoit,
butstill.

“Whereyoubeen,man?Peoplearelookin’foryou,”Dantehissedatme,foldinghis

arms, and looking aggrieved. I must have been gone even longer than I thought.
Shiftingfromfoottofoot,heshookhishead.“Iwasmakingupanswerstosomeofthe
questions people were asking. I hope I didn’t fuck anything up for the club. Colt, are
you okay? If you got the flu, go home, call Mama Ange to make you some soup or
something.”

Shakingmyhead,Ismoothedahandovermyjaw,atalossastowhattotellhim.
“Nofriggingway,”Dantesnapped,staringashisarmsfelltohisside.“Noway!Axe

wasright?Ithoughthewasjustbeingsappy‘causeofthepecorelle.”

Nowthathe’dsolvedthemystery,therewasnopointintryingtolie.Bettertoadmit

it and move along. “I was with the redhead. Shit happens, but it’s fine. Now I can
concentrate.”Iofferedhimaghostofasmirk.

“Checazzo,”Danteuttered,lookingshocked,andthenhecrossedhimselflikeMama

Ange was standing right there. “Cuz, I love you, but have you lost your goddamn
mind?”

“IthinkImighthave,”Iadmitted,staringaroundtheclubunseeingly.BeforeIcould

evenblink,Dantepunchedmehardintheshoulder.Morestunnedthanhurt,Ichoked
backastringofcurses.“Whatthefuckwasthatfor,youdumbass?”Dantewasn’tAxe,
haulingoffwheneverhegottheslightestbittweaked.

“You’re the dumbass here. Wake up, Cosimo! You think Uncle Sal would be okay

withyouevenlookingather?BesidesBella’s…”Danteloweredhisvoice.“She’snota
hooker,she’sadancerandourheadliner.Youknowhookersareoff-limits,nevermind
employees.She’sbeenaroundlessthanamonth.Whoknowswhathermotivesare?”

ThathadalwaysbeenPop’sbiggestconcern.Youfuckedthehelpanddidn’tmarry

them?Thentheyhadallthedirtaboutthebusinessandcoulduseittofuckyou.

Notinthegoodway.
AndneverhadDantesaidwiserwords.Hewasdeadright.Ididn’tknowanything

aboutBella,orwhyadancerlikeherwasworkingataclublikethis,anditwastimeI
foundout.

Rubbingmyshoulder,Inodded.“Iknow,Dante.Ifuckedup.”
“Yousureyouknow?‘Causeyoucould’vefooledme.Yougottaknockitoff,walking

around,andactinglikeyouownthesegirls.”

“It’s not all the girls,” I muttered, feeling shamed and fighting the urge to laugh.

Rarely did I get scolded by Dante. Especially a serious Dante. The sense of the

surrealismofthesituationincreased.

“What?”heasked,tiltinghisheadtowardsme.
“It’sjusther,”Iadmitted.“Bella.”MyvoicewasallgritasIsaidhername.
Dantehelduphishandsandshookhishead.“Whatever.You’retheboss,cuz.”
Thenhewalkedaway,andthrewahard,speculativelookoverhisshoulderthatsaid

itall.

Youdoyou,bro.Butit’sgonnabiteyouintheass.Andsoon.
Aflusteredhostessmaterializedatmyelbow,divertingmyattention.
“Mr.Capestrana,I’msorrytobotheryoulikethis,butsomeoftheclientsaregetting

abitupsetaboutthedelayofthetour.Someofthemwereplanningonleavingbynow,
Iguess.ButIdidn’tknowwhethertostartwithoutyou.”

“Tour?Shit,that’sright.I’lltakeitfromhere,thanks,”Isaid,paddingovertowhere

aclusterofpeoplewerewaitingbythestairs.

“What’s going on, Capestrana? Rooms not done yet?” asked a slick-haired suit. “I

needtogethomesoonorthewife’llstartaskingquestions.”

Resistingtheurgetodeckhim,Ismiled.“Justbuildingtheanticipation,folks.”
Iledthegroupupstairs,tryingtofocus,butmyentirebodywasonhighalertlikeI’d

just downed a bunch of espresso shots laced with tequila. My mind kept darting
betweenBellaandbusiness.

Shewaswinning.
Climbingfaster,Ibroughtthemtothetopfloorfirst,soastoworkourwaydown.

Opening the door to one of the suites, I let them inside and my heart lurched as I
followedthemin.

Oh,fuckme.
Eachsuitehadbeendeckedoutbasedonapopularfantasy.Roomsweredesignedin

everykindofstyle,everythingfromanoceanlinerstateroom,toatowerinacastle,to
medievaldungeons,andevensci-fispaceships.Costumescouldberented,too.

But of course, without thinking, I’d brought the tour group right into the one that

was a play on Wonderland. Exotic plants burst from the corners, the walls were
decoratedwithplayingcards,andphraseslike“we’reallmadhere”.Thebedwaspiled
with pillows, covered with a gorgeous silk coverlet, and the posts were carved like
trees.

Fun,wild,andsinfullydecadent,allatthesametime.
Bellawouldlovethis.
In spite of myself, I walked over to the bed, and held on to one of the posts. As I

stared at it, images of my redhead, wearing bunny ears, and cuffed to the headboard
dartedintomymind.

Throat tight, I grimaced, and turned around, starting the pitch. Meanwhile, Bella

loungedonthebedbehindmeinjustapairofbunnyears,lickingherlips.Somehow,I
managednottolookatitagain.

People were intrigued and started asking questions. One woman was obsessing

aboutusingtheroomsaftersomeoneelsehadalreadyusedthem,andIcouldn’teven
thinkofagoddamnjoketochillherout.

After her eighth question, I finally snapped. “Madam, I understand your concern,

but surely you know people fuck in hotel rooms as well? We will be diligent about

makingsureourroomsareclean.”

Thatshutherupfast.
Butwitheachsuite,moreandmorefantasiesaboutBellaloopedthroughmymind.

Andbythetimewegottotheendofthethirdfloor,Iwasbreakingintoacoldsweat
tryingnottothinkabouther,andwishingthatladywouldstartaskingaboutbedbugs
again.

Onthesecondfloor,whileflauntingthekinkrooms,itgotevenworse.Eachonejust

mademethinkofthenightofBella’saudition.Nevermindallthemany,manythings
I’d like to do with her in these very rooms. Then I remembered how flustered she’d
beeninthesexstore,gazingaroundatthewhips.HowIteasedherbythreateningto
useoneonher.She’dbeensoadorablyindignant.

Showingoffthetoysbecamepuretorture.IwasthirstingafterherlikeIwasbaking

underahotsun,andshewastheonlythingthatwouldquenchmythirst.Icouldstill
hearhergaspsandmoans,thathighnoteshehitwhencallingoutmyname.Stillsee
herglorious,sweaty,andnakedbody.

In spite of myself, in the very last room, I imagined her gorgeous ass, pink from

beingflogged,andwentinstantlyhard.

Fucking A. No, Bella couldn’t quench my thirst. The woman was like drinking salt

water.NomatterhowmuchIgot,Ijustwantedmore.

EspeciallynowthatI’dtastedher.
Theonlyquestionwas,whatwoulditcostme…
AnddidIevencareanymore?

C H A P T E R E L E V E N

Bella

venthoughitwas39degreesoutside,Iwasdrivingwiththewindowsdown,letting
the wind tear through my hair, and the bass pump. Checking the GPS, I took the

nextexitoffthehighway.ThenIturneduptheradioandforcedmyselftofinishmy
icedcoffee.

Ihadtowakeupmore.
Hot 97 shook the mirrors as it blasted out a new song by Drake. I was barely

listeningtoit,though.Aswasbecominganalarmingpattern,Ihadn’tsleptlastnight.
No,insteadI’dspenthourstossingandturningoverColt.

Again.
Myentirebodyfeltnumb.Andnotfromthecold.
This time, instead of resisting that temporary amnesia Colt seemed to cause me

everytimeIwasinhispresence,I’ddivedin.NotonlyhadIwillinglysleptwithhim,I’d
wantedit.

Istillwantedit.TwoshowerslaterandIcouldstillsmellhiscologne.
Ikeptwonderingifhewasthinkingaboutme.Myheadwasfullofhim.Laughingat

lunch,ourfirstkiss,dancing,andthenthesheerintensityoftheintimacybetweenus.

Worstofall?Foramomentlastnight,nestledagainsthim,I’dallowedmyselftofeel

happy,andsafe.Daydreamedaboutthingsthatcouldneverbe.Second-guessedwhatI
wasdoing.

AndnowIwaslosingmygoddamnedmind.
Ithadtakenmeanhourtogetoutofmyapartmentthismorning.I’dsleptthrough

myalarm,couldn’tfindmypurse,ormyshoes.Oh,andthenIgotlostonthewayto
theZipCarparkinglot.

Blowingoutmycheeks,ImadeamentalnotetocallLisaaftermyvisitwithJustin.

Right now, my soul was in tatters. It was like Bella Ruffino was being shredded apart
piecebypieceandsoonthere’dbenothingleft.MaybeLisacouldgetmestraight.

Chewingonmystraw,IpulledontothewoodeddriveleadingtoNewYorkStateFCI.

Up until a month ago I’d never known FCI meant Federal Correction Institution. I’d
neverknownyoucouldn’twearahat.I’dneverknownyouhadtobeonanapproved
listtovisit.

Milesofbarbedwirerearedupasthewoodsfellaway,andmynerves,alreadyshot,

keyed up another level. My only exchanges with my brother had so far been over
recorded phone lines. I’d told him what I could about my plan with Colt, hoping he
could read between the lines, and he had. In fact, he’d been the only one who had
encouraged me. Talking to him, seeing him now, would surely bolster the flagging
senseofinjusticeandangerinsidemeandgetmyheadbackinthegame.

AtfirstI’dlookedforwardtothistrip,tellingJustinhowIgotagigasadanceratthe

club, and had Colt in the palm of my hands. But now those hands were shaking as I
parkedthecarandsteppedoutside.IwasterrifiedmyfacewouldgiveawaywhatI’d
doneor,worse,howIwasfeeling.

Gettinginsidetookawhile.Therewaspaperwork,apat-down,astern-facedofficer

explainingtherules,andfinallyahorriblebuzzingsoundasIwasusheredintoadim,
greyroom.Immediatelythestaleairmademewanttoscream.Myskincrawledwhen
thedoorshutbehindme.

WhatifIgetstuckinhere?Whatifthere’sariot?
There were a series of tables around the room, a few filled with men, and their

families.AsIsatdown,morethanoneofthemgavemeanonce-over.ImmediatelyI
wishedI’ddownplayedmyoutfitmore,althoughIknewtherewasnothingIcoulddo
aboutmyhair.Itwasprobablythebrightestthinginthedankroom.

Anotherhorriblebuzz,thenahuge,rippedguardescortedamancuffedaroundthe

frontintotheroom.Jerkingaway,themansnapped,“Icanwalkonmyown,thanks.”

“Keep talkin’ like that Ruffino and we’ll take away visitor rights again,” the guard

gruntedback.

“Fuckoff,lard-ass.”
Justin?
Mymouthdroppedopenasthemanwhirledandhisgrey-greeneyeslandedonme.

Rising to my feet, half-inclined to run, half-inclined to throw myself on him, the big
guard’shandshotup.

“Notouching,I’msorry,miss.”Thenhehissedinmybrother’sear,“Callmelard-ass

againandyou’rebackintheshoe.”Mybrothercrossedhiseyesandtheguardshoved
himtowardsme.

“Bouttime,Bells.Wherewereyouyesterday?ItwasthefirstdayIcouldgetvisitors

andnobodycame,”mybrotheraskedashesatdown.

“Ihadtowork,I’msosorry.”Iwasstaringatthisman,tryingtoreconcilehimwith

theboyI’dhelpedacrosspuddleswhenhewassmall.He’dbeenwide-smiled,andfull
of pranks. An adorable imp. Or maybe I’d half-expected the awkward, rather sullen
teenwho’dvisitedmeinEuropeahandfulofyearsago.

But this man? This man looked older than me, grey-skinned, scowling. Body hard

withmuscle,eyesevenharder.Wasthiswhatacouplemonthsinprisondidtoaman?

NauseaslickedmybellyandIswallowedthebilethatrosetomythroat.
“How’rethingsgoin’?”Justinasked,bitingafingernail,ashisgazeflickeredaround

theroom.

“Things are fine.” I noticed he had fresh letters poorly tattooed onto his knuckles

andtheymademyheartsqueeze.

Forza.

Italianfor“strength”.Hadhebeenfeelingsoalone...sobeatendownthatheneeded

to call on his inner fortitude just to get through the day in this place? All these years
across the pond, and I was only just realizing that maybe what had felt like a
punishmentmighthavebeenablessing.Itwasatoughlifeskirtingtheedgeofthelaw,
andtheconsequencesofthatlifewerecruelandswift.

“Newjobworkin’outforyou?”Justin’seyes,rimmedwithred,narrowedatme.
“Oh,yes,verywell.He’sstartingtoreallytrustme.I’minJussie.”Ileanedforward,

tryingtotakehishandforevenasecond,buthejerkedaway.

“Don’tcallmethat.”Justinscowled.“Don’tmessthisup,Bells.Youhaven’texactly

beenthereformewhenIneededyou.”

IpulledawaylikedI’dbeenslapped.
“I’m sorry. But I wasn’t permitted to come and go as I pleased, Justin. I saw you

wheneverIcould.WehadfunwhenyouvisitedEurope,remember?Takingthetrain,
goingtothemuseums?”

Justin shrugged. “Yeah, kinda. I don’t know, my memory is pretty shot. Weeks in

theshoewilldothattoyou.”

Tuggingonmycollar,Itriedtopretenditdidn’tfeellikethewallswereclosinginon

me.“Don’ttellmeyoudon’trememberthemimes?Whenyouwerelikenine,andhow
weweregonnastartourownshow?”Itriedtotease.“Weevenpracticedbeingtrapped
inabox,remember?”Myvoiceshookalittle.

Justinstaredatme,scratchinghisface.“Whatthefuckareyoutalkin’about,Bells?”
Whoareyou?Iwantedtoask.
Thisman,wrappedupinacold,persistentrage,wasnotmybrother.NotasIknew

him,anyway.Ithitmelikeablowandasharppainpulsedinmychest.

JustinRuffinowasdead.
TheCapestranashadkilledhim,justlikethey’dkilledmyfather.
Andthishardshellwasallthatwasleft.
Digging my nails into my palms, I leaned forward again, and told Justin a little bit

abouttheaudition.Buthewavedhisarms,thecuffsjangling,andglaredatme.

“Look,Idon’tcareaboutthatstuff.Weneedtotalkaboutthefutureandhowwe’re

goingtogetbackwhat’sours.HowmuchmoneyisthatbastardCapestranapullingin
withthatclub?ThatwasallDad,y’know.Theyfuckin’jackedhimonthatshit,too.How
isitokayforthemtorunasexclubbutwhenwewerebasicallydoingthesamething,
wegotrolledforit?”HisvoicewasrisingandIshotanervouslookattheguards.

“Justin,”Iwhispered.“Calmdown,it’sallgoingfine.Justgonnatakealittletime.”
“I don’t have fucking time!” Justin roared at me. Rearing up, his fist shot out and

connected with the table. His knuckles instantly tore open and I jumped back. “I’m
doingfuckingtimebecauseofthem,andeverydayIhavetowatchmybackbecause
theygotguysinheretryingtoshankme,sodon’tlecturemeabouttime.Theclockis
runningoutforme.”

“Hey!”thebigguardyelled,bustlingover.
“Weneedleverageandweneeditfast,beforeIwindupdeadinhere.”Hewason

hisfeet,twoguardschargingtowardshim,andstillglaringatme.“Theycausedallof
this! Fucking rats. What happened to the omerta? The Trinacria agreement?
Capestranas’ actin’ so fucking high and mighty, just so they can swoop in, ruin

everything,andtakeitforthemselves!Andjust‘causeonestupidwhore—”

Mybrotherchokedastheguardputanarmaroundhisneckandpulledhimaway

fromthetable.Blooddrippedontotheflooranditsnappedmeoutofmydaze.

“No,wait,I’msorry,itwasmyfault—”Istartedtosaytotheguard,gettingtomy

feet,butanotherguardsteppedforward,shakinghishead.

“I’msorry,buthe’saloosecannon.Hehastoleavenow.Andwe’reprobablygoing

tohavetotakehisvisitorrightsawayagain.”

“But…”Itrailedoff,staringatJustin.
Almost at the door back into the prison, Justin shoved against the big guard and

turnedaroundtomeetmytear-blurredgaze.

The second guard pushed me back, then threw his hand out. “Ruffino, don’t do

anythingyou’llregret.”Hisotherhandwasonhisgun.

Horrorrisinginme,IwavedatJustin.“Jus,it’sfine.It’sgonnabeokay.”
“Yeahitwill,ifyoudon’tfuckitup.TheCapestranasputabulletinourfather,Bells.

Don’tyoufuckingforgetthat.”

“Ruffino!”thebigguardsnapped,grabbingJustinbythescruffofhisneck.“Move!”
ThefollowingfiveminuteswereablurasIlefttheprisonandpracticallyrantomy

car.ThenextthingIknewIwassittinginthedriver’sseat,suckingindeepbreaths.For
a second my vision swam and I thought I was going to throw up. I hung on to the
wheelwithsweatyfingers,andfelttheworldspinaroundme.Tearsstillswaminmy
eyes,butIcouldn’tevenbringmyselftocry.

AllIwantedtodowascurlintoaballandfallasleepforhours.Numbthepain.Butit

wasatwo-hourdrivebacktomyapartment.AndIdidn’tthinktheprisonwouldlook
kindlyonmenappingintheparkinglot.

Disbeliefslowlyturnedintobitteranger.
I’dhopedwhenIsawJustin,we’drekindleoursameoldbanter.Theclosenesswe’d

shared when he was little or even the fun we’d eventually had when he’d come to
Europe as a teen. I did recall how hard it had been to coax him out of his shell back
then,butIthoughtbynowhe’dhavecomefullcircle,passingthoseawkwardyearsand
revertingtothefun-loving,happypersonhe’dbeenwhenhewassmall.

Andheprobablyhadbeen,Irealizedwithastart.Whenbusinesshadbeengoodand

Dadhadbeenalive.Buthisfatherandminehadbeengunneddownincoldbloodand
Justin had spent the past weeks staring at the same four walls. That would change
anyone.

My little brother was lost to me—maybe for good—and it was all because of the

Capestranas.

Istaredoutthewindowatthehugebuildingasangerandpainstormedthroughmy

chest, and I closed my eyes. I would harness this feeling. I would remember this
terrible,uglygashacrossmyheartandsoul.

IwouldnotletColtCapestranadestroymethewayhisbrotherdestroyedmine.
Openingmyeyes,Iturnedonthecar,andstartedtodrive.Catchingsightofmyself

inthemirror,Isawacoldfacewithasetjawreflectedbackatme.

Good.Angerwasbetterthanfearandvulnerability.AllthethingsColthadmademe

feel.

I’dhadsomesetbacks,butthisgamewasn’tover.Istillhadtoplayit.Onlysmarter.

Norunning,nolookingback,noguilt.

IhadtomakeColtfallinlovewithme.Andthen?Iwouldusethatlovetomakehim

payforwhathe’ddonetomyfamilynomatterwhattheprice.

C H A P T E R T W E L V E

Colt

heckingmyphoneagain,Ifrownedatthenotificationsscreen.ThenIpunchedout
atextandwaited.

“Another one? Who’re you texting, grumpy-puss?” Diane teased, slinging Trent’s

backpackoveroneshoulder,andcheckingherwatch.Thensheyelled,“Junior,let’sgo!
Now!”

“Ninja Turtle backpack really brings out your eyes. You should wear it tonight,” I

retorted.

Infact,Dianekindacouldpulloffthecartoonturtleslook.Alwayschicandelegant,

shewasdressedtotheninesinalongblackeveninggown.I’dbeenbabysittingandshe
camebytopickupTrentforsomefancyparty,onethatIalsowassupposedtogoto.
Andeventhoughshe’dbeenunderstandingwhenI’dbeggedoff,exhaustedfromclub
stuff,Istillhadtoendureahalf-hourofball-busting,DianeListyle.

“Uhoh,someoneresistingthemaestroofcharm?”HereyestwinkledasTrentcame

gallopingover.

Trent slung his arms around my waist, saving me the trouble of making up a

response.

“Mom,Idon’twannagotosomestupidoldpeopledinner.Can’tIstay?”
I ruffled his floppy dark hair. “Hey, your grandpa doesn’t retire every day, kiddo.

Besides,lotsofgoodgrub.I’mmissin’out.”

Trentrolledhiseyes.“I’dratherstayhere,eatleftovers,andplayvideogameswith

you.”

“Noway!Myego’stakenenoughofabruisingtodayafterthebeatingsyou’vebeen

dolingout,T-man.Besides,you’regonnalooksharpinthatsuitthatthetwinspicked
outforyou.Youwouldn’twanttodisappointAva,right?”

A flush of pink rolled over Trent’s face and he pulled away looking both

embarrassedandpleased.He’dnursedahugecrushonAvaforever.

Dianemouthedthankyouatme.
Winking,Isaid,“Havefunyouguys.”
“Seeya,UncleColt.Thanks.”Trentwavedasherushedoutthedoor.
Dianelingeredforasecond,lookingmeover.“Needmetogoknocksenseintothe

broadforyou,oryougood?”

“No,there’snobroad.Itstillrainingout?”
“Subtle subject change.” Diane applauded lightly. “Sleeting now, should be a fun

drive.Andyousure,Colt?You’relookingrough.”

“HonestlyDi,howdoyousleepatnight?HereIam,watchingyourprogenyallday

soyoucouldgetdolledup,andI’mgettingflackfornotgettingdolledupmyself?And,
yesI’msure.”

“Mhm, okay. Well, looks to me like you’re pining. That’s really why you’re not

coming,isn’tit?Gonnawatchasappymovieandeaticecream?”Dianemadeacomical
faceandthensquintedatme.“So,needabackgroundcheckonher?”

I grinned and shook my head. Trent Sr. always loved when Diane gave me shit

aboutwomen.He’dbehappytoknowthetraditionwasstillgoingstrong.

Whatwouldshefindonyou,Bella?
Bella,whoIhadn’theardfrominacoupleofdays,andwasstartingtogetseriously

concernedabout.Infact,IwantedtosendmycousinsNickyandRoscotogocheckon
herfromafar.Iwasgoingtoholdoffonemoredaysoasnottobestalkerish.Andasfor
Diane’soffer,Iwasn’tabouttotellherthis,butI’dalreadydonemyownsearchingthe
night before. I had only found out one thing. Something that I’d pretty much known
fromthestart.

BellaLesaudewasdefinitelynotherrealname.
“Hello,Colt?Yesorno?Gimmeaname,I’llhaveherdirtinminutes.”Dianetapped

herfoot,glancingoverhershoulderatTrentdoingkarateinthehallway.

“Nah,it’sfine.Ilikethemystery.”Lie.Ifuckinghatedthemystery.“Thanks,though.

Andhey,tellyourdadcongrats.”

“Youcouldtellhimyourself,youknow.”Dianegavemeapointedlook.
Iwinced.“Iknow,sorry,I’mtheworst.Iamjustso,sobeat.”
“Pining,”shesangout.
“Goodnight,Di,”Isaid,shuttingthedoor.
Walking back into my apartment, I glanced around, and let out a long sigh. Trent

andthedoghadmoreorlesstorntheplaceapart.Toyswerescatteredeverywhere,a
half-collapsedblanketfortwasinonecorner,andsnackswerestrewnacrossthetable.

Toro,completelywornoutfromTrent’santics,wasnowsnoozinginthecornerwith

hislegsupintheair.WishingIcoulddothesame,Iinsteadbegancleaningup,while
tryingnottoworryaboutBella.ButIwasstartingtothinkthatwasanimpossibletask.

Womanwasdoinganumberonme.Ihadbeentryingtogetincontactwithherfor

days.Sofar?Noresponse.Thatwasanewone.

SomepartofmefeltlikeIshouldberelieved,gratefuleven,butinsteadIalternated

between worrying about her and wondering where things stood between us. I was
torn.IknewIshouldstayaway,butsomehowIcouldn’t.

Plus,tomorrowwastheclub’sopeningnight,andIwasreallyhopingIhadn’tcostus

our lead dancer. She hadn’t even responded to Dante’s texts, which made me really
uneasy.Icouldbeanass,butDante?Hewasforeverloveable,inspiteofmystill-aching
shoulder.

Jules was giving her till tomorrow morning, then she was going to go to her

apartmenttocheckuponher.

I could wait, right? She probably just needed some time away from me to get her

thoughtsstraight.Whathadhappenedbetweenushadbeenpowerfulstuff.

Pausinginthecleanup,Isankontothecouch,anditchedatthescruffonmyface.

Trent had been calling me a caveman as I hadn’t shaved in days. I’d been too
distracted.

Maybe I shouldn’t wait. What if whatever she’d been running from in her past had

finallycaughtupwithher?

Diditmakemeacrazystalkeroraconcernedbosstosendmymeatheadcousinsto

makesuremyleaddancerhadn’tskippedtown?Thatshewasstillbreathing?

Grabbingmyphone,IbroughtupNicky’snumber,mythumbhoveringoverthecall

button.

Atthatmomentasoftknocksoundedonthedoor,andIglancedatToro,buthejust

grunted.Shrugging,Igotup,guessingTrenthadforgottensomething.

Openingthedoor,Isaid,“Hey,what—”
ButthewordsdiedonmylipsasmygazecollidedwithBella’s.
“Um,hi.”Shewasshiveringonmydoorstep,teethchattering,wethairplasteredto

herhead,clothessoakedthrough,andherfacesowhite,herfreckleslookedlikespecks
ofdarkink.

“Bella?”Iasked,wonderingifIwashallucinating.
“Sorrytobotheryou,butuh…”Sheattemptedasmile,butthenherfacecrumpled

andtearsstreakeddownherface.

Had she been out walking in this God-awful weather? Regaining my powers of

locomotion,Ipulledherin.“Bella,whathappened?Wherehaveyoubeen?”

Sheseemedshell-shocked,hereyesunfocused.“Oh,I’msorry,ithasbeenacoupla

days…”

Coldfearcreptupmyspinelookingather.Allofthelightandsparklewassnuffed

outofher.

Isteeredhertowardsthebathroom.“Let’sgetyououtofthosewetclothesbefore

youcatchpneumonia.Takeahotshowerandthenwe’lltalk.I’llgetyousomethingto
wear.”

“Thankyou,”Bellasaidinasmallvoice.
Onceshewasinthebathroom,Irushedintotheguestroomsetasideformysisters,

anddugthroughthedrawers.Nodice.Christ,theonetimeIneededsomething.Pulling
outmyphone,IcalledDiane,andasmugvoiceanswered.

“BellaLesaude,huh?”
“Excuse me?” I asked, thrown. Maybe Diane hadn’t been kidding about being

psychic.

“That’stheredheadIjustletintothebuilding,lookingforyou.She’sgorgeous,ifa

littlewater-logged,”Dianesaid,cluckinghertongueatme.“IpromiseIwon’tlookinto
her…Yet.”

“Santo cielo,” I muttered. “You’re the worst sister-in-law ever. Your husband is

probablylaughinghisassoffinheaven,though.”

“I’msureofit.Sowhatdidyoucallmefor?”
“MindifIborrowclothesforher?”
“Sure.Now,youbenicetoher,Colt.Shelookedlikeasad,littledrownedcat.Good

thingshe’sgottheCapestranaprincewrappedaroundherpinkyfinger.”

“Good night, Diane. Drive safe,” I murmured and hung up. Glancing at Toro as I

padded into the kitchen to find the spare key, I called out, “You know she’s texting
Trinarightnow,sothewholefamily’llknowallmybusinesswithinthehour,right?So
muchforthreateningAxeandDantetokeepitontheDL.”

I jogged downstairs and into Diane’s apartment, grabbed a handful of clothes, and

headed back upstairs. Bella was still in the shower, so I rapped once and left the pile
outside the door. Then I went into the kitchen, grabbed the kettle, and flicked on the
stove.

InspiteofthefactthatBellahadshownupterrified,freezing,andsoakingwet,there

wasahumofreliefbuzzingthroughme.Shewasphysicallyunharmedandshehadn’t
lefttown.ThosetwothingsmeantmoretomethanIwantedtoconsider.

“Toro, you gonna keep sleeping or what? You want supper?” He blinked one eye

open and then rolled over. “Yeah, Trent was a wild man today. Too much Cap’n
Crunch.Mybad.”

“Are you talking to your dog?” Bella asked, appearing in the doorway. She was

wearingabaggygreyshirtandpajamapants.Herfacewasfresh,herwethairknotted
upinabun,andsomeofthesparklehadcomebackintohereyes.

“Yup.Ilikeitbecausehedoesn’ttalkbacktome.”Iwalkedtowardsher.“Hey,you.

Clothesokay?”

“Perfect.”Bellaclosedthedistancebetweenusandwrappedherarmsaroundme.A

joltofhappinesssangthroughmeandIhuggedherback.“SorryI’vebeenMIA.”

“You’regrown.ButIgottaadmit,Iwasgettingalittleworriedaboutyou.”Ihadn’t

meanttosaythatoutloud,butthereitwas.“Bella…”Ipulledback,holdingherelbows,
andlookingintoherface.

The teakettle whistled, and I let her go, pulse pounding. She followed me into the

kitchenandIsilentlymadeheramugofhotcocoa.Thenwewoundupsittingsideby
sideonthecouch.

Bellaglancedaroundwithraisedeyebrows.“Tornadogothroughhere?”Thenher

eyesfellonthepileoftoysTrentkeptinmyapartment.Herbackstiffened.“Youhave
kids?”

“Nah,nephew.Thisislikehissecondhome,hespentthedayhere.”
“Oh,okay.”ThereliefonherfacewasevidentandIsockedthatinformationaway

forlaterexamination.“That’ssweet.”

“Bella,talktome.What’sgoingon?”Iaskedgently.“Youlookedterriblewhenyou

gothere.”

Shrugging,Bellatookasipfromhermug,andsaid,“Iwasstupid.Gotrobbedonthe

street…Kidhadagun.TookallmycashfromJules,earrings,bracelets,evenmybus
pass.”

“What?”Ishottomyfeet,fistscurling,rageblastingthroughmeinarushofheat.

“Hedidn’thurtyou,didhe?”Istudiedherfaceandsheshookherhead.“Whatdidhe
look like? That fuckin’ punk, he’s dead meat. And how much cash? I’ll get it for you,
rightnow.”

“Iwasmorebummedaboutthebuspass,”Bellatriedtojoke,butthenshesighed.

“Can’tbelieveIletthishappen.I’vedoneloadsoftravelinginwaysketchierplacesand

neverhadthathappen.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” I said, kneeling in front of her. She looked down, biting her

tremblinglip.“Hey,allthatmattersisthatyou’reokay.”Reachingout,Isqueezedher
knee.

Shejustshrugged,putdownhermug,anddidn’tlookatme.“Iguess.”
“Didyoucallthepolice?”
Shenoddedslowly.“Theycaughthimafewblocksaway.Thatmightbepartofwhy

I’mcrying.Hewasyoungandlookedlikehewasalltweakedout.Probablyjustneeds
rehabandnowhe’llbestuckinthesystem.Igotmystuffback,sothatwasgood,butI
justfeel…sad.”

She had a soft heart under all that toughness, and I stroked her cheek gently. My

heartwasn’tnearlyassoft,andIwasgladthatpunk-asswasoffthestreet.

WatchingBella,IhadthesuddenurgetohaveDianecheckuponherpastafterall.I

stillcouldn’thelpbutwonderifallofthiswasbecauseofsomethingelse.

Somethingelselikewhatevershewassodesperatelytryingtohide.
PettytheftbygunpointwasprettyrareinEhlrich.Nottomention,she’dbeenMIA

fordays.Ididn’twanttothinkshewaslyingtome,butsomethingsjustweren’tadding
up.

Thatsaid,whatIwasabsolutelysureofwasthatthiswasnoact.Bellawasshakento

her core, utterly devastated by whatever had gone down. Fury and agony pounded
throughmewatchinghersufferlikethis.Nomatterwhat,Ihadtobethereforherright
now.

SuddenlyasobtorefromBella’schestandhershouldersshook.Mybodymovedon

instinct.InonemotionIhadherinmylaponthecouch,tuckingherheadundermy
chin,andwrappingmyarmsaroundher.

“Bella,Igotyou.Igotyou.”Thewordsfeltclumsy,butIforcedmyselftokeepgoing.

“IsweartoGod,I’llheaddowntothejailandmakesurethatpunklearnshislesson.”
Kissing the top of her head, I joked, “I can even get Jules to come with me, pull her
brassknuckleson‘im.That’llteach‘em.”

Bella gave me a trembling smile and fisted her hands in my shirt. “Nah. He’s got

enoughproblems.Justholdme,willyou?”

Foralongtime,wequietlysatlikethat,justholdingontoeachother.
Whentheshakingfinallystopped,Ishiftedhergentlytothesidetofindtheremote.

“I’mgoingtoputsomethingontheTVtokeepyourmindoffit,okay?”

She nodded and I turned on the TV. Going into the menu of movies, I found a

collectionofFredAstaireandGingerRogersflicksandstartedSwingTime.

Sittingup,Bellapulledherhairloose,andshookitfree.Then,reachingbehindher,

shegrabbedtheblankethangingoverthebackofthecouch.

NextthingIknew,wewerecurleduptogether,watchingLuckygetputinhisplace

bytheunflappablePenny.Bellaletoutareallaughandaknotinmychestloosened.
Breathinginherdeliciousscent,awarmglowofsatisfactionbegantofillmefromhead
totoe.

Icouldgetusedtothis.

C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N

Bella

tworked.

Everymanlovedadamselindistress.Tobethewhite-knightherowhocame

andsavedtheday.Apparently,evenasnitch,blood-traitorlikeColtCapestranawasn’t
immunetothatinstinct.

Now,though,asIsatinthecircleofhisarms,thelinebetweenrealityandfantasy

wasblurringagain,andIfeltlikeIwastumblingdownanotherrabbitholeofmyown
making.

WhydidIkeepdoingthistomyself?
AftervisitingJustin,I’dbeenfirminmyresolvethewholedrivehome.ThenIgotto

mybuilding,andwithoutthinking,hadhoppedontheelevator.Rightasthedoorshad
closed,asweet,sexytextfromColtpoppeduponmyphone.AndbythetimeIgotto
myfloor,hysteriawasrisinginme,threateningtocrackaparteverything.

CouldIreallybesocruelastomakehimfallinlovewithme?
Theattractionwasreal,evenifeverythingelsewasalie.Icouldn’tignorehowhis

honestyandalphasidehadfreedmeintheclubdressingroom.He’dmademefeellike
I was everything he’d ever wanted. And that was just one night, just the tip of the
iceberg.

Itwasintoxicating.
Onceinsidemyapartment,I’dcrawledintobed,andfallenasleepforhours.Dipping

in and out of nightmares, I’d woken myself more than once by crying out. Then I’d
slept through rehearsals the next day. When I’d gone to call in sick to Jules, another
textfromColthadappeared,andI’dhastilyhiddenmyphoneaway.

The next two days were a blur. Spinning in hopeless circles inside my mind, I’d

stayed hunkered down, too afraid to face the world, too broken from my visit with
Justin.I’dslept,thenpacedaroundmyapartmentforhours,andeatennexttonothing.
MybrotherwasbeyondmyhelpandColthadmesecond-guessingevenmyownname.
ItgottothepointwhereIconsideredpackingupandgoingbacktoParis.

Today,I’dgottenupandfoundmyphone.Ihadwaymoremissedcalls,texts,and

voicemailsthanI’dexpected.MostwerefromColtandLisa,butafewwerefromDante
andJules.Forasecond,I’dfelthorriblyguiltyaboutworryingallofthem,butthenI’d

madethemistakeoflisteningtooneofColt’svoicemails.

Thesecondhe’dsaid“Bella”,apiteoussoundtorefrommychest.ThenI’dthrown

thephoneacrosstheroom,grabbedmycoat,andstormedoutoftheapartment.

Whathadhappenedtoallmyresolve?WasIreallysospineless?
My life flashed before me like a fucked up HBO movie. Me and Colt, dancing the

Argentinetangoandthenhimlovingmefromheadtotoe.Justin,screamingaboutthe
Capestranas,hisknucklessplitopenasheglaredatme.

Don’tfailme,sis.
ThatwashowIfoundmyselfinthecemetery,inthepouringrain,clutchingasad

littlebouquetofwiltedroses.Kneelingonmyfather’sgrave,I’dbeggedhimtogiveme
asign,anything.Gaspingwithsobs,Itriedtorallythestrengthofmybloodline…tofind
therightanswer.

ThenI’dpoundedmyfistsontheground,screamingasthewindrose,andtherain

lashedatme.

Rockingbackandforth,I’dprayedbetweennumblipsforhelpfromhim,frommy

Ruffinoancestors.Ineededtoknowhowtodothis.Howtonotfailmybrotherormy
family.

Howtobeagooddaughter,agoodsister.
TwohourspassedbeforeIleft.Decisionmade.Planinplace.Emotionallydestroyed,

soakingwet,andhalf-frozen.

IfoundmywaytoColt’sdoor.Deepdown,aninstinctivedesirehadbeenclawingat

metogothereanyway.Thatwasterrifying,butmyheartbreakalmostdrowneditout.
It must have been fate when that lovely woman and her young son had exited the
building just as I walked up. Both of them had looked at me curiously as I tried the
door.

Dully, I’d wondered if these well-dressed people would call the police. Probably

thoughtIwasalostdruggieonabender.ButthenthewomanhadaskedmewhoIwas
lookingfor,andwhenI’dsaidColt,itwaslikethegoldenticket.

Herfacehadlitupandthenshewasintroducingherself,lettingmeinside.Telling

metogorightonup,Coltwashome.

AndwhenColthadopenedthedoor,haggard,andwithafewdays’worthofabeard,

hiseyeslightingupwithreliefandjoyatseeingme,mysoulhadtwistedupagain.

Therewasnoneedtofakebeingadamselindistressatthatpoint.Idefinitelyfitthe

bill.

I’d cried in his shower, then again when I’d found the clothes, and finally in his

arms.

Now, pressure was building behind my eyes again, warping Fred Astaire’s impish

grin.Icarefullyrubbedmyeyes,tryingtohideit.ButColt’sarmstightened,asthough
sensingtherewerefreshdemonstokeepatbay,andmyheartfluttered.

As the movie progressed, my body began to relax, the knots unraveling in my

muscles,andtheachesfadingaway.

“Youshould’vebeenbornbackthen,”Iblurtedout.
“Hm,youthink?”Coltlaughedandnuzzledmyhair.
“Oh,sure,”Iteased.“Youweredashinginthatold-schoolgetup.”
“Dashing, huh? Gee, thanks, you’re a swell gal for noticing,” Colt said in that fast,

smooth‘30’saffectation.“Maybewe’llgetdressedupandgoswing-dancin’sometime.”

“Maybe,” I whispered, then put a hand over his mouth. “Now, shh, I’m watching

this.”

“Youstartedtalkingfirst,”hewhispered,hisscruffticklingmypalm.
Then Penny and Lucky began to dance, and I sat up a little straighter. Completely

enraptured, I watched the rest of the movie like that, almost forgetting where I was.
Whenitended,IturnedtolookatColt,andthensnortedwithlaughter.He’dnodded
off,hisbreathingsoft,andfacealmostheartbreakinglyhandsomeinitsgentleness.

Suddenlymystomachletoutahugegrowl.MycheekswenthotasIwatchedColt’s

foreheadcrinkle.

“Someone’shungry,”hemurmured,eyesstillclosed.
“Shutup!”Ilightlyslappedhischest.
“Woman,youwokeupthedog.”Hegrinnedandopenedhiseyes.
Suddenly a wet nose pressed against my arm and I looked down to see his dog

staringupatme.TentativelyIpattedhimandhepantedhappilyatme.

“Toro’s probably hungry, too.” Colt picked me up as he stood, and I squealed, not

expecting that. “What, forget how strong I was?” He did bicep curls with me and I
begantolaugh.

“Oh,my,well,howcouldI,Mr.Capestrana?”IattemptedtosayinaSouthernBelle

accent,butIwaslaughingtoohard.

Hechuckled,kissedmyforehead,andthengentlyplacedmeonthecouch.“Here,

yourelax,watchmoreoldmovies,andI’llmakeyousupper.”

“Oh no, I’m watching you cook!” I said, scrambling to my feet, and following him

intothekitchen.Coltwaswearingamuscletankandbaggysweatsandhestilllooked
like a ripped Greek God. “Can’t believe you fell asleep during that movie, though.
Shameful,”Iremarked,slidingontoastool.

Hemadeaface.“Ah,Iwasrestingmyeyes.Ifyouweredealingwithamonkeyof

aneightyearoldallday,you’dbewipedtoo.Besides,youknowhowmanytimesI’ve
seenthatmovie?”

“Howmany?”Iasked.
“Couldn’t even count. It’s how my mom and Ange convinced me that dancing got

you all the ladies. Both of them used to swoon over Fred Astaire, practice swing
togetherinthekitchen.Theywereapair,thosetwo.”

“Yourmomadancer?”
“No.” Colt’s face closed off. “She just loved art. Music, books, painting, singing,

dancing.Wasabitofasavantlikethat.”

Was.
Discomfort crawled into my gut. I recalled hearing she passed away when I was

young,butmusthaveforgotten.“I’msorry,Ishouldn’thavepried,”Imurmured.

“Ibroughtitup.”Coltwalkedaway,takinghistimefeedingToro.Apowerfulurge

rose in me to comfort him, hold him close, and tell him for once it was going to be
okay.ThatshookmeupagainandIdidn’thearhimwhenhecamebackandspoke.

“What?”Iasked,feelingstupid.
Coltreachedacrosstheislandandtouchedmyforehead.“You’restilloutofit,girl.

Sick?”

“No,why,doIlookbad?”Itouchedmyface.SuddenlyIrealizedthiswasthefirst

time Colt had seen me without makeup or in decent clothes of my own. “Well, I’ve
beenabitrundown.”

“Bella,you’rebeautiful.”
Coltsaiditsosimply,soearnestly,Icouldalmostseetheswirlofcolorsasthatline

blurredevenfurther.“Ididn’tmeanitlikethat.Iwannaknowifyou’reokay.”

“I’mokay.Great,”Ilied.“IwasjitteryafterthemuggingbutI’mfinenow.”
HiseyebrowsroseafractionandIsawamuscletwitchbyhismouth.Liar,hiseyes

said, but he didn’t push it. Instead, he began telling me stories about his best friend’s
son, Trent, while pulling out ingredients. My mouth began to water when he started
prepping,dicing,andboilingwater.

ItwasthesexiestcookingshowI’deverseen.
Assteamrosefromthepotofpasta,andthebaconsizzled,Icouldn’thelpbutnotice

thecareColtputintomakingthefood.Icouldn’tevenrememberthelasttimeIhada
homecookedmealandasharpachewentthroughmychest.BeingsentawaymeantI
had missed out on years of building memories like this. I’d missed out on Justin
growingup,Lisa’swise,hilarious,guidance,seeingRudyandNevioasawkwardteens.

I’dmissedoutonhavingafamily.
AsangryasIwaswithColtandhisfamilythatIdidn’tgettimewithmyfatherand

brother as an adult, I couldn’t fault any Capestrana, especially Colt, for the fact that I
didn’tgrowupwithone.

ThathadbeenEmilio’schoice.
AmanI’donlyseenagrandtotaloffivetimesoverthepasttenyears,ifIincluded

thelastoneinthebox.

Desperate to distract myself from those old wounds, I listened eagerly to Colt’s

stories.HewastellingmeaboutthetimewhenTrentJr.wasababyandhewashelping
Trent Sr., nicknamed Tre, change a diaper. Baby Trent had promptly peed all over
them,thewall,andthecat.

“Damn cat books it, trailed it all through the house. Diane comes home to two

scratched up meatheads, a naked baby, and a half-drowned cat. She wanted to be
furious, but she was laughing too hard. And Tre just goes, ‘See, that’s why I had to
marryyou’.”

“Aw,I’dlovetomeetthem,”Isaid,smiling.
“You actually already did meet Diane and Trent, Di was the one who let you in.

You’rewearingherclothes.”Coltgavemeasheepishgrinashedrainedthepasta.

“That was them?” Her face and the little boy’s flashed into my mind. He was one

thingintheabstract,butahandsome,mischievouslittleboymissingafronttooth,and
wearing a crooked tie was another thing altogether, and my heart squeezed. “Where
wasTre?”

“Uh,Trepassedafewyearsback.Cancer,”Coltsaidinaclippedvoice,hisjawtight.

My gut contracted as I watched his eyes dim. “We do our best, y’know, my brother,
Dante,Pop.Wealltrytofillhisshoesasafather.Damnnearimpossible.”

I jerked my head in a nod and looked down. Why did I keep asking questions like

this?Coltwasamasteroffindingnewwaystotiemeintoknots.

Thatlinewasallbutgonenow.

Moreover, he wasn’t supposed to be like this. I kept expecting to find something

emptyandevilunderallthatcharm.ButinsteadIjustkeptbumpingintonewfacetsof
strengthandkindness.

Itwashard,too,beinginhisapartment.WhileIadmiredtheluxury,itwasthelife

and love bursting from every which way that made my stomach burn with envy.
Photos covered his fridge, books crowded the shelves, and his dog followed him
everywherelikeashadow.

Bitter-sweetnessroseupinme,andIwasfilledwithlonging.
As much as I wanted to resist it, Colt’s personality and warmth were wrapping

around me. It’d be so easy to let go, let myself be enveloped. Let myself be happy in
this world of the golden prince of the Capestranas’, and ignore all the skeletons, the
dirtysecrets.

Diggingdeep,Ifoundthatcold,hard,andnastylittlesparkofresentment,andheld

ontoit.Angerrearedup.Then,takingadeepbreath,IpicturedJustin’sdevastatedface.

Notgonnagiveinthistime,Colt.
He was going to fall in love with me. In fact, things seemed to be progressing

already.Instinctively,Iknewhedidn’ttelljustanyonethesestories.

No matter what my abandonment issues were, I had to keep it together. More

importantly, I had to be careful not to transfer those feelings of loss or need for love
ontoColt.

Butdamn.AsIwatchedhimspoonahugehelpingofpastacarbonaraintoabowl,

andhandittome,IwasprettysureIknewwhatEvefeltlikebeingofferedtheapple.

Howwasagirltoresistadevilwithasmile,afaceandaheartlikeColtCapestrana’s?
The food wound up being amazing. We ate, laughed, and watched more movies.

Afterfinishing,Iwascontenttojustnestleagainsthimonthecouch.Thecreamypasta
dishwassoheavy,sodeliciouslybadforyou,Icouldn’tdoanythingbutgazesleepilyat
FollowtheFleet,anotheroldAstaire-Rogersflick.

MyheaddroopedontoColt’schestandmyeyesbegantodriftclosed.Hetuckedan

armaroundme,pullingmecloser.

Listening to his breathing, the old-timey music, and the patter of rain, I dozed off,

smiling.

C H A P T E R F O U R T E E N

Colt

tanding outside in the sweet, freezing winter air, Dante, Big Ton, me, and several
otherCapestranashuddledaroundabottleofGalliano,sloshingitintoshotglasses.

Then we drank it, hurled the empty bottle against the wall, and shouted out, “Viva
Magari!Salute!”

“And tocca palle!” Big Ton bellowed, tapping just below his belly, to roars of

laughter.

“I can’t believe it’s opening night,” Dante said, as we went through the back door

andoutintothemeleeofthemainroom.“Chefigata!”

“Yeah,yeah.”Igrabbedhimaroundtheshouldersandpunchedhimlightlyonthe

arm.“Domeafavor,double-checkwithJulesthatallthesetsareready,okay?”

“Ialready—”Dantebegantosay,butthenIshothimaglare.“I’mgone.”
Hurrying over to the bar, I grabbed my iPad, and scrolled through my checklist

twice.

Wewerereadytogo.
Laineywalkedbyandrappedthebar.“AreyouhummingSwingTime?”
“No.Andshouldn’tyoubecheckingoverbarstuff?Liquor,glasses,ice?”Iasked.
“Colt,Ialreadydid,fourtimes.Andyousowere.”Shelaughedandflouncedaway.
Lookingaround,asmilespreadacrossmyface.Betweenthisnight,andlastnight,

my body was buzzing with energy. Reaching into my pocket, I touched Bella’s note
again for good luck. She’d left it for me this morning – the least she could do after
sneakingoutwhileIwasintheshower.

Can’twaitfortonight!SorryIhadtodash,Lucky.Thanksforeverything.XO,Penny.
“Everything”beingsomepasta,oldmovies,andsnuggling,Iguessed.
Easygaltoentertain.
We’dbothbeensotired,we’dwoundupsleepingonthecouch.I’dwokenuptoToro

licking my ear, and half-groaned, thinking my back would be in knots. But I was
completelyrefreshedinstead.Bellahadwokenupafewmomentslater,smilingupat
me.ItwasthebestnightsleepI’dgotteninmonths.Years,maybe.

I’dbentdownandkissedher.Aslow,tenderonetostartthedayright.ThenI’dsat

onthefloor,andlaidmyheadonherstomachforawhile,lettingherstrokemyhair.

Butofcourse,myphonehadtogooff,andthedayhadtostart.
“iPad?”Danteasked,appearingatmyelbow,andIhandedittohim.“Hey,youseem

tobefeelingbetter,huh?”

“HowmanytimesIgottatellyouIwasneversick?”Iresponded.
“Well,notanymore.Nothinglikeanicenightintomakeamanfeelgood.Especially

if a pretty redhead comes running to him for help in the pouring rain.” Dante put a
handoverhisheart.“Bellissimo.It’slikeascenefromamovie.”

FuckingDiane.Iknewit.Ionlyhadtohopethecodeofsilencebetweentheyounger

generationheldstrongandnobodytoldPop,becauseiftheydid,Iwasgoingtohaveto
havesomeseriousexplainingtodo.

“Ladadadadaaa,”hesanginmyear.
“Christ,Dante,wouldyoulistentoyourself?”Ismackedthebackofhishead.
“Aw.Ijustrealized,foryourthickheadedbabybrotheritwasthelightning,foryou,

Cosimo,themusic,huh?”Hestartedswayingonthestoolnexttome.

Rubbingmytemples,IgrinnedatLaineyasshebroughtusdrinks.“Domeafavor,

Laines,drownthedumbassinhis.”

“Uh, and how would I get home?” Lainey shook her head. “Why, what’s your

problem?”

“That’samore,”Dantesangout,thenlaughedasItriedtoshovehimoffhisstool.
“Oh,theredhead.Bella,right?”Laineyshotmeasuperiorlook.“Yeah,Iheardabout

that.”

“Marone, no fucking privacy in this family,” I grunted, to which my cousins just

nodded.

“Hey,boss.”Ayoungstafferappearedatmyelbow.“People’reshowingup.”
“That’smycue.Thanks,man.Lainey,stashtheiPad.Dante,youromanticdumbass,

come with me,” I said, downing my drink, and then hurrying to the main room
entrance.

Tonight we were going for a slicker, more modern look. Tailored three-piece suits

for the fellas, slinky backless dresses for the ladies, and a bustier ensemble for the
dancers.

“Hey,beforeIforget,ItakebackwhatIsaid.”Dantepattedmyshoulder.“Youlike

her,cuz.”

“Idon’tknowwhatyou’retalkingabout,”Isaid,plasteringonmyhostsmileasthe

first people walked into the room, accepting champagne flutes from the servers.
“Buonasera,paesani!WelcometoClubMargari!”Icalledout.

“Okay, but you’ve got this look in your eyes, and you’re not drunk,” Dante stated

simply,asthoughthatexplainedeverything.Thenhegavemeagoofysmile.“So,you
know,thenit’sokay.”

Ididn’tknowwhethertosmackhim,laugh,orignoreit.Thenthebandkickeditup

a notch and more people flooded in. Dante and I moved towards the doors, shaking
people’shands,introducingourselvesandansweringquestions.

Some members were wearing elaborate masks, which seemed to heighten the

mystique,aswellasanticipationintheairbutwehadmorethanoneunderagepunk
tryingtosneakinthatway,too.AfterIwalkedoutsidewithanotherpairofbroke-ass
twentyyearolds,IwavedBigTonover.

“This is Big Ton. You little shits come back here before you’re twenty-one, and

you’re gonna deal with him next time.” The two went pale as Ton grinned at them.
“Now,getthefuckouttahere.”

“Christ,Colt,maybewegottachangethemaskpolicy,”BigTonmuttered.
“Howdothesecollegebratsevenknowaboutthisplace?”Iscowled.
“Internet, I don’t know. And listen to you, you went to college, smartass,” Ton

laughed.

“Oh,shutup.”Ishookmyhead.“Sorry,security’sbeenanightmaresofar.We’llget

morepeopleouthere.Chepalle.”

“Ey,whileIgotyou,Iheardsomethinginteresting.Thatprettyredheaddancerstay

atyourplacelastnight,huh?”BigTonwiggledhiseyebrows.“Heardshewasinsome
trouble,youplayedMr.Hero.Nicelydone,Cosimo.”

“Big Ton, I don’t have time to regale you with fairy tales,” I said, trying to keep a

straightfaceasheofferedmeashit-eatinggrin.

“Okay.Justwannasay,yabetterfigurethatoutbeforeyourPopshearsaboutit.You

might be almost thirty, but that don’t matter to Sicilians. Trust me. Mama Ange’ll
smack you upside the head with a wooden spoon next time she sees you if you’re
fuckingaroundwiththehelpandaren’tseriousaboutit.”BigTonstaredaroundatthe
crowd. “Me, though? Hey, I approve. You guys look good together and she’s always
beennicetomeandalltheboys.”

“I’m going back inside,” I said, trying not to wince. “Keep me posted if you need

anything.”

“Pieceofadvice,”BigTonsaid,givingmealook.“Fireherassandkeepthebossstuff

forthebedroom.Businessandpleasuredon’tmix.”

“Vafancule,eh?”Ilaughed,stridingbackinside,evenasmytemplesthrobbed.IfBig

Tonknew,thatmeantPopandAngewouldbehearingaboutBellasoonenough.Seeing
as Pop hadn’t shown up ready to beat my ass, I imagined I still had some time, but I
wasn’tlookingforwardtothatconversation.

Two ladies in masks smiled at me and I grinned back. I swept them a bow, then

offeredmyarms.“MayIinterestyoutwoinsomefreedrinktickets?”

Theybothgiggledandnodded.Roundingupafewmorefemalepatrons,Ihanded

outaroundofdrinks.

Subtly checking my watch, I tried not to think about how Bella was scheduled to

dance in about fifteen minutes. Then I excused myself, focusing on meeting new
membersoftheclub.Ishookhands,offeredticketstovariouseventsthroughoutthe
evening,andencouragedpeopletocutloose.Itwasn’ttoohard.Theplacewaspacked,
the band was jumping, and the dancers on stage were attracting a fair amount of
attention.

But,then,withaminutetogobeforeBella’sdance,Icouldbarelyfocusonwalking,

nevermindschmoozing.

Instead,Icasuallywalkedover,andfoundaplacetounobtrusivelykeepaneyeon

theroom,andthestage.

ThenIshookmyhead,whatthefuckwasIdoing?Ihadtokeepworking.Pulling

outmyphone,Icheckedinwithsecurity,thenquicklyflippedthroughmyemails.

Abouttowalkaway,thebandwounddown,takingtheirbreak,andIfrowned.

Whatisshegonnadanceto?
SuddenlyaRihannasongcamethroughthespeakersandheadsflickedtowardsthe

stage.

AspotlighthitherandIfroze.
Shewaswearingaredbustier,longpurplegloves,andlacebunnyears.
“Ourveryown,JessicaRabbit!”announcedavoiceovertheintercom.
Bellaslowlystrodeout,herstepshittingthesamebeatsasthesong,andagainIhad

thatsensationofwatchingadancercontrolthemusic.Thenoteswereraw,pulsating
throughme,andafieryspikeofneedracedupmyspine.

Then,asthelyricsstarted,Bellaarchedherbackagainstapole,reachingoverher

head.

Andyougotme…
Between Rihanna’s delectable voice and Bella’s dancing, the crowd was silent.

Everyonewasutterlycaptivated.Sheswungherselfaroundthepole,sinuousassmoke.
Nowupsidedown,sherolledherbodysuggestively,andthecrowdcamealive.Cheers
roaredthroughtheroom.

Andthrowmeagainstthewall…
Atthatexactmoment,Bella’seyesmetmine.
I knew she had to be thinking about the dressing room the other night. My body

flushagainsthersonthewall,whileItoldherhowmuchIwantedher.

…justtogetclosetoyou…
I couldn’t move. Each word, each movement by Bella had me drowning in

memoriesofher.Wantonheatracedthroughmyveinsandmybreathinggotheavy.

…justtogetataste…
Bella’shipsdippeddownandshedraggedherhandsupherbody.Catcallssplitthe

air. And I couldn’t help but think of last night. That blaze of happiness when she’d
appearedonmydoorstep.

MymuscleswenttenseandIshookmyheadtoclearit.Suddenlyseemedlikeitwas

justmeandBella.Aloneinthisbigroom.Asitshouldbe.

Dizziness and possessiveness overwhelmed me as Bella began walking down the

catwalk,comingcloser,andhereyeskeptflickingbacktome.

…Ican’tgetenough...
Icouldfeelherfingersrakedownmybackandtastehersweetmouth.
Cheers and applause shattered the air as Bella came to the end of the catwalk,

swaying,andsingingalongtothesong.

…Mustbelove…
At that moment, I realized Big Ton was right. The solution to the problem wasn’t

stayingawayfromBella.ItwasdoingwhatI’dwantedtodoallalong.

Gettingherthefuckoffthatstageandfindinghersomewhereelsetoworksoshe

couldbemywomanforreal.

Gazingintothecrowd,Iwatchedmenpointandsalivateoverher.Afewwereeven

throwingbillsontothestage,eventhoughitwasn’tafuckingstripshow.Furyripped
throughme.

Ittookeverylastscrapofwillpowertokeepmefromchargingintothatcrowdand

pistol-whipping every last one of those bastards. At the same time, I realized I could

neverdothisagain.IneverwantedtowatchothermenlookatBellalikethis.

MoremoneyraineddownonthestageandBellawasbowing.I’dmissedthefinale.
Now the song had changed, other dancers were coming onto the stage, and they

werestartinganewnumber.

Takingadeepbreath,Iwalkedaway,full-wellknowingIwasgoingtowindupinjail

formurderunlessIfoundanewheadlinerandfast.

And,asIglancedback,unabletohelpmyself,myeyeslandedonBella,centerstage.
Shewasglowing.Oureyesmetagainandmyheartleapt.Lettingoutalongbreath,I

half-smiled.Itwastimetomanupandreconcilemyselftowhatwashappeninghere.

IwasfallingforBellaLesaude,whoevershewas.
AndIwasfallinghard.

Bella

ALKING

OFF

STAGE

,Iacceptedatowelfromastaffer,andpattedmyarmsdry.Theother

girlswerehigh-fivingeachother,hugging,andsquealingabouttheroutine.Eachone
was dying for next week’s show, but I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to dance at Club
Magariagain.

My heart had been in my throat during that whole routine. As a dancer, no one

knewbetterthanmehowartimitatedlife.Thewholetime,IknewIhadbeendancing
forColt,andonlyColt.

My eyes had been drawn to him immediately. How I found him in that crowd, I

didn’tknow,butI’dmeanttoignorehim,toreallyworkthemenclienteleintoafrenzy.
RemindColtCapestranajusthowindispensablehisRabbitwas.

Instead,I’dfoundhisgazeagainandagain.Icouldseethehardsetofhisjaw,the

barelycontainedrage,andswellofhisshouldersasmenthrewmoneyatme.

Clearlythosepricksdidn’trealizethiswasn’tastripclub.Morethanoneofthemhad

madealewd,angrycommentthatIdidn’tbareatleastabreast.

Oddly, part of me was glad that Colt hadn’t heard that. He’d looked capable of

murderashewatchedme.Anotherpartwassatisfiedatajobwelldone.

But deep down I knew some part of me had reveled in his obvious jealousy. That

palpablefury.BecauseitmeanthewasasgoneasIwas.

TherewasevenamomentwhereIhadspun,andIsweartheentireroomhadbeen

emptyexceptforhim,withasinglebeamoflightilluminatinghischiseledbody.

Bitingmylip,Iwalkedintomydressingroom,andclosedthedoor.AsIkickedoff

my heels, I wondered if he’d also thought about the night we’d spent in here while I
wasdancing.

Changingintoatightpurplebandagedress,Ikeptonthegloves,andbunnyears.It

feltlikeplayingwithfireafterI’dtormentedColtonstagelikethat,butIcouldn’tresist.
Ifixedmymakeupandspritzedonalight,citrusperfume.ThenImademywayout

intothemainroom,wherethebandwasplayingasultry,jazzynumber,andIfeltmy
pulsestarttorace.

Ahuge,darkshadowmovedbythedoorwayandIsawaflashofgold.ThenColtwas

standingoverme,tippingmyfaceuptohis.Mybreathwhooshedoutofmybody.

“People have been asking me about you, Rabbit.” His eyes bore into mine. “My

headliner sure made an impression. Excellent work. Although, that song choice was
interesting.”

Swallowing,Inodded,andsmiled.“Justtryingtokeepthebosshappy.”
“Hm.” He studied me, fingers still under my chin. “It’d make me happy if you’d

come on another tour with me. I want to show you the club again, now that all the
roomsarefinished.TheleastIcandoforyouafterthatdance.Andweneverdidmake
ittothethirdfloor.”

Ifeltliketheproverbialflytothespider.Colt’sfacewasintense.Noneofhisusual

cheekyamusement,jokes,orsmirks.Justasenseofsomethingpowerfulbuilding,like
atidalwave.

GuiltsuddenlystabbedthroughmeasColttookmyarm,leadingmeawaythrough

theclub.ButthenIpulledinadeepbreath,feelingalmostZeninmyresolve.Justthis
morning I’d gotten a call from Justin. He was in the infirmary with a broken nose, a
bustedwrist,andfracturedribs.

He’d been attacked in the mess hall, minding his own business, he’d said.

ApparentlyJustinhad“gottenhisassbeatbyasmalltimeCapestranathug.”Acousinor
somethingwhowasinforashortstintforrunninggunsandneededapunchingbag.

Justinwasconvenientlythere.BecauseofColtandhisfamily.
My resolve seemed to thicken and freeze over those walls I’d put up around my

heart.

Icandothis,I’maRuffino.
Coltledmeupthestairstothethirdfloorandmynervesbegantospiralalittle.
Weweren’talone.
Other people were filtering into a room, from which unmistakable sounds of sex

werecomingfrom.Weretheywatchingporntogetherinthere?

Walkingin,Inearlystoppedshortindisbelief.
Itwasavoyeurroom,splitdownthemiddlebyasheetofglass.Notonlywastherea

crowdpresent,buttheroomitselfwasdeckedoutlikesomekindofdungeon.

A woman was blindfolded, chained to manacles hanging from the ceiling, and the

manwaswalkingaroundher.Sexymusicrippledunderneaththeirdirtytalk.

At first, I wasn’t sure I could handle it, and considered asking to go to the ladies’

room. It seemed super creepy to watch people get intimate, especially in a kinky
dungeon.

ButColt pushed me forward,then stepped up behindme, lightly resting his hands

onmyhips.Hisbreathstirredmyhair,andIbitmylipsashissolidchestpressedinto
myback.

Unsureofwhattodo,Iwenttofoldmyarms,butColtgentlystoppedme,running

hishandsupanddownthem.Atthatexactmoment,thewomanletoutalongmoan,
andIsquirmedalittle.

The dungeon man stood behind the woman, then slapped her ass. She begged for

moreandheobliged.Andthensome.Deepdown,Ifeltmypussyache,andshockwent
throughme.

Suddenlythemansteppedforwardandslidhiscockinher.Igasped.Wasthisreally

happening,infrontofallofthesepeople?

Coltchuckledintomyhair,stillslowlyrunninghishandsupanddownmyarms.
Theman,whowasbigandmusculartothepetiteblonde,fistedhishandinherhair.

Hepulledherheadbackashebegantopoundher.Mybreathinggotheavywatching
the woman’s face contort with pleasure. I’d watched porn before, sure, but it had
nothingonthis.

OneofColt’shandsdrifteddowntomyassandsqueezedit.Desirelickedupfrom

my core, supercharging the ache between my legs. Without even thinking, I began
caressing his arm, then brought his hand up to my mouth, and sucked on one of his
fingers.

Colt let out a sharp breath, then pressed against me, his breathing also becoming

heavy.Hedraggedhishandupfrommyassalongthesideofmybodyandstrokedthe
sideofmyneck.

Insidetheroom,themandeniedthewomanherpleasurejustasshewasaboutto

come,andshebeggedformercy.“Please,master,ah,please!”

“I’dliketohearyoubeglikethat,”Coltwhispered,thenkissedmyneck.
Swallowing,Isquirmedevenmore,asfrictionscreamedbetweenmylegs.Myeyes

were riveted as the man walked to the front of the woman. Colt was tracing my lips
withhisfingers.

Themanlappedatherbreasts,thenkneltdown.Whenhebeganeatingherout,the

womanwailedwithpleasure.

HolyGod.
Tugging on my hand, Colt pulled me from the room, and I felt a stab of

disappointment,whichmomentarilydazedme. Butthenanticipationrushed through
me as I followed him down the hall. We flew down the stairs and into a dim, empty
room.Candlesflickeredeverywhere.

AsColtclosedthedoorbehindme,myeyesadjustedtothelight,andIwasableto

discernwhattheshapeswere.Atablefullofcato’ninetails,paddles,bonds,andother
toysIwasn’tsureI’deverseenbefore.

ThenIsawtheswing.
Eyeswide,panicshotthroughme,butatthesametime,white-hot,moltencarnality

seemedtoexplodeineverylastcell.Half-glancingovermyshoulder,IsawColtmove
throughtheroom,hisfaceevenmoreintense.Walkingovertome,helaidakissonthe
napeofmyneck.

Then,tuggingonmyhair,hepulledmyheadback,andoureyesmet.Therewasa

slightsmileonhisface,butitwasn’toneI’dseeneverbefore.

Itwasbothsatisfiedandstarvingatthesametime.
“I’ve dreamt of seeing you in that swing since we installed it,” Colt murmured,

staringatme.

My lips parted. It was just us. Private and dark. In a room promising to fulfill the

wildest,darkestfantasiesoftheflesh.Slowlyheletmyhairgoandturnedmetoface
him.

Nodding,Iheardmyselfsay,“Shouldasaidsomethingsooner.”
His smile grew wider and his eyes glinted. As the space between us closed, Colt

pullingmetowardshim,IwassureI’dcompletelylostmymind.Sometinyvoicewas
attemptingtorationalizethisassimplysomethingelseIhadtodotoreallyhookhim
good.

Atleastthat’swhatItoldmyself.Buteventhen,myheartknewbetter…

C H A P T E R F I F T E E N

Colt

ella’seyes were so green, they were luminescent in the candlelight. Pushing her
hairback,Iheldherface,lookingdownather.Ihadtomemorizeeverylastdetail.

The way her long eyelashes fluttered on her pale skin, the starburst of freckles

acrossherpertnose,andthewayherhairseemedtobethreadedwithgold.

Bellawasmine.Andshe’dneverforgetitaftertonight.
Shepulledherlowerlipbetweenherteeth,niceandslow,asthoughsheknewwhat

I was thinking. Words that had been chasing together in my brain all day were
suddenlyonmylips.

“You’re a siren song of a woman, Bella. The way you dance, the way you move…

Likesomethingoutofamyth.Andyouknowittoo.”

“Justalotoftraining,”shetriedtosaylightly,buthervoiceshookalittle.
“No.Don’tbemodest,Rabbit.”Herlipsparted,breathscomingquicker.“Nowoman

haseverdonetomewhatyou’redoing.Idon’tknowhowyoudoit,either.ButIgotta
admit, I like that.” I slid my hands down and gripped her shoulders. “We’re in
Wonderland,aren’twe?Sodancemetotheedgeoftheworld.Justnever,everstop.”

AslowsmilespreadacrossBella’sfaceandsheblewoutabreath.“Anyoneevertell

you, you got a way with words? Goddamn poet.” She sounded almost rueful in her
praise.

Capturinghermouthwithmine,Ikissedher.Mywomanwasabouttolearnwhat

happenedwhenColtCapestranacameundone.

Oh,she’dlikeit.She’dbegformore.Andshe’dwantme,andonlyme,fortherestof

time.

Maybe we’d even be able to drive away whatever demons were haunting her

together.

Whenwefinallybrokeapart,Igrabbedherhandbeforeshecouldcatchherbreath.

Pulling her over to the corner of the room where a huge loveseat waited, I sat down
andlookedupather.

“Ididn’tevennoticethisbefore,”Bellasaid,flushingalittle.
Ipulledoutmyphone,cueingupthesoundsystem.
Bella’sentirefacelitupandshelaughedinappreciation.“Beyonce!Really?”

“Danceforme.”Itwasn’taquestion,andahotrushofbloodcoursedthroughme

whenshedidn’thesitate.

Bellastraddledme,holdingontomyshoulders.Asshebeganherlapdance,rolling

herhipsagainstmine,sheasked,“RememberhowIclinchedtheauditionthisway?”

Runningmyhandsupherback,Igroaned.“Rabbit,youclincheditthesecondyou

walkedoutonstage.Theselonglegs…”Iranmyfingersdownthem.“Thisjuicyass.”I
slapped it and she squeaked. “These perfect tits.” I squeezed her breasts, and Bella
archedagainstme.

ForawhileIexploredherbodyandshedanced.Itwasevenbetterthanbefore.
Then, reaching up, I gripped the back of Bella’s neck, and forced her gaze back to

mine.“Thatbeautifulface.Thosegreeneyes,thatredhair,thosegoddamnfreckles.”

Bella’s hands smoothed across my chest. “So the lap dance was too much?” she

teased.

“Oh,hellno,”Ilaughed,holdingontohertighter.“That’showyougotme.Iknew

you were trouble. All woman, all fire. Sexy, sassy, fun. I saw spirit, that fucking
passion.”

Gyratingherhipsnow.“Damn.Giveagirlacompliment.”
“Don’tthankmeyet,Rabbit,”Imuttered.Mycockthrobbedatthethoughtofwhat

was to come. Pulling her face to mine, I kissed her roughly. When we broke apart,
breathless, I whispered, “As a dancer, as an athlete, you know there’s a fine line
betweenpleasureandpain?”

I let my hands fall to her thighs. I dragged my fingers up and under her dress.

Slidingmyhandbetweenherlegs,Iteasedherwetcenter.

“MaybeIneedareminder,”shewhispered,eyesflutteringshut.
Bunchingupherpanties,Ireleasedthem,lettingthemslapagainsther,andshelet

outalonghissofair.AsIpalmedhermound,shearchedagainstme,breastsbouncing
lightly.

Wasthereamoresatisfyingsight?
IslippedafingerinsidehertightpussyandBellabitherlip,meetingmyeyesagain.

Istayedperfectlystilluntilshecontinuedherlapdance.Then,Icontinuedtoteaseher,
alternating long and short thrusts, changing the rhythm and the pressure. Soon she
wasbuckingagainstme,gasping.WhenIstopped,sheletoutalowgroan.

“You’rewearingtoomanyclothes,”Imuttered,searchingherbackforthezipper.
“It’s a bandage dress, Colt. One item of clothing,” she murmured breathily in my

ear.“Anditdoesn’thaveazipper.

“Whatthefuck?”Ileanedback,lookingather.Ihalf-laughed,grabbingthestretchy

materialintwohands,andpullingitoverherhead.Bellawaslaughingnow,soIlaida
hardsmackonherass,andsheletoutagasp.

She tilted her head and red curls tumbled over her shoulders. Her breasts were

barelycoveredbyherstraplessbraandshewaswearingascrapofathong.Mycock
swelledtothepointofpain,andBellasmirked.

Reaching back, she unhooked her bra, and I raised my eyebrows in appreciation.

Tuggingoffhergloves,shewenttostand,andIstoppedher.

Shakingmyhead,Isaid,“Notyet.Andyoubetterleavethosefuckingearson.”
“Why,whathappensifItakethemoff?”ShestartedtoraiseherarmsandIgrabbed

them.

“Don’ttestmeagaintonight,Bella,”Igrowled.
“Again?”Sheroseoneeyebrow.“Why,whatdidIdo?”
GrabbingBellaaroundthewaist,ItossedherovermyshoulderasIstoodup,and

she let out a squeak. Carrying her over to the table, I laid her down on it, and then
flippedherover.

“Youdon’tthinkIknowwhatyouwereuptodancinglikethatearlier?”Islapped

herassandBellaletoutanothersqueak.

With one hand, I yanked her thong down, and she kicked it off. Tossing her hair,

Bellalookedbackatme.Istaredherdown,andthenlaidmyhandacrossthosecheeks
again.Nowsheletoutasoftmoan,beggingformore.

I obliged, drawing back and cracking my hand against her ass. This time, hard

enoughtoleaveapinkmark.Sheletoutalowhiss,butwhenshelookedbackatme,
hergazeburnedwithexcitement.

Fuckyes.
Ileaneddowntospreadherlegs.Takingalongstrokewithmytongue,Idevoured

her delicious pussy from behind. Nibbling, lapping, and biting, kneading her ass until
shestartedtosquirmandgasp.Pressingmyhandonthecenterofherback,Ilocked
herintoplacetoadmirethepictureshemade.

Redhairspillingonthetable,bunnyearsslightlycrooked,andpert,roundassinthe

air.Asmuchasthewordsburnedonmytonguetotellherwhatshedidtome,howshe
made me feel, I clenched my jaw shut. The time for talk had passed. It was time to
showher.

Pickingupthecato’ninetails,Idraggedthestrapsdownherback,andBellagasped,

eyesflyingopen.ButIwasn’tdoneyet.Againandagain,Istrokedtheninestrapsup
anddownherbackuntilhermusclesbegantotremble.

Then I smacked her ass with my hand and she let out a squeak. She’d been

expecting the tails, so I gently slapped them against her. She jerked on the table as I
brought them down again, a little more swiftly. Her fingers clawed at the table as I
alternatedblowswithcaressesandsoon,Icouldn’ttellwhowasmoreamped.Wewere
bothbreathinghardandthetensionwassothick,Icouldalmostseeit.Ikeptgoing…
builtupslowly,swingingjustalittlehardereachtime.Itwasonlywhenshebeganto
tossherheadonthetable,writhing,thatIstoppedandthrewthetoyaside.

HerlegswereshakingasIslidtwofingersin.Islappedherasswithmybarehand,

relishing the feeling of her soft skin turning pinker under my palm. Bella moaned
incoherently, her entire body now shaking, and begging for release. Just as she was
abouttocome,Igaveheronefinalpump,slap,andthenIstopped.

“No,”shemoaned.“Merde.”
Sheflexedbackwardagainstme,butIpulledmyhandaway.
“You’ll get it, Rabbit. When I’m ready to give it to you.” I took my time as I

unbuckledmypantsandtookcareofprotection.Allthewhile,IwatchedBella,getting
hotterbythesecond.Shesquirmedonthetable,rubbingherthighstogether,theglossy
wetnessofherpretty,pinkpussycallingmelikeasiren’ssong.

Ifistedmyshaftandlinedupwithherslit,takingasteadyingbreathasIstrokedher

centerwiththeheadofmycock.Sherearedup,liftingherhead,butIgavenoquarter.

“Staystill,Rabbit,oryou’llwaitlonger.”
I shoved her back down, roughly pinning her in place as I plunged in, seating my

cocktothehilt.

Her silky sheath was so tight, so hot. I wanted to take my time, but as my balls

slapped against her clit with the next stroke, and I filled her completely, Bella let out
the sexiest sound yet. Her hands found the edge of the table and her knuckles went
white.Thenshestartedbegging.

“Colt,Colt,don’tstop.Likethat.Yes,yes!”
ThetenuousholdIhadovermyself-controlsnapped,andIlostit.Usingmyhands

toslamherhipsbackagainstme,Ifuckedherhardandfast.Long,strong,deepstrokes
thathadherscreamingmyname.

Her pussy clenched around me all too soon, and she let out a keening moan of

ecstasy.Herentirebodysurgedbackagainstmeasshecame,bathingmeinwetheat.
Theurgetocomehitmelikeatruck,andmycockjerkedandbucked,butfuckthat.

Iwasn’tdone.
Notevenclose.
I stood her up and turned her around. I thought she’d need a minute to ramp up

again,butthenhermouthwasonmine.Insistent,demandingmore.Bellawasraking
herhandsupinsidemyshirt,hookingalegaroundmywaist.Aswebrokeapart,our
eyesmet,andthewordsspilledoutbeforeIcouldhelpmyself.

“That’swhatdrivesmecrazy,Rabbit.Youkeepmeonmytoes.Ineverknowwhat

toexpect.”Tanglingmyhandsinhercurls,Iheldhergaze.“AndIneverwannastop
beingsurprisedbyyou.”

Bella

CRAZED

,almostscaryneedIfeltforhimcooledforaninstantashiswordssentashot

ofguiltstraighttomyheart.WhenhefoundoutwhoIwas…whatI’ddone…whyIwas
here?

Surprisewouldbeanunderstatement.
IfhefeltevenatenthofwhatIdid,he’dbewrecked.
Goddamn it, Colt, why couldn’t you just be that cocky, asshole, rat-bastard I’d

expectedinsteadofsomuchmore?

Those thoughts sizzled away as he pressed a fierce kiss to my mouth and then

smackedmyassagain.

Pleasure.Ecstasyinhisarms,andIwantedmore.
At first, I tried to tell myself I hated it. That him being dominating in bed was a

flaw…hisneedtocontroleverysituation.Butmybodywasbetrayingme,pussyaching
tobefilledbyhimagainandagain.Coltwasfreeingsomethinginmebyfocusingallhis
energyonsatisfyingme.

Itwasnotonlyhot,anderoticashell,itwaslikebeingworshipped.
I wanted more. I wanted Colt to keep flirting with that line between pleasure and

pain. Now it was like the lines were blurring between Bella Ruffino and Colt
Capestrana’sRabbit.

Andwhatthefuckwaswiththismusic?Itwasundoingmejustasmuchashewas.
Hesteppedback,crossinghisarmsoverhisflatstomachandpullingoffhisshirt.He

rolledhisbodyashethrewitontothefloor.Hewasbuiltlikeastatue.Allhardplanes
andmuscle,withaperfect,thintrailofcurlsleadingdowntohisdick,thatstillsprang,
thickandhard,fromtheopenzipperofhispants.

FuckingColt.Hewasthewholepackage,wasn’the?
AndthensomeIthought,eyeinghismassivecock.
Hekeptgoing,strippingofftherestofhisclothes.Whenhewascompletelynaked,I

reacheddown,andtookmyheelsoff.ButwhenIreachedupforthebunnyears,justto
fuckwithhim,heleaptforwardandhadmelockedagainsthiminaninstant.

“Someone likes playing with fire,” he growled. He pushed me backwards and my

still-tenderasshittheswing.“Youeveruseoneofthese?”

I hesitated, wanting to say yes, but lying to Colt suddenly felt incredibly tiresome.

MyheadshookandIblurtedout,“No.ButI-Iwantto.”

“Sit back, relax, and let me take care of all these pesky straps, gorgeous.” That

infuriatinglysexysmilewasbackonColt’sface.

Relax,myass.
Taking a deep breath, I lowered myself onto the leather sling, and stretched my

body out. Colt moved with lithe grace as he locked my limbs into place. It was
disconcertingtobedanglingabovethefloor,nevermindrestrainedandfullyexposed.

AmemoryofthetimeI’dgonebungeejumpingcameintomymindandmyentire

body shuddered. The sensations were oddly similar. Weightlessness, anticipation,
adrenalinerush.AndI’dwounduponthesideofamountaininSwitzerlandbecause
someonedaredme.

Oh,didColtknowhowtopushmybuttons.
Mindreaderthathewas,Coltsteppedback,andlethiseyesrunoverme.“Justsay

somethingifit’stoomuch.”Hisgrinwaswolfishandpositivelylethalandahotgushof
warmthrushedbetweenmythighs.

Merde.
Bending down, Colt kissed me, letting his fingers trace over my breasts. Then he

pinched the nipples and I gasped into his mouth. While his tongue was gentle, his
handsbecamerougher,kneadingmybreastswithhisstrongfingersjusttotheedgeof
pain.

My chest was rising and falling under his touch. I tried to squirm, but I couldn’t

move.

SuddenlyIrealizedwhyColthadwantedmeinthisswing.
Iwasadancer.Icravedmovement.
By restraining me, Colt was not only challenging me, but denying me, too. He’d

figuredoutawaytoleadagain.Tocontrolthedance.Butnottopunishme.Iknewitas
sureasIknewmyownname.

Hewasdoingitforme.

Stripping away my comfort zone to leave me as open as possible so I could

experienceultimatepleasure.

Gorgeousandsmooth.
Brilliantandlethal.
Pleasureandpain.
Then he was everywhere. Hands on me, tongue, lips, teeth. An orgasm blasted

through my body, shocking me. Colt had me delirious under his touch, under his
control. Bliss saturated every cell and his name fell from my lips over and over.
Somethingfierceandpowerfulwasroaringthroughme…yetsomethingalsoseemedto
splintermyheartatthesametime.

BeforeIcouldwrapmybrainaroundthesensation,hewastouchingmeagain.And

notbeingabletotouchhimbackmeantallIcoulddowasfeel.Histonguecirclingmy
navel,hisfingersstrokingthebackofmythighs,andhisshouldersrubbingmyknees.
Whenhislipsclosedovermyclit,mytoescurledasIcriedout.Sucking,licking,pulling
untilIwasnothingmorethanawrithingmassofneed.

“Openyoureyes,Bella,”Coltmurmured,hiswarmbreathcaressingmycheek.
Slowly he came into focus and my heart squeezed. His strong shoulders, his

muscledstomach,thatfuckingchiseledjaw,thosewarmgold-browneyes.

“Colt,”Iwhispered.
“IwantyoureyesonmeasItakeyou.ClosethemandIstop.”Hisvoicewashusky,

andstern,butasmilewasplayingaroundhislips.“AndIwanttohearyoubeg.”

“Please,please,please,”Imoaned.Theachebetweenmylegswassosharp,Ialmost

wasintearsIneededhimsobad.“Colt,please.”

He’dalreadycoveredhiscockwithanewcondom.WhenIfeltthethickheadofhis

cock, I wanted to close my eyes. Wanted to block everything else out but the feel of
himpressinginsideme.Fillingme.ButIheldstrong,watchinghispupilsdilateashe
breachedmycleft.Watchinghisnostrilsflareasherockedforward,thedragofhishot,
swollen cock against my flesh making my vision go hazy. Watching his jaw clench
whenhefinallyhitbottom,fillingmetothepointofaching.

“Sofuckinggood,Rabbit,”hemuttered.
And then he began to move in long, deep strokes. In and out, battering my g-spot

with that heavy cock at every thrust. The swing bounced as he took me and I spun
awayintosensation.AllIcouldfeelwasthatrock-hardshaftfillingeveryinchofme,
seethatface,tensewithfocus,eyeswildwithneed.

Myentirebodywentrigidalltoosoon.Orgasmafterorgasmpoundedthroughme,

shatteringmyworldasIcriedout.Hisowneyessnappedshutasheletoutalowgroan,
hisfingersdiggingintomyhipsashebuckedandjerkedagainstme.

“Ah,fuck.Rabbit,Jesus!”
Iwantedtoholdhimandneverletgo.Theemotionscoursingthroughmewereso

jumbledandstrongandterrifying,Ifelthottearsonmyface.

Whenitwasallover,Iwaslimp,utterlyspent.Gone.Obliterated.
AtsomepointIrealizedhehadunstrappedmefromtheswingandIletoutasigh.
A second later, we were back in the chair, my legs wrapped around his waist, and

myheadonhisshoulder.Bothofusweregaspingforair.Somewheredeepdown,Iwas
feelingimpressedColthadmanagedtowalkusoverhere.

Aswebrokeapart,staringintoeachother’seyes,anewsongcameonandthelyrics

werewreakinghavoconme.

WhenIlookintoyoureyes,Idrown…
Todistractmyself,IkissedColtagain.Thistimeitfeltdesperate,asthoughtimewas

runningoutonus.Butthatdidn’tmatter,right?Ihatedhim,Ihatedhim…

YoutakemetothetopandIneverwannacomedown…
Painwasrisingintomythroatandtearswereprickingbehindmyeyes.Fuck,no,I

couldn’tloseitnow.Ijustwouldn’tlisten.Iwouldn’t.

Colt broke the kiss, and leaned back, touching my face. I fought to get air in my

lungs.

Hedidn’tsayaword.Hejustlookedatme,andI’dneverfeltsobare,notevenon

that swing. Pushing my face into his neck, I squeezed my eyes shut and inhaled his
scent.Themusickeptplaying.

I'msoinlove…
Andasthewordsrangout,Colt’sarmstightenedaroundme.
“Ah,Rabbit.”
I’ddoneit.ColtCapestranawasinlove.Ihadhisheartinmyhand.Now,allIhadto

dowassqueezeuntilthatheartwasnothingbutdust.

InsteadoftherushoftriumphI’dbeenwaitingfor,allIfeltwaspain.

C H A P T E R S I X T E E N

Colt

natchingupmyringingphone,Ifrowned.IwashopingitwasBella,butitwasan
unknownnumber.

We’dpartedwaysthenightbeforeattheclub,andIstillwasn’tsurewhereherhead

wasat.We’dbeensoinsync.Ithadallfeltsoright,butwhenIaskedhertostayatmy
apartment,she’dlookedpanickedandpale.

I let her off easy, telling her we’d talk tomorrow, but I couldn’t quell the sense of

unrestthatsettledoverme.MaybeshewasjustrockedlikeIwasathowquickthiswas
allhappeningbetweenus.

At least, that’s what I had to hope. Because the alternative? That she was having

secondthoughts?Feltlikeaknifeinthegut.

Irritated at my own weakness, I answered the still-ringing phone, “Yeah, who’s

this?”

“Capestrana?It’sme,dummy,”avoicerasped.
My body went cold and I shot to my feet. “Lono, why’re you calling me from a

burnerphone?”

Giuseppe “Lono” Lonoglio was the Capestranas’ lawyer, who was currently

supposed to be upstate helping our cousin Kevin locked up in the FCI. A heavy guy
fromNewJersey,Lonowasassharpastheycame,andhadanuncannyeyeforlegal
loopholes.

“Wegotaproblem,man.”
Hesoundedirritated.Icouldpracticallyseehimtakingalongdragonhiscigarette,

huddledinhiscaroutsidetheprison.

“JustinRuffino.Thatlittleshit.Thoseproblemshe’scausing?I’mthinkingit’smore

thanhimbeingfuckedintheheadandKevlosinghistemper.”

“Great,”Imuttered.
KevhadkickedJustin’sasstheotherdayforrunninghismouthandgettinginKev’s

faceatchow.Usuallythatwouldmeanextratimeinside,butLonogotmyhotheaded
cousinoffeasy.That’swhathedid.However,I’dhadabadfeelingsinceI’dheardabout
it.

Sometimesbeingrightsucked.

Lonocoughed.“Anyway,wordisthathe’sgotsomethingintheworks.Somesortof

revenge plot against the Capestranas.” My jaw clenched. “Been having some visitors
andtalkingalotofshitintheyard.I’mgoingtotrytogetsomedetails,andassoonasI
do,I’llletyouknow.”

“Thanks, Lono.” My mind was racing. “Take it easy, will ya? Especially on the

smokes.”

“Yeah,yeah,”hegrumbled,hangingup.
Pullingoutmyphone,Isentalocationforanemergencymeet-upwithmyfamily.
I’d been expecting a call like this, but I still couldn’t put my finger on what was

happening.Whatwerewemissing?Icouldn’tfigureoutwhowouldriskworkingwith
any Ruffinos now, especially when everyone knew they’d have to face Capestrana
wrath for it. They were penniless and powerless, not to mention, marked by the FBI.
And especially Justin Ruffino. At least his father was smart. The kid was a sick,
manipulative asshole, cut from the same monstrous cloth as his father, only with a
solidfiftyfewerIQpoints.Whointheirrightmindwouldwanttoworkforhim?

AchillwentupmyspineandIgrimaced.Onlyanothermonster,that’swho.

“D

AMN

,soKevbustedRuffino’swrist,ribs,andnose?That’slikeabeat-downhattrick.”

MycousinRoscogrinned,loungingagainstthewallashedrankhisespresso.Hewas

adark-hairedtwenty-twoyearoldwhowasquicktosmileandjustasquicktofight.

UncleLou,UncleJoe,Dante,Rosco,Nicky,andI,wereeatingbreakfast,andwaiting

onmyfather.Closetedoffinacozyofficeinoneofthebakeriesmyfamilyowned,it
wasfilledwiththewarmscentofcoffeeandbakingpastries.

Danteshookhishead.“Emiliodidanumberonthatkid.Hehadnoshot.”
Joescowledandthrewadonutathim.“Whogivesashit?Myoldmanbeattheshit

outofallofus,andlookhowweturnedout.Whatwasthatjokeyouusedtosay,Lou,
whenVinniedownthestreetcomplainedhegotbeateveryday?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lou said with a grin. “I used to say, ‘Wow, you only get beat once a

day?’SocrymeafuckingriverfortheRuffinokid.Plenty’apeopleareborntoassholes
andmakegoodinlife.”

“NotwhatImeant,Unc.”Dantehadcaughtthedonutandtookaheartybitewitha

wink.Igavehimathumb’supandhegrinned.“I’mjustsayin’he’sderanged.”

PopandAxeenteredtheroom.Istraightened,givingmyfatheraquestioninglook,

andheshrugged.

“Axe,thefuckareyoudoin’here?You’resupposedtobesteppingbackandkeeping

yournoseclean,remember?”AsmuchasImissedworkingwithhimonthedaytoday,
as tough as he was, my little brother wasn’t cut out for this life long-term. In a lot of
ways,hewasthebestofus,andIdidn’twanthimgettingcaughtbackupinanyofthis
shit.

“IfitinvolvesaRuffino,itinvolvesme.”Axesatdownheavilyandcrossedhisarms.

“Youwannamakemeleave?Try.”

“Takeitdownanotch,bro,”Idrawled.“Youwanttobehere,Iwon’tstopyou.”
Hisangergone,Axepickedupapastry,andsalutedme.“Continue.”

IfilledPopandAxeinonthesituationwithJustinquickly,andtheybothlistened

withsolemnfaces.

“Sowho’sbeenvisitinghim?Anyoneweknow?”
“Notsure.Lonocalledbackandsaidhegotaquicklookatthevisitor’sregisterbut

hecouldn’treadthesignatures.”

UncleLou,whoworethickglasses,madeaface.“I’vebeentellin’himforyearsto

getspecs.”

“Nah, man,” Nicky chuckled, chomping on his third cannoli. He was a squat,

muscular kid who loved food almost as much as he loved the gym. “He wouldn’t be
Lonoifhewasn’talwayssquintin’.It’sfuckinghilarious.”

“Nicky,basta,”Popsnapped.
MycousinsubsidedandIwentintodetailaboutwhatLonohadtoldmeduringhis

secondphonecall.MutterswentaroundthetableasItoldthemthatJustinhadbeen
sayingtheCapestranas“werefinished”and“inthetoilet”.

Pausing,Itookasipofcoffee,andglancedaround.OnceItoldthemthelastpart,the

shitwouldhitthefan,butthey’dfindoutsoonenoughanyway.

“JustinclaimsI’mgoingdownhard.Andsoon.”
OutburstswentaroundthetableandAxeshottohisfeet.
“Checosa?”Hischestheaved.“How?”
“Angelino, please sit down,” Pop said, reaching up, and patting my brother’s

shoulder.

Slowly Axe sat back down. “We end them and they still come back to haunt us.”

Gripping the back of his neck, he muttered, “She still has nightmares. We should’ve
taken them all out when we had the chance. I’m so sorry I dragged you into this,
Cosimo.”

“Iwouldn’tchangeit.”
A chorus of agreement filled the room. I knew each of us was thinking about the

same thing. Brenna’s glowing green-blue eyes, the way Axe smiled at her, and her
millionsofquestions.

Thenthatshadow,flittingacrossherface,deadeninghergazeeverysooftenwhen

shethoughtbacktohertimeastheRuffinos’prisoner.

Fury pounded through me. Emilio’s demon offspring was in on all of it and was

luckytobealive.

Butmaybeitwastimehisluckranout.
“Maybe Justin wants to visit his father.” More than one glance came my way.

“What? Who would miss him? Axe did the world a favor when he dropped Ruffino.
Let’skeepcullingtheherd.”

Myfathershookhisheadslowly,lookingolderthanI’drememberedhimlooking.

“Cosimo,no.Nonseramomonstri.SincewhendoCapestranasstooptotheirlevel?We
havetobesmart.Justinisbehindbarsandtherestoftheirmainguysarelonggone,on
togreenerpastures.Ifhe’sgotacouplethugsstickingaround,we’llfindoutwhothey
areanddealwiththem.”

“But what if they come after Brenna again?” Dante asked, squeezing his hands

together.

“Thatwouldbeafoolishmove,evenforaRuffino.”Pop’seyesglittereddangerously.

“I’mnotsayingI’mnotworried,butwecan’tgooffhalf-cocked.Honestly…”hepaused.
“I’mmoreworriedaboutColtatthemoment.”

Alaughburstoutofme.“You’renotserious,Pop.”
“Justin named you, son.” Pop was stern. “While Axe pulled the trigger, you dealt

withtheFeds.Atleast,that’sthewordonthestreets.AndeveryoneknowsI’vebeen
slowlyhandingthereinsoverforyears.I’mafigureheadatthispoint.You’rethespine
ofthisfamily.Yougodown,weallgodown.”

“Chepalle. It was all those other scummy Ruffino guys that turned on him. They

threwJustin’sassunderthebusintheblinkofaneyetogettheirownassesoutofthe
sling.How’sitonmetheydidn’tlethiminontheplan?”Ijoked.

Mycousinsanduncleslaughed.Axeandmyfatherdidn’t.
“Quelchepareburla,bensoventeèvero,Cosimo,”myfatherrespondedquietly.
Truthinthejest.
SilenceimmediatelyfellaroundthetableandagainIfeltachillofforeboding.
Isighed.“Alright,yeah.Thisiswhatwe’lldo—”
“Kneecaphim.”Joebangedafistonthetable.“I’llgetthebats.”
“You got potatoes in your goddamn ears?” Lou turned to Joe, shaking his head.

“Listen—”

“No,youalllistentome.Pop’sright.Wegottabesmart.Hitthestreets,startasking

questions.ThosefuckingpunksRudyandNevioarearoundsomewhere,maybetrack
thosereefersdownandseewhattheyknow,iftheyhaven’tsmokedtheirbrainsaway
yet.Ros,Nick,haveJimmy,Frankie,andNinogointoNewYork,kickatsomerocksand
seewhattheyhear.”

EveryonenoddedandJoecrackedhisknuckles,lookingpleased.
“Joe,nobats,”Isnappedandhescowledatme.“Andiamo.Hey,Pop,IguessI’llcall

Westfield?”Igroaned.“Fuckme,thatprickisgonnabesosmug.”

Joe,Lou,Rosco,andNickyroaredwithlaughter,andthenmovedoutoftheroom,

arguingloudlyaboutwhogottogowhere.

Popgavemeashark’ssmileandthenleanedover.“Don’tthinkyou’reoffthehook,

either, Cosimo. Once this is dealt with, we still need to talk about the dancer.” He
smackedthebackofmyheadhardandIwinced.

Shit.
Asmyfather,thenDante,lefttheroom,Icalledoutsoftly,“Dante.Door,please.”
Axe, who was still seated and lost in thought, shot me an annoyed look when I

kickedhimunderthetable.

“What?”hesnarled.
“Angelino, I swear I’m not jerking your chain. Just me lookin’ out for my

impetuous,good-heartedyoungerbrother.”HerolledhiseyesatmeandIresistedthe
urgetoputhiminaheadlock.“EventhoughJustinnamedme,yougottapromiseme
you’llbecareful.”

ThenIswallowed,suddenlyrememberingwhatBrennahadsaidontheridehome

that dark night. The night Emilio Ruffino died. The night Axe had gone to prison for
killinghim.

She’dclungtome,bloody,beaten,andwithheartbrokeneyes.
Notthinkingaboutherself,justAxeandthefamily.

Colt,I’msosorry.Yourdadisgonnahateme,you’regonnahateme,MamaAngewill

neverforgiveme.I’msorry,it’sallmyfault.Itoldhimnottodoit.Ibeggedhim.I’mnot
worththis…

Isatdown,mygutcontractingasthememoryhitme.Popwasright.Iwasthespine

of the Capestrana family, but Axe was the heart. If something happened to my little
brother,itwouldendusall.

“Colt,youokay?”Axemovedtothechairnexttome.
“Brenna went through hell with the Ruffinos, Axe,” I said in a low voice. “But the

worst night was the one where she thought she’d never see you again. I just
remembered what she said to me that night. Apologizing, blaming herself…I fucking
needyoutowatchyourback.Promisemethis.”

Again,mybloodboiled,andIwishedEmiliohadsufferedlonger.
Axeflushedandmuttered,“Oh,yeah.Okay.Igetit.”
Punchinghisshoulder,Isaid,“Fratellino,youbetter.Evenifyou’reonthestraight

and narrow with your hot rod shop, a Ruffino doesn’t care about that. Vendetta ain’t
deadyet.”

“Santocielo, I said I get it. I’ll be extra careful, I promise.” Axe scowled, stood up,

andstretched.“Youworrytoomuch,Colt.I’mnotstupid.”

“Yeah,butyoucanbefuckin’reckless,especiallywhereBrennaisconcerned,”Ishot

backathim.

Axeopenedhismouthtoretort,thenmadeafacelikegotmethere.“Okay,bigbro.I

promise.Super,extracareful.”Hesmiledandlefttheroom.

Once I was alone, the unsettled feeling in my gut grew. Pop’s voice echoed in my

head.

Justincalledyououtbyname,Colt.
Buryingmyfeelingsofunease,Ipulledoutmyphoneandcheckedmycalendar.
Asmilespreadacrossmyface.TomorrowwasMamaAnge’sbirthday.Maybethere

wasawaytoeasePop’smindaboutonething,andmakeMamaAnge’sdayatthesame
time.

Going into my recent calls, I hit Bella’s number, and drummed my fingers on the

table.

“Heythere,”shemurmured.
Justhearinghervoicemademefeelbetter.Aspotofsunshineonashittyday,and

thefactthatshesoundedjustashappytohearfrommewasabonus.

“Heythereyourself,Rabbit.Gotanyplanstomorrow?There’ssomeoneIwantyou

tomeet.”

Bella

“O

,hewassocute,nowlookathim!”Lisawaslaughingsohardpeoplewereturning

around.“Likeagiantthumb-man.”

IpushedasidemypersistentthoughtsofColtandgrinnedatmycousin.
“Lisa,I’msorrytotellyouthis,butyourhighschoolsweetheartalwayslookedlikea

thumb.”Ipeeredatthepictureofahammyfootballplayeronherphone.“Hewasyour
first?”

“Oh, shut up, Bebe. We couldn’t all be on the other side of the Atlantic with sexy

FrenchloverstopunchourV-cards.”

It hadn’t been as spectacular as it sounded, and I found myself wishing Colt had

been my first. I swallowed hard as I thought of our phone conversation earlier that
morning.

Hewasbringingmetomeetthefamily.
Ifthatwasn’tserious,Ididn’tknowwhatwas.
Lisawavedthewaitressover.“Hey,good-looking,wewantanotherround.”
“I think you put the happy in happy hour.” The girl laughed. “You’re my favorite

table.”

“Andyou’remyfavoritewaitress!”Lisacriedout.
“Andyou’renotevendrunk.”Ishookmyhead,munchingonmorechips,enjoying

thesaltycrunch.“Tellmeaboutyournewjob.”

“Oh,girl.You’resosweet.Okay,soit’sthisnewstart-uphelpingthefashionindustry

go more eco-friendly. It’s basically getting paid to drink and hang out with up and
comingdesigners.Thentweetaboutthem.IloveNewYorkCity.”

“Damn,ifthemargaritasdidn’tmakemyheadspin,thatwould.You’reamazing,”I

said,shakingmyheadinawe.

“Stop.”Lisaflushed.Tonightshewaswearingametallicchoker,anofftheshoulder

peasanttop,andbrightgreenpants.Asbrightasthelookwas,inElAzteca,sheblended
right in with the colorful decor. Smiling at me, Lisa leaned forward. “Can I just say,
you’re looking sort of glowy today, my Parisian ballerina. Something’s up with you,
huh?”

Ibrushedheroff,askinganotherquestionabouthernewjob.Forawhile,itworked.

But,likeabloodhound,Lisahadscentedsomething,andwasn’tabouttoletitgo.

“Alright, alright. You’re stalling. What’s going on?” Lisa swayed in her seat

suggestively.“GiveColtanotherlapdance?”

My cheeks burned and I cleared my throat. “Kinda?” Lisa’s mouth dropped open.

“Okay,yeah.Idid.Lastnight.”

“Woah, what? Last night… Opening night?” Lisa’s eyes were huge. “Tell me

everything.”

Leaningforward,IwhisperedtheeventsoftheeveningtoLisa,whosquealedmore

than once. When I got to the kinky stuff, she put her hands over her mouth, and I
droppedmyhead.

“Lisa,it’snotjustthesex,whichisfuckingmind-blowing,don’tgetmewrong.It’s…

I think… I don’t know, I wanted to…” I kept stumbling over my words, embarrassed
aboutmyplantomakeColtfallinlovewithme.

Especiallysinceithadsoepicallybackfired.
Bitingmylip,Iblurtedout,“I’msoconfused.So,okay,tomorrow,getthis.I’mgoing

straight into the heart of the Capestranas. I’ll meet them all. His father, his

grandmother.It’sherbirthday.”Istaredatmyhandsandtwistedmyfingerstogether.
“Idon’tknowhowtofeelaboutColt,butIthinkifhewasn’taCapestrana,hecouldbe…
theone.”

Mybreathcaught.Ihadn’tmeanttosaythat.
Peeking up at Lisa, I saw that she’d gone still, her face shadowed, and eyes full of

conflict.

Twisting my hair, I waited for the judgment I so rightfully deserved. How I was

fuckinguptherevengeIsodesperatelywantedbyfallingfortheenemy.HowIwasa
suckeroftheworstkind.Atraitorandafool.

But Lisa’s eyes went bright and she reached across the table. “Bebe. Say his name

again.”

“C-Colt?”Iasked,puzzled.
“Oh,Bella.”Lisatookadeepbreathandsqueezedmyhand.“Youwantmyadvice?

Followyourheart.”

Ialmostpulledawayfromher,Iwassosurprised.
“Butmyheartistellingmetwothings,Lis.Toavengemyfamily.That’showIwas

raised. How we were raised.” I waved my free hand between us. “I’m failing the
Ruffinoname.WhatdaughterofEmilio’swouldletthisstand?Andwhatkindofsister
wouldIbetodothistoJustin?”

Lisagentlypulledawayfromme.AtfirstIthoughtitwasthelighting,orthedrinks,

butIrealizedmycousinhadgonepaper-white.

Hereyesdartedaroundtherestaurant.Afeelingofuneaseprickledupmyspineand

Iglancedaroundaswell.Whydidshelooksofragile?Sofearful?

“What? Is something wrong?” A strange sensation lurched through me, like I’d

stumbledtotheedgeofanabyss,andIwasabouttofallin.

“Um.” Lisa cleared her throat, now looking distinctly ill. “I-I need to tell you

something,Bella.SomethingIshould’vetoldyoualongtimeago.”Shepulledherchair
closer,herfaceamaskofmisery.“RememberthelastChristmasweallspenttogether?
TheonetimeyoucametoStatenIslandfortheholidays?”

“How could I forget?” I studied her. “It’s one of my few holiday memories with

family.Itreasureit.”

SheflinchedasthoughI’dstabbedher.
“Oh, Bella, God forgive me. I knew I’d have to tell you this one day.” Her face

becameserious.“Youhadn’tbeenhomeinawhile,right?Justinwasinhisearlyteens.”

Inodded,myhearthammering,astheabyssyawnedbeforeme.
“Justin,heuh…”Sheswallowed.“HetriedtomolestSteffiethatnight.”
Her mouth was moving, but my ears were humming so loud, I couldn’t hear the

words.

Justin.Mybrotherhadtriedtomolestmyyoungcousin?
“N-no.No,thatcan’tberight,”Imurmuredthroughnumblips.
NowLisawasshakingasshesqueezedmyicyhandinhers.“Weweretooafraidto

tell your father. He wouldn’t have been happy, y’know? And the silence ate Daddy
alive, he started using worse than ever. I’m not saying he didn’t make his own bed,
but…”Herheadbentasshetrailedoff.

Bloodpoundinginmyears,itfeltlikethefloorwasmovingunderme,andIgrabbed

the table. Sweet little Steffie? She was probably ten at the time, with her pigtails and
greeneyeslikemine?

“EmilioneverwantedtodealwithJustin’sissues.ButitwaslikethesecondJustin

turnedthirteen,hesnapped.Yourdad’sonlyresponsewas,‘justboysbeingboys’.”Her
voicewasbitter.“MeandSteffieavoidedhimafterthat.Ithinkyourdadknew,though.
Ithinktherewereothers.Eventually,yourfatherdecidedthebestwaytohandleitwas
to keep the Ruffino girls away from him. Let Justin work out his frustrations…
elsewhere.”

ItwaslikeI’dbeenencasedinice.Vaguely,IrealizedIwasnodding.
An image of Justin, as he was now, played behind my eyes. Violent, angry, and

cruel.

“Bella, he’s sadistic. You should cut off contact with him. I mean, one time he

poisonedourdogbecauseSteffiewouldn’tlethiminthehouse.Hecamebackandfed
Rooalacedsandwich.Wehadtogetthepoorthing’sstomachpumped,rackedupmy
mom’screditcard.Once,hethrewaneighborhoodcatoffarooftoseeifitlandedonits
feet.Ashegotbiggerandstartedtakingsteroids,itonlygotworse.Everyonewasafraid
of him. It was like he was possessed or some shit, honey.” Lisa must’ve seen my
expressionandwinced.“I’msorry,I’llstop.Iwantedtotellyou,buthewasinjailand
whatgoodwoulditdotodragallthatdirtylaundryout?Iwashopingyou’dseeiton
yourown.I’msosorry,love.”

Reachingoutwithashakinghand,Itookasipofmymargarita,andletthealcohol

burnitswaydownmythroat.Isuddenlywisheditwasasleepingpotion.

I’dneverknownmylittlebrotherasanadult,hadI?
I’d been right to think that the Justin Ruffino I used to know was dead. But the

Capestranasweren’tresponsibleforthat.Myfatherwas.AndsowasJustin,himself.

GriefrockedthroughmybodyasIthoughtaboutthelittleboyItaughttoskiprocks

andtiehisshoes.TheboywhosechubbyhandIheldwhenwewenttotheplayground.
AsItriedtowrapmyheadaroundthisnewreality,IrealizedLisawastryingtosubtly
wipeawayherowntears.

Theguiltmust’vebeenkillingher,butthiswasn’tonher.AsmuchasIwantedtobe

mad that she never told me, I understood. My father had a terrible temper and long
reach.SheandSteffmust’vebeenterrified.

“Lisa,thankyoufortellingme.”Myvoiceshook.“I’msorry,pleasedon’tthinkI’m

angrywithyou.”

Suddenly,Ifroze.Thishadbeenkeptfromme,justasI’dbeenkeptaway.Jesus,had

theCapestranashaditrightallalong?WhatotheruglysecretsdidInotknowaboutmy
family?

Mycousinlookednervous,asthoughsensingwhatIwasabouttoask.Andtakinga

deepbreath,Iworkedupmynerve,andplungedintotheabyss.

“WhataboutEmilio?”Iasked,myentirebodynowshaking.
If I’d thought Lisa looked upset, and haunted before, now she looked downright

petrified.

“Um,whatdoyoumean?”Herlipswerebloodless.
Myheartsank.IcouldtellbyherfacesheknewwhatImeant,anditwasn’tgood.

“Justintalksabouthimlikehewasaking,agreatman.”

SuddenlysomethingLisahadsaidtomeinthecoffeeshopracedthroughmymind.
ArealKingMidaswithhishushmoney.Justbegladhedidn’tturnyouintogold,huh,

princess?

Lisasighed.“Oh,Bella.Theyliedtoyou.It’salllies.Haven’tyouheardtherumors

abouttherottenRuffinos?”MystomachlurchedasInodded.“Thesexslaveryring,the
girls, that poor kidnapped virgin… It all happened. Our family broke the Trinacria
agreement. I saw it going down and I got the hell out of town. That’s why the
CapestranaswenttotheFeds.Theyhadnochoice.”Sheshivered.“Emilio,he’dlosthis
mind,Iswear.”

Theauctions.Withthegirlsthatmyfatherhadsworntomewereactiveparticipants

out to make a boatload of cash. Girls who were of legal age, who had consented and
chosetomaketheirmoneyintheworld’soldestprofession.

Pressing my hands to my stomach, I leaned forward, gasping for air a little. For a

moment, I thought I was going to be sick, as the room spun around me, but then I
clenchedmyteeth.

I’dbeenmanipulated.Mycousins,mybrotherhadliedtomyface.Liedaboutlying.
ToldmetherumorshadbeeninventedbytheCapestranasandtheFedstodestroy

myfather.EnsureAxewalkedfree.GiveColtandhisboysroomtomakemoney.

Likeafool,I’dboughtit.
SuddenlyIwasangry.Howdaretheyusemelikethis?Callingmehome,usingme

likeapawn,andactinglikemyfatherwasagoddamnsaint.

IfhalfofwhatI’dheardwastrue,he’dbeenthedevilincarnate.
Lookingup,IrealizedLisawassobbing,andIreachedacrossthetablenow.Taking

herhandsIsqueezedthem.

“Hey,hey.It’sokay.Pleasedon’tcry,Lisa.”
“I should’ve told you sooner. Shoulda told you weeks ago, years ago.” Lisa wept

harder.“I’msosorry.Ididn’tknowhowtotellyou,Iwantedtoprotectyou.Butnow
you’rebeingmanipulated…RudyandNeviowerealwaysJustin’slapdogs.Theyjustdo
whateverhesays.I-I’msorry,Bella.”

“Iforgiveyou.Don’tapologize,Igetwhyyoukeptitfromme,”Iwhispered.
Severalthingsfromovertheyearswereclickingintoplace.NowIunderstoodwhy

peopleinEhlrichreveredtheCapestranasandspatontheRuffinoname.

Withaterrible,painfulthud,Ilandedatthebottomoftheabyss.
Myfamilywasabsoluteshit.
Sittingthere,holdingLisa’shands,andwatchinghercry,Istruggledtokeepmyown

tearsin.

Myentireplanhadbeensofuckingmisguided.Iwassostupid,soclueless.
And now I was in love with Colt and it was all too late. I’d already dug my own

grave.

Staringaroundtherestaurant,pressurebuildingbehindmyeyes,heartsplintering

intopieces,Itriedtofigureoutwhattodo.

IfIcameclean,atworst,Coltmighthavemekilled.
Atbest,he’dhatemyguts.
ButifIdidn’ttellhimwhoIreallywas?Icouldn’tlivewithmyself.
Finemessyou’vegottenusintothistime,Rabbit.

C H A P T E R S E V E N T E E N

Colt

oopumpedto stay in mytruck as I parkedoutside Bella’s apartment, I hopped
out. Temps had dipped below twenty, the sky was heavy with clouds, but that

didn’t shake my mood. We had to manage some shit with the Ruffinos, sure, but
tonightwasallaboutfamily.Breakingbread,talkingandlettingeveryonegettoknow
Bella.

MypulsekickedintohighgearwhenIsawher.
She was coming out the door, checking her pockets, her bag, fixing her hair,

clutching a bottle of wine, and looking completely distracted. Her copper penny hair
andbeautifulfaceglowedagainstthegraydayandIletoutawolfwhistle.

Her head shot up and her lip curled in anger. Then, she rolled her eyes when she

sawme.

“Youabouttothrowdown?”Iasked,stridingover,andwrappingherinabearhug.
“Maybe.” Her voice was muffled and she punched me lightly as I let her go. “You

shouldknowbetterthantomesswitharedheadonthisstreet.”Sheshookherheadat
me.“Hey,it’sfreezing,whydidn’tyouwaitinthetruck?”

“Couldn’twaittoseeyou.”Ileaneddownandkissedher.I’dmeantforittobequick,

wewerealreadyrunninglate,butIcouldn’tstop.

Finally, Bella pulled away, a little breathless. For a moment, she looked like she

wantedtosaysomething,butthenlookeddown.“Let’sgobeforeyoufreeze.Weareso
gonnabelate.”

“Idon’tknow,I’mgettin’prettywarm.”Islidanarmaroundhershouldersaswe

walkedtothetruck.“Andwe’renotthatlate…”

“Colt.”BellagavemeasassylookandIalmostkissedheragain.
“Kidding,”Isaid,openingthedoor,andhelpingherin.“Someone’sfeisty.”
“I’mnotfeisty,”Bellademurred,tossingherhead.“ButIamalittlenervous.”
Laughing, I shut her door, and jogged around to my side. As I hopped in, I said,

“They’regonnaloveyou,Rabbit.Don’tworry.Andyoudidn’thavetobringgifts,you
know.”

She smiled softly, shrugging one shoulder. I paused before starting the truck,

studying her under the glare of the streetlight. She seemed a little off, I realized.

Somethinginherfacehadchanged.Thegreenofhereyeswasglass-like,fragileeven,
andherskinalmostaspaleastherainynightshe’dshownuponmydoorstep.

“Whatisit?”Shebitherlip.“DoIhavesomethingonmyface?”
“Rabbit,what,doyounotownamirror,orsomething?No.You’regorgeous.”
Andclearlynervous,asshe’dsaid.Iturnedthetruckon,anddroveaway.
Pickingupherhand,Ipressedittomylipsforalongmoment.Shesettledbackin

theseatandhuggedthewinebottletoherchest.Iwantedtoreassureherthattheonly
thinganyoneshouldworryaboutwhenmeetingCapestranasweretheireardrumsbut
shedidn’tseeminclinedtotalksoIturnedthemusicon.

An old song by Alicia Keys came on as we continued to drive and I turned it up a

little.IfIAintGotYou.Tooperfect.Bellaflushedpinkwhenourglancesmet.

Ashy,sexysmiletouchedherlips,andhereyesgrewsoft.
IfIhadn’tknownIwasinlovebefore,thatlookwould’veshotmestraightthrough

the heart. And I was going to tell her tonight. For the rest of the ride, we listened to
musicandIheldherchillyhandinmine.Thesecondshemetthefam,thiswouldall
fadeaway.They’dloveher,andshe’dseethatshe’dbeenworriedfornothing.

When I parked in front of Mama Ange’s, the driveway already packed with cars,

Bellastarted,andlookedaround.Hermouthfellopenasshegazedupatthebighouse,
theextensivegrounds,andthegatesinthedistance.

“AreweinTuscany?”Herfacelitupasshelookedatme.“HowdidImissdriving

in?”

“Getenoughsleeplastnight?Orwasthinkingaboutmekeepingyouup?”Igrinned

assheflushedandtriednottosmile.“Seriously,youokay?”

SomeonebangedonmywindowatthatmomentandIsighed.Turning,Isawabevy

ofCapestranaswaitingoutside,shivering,andgrinning.“Goddamnit,”Imuttered.

Bella blinked as the truck was surrounded by people. “Wow. Um, are they always

likethis?”

Suddenlyalittleembarrassedatmyrowdyfamily,Imuttered,“Uh,yeah.Hopeyou

likedinnerandashow,becauseyoucan’thaveonewithouttheotherhere.”

Rosco was opening Bella’s door, the little shit, and offering his arm. “Ms. Bella, I

presume?MynameisRosco,I’llbeyourescortfortheevening.”

“Rosco,seicarnemorta,”Isnarled,butheshutthedoorinmyface,winking.
“Colt!”Mydoorwasnowopenandmytwinlittlesisterswerescreaminginmyear.
“Why’reyousolate?”Avademanded.“Wereyoumakingoutwithyourgirlfriend?”
“Whendidyougetagirlfriend?”Sophiaasked.“Isshereallyadancer?Iwanttobea

dancer!”

“Uncle Colt, that’s the lady mom let in the building!” Trent exclaimed. “Mom, you

wereright!”

“Getinhere!”MamaAngeshriekedfromthefrontsteps.“Doyouwanttocatchyour

deathwiththecold?Madonnamia!Cosimo,whatwereyouthinking?Whyaretheyout
here?”

Blowing out my cheeks, I got out of the car and hurried into the house with the

chatteringfamilysurroundinguslikesomesortofdysfunctionalSecretService.

Onceinside,AvawastakingBella’scoat,Roscowasstillflirtingwithher,Sophiawas

offeringhersomethingtodrink,andMamaAngewasscoldingeveryone.

“Ava,youlayhercoatoutnicely,capisci?Rosco,basta.Goawayanddosomething

useful. Here, you and Sophia, take your little cousins away. Now. I want to talk to
CosimoandhisBella.”

The entryway cleared of everyone in thirty seconds flat, and I shook my head. I

wishedthefamilywouldlistentomethatway.

“Sorrywe’relate,Mama.”Iofferedhermybiggestsmileandahug.
Mama Ange squinted at me and then smiled. “Hmph. You have lipstick on your

mouth, Colt.” She now turned to Bella, who seemed a little shell-shocked and more
thanalittleunsure.“Bella,thankyousomuchforcoming,today.Oh,andforspending
anytimeatallwiththisfool.”

AstartledlaughpoppedoutofBella.“Ofcourse,thankyouforhavingme.”
“I’mherfavorite,”Iexplained,wipingmymouthasMamaAngehuggedBella.
“So he wishes.” Letting her go, Mama Ange patted my cheek a little harder than

necessary. “I have no favorites, how could I?” She smiled over at Bella. “You go by
Bella,yes?Letmegetyouaplate,somethingtodrink,hm?”

“Oh, but it’s your birthday,” Bella protested. “And oh, um, for you. It’s Amarone.

Perfectforaspecialoccasion.”

Mama Ange looked impressed as she took it. “This is the nicest gift yet. I like you

already. Colt never brings any girls to meet me. Or nice gifts. Very ungrateful eldest
grandson.So,you,youareveryspecial.Icanseeit.”Bellawentbrightpink.“Whyare
youwithhim?”

“Oh,see,Bellahelpedmefigureouttheglasswarefortheclub,”Iteased.“Nomason

jars.”

Bella’scheekswentevenbrighterpinkassheshotmeahorrifiedlook,andMama

Angeswattedme,saying,“Cosimo,basta.Oh,thatsmartmouthofyours.”

“Didshecorneryoubythedoor?”Popcameintothehall,holdingaglassofwine,

andshakinghishead.“Honestly,Ange,atleastletthemcomeintenmorefeet.”

“Sputare nel piatto dove si mangia,” Mama Ange retorted. Bella laughed in

appreciation,andmygrandmotherbeamed.“Parliitaliano,caramia?”

“Si.Seimeraviglioso.Buoncompleanno,”Bellaresponded,hercheeksstillpink.
MamaAngehuggedBellaagainandthankedherforthebirthdaywish.
“Youdidn’ttellmethat,Colt.”Myfatherclappedmeonthearm.WhenMamaAnge

finally let her go, he introduced himself, shaking Bella’s hand, then kissing it. “You
Italian?Sicilian?”

“Yes!Iseeit,too,”MamaAngesaid.
Bellashookherhead,asad,uneasylookdartingacrossherface.“Verylittle,sorry.I

justtravelalot.”

“Ah,well.Wewon’ttellanyone,”MamaAngejoked,steeringherintothekitchen.

MyfatherandIfollowed.Heheldmebackbeforeweentered,thenpulledmedownto
kissmycheek.

“Dantewasright,huh?Twoofmyboysdowninlessthantwomonths.Damn.That’s

amore,”Poplaughed.

“WhatwasIrightabout?”Danteappearedbehindus,Trentclingingtohisleg,and

our tiny second-cousin Maria to his hand. “Oh, look at that, Uncle Sal. He did bring
Bella.”

“Yeah, yeah.” My father let me go, pulled out his wallet, and handed Dante two

fifties.

“Are you fuckin’ serious?” I asked. Something hit my ear and I yelped. “Ow, what

theh—”

MamaAngeglaredatmeacrossthekitchen.
“Language,Colt.”Shebrandishedawoodenspoonlikeaweapon.“Doyouseethese

children?Youknowbetter.Thatsmartmouthwillnotbesocleverfullofsoap.”

Looking beyond her, I saw Bella shaking with laughter, never mind my entire

family,whowereallhowling.Roscowasclapping,Nickysalutedme,andAxeshotmea
smuglook.

IofferedAngeadeprecatingsmile.
“BeautifulNonna.”Iplacedahandovermyheart.“Midispiace.”
HercheekswentpinkbutshejustwavedahandandwentbacktotalkingtoBella,

whowasnowwipinghereyes.

“Bellahasn’trunyet.Ilikeher.”Popwinkedatme.“Hasagreatlaugh,too.”
After Mama Ange had made her a plate, they’d eagerly discussed food, wine, and

traveling for a while. Then the twins dragged her off to play games. Bella wound up
with two cousins in her lap, reaching around to deal her hands. Maria had plopped
herselfnexttoBellaandwasbraidingherhair.

Innotime,Bellahadwonovermyfamilywithherstories,speakinginItalian,and

justherfun,warmway.Watchinghermademyheartfeellikeitwasabouttoburstout
ofmychest.

Forwitheverymomentthatpassed,Iwasfallingmoreandmoreinlovewithher

andIcouldn’twaituntilwewerealone.

Bella

HECKING

WATCH

,IwasshockedtoseeI’dbeenatthispartyforoverfourhours.

I’d met so many people, eaten so much food, played so many games, heard

countlessstories,eventoldstoriesofmyown,andlaughed.

I’d never laughed so much in my life. It had flown by. And everyone was so

genuinelyhappytomeetme,too,thentohassleColt.

Itwasamazing.Wonderful.Perfect.
ButthelongerIwasthere,themoreIwishedmylastnamewastrulyLesaude.The

moreIwishedIhadn’ttriedtoplayColt.And,worse,themoreIfellinlovewithhim.
Watchinghimcharmhisgrandmother,andteasehissisters,andtalkwithhisfather.It
was a revelation. One that only made me see the stark difference between them and
myownfamily.

WhenI’dwokenupthismorningatLisa’s,myheadwaspounding,myhearthurt,

and my mouth had been dry. It was like I had a hangover from learning the truth

abouttheRuffinos.

And then late last night, Lisa had delved into the details surrounding my father’s

death.

Now,Icouldn’thelpbutseeAxeinacompletelydifferentlight.Lisahadexplained

thathe’donlypulledthetriggerbecausemyfatherwasabouttokillBrenna.Itsounded
likesomethingoutofahorrormovie.I’dbarelyslept.

While I loved being here, it was also tearing me apart. These people were a real

family.

Meanwhile,theRuffinobloodinmyveinsfeltlikepoisonnow.Iwasafraud,apiece

ofshitinthishouseofgoldenpeoplewithbighearts,loudlaughter,andrealloyalty.

NevermindhowlyingtoColtnowmademyverysoulfeeldirtyandbattered.Ifelt

monstrous,evil.Ialmostexpectedtobestruckwithlightningonthespot.

Watching him with his family, I saw that tender, affectionate side of Colt on full

display.Itseemedlikeeveryotherminute,ababywasbeingthrustathim,akidwas
climbingontohisback,orarelativewasslidingtheirarmaroundhisshoulders,eager
totalk.

More than one person gave me a half-joyful, half-impressed look, and while I

wanted to feel a sense of joy and pride that Colt was apparently mine, I only felt
burningshame.

Hewasagoodman.HowcouldIhavebeensoblind?
AndColtalwaysmadetimetocheckonme,toflickhiseyesovermeinappreciation,

givemethatlookreservedformealone,winkatme,ortuggentlyonmyhair.

Alittlelater,aftereveryonehadcongregatedbackintothekitchen,Islippedoutto

usetheladies’room.Ineededabreak.Someonehadletmeholdtheirnewbabyand
gazingdownatthatperfectlittlepersonhadwrungmyheartonetimetoomany.Then,
lookingup,IsawColt’sface,anditsplintered.

Ialmoststartedcryingthenandthere.
Inthebathroom,Itookseveraldeepbreaths,staringintothemirror.Lisahadurged

me to tell him before we even came here, but I’d chickened out. But no more. No
matterwhatitcostme,IhadtotellhimandIhadtodoitsoon.

AlreadymourningwhatIwassurelylosing,Iwanderedback,gazingaroundatthis

beautiful house. I was struck again by how warm it felt. It wasn’t just the lovely
furnitureandtheart.ItwasthatsamesenseI’dgotteninColt’sapartment.Thelife,the
laughter,andthejoy.

Theconnectionofpeopleandtheirmemorieswithinthesewalls.
Peekingintoanemptyroom,Iwalkedin.Itlookedlikeacrossbetweenastudyand

acraftroom.Therewasapictureofafamilyonthebookshelf,andIstopped,staring.

HerewasayoungColt,grinningimpishly,holdinghisbabysistersineacharm,Axe

laughing, and their sister Trina sticking her tongue out. Sal was gazing at the lovely
womanhehadhisarmaround,whowasalsolaughing.Withoutmeaningto,Ipickedit
up.

“Isn’tshebeautiful?”asoft,liltingvoiceasked.
Gasping,Ijumpedamile,andnearlydroppedthepicture.Whirlingaround,Istared

atthegirlinthedoorway.Shewaspetite,withlongdarkhair,andincredibletealeyes.

“B-Brenna,right?”Iasked,hastilyputtingthepictureback.“I’msorry….I…”Trailing

off,Istaredather.BrennaFiorewasAxe’sgirlfriend,anethereal,breathtakingbeauty.

Now knowing Axe’s real name, Angelino, I’d watched him with Brenna all night

from afar, and thought about how fitting it was. Her savior. Of course he was Mama
Ange’s namesake, too. Colt’s big, dark, and muscular younger brother was like a
guardianangeltothisgirl.I’dseenthewayhelookedather,thegentleness,thefierce
protectiveness,andthelove.

It’d made me both want Colt even more, and to run far away. He deserved better

thanme.

“Don’tapologize.”Shewassosweet.“Theirmom…Colthashereyes.”
“Yeah,Inoticedthat,”Imurmured.
Brennagavemeastrangelook,thesameoneshe’dgivenmewhenIwasintroduced

toher.Butwe’dbeeninterruptedbyColt’ssisterTrina.Infact,I’dcaughtBrennaeyeing
memorethanonce.

Iflushed.Maybeshe’dnoticedmewatchingherandAxe.
Sheturnedandclosedthedoorbehindhergentlybeforefacingmeagain.
Her gaze was troubled, her posture stiff, but nothing could prepare me for her

words.

“Iknowwhoyouare,Bella.”
I froze. Blood roared through my body and my hands started to shake. Vaguely, I

realizedmykneeswerebuckling.Brennarushedtome,leadingmetoasmallcouch.

“H-how?”Ifinallygotout.“Didyoutellthem?”
“No.”Shebitherlip.“IsawapictureofyouattheRuffinoestatelastyear.Youwere

a little girl then, but you look the same. Your face is unforgettable. The red hair, the
smile.”

“Oh, God.” I couldn’t hold back anymore. My body curved in and a sob tore from

mychest.“Ididn’tknowwhathe’ddonetoyou.Pleasebelieveme,I’msosorry.”

To my complete astonishment, Brenna slipped an arm around me. “I know. They

keptyouawayonpurpose.Iheardthemtalkaboutyou.Heardthemmakeupthelies
totellyou,even.You’readanceprodigy,right?”

“Didtheyhurtyou?”MyeyeswentwideasIstaredather.“Didhe…?DidJustin?”
Ahauntedlookcameintohereyes,andBrennastaredintothedistance.“No,it’snot

whatyouthink.Theyhadtopreserveme.Themindgamesweretheworst.”

Asmallcryfellfrommymouth.
“Howcanyouevenlookatme,nevermindtouchme?I’moneofthem.Please,you

don’thavetodothis.”

Brenna looked at me with far more empathy than I deserved. “I spent time with

yourfamily,Bella.Iknowhowtheymanipulatepeople.WhatIneedtoknowisifyou
do,too.”

Iclenchedmyhandstogether,wishingIcouldtellherI’dneverhadanyintentionof

hurtingthem,butthatwouldbealie.

Timetoletitallout.
I explained briefly, then concluded, “They told me Justin had taken the fall for

somethinghedidn’tdo,thatthesituationhadbeenmanipulatedsothatourfamilylost
all our power, and yours gained it. Wanted to use me to get close to Colt, especially.
Because he’s so important, so beloved. My cousin just told me the truth last night, if

youcanbelievethat.Foryears,theyfedmefairytalesaboutourfamily,andliesabout
theCapestranas.Ididn’tknow.Iswear,Ididn’tknow.”

IsensedBrennanodding.“Ifigureditwassomethinglikethat.”
“Ihadbeenawayforsolong.Ididn’tknowmybrotherhadchangedsomuch.AndI

neverknewmyfatherwellenoughtoseehisdarkside…Iusedtodreamaboutcoming
home.Itwaslonely,though.I’dworryaboutJustin.Ourmotherdiedrightafterhewas
born, I can’t even remember her. Justin, I remember. He was premature, with very
weak lungs. Became asthmatic, and almost died. He was my responsibility, my
purpose,youknow?Icaredforhim,taughthimthings.

“And by the time he was six, he was better. Perfect timing,” I said, my voice

becomingbitter.“Myfathersentmeawayrightafterthat,businesswasbooming.He
toldmethatwithmygifts,Ihadtotrainatthebestschools,makesacrifices,andthat
wouldhonormyfamily.Whatafuckingjoke.”

Brenna was quiet, and I took a deep breath, continuing, “I just have that image of

that little baby boy in my head, and I can’t seem to reconcile him with that vicious,
tattooed monster. I keep expecting Justin to show up somewhere with that sweet
smile.

“Howcouldhehavedonethosethings?Howcouldmyfatherdothosethings?”
Brenna let out a long breath. “I don’t know, but I believe you. And I don’t blame

you.Iblamehim.Thatsaid,youhavetotellColt.IhavearesponsibilitytoAxeandhis
familyandifyoudon’ttellColt,Ihavenochoicebuttotellhimmyself.”

Stammering, I said, “I-I’ve been trying to. I swear. I don’t know how. He’ll never

forgiveme.Andwhocanblamehim?”

“Forallthatsmart-assery,hecares.Deeply.”Shesmiled.“WhenaCapestranaman

falls,theyfallhard.Givehimthechancetoproveyouwrong.”

“Ijustdon’tknowifI’mevenworthforgiving,”Imurmured.
“Listen,onceItriedtostabAngelino.”Brennalaughedatthestunnedexpressionon

myface.“Theylikealittlespirit,thosetwo.Ifanything,Coltwilladmireyoufornearly
pullingoneoveronhim.Ididn’teventhinkthatwaspossible…buthe’sgottohearit
fromyou,Bella.Itwillbetoughatfirst,andmaytakesometime,butIcanseehowhe
feelsaboutyou.Itwillworkoutintheend.Capestranasfightforwhattheywant.And
Coltwantsyou.”

Withthatinmind,Imadeitthroughtherestofthenight,butitwasn’teasy.Every

time I looked at Colt, my heart broke a little more. Later that night, driving to Colt’s
apartment, I tried to find the courage, but it had slipped away like sand dissolving in
water.

NomatterhowhardItried,Icouldn’tgetthewordsout.
Justonemorenight,Ipromisedmyself.
I would have one more night with him before I said the words, so I could hold it

closetomyheartwhenhewalkedaway.

C H A P T E R E I G H T E E N

Colt

neaking a glance at Bella sipping tea in the kitchen, I smiled at the picture she
made. Even in her simple blue dress, heels off, hair down, she was breathtaking.

ThenIkneltandlookedTorointheeyeashesnuggledonthecouch.

“You’regonnastayhere,rightbud?”Iwhispered,scratchinghisears.“Yougotyour

bones, your toys, you’re good.” And I swear that brilliant dog winked at me. “Good
boy.”

“Areyoubribingthedog?”Bellaasked.Ilookeduptoseeherleaningovertheback

ofthecouch,raisinganeyebrowatme.

“Just tuckin’ him in.” I stretched, and shot her a wink. “C’mon, let’s get you all

tuckedin,too,Rabbit.”

Bella bit her lip as I came around the couch and again I had that sense that

somethingwasbotheringher.I’dfeltitthewholewaytoMamaAnge’sandthewhole
wayhome,anditwastyingmeinknots.Ihatedthatsomethingwascausingherpain.
But,ifshewasanythinglikeme,sheneededsometimetodealwiththingsinherown
mind before she talked them through. Those were the kind of things that came with
timebetweenpeople…thingsweneededtolearnabouteachother,andIsaidasilent
prayerforpatience.

Withasigh,Ipulledhercloseandkissedhertemple.
Then and there, I decided not to pull out the jewelry box in my jacket pocket.

Sometimeearlierintheday,watchingBellawithmyfamily,Isawaflashoflongingin
hereyes.Aringsosoonmightoverwhelmher,causehertopanic,andbolt.Evenwith
tonight,juststayingoverwasalreadymakingherskittish.Icouldfeelhergettingweird
on me, and the last thing I wanted was for her to turn that bunny tail and hop away
home.

Iletoutalaughatthatthought.
“What’ssofunny?”Sheleanedbackandlookedupatme.
“Oh,nothin’.”Ishrugged,givingheraquickgrin.“Let’sgetreadyforbed.”
WebrushedourteethsidebysideandIwinkedatherinthemirror,bumpingher

hipwithmine.Domesticshitlikethisusedtomakemewanttorunforcover,butwith
Bella,Iwanteditall.

ButevenasIgrinnedather,hereyesoverflowedwithtears.Sheseemedshocked

byitherself,raisingashakinghandtoherface,andmutteringbetweenclenchedteeth,
“Fuck.”

Iswipedmymouthoffwithatowelandgrabbedhershoulders.“What?Whatisit?

Comeon,willyoupleasetellmewhat’swrong?”Tearstrackeddownherfaceandmy
jawclenched.“Whateveritis,Icanhandleit.”

She laughed and then let out a hiccup. “Damn, I hate crying in front of other

people,”shemurmured,almosttoherself.

Trailing my thumbs across her cheeks, I wiped away her tears as she took a deep

breath.“Yougonnatellmewhat’sgoingon?”

Bellaclosedhereyesandpressedherhandsovermine.“Thankyouforinvitingme

into your world, and into your family,” she said softly. “Thank you, Colt. It was an
amazingnightandI’llneverforgetit.”

“That’s it?” I asked, filled with a strange mix of frustration, awe, and affection. I

knewmyfamilywassomething,butthisseemedlikemorethanthat.

Sheopenedhereyes,greensparkling,andsmiledslowly.“Yup.Let’sgotobed.”
“Damnit,Rabbit,youscaredme,”Ilaughed,huggingherclose.“You’resuchapain

intheass.”

Snatching up a towel when I let her go, Bella wiped her face quickly. Then she

grabbedmyhand,pullingmetothebedroom.Sheglancedbackatmeassheopened
the door. Then she walked into the dimly lit room and stopped short. I stepped up
besideher,crossedmyarms,andnodded.

“Icouldn’tdecide,soIjustgot‘emall.Whaddyathink?”
Herlipshadpartedandhereyeswereshiningagain.Bellaputbothhandsoverher

heartandletoutasoftsoundthatwasamixbetweenagasp,asob,andalaugh.

I’dfilledtheroomwithflowers.Atfirst,I’dmeanttojustgetroses,butthatdidn’t

seemlikeenough.SoI’dtriedtotrackdowneverylastblossomthatwouldbefoundin
Pariscomespringtime.

“Howdidyougetthese?”sheasked,hervoiceshaking.
“Iknowaguy,”Ijoked,andthenpickedupasmall,floppywhiterabbittoyI’dalso

found.“Don’tevenworryaboutit.”

Bella accepted the rabbit, her cheeks paling, and then she looked down. “Colt

Capestrana,youfuckingbastard.”Shehuggedtherabbittoherchest,lookingbackup
atme.Herfacewasfilledwithjoy.Shewasbothlaughing,andtryingnottocry.“Thank
you.This…It’stoomuch.Youshouldn’thave.”

“Iwantedtoseeyousmile,”IsaidwithashrugasIhuggedhertomyside.
Belladroppedtherabbitandherarmswentaroundmyneck.
Wekissedslowly,tenderly.Ipressedmyhandsintoherlowerbackasourbodiesfit

together.Wewerewholetogether.Madeforeachother.Challengedeachotherinthe
rightways,thewayswebothliked.Atthatexactmomentsheteasedhertongueinto
mymouth,andIgrinned.

Thekissrampedup,becomingmoredesperate,andBellaclungtomeasthoughshe

wasafraidImightdisappear.IwantedtotellherIwasn’tgoinganywhere,thatshehad
nothing to worry about, but I couldn’t think straight. Her scent was too potent for
thingslikelogic.

She was fumbling for my belt and suddenly I wished my jacket was hanging on a

chairintheotherroom.Maybeshewasreadyfortheringafterall.

ThenBellaslidmyshirtup,breakingaway,andtrailingherlipsacrossmystomach.

Pullingmyshirtoffcompletely,Isuckedinasharpbreathassheranhertongueupthe
centerofmychest.Atthesametime,shepushedherhandsinsidemypants,grabbing
myrockhardlength,andstrokingherfingersalongit.

Barelycoherent,Iyankedmyphoneoutofmybackpocketandsomehowgotthe

musicplaying.NotthatIreallycaredatthemoment,butthiswasBella.Shelovedto
haveasoundtrack.

AfterItossedmyphonesomewhere,Iranmyhandsdownherbackandtuggedher

dressup.Bellawastryingtogetmypantsoffatthesametime.Webothletoutalaugh
asoureyesmet.

Then we were kissing again, Bella raking her fingers up my chest, down my back,

andImarveledathertouch.

Hereyessearchedmyface.“You’reeverythingIeverwanted.Andmore.ThingsI

didn’t know I wanted.” Her lips tightened suddenly and her throat worked. “I love
you.”Bellatiltedherheadandafewtearsescaped.“Neverforgetthat,okay?”

Athrillcrashedthroughmeasexhilarationlitupeverynerveendinginmybody.I

triedtothinkoftheperfectresponse.Clever,witty,meaningful.AllIcameupwithwas,
“Youtoo,Rabbit.Youtoo.”

ThenIpickedherup,andkissedheragain.
Our touches became more frantic. She kept running her fingers through my hair,

andIsqueezedherass.Butwewerebothstillwearingtoomuchclothing,andIwalked
towardsthebedbeforethrowingherdownonit.

SheletoutasighofsatisfactionasIclimbedontopofher.Itrailedmyhandsupher

legs, dragging her dress up and off. Then, quickly standing up, I kicked off my jeans
alongwithmyboxers.Bellaundidherbraandslidherthongoff.Oureyesneverleft
eachother.

Slowly,Bellasatup,reachingoutherhandsandtakingmine.Shepulledmedown

onher.AllIwantedwastospendsometimesoakingitallin.Thefeelingofherbody.
Herthighspressingagainstmine,thewayherbackarchedup,breastsrubbingagainst
mynakedchest,andhowourhandsgrippedeachother.

Hard.Smooth.Sweet.
Ikissedawaythetearsstillglisteningonhercheeks,lettingthesaltburnonmylips,

andthenfoundthatsweetspotonherneck.TheonethatmadeBellahelpless.Shelet
outasoftmoanasIsuckedonit,archingevenmore.

My cock was stiff, aching with need between my legs, and when Bella let out

another moan, I couldn’t take it anymore. Sitting back, I ran my hands down her
heavingtorso.Bella’sfingersknottedintheblankets,andshewrithedundermytouch.

“Colt.” Her eyes, full of lust, fire, and adoration found mine. “I…” She gasped as I

strokedherthighs.“Ihaveanidea.”

Sitting up, she slowly turned, and pressed her back against my chest. Settling her

hips onto mine, she reached up behind her, curling her arms around my neck and
lettingherheadfallbackontomyshoulder.

“Clever woman,” I said, kissing along her jaw, and spreading her legs so I could

positionmyself.BellacriedoutwhenIthrustupintoherandrubbedaknuckleagainst
herslickclit.Withmyotherhand,Idraggedmyfingersuptoherbreastandsqueezed
assherodemeupanddown.

Her entire body shivered against mine, our skin slick with sweat as we rocked

againsteachother.Ifeltlikeflameswerelickingalongmybodywitheverymovement.
AndItookmytime,teasingouttheclimaxforaslongaspossible.

Pleasurebuiltandbuilt.Mycockgrewsoheavy,IwassureIwouldexplodebutit

wentonandon.Herbreathcamefaster,herbackbowedasIdrovedeeper,finallywith
nothing between us. Then Bella arched, clenching around me, and crying out my
name.

Herorgasmtriggeredmineandhotcumsnakedupmylength,spurtingoutinhot

jets.Herbodymilkedmine,takingitallasItwitchedagainsther,grippingherwaistas
onethoughtranthroughmymindonaloop.

Mine...forever.

Bella

OLT

MURMURED

mynameoverandoveragainasheheldme.Hishardbodywaslocked

against mine. Joy was rippling along every inch of my skin. But when he finally slid
out,thepleasurevanished,andguilt,alongwithabjectterrorcameback,fullforce.

Ishould’vecomecleanwhenwegothere.
No,youshould’vecomecleaninthecar,alittlevoiceinsidemyheadadded.
ButthenColtgrabbedmearoundthewaist,andwerolledtogetherontothebedina

heap.MyheartpoundedinmychestasIlookedathim,andhesmiledsoftly,rubbing
histhumbalongmylowerlip.

“Anythingelseupthatsleeve?”heteased.
“Maybe.”Ifeltashiverofanticipationrushupmyspine.ColtwasdaringmeandI

couldn’t resist it. When he looked at me like that, my entire body seemed to fill with
butterflies.Iwantedtodance,tosing,tokisshim,andholdhim.Pleasehim.Worship
him.Andneverletgo.

Onelastnightbeforeyouburnitalltoashes.
Sittingup,Istraddledhiships,andbegangyratingagainsthim.Rollingmybody,I

let my breasts brush against him, and smoothed my hands across his torso. Colt
watchedme,withalazysmileonhisface.Buthiseyeswereintense.

Anthony Hamilton’s smooth jam, I Want You, was playing. Perfect for this

handsome,sexygodofmine.Swaying,Imovedtothebeat,dancingforhim.Onlyhim.

Colt’s eyes trailed along my body, almost feeling like a caress. I gasped when he

grabbedmyhips.Islidoverhim,pressingmywetheatalonghislengthuntilhegritted
histeeth.“Bella.”

Deliberately, determined to feel every last inch, I took his cock into me. His girth

stretchedmeinthathot,fierypleasure.Apleasuresogood,itborderedontorture.

Myfingersrakeddownhischestandstomach,leavingscratches,andmyheadfell

back. His hands found my breasts and plucked at them, teasing my nipples until I
whimpered.

“God,youfeelsogood,”Igasped,completelyfilledwithhim.
He circled his hips until I saw stars. Unable to hold back, I began moving against

him,holdingontohisthicklymuscledarmsforleverage.

“Sogood,sotight,soperfect,soBella,”hegrowled.
His hands fell to my hips again, moving me faster, and he slammed up into me.

Even with the cowgirl position, Colt couldn’t resist finding a way to be in charge. He
controlledthespeed,themotions,andIwasscreamingouthisname,begginghimtogo
faster.

“Come for me, Rabbit,” he murmured, flicking my clit with a finger. Thick cock

pounding in and out, gentle fingers on that little bundle of nerves, his hips rocking
beneathmine.Mybodyseizedupinstantlyandanorgasmshookthroughme,followed
byastrongeronerightonitsheelsthatshookmetomycore.

Shaking,IfellontoColt’schestasheclimaxed,adeep,masculinegrowltearingfrom

his chest. He gave my ass a slap and I raised my head and forced the tears back. I
wantedtomemorizehisface,rememberthis.Oh,hewassohandsome.Thathardjaw,
oliveskin,andstrongfeatures.ButitwashisheartandsoulthatmadeColtCapestrana
irresistible. I knew that now. And, good man that he was, he valued his place in his
familybecausehelovedthem,notforthespotlight.

Weweremeantforeachother,CosimoCapestrana,andIfuckeditup.
AsColtmovedagainstme,thepressureinmythroatbecameunbearable.Thenhe

kissedmewithsuchsweetness,andsmiled.Thenheyankedthecoversdown,climbed
in,andfellbackonhispillows.Suddenlyhisarmshotout,andhescoopedmeagainst
him,coveringmewithblankets.Thenhepulledmeontohischest.Hisheartpounded
undermyearandIletoutashakygasp.

Unspokenwordshungintheairbetweenus.Exceptforthemostimportantones.
“Loveyou,Colt,”Iwhispered.
“Youtoo,Rabbit.”
Tilting my head, I watched his eyes flutter closed, a satisfied smile on his face. I

nestled closer, pressing my trembling fingers onto the hard muscles of his stomach,
andbitingmylip.

Iwassowarmlyinghere.Hisbodyandtheblanketswerecocooningme.Butthey

couldn’tdoanythingforthechunkoficelodgedinmychest.Squeezingmyeyesshut,I
swallowedhard.

First thing in the morning, I was going to tell Colt who I was. No matter what

happened.Thefalloutbedamned.IfIlosthim,sobeit.ThatmeantI’dneverdeserved
himinthefirstplace.AllthatmatterednowwasColt’shappiness,andhecouldnever
trulybehappywithaliar.

It would be like jumping off the hangman’s platform. I could almost feel the stiff

fibersoftheropechafingagainstmyneck,andthatvoidofspace,impatientlywaiting
formyfall.

Inestledcloserandclosedmyeyes,relishingeverylastsecondinhisarms.

C H A P T E R N I N E T E E N

Colt

orninglightstreamedthroughthewindowandIblinkedhard,wipingthesleep
frommyeyes.

The night before had been awesome with Bella. I only hoped today would go as

well.WehadalottodiscussandIjusthadtocrossmyfingerswewereonthesame
page.Aboutherdancingattheclub,aboutourfuture,aboutallofit.BecausenowthatI
hadher,Icouldn’timagineafuturewithoutherinit.

Leavingherfastasleepinmybed,Iquietlygotup,andgotdressed.Aftertakingcare

of Toro, I glanced around the kitchen, and sighed. I really wished I’d thought to grab
somegroceries.Then,glancingatmyphone,Isawitwasjustafterseven,andgrabbed
mycoat.

Parziale’swasjustablockaway.Theydidn’topentilleight,butIknewthatPaulie

Parziale, the owner, would be there, and he’d let me in. Grinning, glad to be a
Capestrana,Ijoggeddownthestairsandouttomytruck.Usually,I’dwalk,butIdidn’t
wanttowastetimebringingbackBellaherbreakfastinbed.Besides,itwassogoddamn
freezing out, it hurt just to breathe. With the coldest part of winter right around the
corner,itwasagoodthingIhadBellatokeepmewarm.

When I got to the bakery, Paulie saw me outside the door, and he grinned as he

openedit.Hewasabigguy,withafuzzofwhitehair,andaperpetualsmile.

“Tellmewhyyou’reupsoearly,Cosimo?”Pauliecalledout.
I just shrugged, but couldn’t repress a little grin, and he grabbed me around the

shouldersasIwalkedin.

“Ah,certo.Whoisshe?”
“Ilandedagoodone,Paulie.Feisty,smart,beautiful.Redhead.Perfetto,”Isaidashe

wentbehindthecounter.“ButIforgottogetbreakfast.So,thanks.Ioweya.”

“Damn, Colt. You settlin’ down?” Paulie whistled. “Geez, can’t wait to meet this

WonderWoman.What’llyouhave?”

Ilookedaround,suddenlyataloss.Ihadnocluewhatsheateforbreakfast.More

shittolearn,Iguessed.

Shakinghishead,Paulielaughed.“Youreallytryingtoimpressyourwoman,huh?

Youcametotherightplace.I’llmakeyouabox.”

“Thanks.”Bellahadmeinastateofdistractionfromlastnight.Howshe’dlookedat

me.Theintensitybetweenus.NeverinmylifehadIhadsexwithoutacondom,but
with Bella, it felt right. If she was pregnant, so much the better. In fact, now that the
thoughtwasinmyhead,Icouldn’tthinkaboutanythingelse.

Ared-hairedlittlegirllookingjustlikehermama.Shit,mythroatwasgettingalittle

scratchyjustthinkingaboutit.

Slidingmyhandintomypocket,Iwrappedmyfingersaroundthejewelrybox,and

grinned.

“Yo,Paulie.”Thedoorbangedopenandthebellsjangledloudly.“Youopenin’early

forthisjoker?MustbenicetobeaCapestrana.”

Turningaround,Igrinnedatalanky,eager-eyedguycomingin.Hehadawildhead

of black curls and a lopsided smile. “Fenni, tell me you’re not just heading home?
Christ.What,youtryingtogetLouisatothrowyououtagain?”

Helaughed,asweclaspedfistsandhepoundedmyshoulderingreeting.
GiulioFenniwasabookieforthefamily,alocalguyaftermyownheart.Therewas

asayinginourtownthatwhataFennididn’tknowwasn’tworthknowing.Alwayshad
thelatestgossip,wasfriendswitheveryone,andeverywhereheturnedup,hewasthe
lifeoftheparty.

Invitedornot.
“Ha! Yeah, right. Had a long-ass night busting my ass for the fam.” He grinned

wider. “Paulie, since you’re open anyways, can I get a cup of joe for the road? You
mind?”

“Not at all, you want a muffin, too, kid? Soak up the booze?” Paulie raised his

eyebrows.

“Wasn’t drinking, man. Geez. Didn’t you hear me? I was up all night working!

Amazingsunrise.Butyeah,I’lltakeamuffin.”Giuliolookedbackatme.“Phenomenal
toseeyou,kid.Howyoudoing?”

“I’mgood.Man,it’sgreattoseeyou,too,it’sbeenages.HowisLouisa?”
“She’s great! You know Lou, can’t keep her down. Bad coupla months after her

mompassed,butshe’shangingtough.MamaAnge’sbirthdayyesterday,right?Man,I
hatedmissingthat.”

“Yeah, everyone missed you. I’ll tell Ange you send your love. And tell Lou I said

hi,”Isaid.

“Noworries,gotapresentinthemailforher.”ThenGiulio’sfacelitup.“Hey,heard

thatclubofyoursismightyswanky,arealold-schooljoint.Doingwell,huh?”

“Ohyeah,Magari,she’stakin’off.WhenwillIseeyoudownthere?”Iasked.
“When Louisa follows her mother to the grave, I imagine,” he said with a laugh,

crossing himself. “But business is booming lately so I’m busy anyway. Can’t tell you
howgladIamthatyougotridoftherottenRuffinos.”Hisvoicelowered.“I’mmaking
doublewhatwewerepullinginbefore.”

Paulie handed us two coffees and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Colt, I gotta agree

with this chooch for once. Streets are cleaner, people feel safer, more money rolling
in.”

Iletoutabreathofsatisfactionandtookagulpofcoffee.
AsPaulierangmeout,Giulioleanedinclosertome.

“Hey.Speakingofdroppingdevils,I’mgladIranintoyou.Iwasactuallygonnagive

thebossacallinalittlewhileaboutthis.Lou’ssister’sboyfriend’scousin,hewasover
the other day. You know Russell Sorrentino, right? Staten Island kid?” Giulio paused.
“HeclaimsEmilioRuffinohadadaughter,butnooneknewaboutherbecauseshewas
sentouttatowntolivewiththeTarillos.Youknowanythingaboutthat?”

“Noway.”Paulie’seyebrowsshotup.“IknowtheTarillos.Theyhadallboysatthe

house.” Then he blinked, and paused, ruminating. “You know what, now that I think
aboutit,Ithinkalittlegirldidlivewiththemforafewyearsthere.Icompletelyforgot
aboutthat.ButInevermether,soIcan’tsayifshewasaRuffino.”

A cold chill danced across my skin. Another Ruffino we didn’t know about? That

couldmakethingssticky,anddefinitelyexplainedJustin’scockyshit-talkbehindbars.

Giuliofrowned.“WhatelsedidRusssay?Oh,yeah,soapparentlythisgirlwenttoSt.

Mary’swithhissisteruntilthesecondgrade,butthenshejustupandvanished.Rumor
wasthatshewassentofftoschooloverseas.Nevercameback.”

He paused, taking another drink of coffee, and I digested this. Thank God for nosy

Fennis,IthoughtasIpaidPaulie.Thiscouldbetheleadwewerelookingfor.

Giulio sighed in contentment. “Great coffee, Paulie. So yeah, Colt. I’ll let your pop

know. Since my source is a Sorrentino, though, I’ma look into it more. Anyways, it’ll
probablybeallright,butyouneverknowwithSicilians.”Hegavemeasignificantlook.

Iletoutabarkoflaughter.“Yeah,trustme.Igetit.”Pickingupthebox,Inoddedat

Paulie,andsaid,“Thanksagain.”

IwalkedoutwithGiulio,stillmullingoverwhathe’dtoldme.Justashewasabout

towalkaway,Istoppedhim.

“Hey,Giulio.ThefabledRuffinogirl.Doyouhappentoknowhername?”
Henoddedandtappedthesideofhishead.“Asamatteroffact,Ido,becauseit’sthe

same as my godmother’s, God rest her soul.” Giulio crossed himself again. “Isabella.
IsabellaRuffino.”

Myvisionwentblurryasfuryandpainrippedthroughme.VaguelyIheardGiulio

sayinggoodbye,andsawhimhurryingdownthestreet.Myhandsclenched,crumpling
theboxinmyhands,andIthrewitintothetrash,chestheavingasallthepuzzlepieces
clickedintoplacewithanaudiblesnap.

IsabellaRuffino.Sentoverseas…Paris,nodoubt.
JesusChrist,shedidmegood.Everythingbetweenushadbeenanact.Allfucking

liestogetinsidemyheadandmyheartanddestroymyfamily.I’dtrippedup.Nodoubt
aboutit.Iletthatbodyandthatangelfaceblindme.

Butnomore.
BellaRuffinohadfuckedwiththewrongguy.

Bella

WOKE

SLOWLY

,reluctanttoleavethewarmthofColt’sbed.ButasIlaythere,myheart

began to flutter in my chest with anxiety, and a sense of impending doom closed in
aroundme.Touchingmyneck,againIhadthesensationofaropeslowlytightening.

Panickingalittle,Ithrewbackthecovers,andgotup.
In the bright light of morning, the flowers seemed even more numerous, and a

smallsmileformedonmyface.Touchingthelovelywhiteblossomsthatmadeupthe
lily-of-the-valley,I thought about howin France, come spring,it was tradition to give
theseveryflowerstotheoneyouloved.IwassureColtmusthaveknownthat.

Youcandothis.Youhavetodothis.Youlovehim.
Takingadeepbreath,Istraightenedmyshoulders.ThenIgotdressed,andwentto

findColt.TheapartmentwasemptyexceptforToro.Hecockedhishead,thenfollowed
meintothebathroom,andsatbymyfeet.

Aftersplashingwateronmyface,IpickeduptheverytowelI’dusedtodrymytears

thenightbefore,andstaredatit.Youshouldhavecomecleanthen,screamedthevoice
inmyhead.MyhandsshookandIdroppedit.Igrippedthemarblecounter,wishingit
wasoverwith,andmybreathwentshallow.

ToroletoutawhineandIglanceddownathim.Hisbigbrowneyesfocusedonmy

face and he pawed my knee. Then, clearly sensing my distress, he snuggled closer,
whimpering.

Patting his head, I forced myself to look back into the mirror, and practice what I

wasgoingtosay.“Colt.”Myvoicesoundedthinandweak.“Allthosetimesyouasked
me. No.” I paused. “You were always so sweet to worry about what was wrong…
Christ.”Ibitmylip.

“Colt,I’maRuffino.Sorry?”
AcidseemedtobubbleinmymouthasIsaiditandIsawmycheekspale.
Thinking about what I now knew about my family, I wondered how angry Colt

wouldbe.

Those ugly rumors that were true, the illegal sex slavery, Justin’s crimes, my

father’scruelty–theendlesslistoftheRuffinosins.

Then I thought about Brenna, how she was one of those sins, and she had still

extended the hand of friendship. Her kindness and encouragement soothed me once
again.

Colt’sgotitbad.It’sallanyonecantalkabout.
Well,atleasttherewasonegoodthingIgotfrommyfather.Mystrengthofwill.
IwasaRuffino,andaRuffinodidn’tgiveupwithoutafight.
Noddingfirmly,Istartedover.
“Colt.Thisisn’teasyformetotellyoubecauseitinvolvesourfamilies.Mylastname

isn’tLesaude.It’sRuffino.Andupuntiltwodaysago,I’dneverknownthefullextentof
whatthatmeantinEhlrich.I’msosorry.Iwassentoverseasveryyoung,hiddenfrom
thisworld.Imadeaterriblemistakeinjudgingyourfamily,andyou.ButIknowthe
truthnow…”

Itrailedoff,thinkingthatsoundedbetter.Thewordswerecomingtogethernow.
Setting my jaw, I stared at myself in the mirror. Hell no was I gonna give up Colt

withoutafight.Thiswastherightpath,theonewhereIfollowedmyheart.

Lastnighthadbeensopowerful.AndColthadfeltit,too.I’dseenitinhiseyes.

Maybe,justmaybe,IhadashotofconvincinghimthatI’dbeentruthfulaboutthe

thing that mattered most. Toro lifted his head at that moment and I heard Colt enter
theapartment.

“Let’s go, Toro.” My hands were shaking and I wrapped them together. Slowly I

walkeddownthehall,feelingeveryfootstep,everybeatofmyheart,everyinhale,and
everyexhale.

ColtwasstandinginthemiddleofthekitchenasIwalkedin.
Suddenly it was as though a fist had reached inside my chest and squeezed. He’d

completely shut down. His eyes were distant, his arms crossed, and a strange, cruel
smileplayedaroundhismouth.

AndIknewinthatinstantthattherewasnothingtotell.Notanymore.
Becausehealreadyknew.
“I’m sorry.” My voice shook. “I was just about to come and tell you…I know I

should’ve already told you, but I tried and I couldn’t—” I was rambling and I
swallowed.“Colt.Ididn’t…I’msorry.Upuntil—”

“Getyourshitandgocallsomeonewhogivesafuck,Bella,”Coltcutmeoff,eerily

calm.

Pain and dread pooled into my stomach. I clutched it, feeling sick. But I was also

confused.

OfallthewaysI’dexpectedColttoreact,thiswasn’tit.Itwaslikehefelt…nothing.
Slowly, I said, “I don’t understand how you’re so calm right now. You have every

righttohateme.I’dbefuriousifIwereyou.Aftereverythingbetweenus—”

Colt chuckled darkly, and I stopped, watching as his smile twisted more. “You’re

joking,right?Ordoyouactuallywannaknow?”Heshrugged,droppinghisarms,and
stretchingtheminfrontofhim.“Ihavetoadmit,I’malittleirritatedthatIletmyself
getsuckeredbythelikesofaRuffino,butit’snotlikeIactuallycaredaboutyou.”Toro,
whowassittingatmyfeet,whinedalittle.“Maybethedogdid,soIguessyousuckered
himtoo.Butwe’llbothgetoverit.”

Air was moving in and out of my lungs, blood through my body, but I couldn’t

understandhow.Therewasnothingleftbutagapingholeinmychestwheremyheart
hadbeen.Istaredathim.

“YoulooklikeIjustslappedyou,butwhatdoyouwantmetosay?Youwereafine

pieceofass,thefinestatmyclub.I’dhavelikedtokeepfuckingyou,butthe‘Iloveyou’
thingwasalittlemuchanyway.Thissavesmethetroubleoftryingtoshakeyouwhen
Igetbored.Plentyofothertailinthistown.Soyoucango.Someonewillbealongsoon
enoughtofillyourplace.”

His voice was so light, it was almost incredible how deeply it cut. Toro pressed

himselfintomylegs,asthoughunnervedbyhismaster.Asforme?Iguessmyheart
wasn’tgoneafterall.Ahotdaggerhadstabbedrightthroughit.Then,angerpouredin,
attemptingtocauterizethewound.

“Takethatback,Colt,”Isaidinasoft,dangerousvoice.
“What?”Heraisedaneyebrow.
“Youdon’tmeananyofthat,”Isaid,nowclenchingmyicyfistsbymyside.“What,

you think I forgot what you said last night? The things you’ve done for me? I know
you.”

“Oh really?” Colt put his hands behind his head and shrugged. “Like I know you?

Thinkaboutit,Bella.Wewerebothplayingapart.Nowourlittleplayisover.Igotwhat
I wanted, and I’m sorry you didn’t, but them’s the breaks.” I had the sudden urge to
slap him. “Listen, I’ll give you some credit, if that’s what you want. Somewhat
impressive beginning, moderately entertaining act two.” He shot me a cold look.
“Lackluster finale. It’s over. Get out. Now. And thank your lucky stars I don’t care
enoughtowringyourfuckingneckfortryingtoscrewwithmyfamily.”

His words should’ve scared me, but despite what he thought, I did know him. I

knewhisheartandIknewhisfamily,andhewasn’twringinganynecksinthisroom.

“I’m not until you take back what you just said to me.” Tears were welling in my

eyes, but I was trying to grab onto that anger so I wouldn’t break into a million tiny
pieces.

Colt let out a malicious laugh. “Like most women, you’re confusing sex and

intimacy.Youreallyareunbelievablynaiveforsomeonewhotriedtoplayme.AndI
don’thavetimeforyourdesperateattemptstokeepupwiththesemindgames.You’re
outofyourleague,Rabbit,”hesaiddismissively.

“Take it back, Colt,” I said, my voice breaking. “Take it back and then we can talk

aboutthis.”

Hetiltedhisheadandsmirked.Buttherewasnohumorinit.“No,thanks.”
“Colt,Ididn’tknowanythingthatwashappeninghere.Iwasoverseas.Iwaskepta

secret,justasmuchasthisworldwaskeptasecretfromme.Please,pleasehearme.I
am begging you. You really just wanna throw what’s between us away?” The anger
began to ebb. One of my hands found my throat, and I wondered how anyone could
feelthismuchpainstandinginfrontofthepersontheyloved.

Looking me over, Colt laughed again. “That’s just it. I’m not throwing anything

away.Therewasnothingthere.Notathing.Itwasallinyourhead.”

I stared at him in utter disbelief. The anger was gone. My entire body shook,

pressurebuildinginmythroat,andthedaggerinmyhearttwisted.

Allinyourhead.
Toro whined, then pawed my leg, staring up at me. Without thinking, I let my

fingersdragacrosshissilkyhead,takingthatsmallcomfort.

“Toro,golaydown,”Coltsaid,hisvoiceedgedwithharshness.Thedogseemedto

shoothimalonglookbeforepaddingawayintothelivingroom.AsIcontinuedtostare
atColt,Isawamuscleflexinhisjaw.

“Please,”Iwhispered.“ImeantwhatIsaidlastnight.Andyoudidtoo.”
Colt’s eyes glinted. “Keep telling yourself whatever you need to hear, but while

you’redoingthat,getthefuckout.”Wherehisvoicehadsoundedsocalmbefore,the
harshedgescreptupmore.Againthatmuscleinhisjawflicked.“Now.”

“You’rebetterthanthis,”Istammeredout.
“Christ,youreallyliketodragshitout,don’tyou?Listen,youwereafinepieceof

ass,adecentlay,andaprettyeasyoneatthat.”Irecoiledasthoughmyskinhadbeen
laidopenbyawhip.“Butaskyourselfthis.IfIlovedyou,whywouldyourlastname
matter?”

My lips parted as my mind went blank. Colt’s detached gaze was far worse than if

he’d been angry. I was spinning through space, falling into the abyss below the

hangman’splatform,andtheropewascuttingoffmyairsupply.

Bothofmyhandswereatmythroatnow.
Whispersfilledtheemptyvoidofmymind.
Anditallcametumblingdown.
Almostoninstinct,Ireachedforhim.Tearsspilleddownmyfaceandmytrembling

fingerslandedonhisarmforabriefmoment.Hepulledaway,turninghisbackonme.
Vaguely,Irealizedhewasshaking,butIcouldn’tfocusonthat.Icouldn’tthinkstraight
anymore. His words, his gaze, and everything else was thrashing through me like a
beastinagony.

Iforcedmyselftoturnandfoundmywaybacktothebedroom.Iscoopedupmy

things, and rushed past him to the door. A minute later, I was outside walking to the
bus,tearstrackingicypathsdownmyface.

Hedidn’tcareaboutmeatall.Heneverdid.
Allthosecharmingwords…Mereploystogetmeintobed.
Because it was like Colt said, right? He would have been at least a little upset. He

wouldhavefoughtback,askedquestions,demandedanswers.

As I walked, I didn’t even bother trying to pick up the pieces of my heart. It was

beyondanykindofrepair,shatteredtooblivion.

MemoriesspearedthroughmeandIstopped.HelplesslyIlookedaround,asthough

someonewouldtellmewhattodonext.Then,closingmyeyes,Iremembereditall.

Ourlunchatthebistrowherewegotdrunkonwine,theArgentinetango,ourbond

over music, movies, and art. I’d daydreamed about the places we might visit. The
thingswemightdo.

Thewaywe’dkissed,madelove,andthatpowerfulconnection.
Alllies.
Wasanythinginmylifereal?Wasthismyfateforever?
Unable to take it anymore, I sank to the ground, and wrapped my arms around

myself.

Deepdown,I’dalwaysknownitwaswrong,andI’dspentthelastmonthfeelingsick

withguiltoverplayinghimthewayIhad.Thethoughthadcomfortedmeatthetime.

Nowitmademesick.
LittledidIknowthewholetimeIwasbeingplayedbythemaster.

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y

Colt

ncapping the bottle of scotch, I poured myself a glass, and squinted at the iPad
screen. Out loud I muttered, “Payment not received? What the fuck?” Then I

downedtheamberliquid,pouredanother,anddownedthattoo.

It burned my throat, dulling my headache, but not doing a damn thing about the

raggedpieceofsteelcurrentlyskeweringmydeadheart.

It was midday, maybe. I was sitting at the bar in the club and trying to tie up a

thousand loose ends. I hadn’t done payroll yet, and now a liquor shipment wasn’t
cominginbecauseI’dforgottentosendacheck.Nowwe’dbeoutofboozesoonand
mystaffwasmissingtheirpaychecks.

Great.
And even though a girl was up on stage auditioning for headliner, I could barely

bringmyselftopayattention.Myeyeswereheavy,mybodyaching,andIcouldn’tfor
thelifeofmerememberthelasttimeI’dconsumedsomethingthatdidn’tcomefroma
bottle.

Whatever, I’d get food eventually. Once I could stop making stupid mistakes and

actuallyrunmybusiness.

Also, unable to deal with the crappy songs these girls had picked, I’d plugged in

headphones.I’djustneededsomethingtohelpkeepmefocusedandIcouldn’tcareless
whatcameonshuffle.Themusicthatpouredoutcarvedintomyconsciousnesslikea
scalpel,andmyhandstartedtoshake.

ColdHardLove.ToryLanez.OneofBella’ssongs.
Oursongs.
Hastily,Iputmyglassdown,tryingtoskipit.Butmyfuckingfingerscouldn’tseem

tooperatethebuttons.NowitwaslikemetalteethweregnawinginsidemychestandI
almost expected to feel warm blood leaking across my cold skin. And then the
memoriesstartedupagain.

Tossingherhair,BelladancedacrossthestageoftheMargari,smilinglikeshehada

delicioussecret.Thenwewerelockedtogetheronthefloor,performingthetango.She
wasbothannoyedandimpressedwithme.

And as much as I tried to crush it down, that time together in the dressing room

filledmymind.Thewayshe’dlooked,thewayourbodiescametogether,andtheway
she’dsaidmyname.

Asthesongplayedon,myeyesclosed.
Bella, drenched from the rain, standing on my doorstep. I was unsure of how she

gotthere,butrelievedshedid.

Bellawearingbunnyearsandbitingherlip.
BellasassingmeinFrench,thenItalian.
Bella’sfaceblossomingaswetalkedaboutourfavoriteplacesabroad.
Bellagazingaroundattheflowersinmyroom,hereyesshining.
Icouldstilltastehersweetskin,smellherperfume,andhearherlaughter.
Throattight,IyankedouttheheadphonesandresistedtheurgetosmashtheiPad.

I’dgivejustaboutanythingtostoptheendlessloopofherrunningthroughmymind
rightaboutnow.

You’d think after days of not sleeping, my brain wouldn’t even fucking work

anymore.

Butshehauntedme,becausethat’swhatRuffinosdid.
Persistent,unwelcomethornstanglingaroundpeople’ssouls.
Andrightonschedule,IsawherfacewhenIsaidthosethingstoher.Thegreenin

hereyesdrowningintears,herhandsatherthroat,andherlipsparted.Bodycurving
inasthoughtowardoffblows.ActinglikeI’dstabbedherrightintheheart.

Nevermindthefactthatshe’dbeenusingmeallalong.Andnowshewouldn’tleave.
Leaningonmyhand,Igrittedmyteethasagonyrippedthroughme.
She’dlookedsobroken.Butmorethanthatshe’dlookedstunnedanddisillusioned.

Hersad,shakingvoicenowfilledmyears.

Iloveyou.
Fuck.EvenafterI’dsaidallthoseterrible,shittythingstoher,she’dsaidthat.Infact,

she’dactedsodamnfierce,I’dalmostbelievedherforasecond.

NowtheguiltwashedovermeandIrubbedmyface.Theliquorburnedinmygut

andIfeltlikeIwasgoingtoheave.I’dsaidsomeawfulthingsinmylife,butI’dnever
destroyedsomeonequitelikethat.Theashesofthosewordswerestillchokingme.

Swallowing hard, I now saw Bella with my family. Rage stiffened my entire body.

WhileIwasachingwithdespair,Iwasalsofullofrage.Ididn’tknowwheremyfuryat
herendedandmyangeratmyselfbegan.I’dlethergetsoclose.I’dalmostfuckedus
allover.

Itwasdisgraceful.
Me,theeldestson,theonewhowassupposedtokeepaneyeoneverything,keepus

safe,andhaveasixthsensefordanger.

Instead, I’d fallen in love with the enemy. Brought her to my grandmother’s

birthday.Letherrightin.Boughtherafuckingring.

Mytemperwaskindlingintoaninfernoagain.
Theoutsidedoorbangedopen,lightpouringinassomeoneentered.Thesoundand

thebriefsunlightmademyheadachesharply.

Glancing up, I saw it was Dante, who waved at me. Then he walked over to the

stage. The girl was still dancing and I watched her with glazed eyes. Suddenly Dante
was calling her over and she crouched down as he said something. Then, to my

annoyance,shevanished.

“Whatthefuckareyoudoing?”Icalledout.“Auditions,hello?”
Dantehurriedover,smoothinghismustache,andlookingpensive.Slidingintothe

seatnexttome,helookedmeover,andwrinkledhisnose.

“Hey,Colt.You’re,uh,fragrant,”hejoked.“Ilikethenewlook.”
“Fuck off. So I didn’t take a shower or shave today,” I growled, irritated at his

jauntiness.“Canyoupleasegogetherbackhere?Idon’thavetimeforthisrightnow.”

“MissedyouatMaria’srecitaltheothernight,”Dantesaidlightly,asthoughIhadn’t

spoken.“Wetoldheryouweresick,don’tworry.”

“Maria’s recital is tomorrow night, dumbass. Today's Friday.” Somewhere I felt a

twingeofguiltatmyharshtone,butIcouldn’tevenbringmyselftocare.

“It’sMonday,Colt.”DantepickedupthebottleofHighland.“Maybestopkillingoff

three-hundred-dollarbottlesofwhiskey,huh?Leavesomethingforthecustomers?”

“Oh,shit,”Imurmured,puttingmyhandsovermyface,seeingsweetlittleMarialet

down.“Wait…”IsatupstraightasIrealizedsomethingelse.

“Trent’s taken care of.” Dante sounded oddly calm. “Diane called me when she

couldn’tfindyouthismorning.IbroughthimtoMamaAnge’s.He’shavingablastand
she’s spoiling him rotten. Oh, and Ange said if you don’t call her back today, she’s
gonna disown you. So, I came to find you. Can’t have that happening. And Di said
there’slikenofoodinyourapartment.When’sthelasttimeyouate?Orshowered?”

“ThanksfortakingcareofTrent,”Imuttered,feelinglikeanidiotbutignoringthe

restofhisquestions.Ijustneededsometimealone,whichwasimpossibletogetwith
thisfuckingfamily.

“Everyone’sworriedaboutyou,Colt.Noone’sbeenabletogetaholdofyouinlikea

week. Joe was like ‘we’re going to find him wandering around in the mountains
somewhere’,”Dantesaidwithalaugh.

Pullingoutmyphone,Isawthatitwasdead,andpluggeditin.Sureenough,onceit

turned on, it began buzzing like crazy as missed call after missed call came through.
Nevermindthetexts.

“Marone.Youguysdon’thavetoworry.Iworry.That’swhatIdo.”Itcameoutfar

more bitter than I’d meant. “It’s fine. I’ll handle it later. Can you let me get back to
worknow?”

“Colt,Idon’tmindfieldingyourcalls,man,butthisshithastostop.Yeah,thefamily

needsyou,butwegotyou,too.Let’stalkaboutthis,maybegogeticecream.”

“Nothin’totalkabout,”Imuttered,goingbacktomyiPad.“Dante,go.I’mbusy.I’ll

checkmyphone,callAnge,andtakecareofeverything.Butfornow,please,fuckoff.”

Dante slammed his hands on the bar in front of me and my head jerked up in

surprise.ThenheslidtheiPadawayandgrabbedmyshirt.

“Youfuckoff,yousmellyfuckingasshole,”heshoutedinmyface.
Iwastoostunnedtodoanythingbutstareathischubbyredface.
Dantehadlosthistemper.Danteneverlosthistemper.Hewaslikeanovergrown

puppy,alwayshappy,withnothingthatcouldputhimoff.

No,thatwasn’ttrue,Irealized.Irememberedthisonetime,whenwewerekids,and

some kids had stolen our ball at a local park. After I went to get it back, while also
givingoneofthemaniceshiner,theprepschoolpunkhadkickedme,andcalledme“a

fuckingguinea”.

AndnextthingIknew,Dantewasinthere,whalingonthekid.MeandNickyhad

pulledhimoff,laughingwhileTrinascreamedattheprepkidstogetlost.

I still remembered the way Dante’s eyes had glared after those kids, his cheeks

wobblinginoutrage,andhisnosegushingblood.Hemust’vebeenseven,tryingtobeat
upafifteenyearold.I’dclappedhimontheshoulderandtoldhimhedidgood.

Buthe’dneverlosthisshitlikethatsincethen.Andneverwithme.
Unnerved, I glanced down at his hand. “Dante, can you let go of my shirt?” His

breathcomingrapidly,heslowlyletmego,thenshovedme.Ialmostfelloffthestool
andhadtograbthebar.“Whatthefuckisyourproblem,cousin?”

“Youare.You’reactinglikeacavonerightnow,youknowthat?”
Iblewoutabreath.“Youdidnotjustcallmethat.”
Danteclenchedhisfistsandstoodup.Iwatchedashepacedinfrontofme,shaking

hishead,andshootingmehardlooks.Icouldtellhewasgettingevenmorepissed.

“You know what, Colt? I’ve always looked up to you. All of us do. You always got

everyone’s back. You’re like the best eldest cousin and big brother combo anyone
couldaskfor.You’relikeafuckin’hero,man.Especiallytome.AndI’vealwaysbeen
proudtobetheRobintoyourBatman,theTomtoyourVito,theSilvertoyourLone
Ranger,y’know?”

Ialmostlaughedatthat.“YoumeanTonto?Silverwasthehorse,yagoofball.”Ifelt

thatold,familiartugofaffection.“Andyou’renotasidekick,dumbass.You’reoneof
mybestfriends.”

ButDantewasn’thavingit.Hefoldedhisarmsandgazedatmeseriously.“Cosimo,

pointis,Iwasalwayshappytofollowyourlead,especiallywhenwewerekids‘cause
you were everything I wanted to be. Cool, smooth, confident, handsome. But more
thanthat,youwerealwaysyourself,andyoualwaystreatedpeoplewithrespect,you
know?Youlovepeoplenomatterwhat.Whydoyouthinkaguylikemecanhangin
thisbusiness?BecauseIlearnedhowtobeamanfromyou.”

Speechless,Istaredathim.IneverthoughtDantegaveasecondthoughttoanyof

thatstuff.

He continued, his eyes glinting now. “But you know what, cuz? Right now you’re

beingarealstunod.Youhadthisbeautifulgirl.Thatfuckin’angelandyoujustlether
walk away. No, actually, I’m pretty sure you burned that fucking bridge down
Armageddonstyle,becauseBellawastough.Shedidn’ttakeshit,especiallyfromyou.”
Heshookhishead.“So,Icanonlyimaginewhatyoumusthavesaidtomakeherwalk
away.”

GuiltstabbedmeandIlookeddown.“IjusttoldherIknewwhoshewasandshe

left.”

“Bullshit.Listen,IwastickedoffwhenIfoundoutyouwerefoolingaroundwitha

Ruffino,butthenIstartedthinkingaboutit.AndIsawthewayyoulookedather,the
wayyouguysdanced,andthenhowyouwereatMamaAnge’sbirthday.Thatwasno
bullshit.Youmadeherhappy,shemadeyouhappy.Andyoujustdestroythatbecause
herfatherfilledherheadwithlies?”

ItwasslowlydawningonmethatDantewasdisappointedinme.Thatbotheredme.

Fuck.Thatreallybotheredme.Andforalongmomentwejuststaredateachotherand

Ithoughtwealmostmightcometoblows.

MeandDante.Myheadspunalittle.
Folding my arms, I leaned back, and shook my head. I tried to keep my voice

steady,butitwasn’teasy.“ShewasaRuffino.Sheinfiltratedourfamilytotakeusall
down.Totakemedown.Whosesideareyouon?”

“I’monyourside,”Dantesaid,hisshouldersfallingalittle.“Always,cousin.Butin

thiscase,beingonyoursidedoesn’tmeanagreeingwithyourdecisions.You’rewrong
aboutthisone.YouforgetAxekilledherfather?Andweputherlittlebroaway.Yeah,
he’sbasicallyFredo,butyouknowhowSiciliansdo.Aneyeforaneye.Whatifshewas
oneofus?You’dexpectnothingless.Man,Idon’tunderstandyouatall.Shedidexactly
whatanyofuswould’vedoneinhershoes,andthenwhenshefoundoutthetruth,she
wasstuck.Notsurehowtomakeitright.”

Ihadnoresponseforthat.
“Listen,man,shetalkedtoBrenna,”Dantesaidslowly.Myentirebodywentcold.Of

all the things I’d been feeling shitty about, letting Emilio’s daughter near Brenna was
closetothetopofthelist.“Brennaknewwhoshewasthesecondshesawher.Andyou
know why Brenna didn’t tell us? Because she knew better than anyone how fucking
twistedtheRuffinoscouldbe.Bellatoldhereverything.Camecleaninstantly.Shewas
sentoverseasallaloneasakid.Theykeptherinthedarksoshe’dfocusondancingand
to keep her safe from her brother. She’s a prodigy, surprise, right? And I guess that’s
whathermomwanted.BrennasaidEmiliousedtotalkaboutthatandhowtheyliedto
herallthetime.It’strue,cousin.It’salltrue.”

“Wait, you two honestly believe that sob story?” I asked, wondering how many

morecurveballsDantewasabouttothrowatme.AndBellaandBrennawerefriends,
now?Whatthefuck?

“I believe Bella.” Dante’s gaze was steady. “I mean, did Toro act up around her?

Growling?LikehedidwithWhitney?Youknow,theklepto?”Amusementflickeredin
hiseyes.

Myjawclenched.Ofallthethingstobringup.“No,”Ifinallysaid.
In fact, Toro had been creeping around the apartment like a depressed sad-sack

rightalongwithme.

“See, there ya go. Toro always knows. What better judge of character than him?”

Dantesaidconfidently.

“He’sadog,Dante,”Isaidtiredly,wishinghe’dletthisgoalready.“Youdone?”
“Nope,”Dantesnapped.“NotonlydoesBrennathinkBella’stellin’thetruth,butso

doesMamaAnge,Axe,Diane,andeveryone.UncleSalevenlookedintoit.Everything
matchesup.Andnotonlythat,Colt,butonceBellalearnedthetruthaboutherfamily,
whoherfatherreallywas,shetriedtofixit.Butohno,yourdelicateegogotbruised
because she outsmarted you, and so you said fuck it. Right? Didn’t even give her a
chance.Imean,sincewhenisitonestrike,andyou’reout?”

Christ,I’dneverexperiencedaDantediatribeanditwasasdisconcertingasasnow

onasummerday.Andsincewhendidhecallmeonmyshitsoaccurately?

I’mprettysureyouburnedthatfuckingbridgedownArmageddonstyle.
Iwincedasthegut-wrenchingguiltandnauseaburnedthroughme,asonceagainI

thoughtbacktosomeofthethingsI’dsaidtoBella.

Therewasnothingthere.Notathing.Itwasallinyourhead.
Afinepieceofass,adecentlay,andaprettyeasyoneatthat.
IfIlovedyou,whywouldyourlastnamematter?
Itdidmatter.ItmatteredbecauseshewasaRuffinoandIwasaCapestrana.Capulet

and Montague. Coreleone and Tattaglia. Hatfield and McCoy. I didn’t get to break the
rules.Notforanythingoranyone.

Withasigh,ItriedtofindthewordstoexplainthistoDante.
“Listen,D,yourheartisintherightplace,butyou’renotthinkingstraight.Bellawas

a great actress, she had us all fooled. We can’t trust her, can’t trust a word a rotten
Ruffinosays.Youknowthat.”

“Bella’s a Ruffino, so what? There’re plenty of decent Ruffinos,” Dante said

stubbornly. “Uh, remember Lisa? She was awesome. And Rudy and Nevio are just
stupid,notrotten.Plus,iteveroccurtoyouthatmaybeamarriagecouldhealsomeof
thewoundsbetweenourfamilies?”

“OhmyGod,Dante.Thisisn’tafriggingmoviecalledPizzaMyHeartorsomeshit.”I

rubbed my temples. “You’re missing the point. She came here to destroy me. She
playedmeforanabsolutefool.”Myvoicewasbitterwithdismissal.“YouandBrenna
arewaytooforgiving.”

“Angeagreeswithus.Axetoo.AndI’mprettysureyourPopisgoingtostopbylater

totrytoknocksomesenseintoyou,too.She’sanothervictimofEmilioRuffino.Why
can’tyouseethat?”Hepaused.“Youbelongtogether.”

“What,soyoualljustthinklovewillsavethedayorsomething?Chepalle.”Irolled

myeyes.“Notgonnahappen.Youcantelleveryonetosavetheirbreath.”

Danteranahandthroughhishair,clearlydonewithme.“Youknowwhat?Youdo

whatyouwant,Cosimo.Youalwaysdo.Butmarkmywords,thiswillbethedayyou’ll
lookbackonasanold,bitter,andgrumpyman,andwishyoucouldgoback,anddoit
differently.”

Withthat,Danteturnedonhisheel,andwalkedaway.Iwatchedhimgo,feelinga

tingeofwarmthunderthemountainofabsolutemiseryIwasburiedunder.

Sittingthere,Iturnedbacktothebar,andpickeduptheHighlandagain.Thebottle

was almost empty. Christ, didn’t I just open this a few hours ago? Or was that
yesterday?

Lookingdown,Itookacurrentinventoryofmysituation.Iwasunshaven,unclean,

depressedoutofmymind,missingfamilyevents,fuckingupwork,andgettingtoldoff
byDante.

Whatwaswrongwiththispicture?
Bella’sfaceappearedinmymind.Herluminouseyes,lightingupwithslymirth,her

tangleofredcurls,herfreckles,andthatgorgeoussmile.Thewayshecouldkeepup
with me, how she practically loved everything that I did about this crazy world, and
howwejustfit.

IthoughtaboutEmilioandthelies.IthoughtabouthowaloneBellamust’vefeltin

France,sofarfromherfamily.

Dantewasright.ShewasavictimofEmiliojustlikeBrennahadbeen.
AndifIletherwalkawayforever,Iwouldregretitfortherestofmylife.
Hell,Ialreadydid.

Bellawas what was missingfrom this picture. Lifedidn’t make sense without her.

NowonderI’dspiraledintoahellofmyownmaking.

Climbing out and learning to trust each other again wouldn’t be easy. Then again,

neitherofushadeverlikedeasy.

Gettingtomyfeet,asenseofabsolutesuretycameoverme.
IwasdeterminedtowinBellaback.Ihadto,becausemygoofycousinwasright.
Webelongedtogether.

C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - O N E

Bella

isatuckedtheblanketsmorefirmlyaroundmeandsmiled.

“Youneedanythingelse?Tea?Bourbon?AcalltomyfriendBear?Hewasinthe

SEALS,youknow.Wecouldcallitarescuemission.”

Feeling almost drowned in blankets, I shook my head, smiling a little. I’d been at

Lisa’s for the past week, letting her fuss over me, and I never wanted to leave this
brownstoneagain.Filledwithsquashycouches,fluffyrugs,andheapsofhouseplants,it
was a cross between an Asian inspired greenhouse, and an old lady’s rent controlled
apartment.ItwasexactlywhatIneeded.

HercouchandIhadbecomethebestoffriends.EventhoughLisa’sguestroomhad

aperfectlygoodbed,Icouldn’tsleep.I’dspentmostofmytimerandomlyweepingand
watchingsadmovies.Likeamasochist,mostofthemwereromance.

On the table in front of me was a bowl of uneaten wonton soup and cardboard

boxesfullofChinesefood.Lisawouldn’ttakenoforanansweronthefoodthing,butI
hadn’tbeenabletoeat.

Ihadn’treallysleptoratesinceithappened.
I still couldn’t get past the look on Colt’s face. His cold, indifferent eyes. His

contemptuous smile. His precision with those bitter words. He’d laid open my heart
andsoul.

Butatthesametime,Icouldn’tblamehim.Iunderstoodwhyhehatedme.Itmust

haveseemedparforthecourseforaRuffino.Amonsterwhowasnobetterthancould
beexpected.

I didn’t think I could ever forgive myself for what I put him through. Especially

when I thought back to how he’d welcomed me into his family, and everything he’d
done for me. Some days I still wondered what was real between us and what wasn’t,
andtheangercameandwent,buttheguilthadsettledinmygutforthelonghaul.

As Lisa settled next to me, she pulled out a brush, and got to work untangling the

knots from my curls. My heart overflowed with gratitude. I didn’t know what I’d do
without her. And I’d told her that so many times, Lisa finally cried, then swatted me,
andtoldmetoknockitoff.Butwithouther,ImayhavefallenoffthefaceoftheEarth.
ButwithLisa,hersisters,andhermom,IfeltlikeIstillhadfamily.We’dplannedan

outingnextweekanditwasabrightspotformetoholdonto.

EspeciallysinceIwasnolongerincontactwithmybrother.
Right after Colt broke it off with me, I’d been filled with disgust and wrath at the

Ruffino name. First, I’d barged in on Rudy and Nevio and told them in no uncertain
termstoleavemethehellaloneforawhile.Terrified,they’dagreed.

ThenI’dfoundabusthatwouldtakemeupstatetoseeJustin,asIdidn’tthinkIwas

inanyconditiontodrive.It'dbeenalong,painfultwohours.

Butevenmorepainfulwasthatfinalmeetingwithmybrother.
Oneoftheguardshadtakenmeasideandsaidanotherchargehadcomethrough.It

was something the Feds had been trying to pin on Justin for a long time. Apparently
oneofourdistantcousinshadsnitchedtogettheirsentencelessened.Justinwouldbe
lockedupdecades.

WhatfinestockIcamefrom.
Shakingwithpainoverthat,thebreak-up,andeverythingInowknew,Ifeltlikea

Fury of mythology when I’d confronted him. I’m surprised my hair didn’t burst into
flames.It’dfeltgoodtotellhimofffortryingtomolestSteffie.Tocallhimoutonhis
sinsandbullshit.LethimknowthatIwasdonebeingused.

ButJustin,orwhatwasleftofhim,thatshell,merelyrolledhiseyes.Toldmekids

wouldbekids.Itwasallexaggeration.Forsomereason,Iheardtheechoofourfather’s
voice when he spoke, and it’d chilled me to the bone. Sitting there, seeing the
emptiness in him, I wondered how I’d allowed myself to not see his brutality and
weaknesssooner.

ButIguessedIwantedafamilythatbadly.
When I’d finally gotten through to him that I was done, he’d become vicious. I

wincedasIrecalledthefewchoicenameshe’dthrownatme,thekindestbeing“slut”.
Thenhe’dtriedtobaitmeintochangingmymindbygroveling,talkingnonsenseabout
ourfatherandtheCapestranas.

It’dhurt,buttherewasnogoingback.So,I’dbidhimagentlegoodbye,knowingI’d

neverseehimagain.

I’dnevercriedsomuchinmylifeasIhadduringthispastweek.
Lisa picked up on my dark thoughts and she began kneading my shoulders. Then

hergentlehandsseparatedmyhairintolowpigtails.Takingcomfortinherpresence,I
letmyeyesbluraswewatchedTheWayWeWere.

Themovieended,andIcurleduponthecouch,tootiredtostartanother.Nextthing

Iknew,Lisawasshakingmeawake,freshfromtheshower.

“Bebe,whydon’tyoucomewithmetothegrocerystore,atleast?Getsomeair?You

haven’tleftthehouseindays.Andyoudon’thavetogoonallmyerrands,”Lisasaid,
gazingatmeinconcern.

I shook my head. I knew I couldn’t keep it together long enough to manage even

going to Whole Foods. “You go ahead without me.” I sat up and touched my hair.
“Thanks for the pigtails. Just like when we were little girls.” My smile trembled but I
forcedmyselftokeepitinplace.

“Of course.” Lisa hugged me tightly. “I’m here for you. As long as you need me,

okay?” She let me go and looked at me. “Listen, one day, time will have healed this
wound.So,hanginthere,BellaRuffino.You’reawarrior.AStatenIslandItalian.Anda

goddamnFrenchballerina.”

Inodded,evenasmysmilestartedtohurtmycheeks.Itwasstrange.ItwaslikeI

wasn’tusedtothatexpressionanymore.

IwatchedLisaleave,hereyesfullofworry.AndIwonderedifwhatshe’dsaidcould

possiblybetrue,becauserightnow,Ifeltliketherewasagapingholewheremyheart
usedtobe.

Colt’swordsmixedandjumbledinmybrain.
IfIlovedyou,whywouldyourlastnamematter?
Isighed,strugglingwithtears.
Allinyourhead.
Feeling a little ashamed of myself, I reached under the pillow cushion, and pulled

outthestuffedrabbitColthadgivenme.I’dfounditwhilerootingthroughmybagasI
waited for the bus after visiting my brother. In my haste to leave Colt’s, I must have
grabbeditwithoutevenrealizing.

Sitting in that lonely parking lot in upstate New York, watching my breath form

cloudsintheair,I’dbeentemptedtohurlitawayfromme.

But at that same moment, as though the universe really wanted to ratchet up the

agonyanothernotch,asonghadcomethroughmyearbuds,arrestingmeutterly.I’d
been listening to a radio app, desperately trying to find music that might soothe my
fracturedspirit.

Instead I’d found a song so intense, so fluid, that choreography had burst into my

mind,momentarilyliftingmeup.ButasIlistened,Irealizedwhyitwassomoving.

ItwasasthougheverythingI’dfeltaboutColtwascapturedinthissong.
Lettingoutasob,I’dhuggedtherabbittomychest,feelingmyheartbreakallover

again.

IsawColt’sbroadform,theconfidentwayhewalked,andthewayhiseyesseemed

toflashwithanunspokenunderstandingwhenhelookedatme.

Icouldfeelhisfingersundermychin,forcingmetomeethisintensegaze.Smellhis

cologne.

I remembered all the different ways he seemed to be able to express joy. His

lopsided smirks, his wide smiles, and the way he laughed. Then I’d remembered the
way his heartbeat had sounded under my cheek as we lay together in his bed. The
feelingofhisarmsaroundme.

ThenthesonghadendedandIwasallaloneagain.Frantic,I’dtrackeditdown.
PowerfulbyEllieGouldingandTarrusRiley.
Ofcourseitwascalledthat.IthaddrenchedmeinmemoriestothepointwhereI’d

almost felt like Colt was with me. And since then, like a druggie in need of a hit, I’d
playedthatsongwhenevertheachegottoobad.Tuckingtherabbitinthecrookofmy
arm,Itookoutmyphone.

Then,lettingmyheadfallback,Iclosedmyeyesasthemusicbegan.
BurstsofColtflickeredovermeandIshivered.Icouldpracticallyfeelthewarmthof

hisskin,thestrengthofhisbody,andthepressureofhislipsonmyneck.

Whilethe song lasted, Iallowed myself to sinkinto my memories, savoring every

last detail. Even though part of me never wanted to feel this way again, another part
dreaded the day when all of this would be nothing but hazy, half-forgotten what

could’vebeens.

Maybeoneday,ifLisawasright,IcouldputtogetherthechoreoI’dcomeupwith.It

was burned into my brain, as though it was a love letter of movement to Colt. And I
wondered if he saw it, he’d finally believe me, and forgive me. Or if I could at least
forgivemyself.

Whenthesongended,Ifeltimpossiblylonely.Theworldseemedfaraway.Sighing,

Ipickeduptheremote,andflickedaroundforamovie.TheNotebookwasthereandI
cueditup.Mightaswellgetintofullonsob-modewhileLisawasgone.

RightasIpressedplay,Iheardthedooropen.“Youforgetyourkeys?”Icalledout,

barelyglancingover.

“Notquite,”adeep,familiarvoicereplied.
Onethatseemedtofilleverylastinchofme.
AndIfroze.MyearsroaredwiththepulseofmybloodasIslowlylookedup.
Icouldn’tbelievemyeyes.Butno,therehewas,closingthedoor,andcomingover.

Partofmewaspanicking,wonderingifhe’dcometopunishmemore.

Colt.
Mybodyclosedinonitself,andIpulledtherabbitcloser,alongwiththeblankets.

“Howdidyougetin?”Iwhispered.

“Lisaletmein,”Coltsaid,lookingsadandunsure.Imusthavebeendreaming.Colt

Capestranawasneveranythingbutcocky.“Shetellyouwewenttoschooltogetherfor
alittlewhilebackintheday?”

Ishookmyhead.Iwasn’tsureIbelievedhimsinceLisawasprettypissedatColt.In

fact,thefirstday,she’dpulledoutametalbatandthreatenedtobeathisass.

“Whatdoyouwant?”Iaskedstiffly.
Coltcamealittlecloser,asthoughhewasafraidImightbolt.Iglancedhimover.He

was wearing baggy gym pants, a well-worn hoodie, and hadn’t shaved in days. There
werehollowsinhischeeksandhisskinwaspale.Helookedlikeshit.

IwondereddullyifthiswastheresultofthefactthatIalmostpulledoneoveron

him.

Orifmaybe…Maybetherewasaslimchancehemightbehurtingtoo.
Coltdidn’tanswer,justcontinuedtolookatme,andIflushed,recallinghowbadI’d

lookedthelastI’dchecked.Christ,couldn’thegiveagirlsomewarning?

Reachingup,Itriedtosmoothmyfrizz,whilewishingLisahadchosenadifferent

hairstyle. With the blankets and the pigtails, I must have looked ridiculously childish
andpathetic.

Angerburnedthroughme.Thiswasn’tfair.Hedidn’tdeservetocatchmeoutlike

this.

“I-Ihaveacold,”Ilied,desperatetoappearokay.Ididn’twanthimquestioningmy

heinous appearance. Swollen, baggy eyes, blotchy skin. The fluffy movie, which I hit
pauseon.“Youshouldgo.”Mythroatwenttightwithpain.“I’mcatchy.”

His eyes went soft and he put down the bag he was holding. Slowly, he came to

standinfrontofme,pushingthetableoutoftheway.Thenhecroucheddown,sowe
wereateyelevel.

“Ifit’scatchy,Icaughtitalongtimeago,Rabbit.”
Clutchingtherabbittighter,Ichokedbackasob.

Don’tcallmethat.
Butwiththatnickname,myangerevaporated.“Colt,Ik-knowImessedup.”Tears

started. “And I don’t expect you to ever want to be with me. But please, if you could
finditinyourhearttoforgiveme…It’sjust.”Ipressedmylipstogetherforamoment,
tryingtostemmytears.“Knowingyouhatemefeelslikeawoundthatwillneverheal.”

Heartacheflashedintohiseyes,andsuddenlyhisarmswentaroundmywaist,ashe

kneeledonthefloorinfrontofme.Irecoiledalittle,stunned.Butatthesametime,the
jaggedremainsofmyheartthrobbed.

Coltstaredupatme,throatworking.
“You have nothing to be sorry for.” His hand shook as he lifted it and traced his

fingersalongmycheek.“Ido,though.Iwassoangry.Ican’tlie,Rabbit.Youbrokemy
heart,soItriedtoburnitalldown.Please,forgiveme.”

“What?” I gasped, mind reeling to keep up with the words that were making no

sense.

“Youkillmewhenyoudothat,”Coltmurmured.Hecuppedmyfaceandbrushed

the tears away with his thumbs. “Listen, it took Dante, and his belief in true love to
makemesee.Yeah,thatDante.”Hegrinnedalittleandmyheartleaptatthesightof
that smile. A smile I was sure I’d never see again. “You shoulda heard him chew me
out.” He paused. “Bella, I woulda done the same thing in your shoes. Family’s
everything.Igetwhyyouwereconfusedatfirst.”

Ishookmyhead.“Yourfamilydeservesthattypeofloyalty,Colt.Minedidn’t.Never

did.”Moretearstrackeddownmyface.“ButIwastoodumbtoseeit.Idon’tgetapass
forthat.”

AsobtoreoutofmeandIpressedahandtomyeyes.Coltmovedcloser,pressing

hisforeheadtomine,andholdingthesidesofmyface.Forafewminutes,Iletitallout,
asthoughIjustneededonefinalcatharsis.

Whenmytearssubsided,Itookadeepbreath,andwipedmyface.
Colt,heslidtheblanketsoffmyshouldersandheldtheminhisbighands.“Bella…”

Heglanceddownandhistrademarksmirkflittedacrosshisface.“Youtooktherabbit?
IwasafraidTorogotaholdofit.”

“Um,yeah,”Imurmured,flushinghotter.
Hestillhadn’ttoldmewhyhewashere.Maybeitwasjustclosure.Wipehishands

clean,apologize,andmoveon.NowIwastooafraidtosayanythingthatmightmake
himleave.

Coltstoodupanddraggedmewithhim.Wrappinghisarmsaroundme,heheldme

close.“Fortherecord,youaren’tdumb.You’retrustingandyouwantedafamilyyou
could believe in. Everyone does. Is that naïve? Maybe. But never dumb. Not you,
Rabbit.”Hisvoicecaressedmyear.“Now,whatmattersiswhatcomesnext.Andsince
family is number one in my life, I need you to be a part of it.” He stepped back and
lookedintomyfaceforalongmoment.

Thenhedroppedtoonekneeandpulledaboxfromhispocket.Myheartskippeda

beatandthenhammeredwildlyinmychest.Thishadtobeacrueljoke.Thiscouldn’t
behappening.

Coltpoppedopentheboxandlightsparkledoffadazzlingdiamondring.
“Colt,” I breathed, meeting his eyes again, terror and joy and fear rushed through

me,allatonce.“Pleasetellmethisisn’tpayback.Myheartcan’ttakeitif—”

Hetookmyhandandsqueezedit,hisblazingeyestellingmeeverythingIneededto

know.

“BellaRuffino.Iwasafoolnottolistentowhatmygutwastellingme.Iknewwe

hadsomethingspecial.Aloveofalifetime.”Griefwarredwiththepassioninhiseyes.
“ButIletmyworstqualitiesshinethrough.Iwasastubbornass,refusingtolisten,and
lettingstupidpridegetintheway.

“I’ll never love anyone the way I love you, Bella. I can’t. So if you’ll have me, I’ll

neverbesounforgivingagain.I’llspendmywholelifemakingituptoyou.”Hesmiled
softly.“Youbringmesomuchjoy,Rabbit.Youmakemelaugh,you’reabadassdancer,
you have my taste in music.” I laughed at that. “You’re an incredible woman. You
tacklelifelikeIdo.Headfirstandeyeswideopen.Ilovethat,andIloveyou.”

Idoveathim,throwingmyarmsaroundhisneck,andhelaughedaswefellover.

OneofhisarmswrappedaroundmybackasIlaughedandcriedatthesametimelikea
loon.

“Isthatayes,Rabbit?”Coltwhispered.“I’mdyin’here.”
Sittingback,Ilookedintohisface,andslowlysmiled.Itfeltlikeadreamcometrue.

Icouldhardlybelieveitwashappening.

“Well?”Heraisedaneyebrow.
Myheartmelted.“Yes!”Icriedout.“Ofcourse,yes!”
ColttuggedonmyelbowandIgavehimmyhand.Asheslidtheringon,hegrinned

mischievouslyatme.

Ilookeddownatit,admiringitfromeveryangle,andthenIsquinted.There,onthe

backoftheband,wasanetchedpairoftinybunnyears.

“You!”Isaidwithalaugh,grabbinghisshirt,andkissinghim.
Coltcrushedmeagainsthim,capturingmymouthwithhisfamiliarintensity.Only

now I could feel the powerful connection as well. The energy between us. Colt
deepened the kiss. His fingers dug into my back and I pushed my hands through his
hair.ThenItracedmyfingersthroughhisscruffybeard.

Mm,youmayhavetokeepthis,futurehubby.
Excitementpulsedthroughme.Iteasedmyhandsinsidethebackcollarofhisshirt,

spreadingmyfingersacrosshisshoulders.ColtgroanedintomymouthandIsmiled.

Thenhepulledusontothefloorandourbodiestangledtogether.Myfootsliduphis

legandheshuddered.ThenhisfingerscaressedthebareskinofmylowerbackandI
gaspedalittle.

“Colt,I-”
But my thoughts were interrupted as my stomach suddenly growled so loud, it

soundedlikeanangrybear.Myfacewentwhitehotaswebrokeapartlaughing.

“Didyoubringmefood?”Iasked,suddenlyrealizingwhatI’dcaughtawhiffof.It

wascomingfromabagbythedoor,afamiliarscentofspice,tomatoes,garlic,andlove.

“OhmyGod.”Imoanedalittle.“IsthatMamaAnge’sgravy?”
Coltthrewhisheadback,laughing,andsatup.
“Yeah. I had to go see her today. She wasn’t too happy with me. I’ll tell you that

storylater.So,aftershemademetakeashower,shewasallworriedthatIwaslooking
skinny, and demanded I take food with me when I came to win you back. She was

prettysureIwasn’tgoingtobeabletodoitwithoutherhelp.”Hetracedmylipswith
hisfingers.“Iwashopingshewaswrong,butthenIgottothinking,ifyouwereasbad
offasIwas,you’dprobablybehungry.So,Ibroughtitwithme.”

“Iloveyou,ColtCapestrana.ButIadorethatwoman,”Isaid,mystomachgrowling

again.

“Believeme,Bella.”Coltgottohisfeetandhelpedmeup.“It’smutual.”
He picked up the bag, and pulled out the food. I scurried to get plates, forks, and

napkins,andthenwesatonthefloor,andstartedtoeat.

“It’sstillwarm?Thisconfirmsit.MamaAngeisasorceress,”Isaid.
“Astreghe?”Coltlaughed.“Maybe.Nexttimewe’reoveryoucanhavehercheckfor

malocchiowiththeoliveoil.Also,nowthatyou’regonnabeaCapestrana,she’llwantto
teachyouallthesecretfamilyrecipes.”

“Wow.”Warmthspreadthroughmelikeahugfromtheinsideout.“Thatpartjust

hitme.Family.”

“Getusedtoit,Rabbit.You’repartoftheCapestranafamilynow.Lotsofbenefits.”

Hegrinnedatme.“Mostofwhichinvolveyourstruly.”

“Here’shopingitdoesn’tgotomyheadlikesomeoneIknow,”Iteased.“Sotellme

aboutthesebenefits.”

“Hm…”Hiswarmeyeslitup.“Well,IhearNewEnglandisinforabadwinter.”
Itingledwithanticipation.“Iheardthattoo,”Isaid.“Whatshouldwedoaboutit?”
ColttookhistimefinishinghisnextbiteandIlightlykickedhim.
“Hey!”Heswallowed.“AndhereIwasabouttoinviteyoutoBuenosAires.”
“Argentina?”Ifeltmyhearttakeoff.“Areyouserious?”
“No, never.” I stole a meatball off his plate and Colt shook his head. “You’re a

handful, you know that? And yeah, I’m serious. There’s this open air garden, where
youcandanceallnightlong.”Colt’sgazewenthotandIshivered.“I’vebeendreaming
abouttakingyouthere.”

Iletoutasighofbliss,myheartoverflowingwithjoy.
“Willyoudancewithme,Rabbit?”Coltasked,hisfacesolemn.
“Forever,Colt.Foreverandever.”

EED

MORE

MAFIA

ROMANCE

? Stay tuned for Savannah’s next one, coming soon! A

dangerous gamble…a bet gone horribly wrong…There’s new blood in town, and
theCapestranaswillneedtodefendtheircityandthewomentheylove.

ANT

MORE

AVANNAH

KYE

?Checkoutrockstarromance,

HardLesson

,now!

RockstarDevLachlanlovestheladiesand,evenbetter?Theladieslovehim.He’s
gotitall.Moneypouringin,andasuperhotbandontherise.Everythingiscoming
up roses and he’s all about paying it forward. So when his best friend and
bandmate’s younger sister asks him for a favor, he doesn’t hesitate. Until he

realizeswhatshe’saskingfor.Shewantshimtoteachherhowtobringamanto
hisknees.Hewantstoshowher—damn,doeshewanttoshowher—butsomething
tellshimonetasteofCheriwon’tbeenough.Butmorewouldsurelyteartheband
apart…

CheriGalvestonhaslovedDevsincethedayhetaughtherhowtorideabikefifteen
yearsago.Hewasagreatteacherthen,andshecanonlyhopehe’sanevenbetter
onenow.Shecan’tbringherselftobewithanyoneelseand,justmaybe,ifshecan
get rid of this pesky virginity with him, she can move on and find a man who
appreciates her. But will having Dev finally set her free, or has she just jumped
fromthepanintothefire?

“R

ISE

AND

SHINE

.”

Roryaddedadrumrollwithhisever-presentdrumsticksonthehollowdoorofher

bedroom.

Lyingfaceupwithapillowoverherhead,Cheriblindlygrabbedsomethingoffthe

nightstandbesideher.Itfeltsoft,andthereforenon-lethal,soshefeltfreetochuckitat
him.

“Whoa,whatthehell?”
Chericlawedthepillowfromhereyesonlytofindyesterday’slacebraplasteredon

herbigbrother’sface.Onecupsatonhisheadwhiletheotherdangledprecariouslyoff
thetipofhisnose.

Hepulleditoffhisfacewithalookofdisgust.Ifonlythegroupiesthathungaround

himlikefliesonhoneycouldseehimnow.

“Don’tyoubelieveindeodorant,Bug?”hesaid,wrinklinghisnose.
Shedidn’tgiveacrapthathewascallinghersmelly.Shewasprettysurelittlesisters

hadbeenteasedbytheirolderbrotherssincethedawnoftime.Butthatnicknamewas
gettingold.

Realold.
Especiallyaroundtheotherbandmemberswhoshewasworkinghardtoimpress.
ShecouldfeelhercheeksflushingasanimageofDevflickeredthroughhermind

butsheshoveditaway.

“Don’tcallmethat,”shemuttered.
“Bug-girl,Lil’Bug,LadyBug,Shutterbug.”Roryhadamillionofthemandhesing-

songedthedifferentversions,happilyyankingherchain.

She pulled the pillow over her face again and gave him a dismissive wave of her

hand.

“Yeah.Yeah.Itakealotofpictures.Wegetit.”
Heblewoutasighandthetimeforteasingwasmercifullyover.“Seriously,though,

timetogetup.We’vegottomaketheloftforthenewshotsyoupromisedtotakefor
thewebsite.You’vealsogottolistthedatesofthetour.”

She heard his heavy boots cross the floorboards and he yanked the pillow off her

head.Shewincedasthelighthithereyes.

“Looks like someone put the social in social media last night,” he chided playfully

withamischievousglintinhiseyes.

“For heaven’s sake, Rory. I’m twenty-three. I don’t need your permission or

approvaltoparty.”

“Aslongasyouliveinmyhouse—”hestartedwithamockscowl,andshesnatched

herpillowandtosseditintohisface.

“Youshouldtalk‘Mr.DifferentDay,DifferentGirl’.”
Despitethemildhangoverandherirritation,shecouldn’tdenythathehadapoint,

though. As the band’s head of social media, she had a job to do, and having one too
manydrinksdidn’texcuseherfromit.

“Getout.Ican’tgetdressedwithyoustandingthere.”
“Somebody is cranky without her coffee,” Rory chuckled as he left the room, still

patteringthosedamndrumsticksoneveryavailablesurfaceashewent.

Cheriswungherlegsovertheedgeofthebedandputherheadbetweenherhands.

Shesuckedinadeepbreathwillingthepoundingtogoaway.

ThiswasDev’sfault.
Eh,whowasshekidding?Itwasherfault.She’dlethimgetunderherskin.
Again.
It shouldn’t have bothered her that Rory’s best friend and bandleader had hooked

upwithAshleyMarlowe.Hehadtherighttomessaroundwithwhomeverhewanted.

And“whomeverhewanted”wouldneverbeher.
Shepushedbackthepanginherchestandlethereyesdriftshut.Shewasforever

doomed to remain firmly in the land of little girlhood courtesy of her brother’s
relationshipwithDev.Itdidn’tmatterthatshewasagrownwomannow,withathirty-
four“C”cupsize,andlonglegs.

Nope.
Shewasforever“Bug”,thecamerawenchwhosnappedpicturesofthebandandthe

crew.

Bug,thepainintheasslittlesisterthathadneverletherbrotherandhisfriendsgo

anywherewithouthertaggingalong.

Hell,sometimesshestillfeltlikeshewastaggingalong.
No,sheremindedherselffirmly.
She was the Social Media Director, a fancy title with a lot of responsibility that

outpacedherflimsypaycheck.ThoughthebandSub-Zerowasfinallygettingacrackat
larger venues courtesy of their latest album, Zero Primed, the tight-fisted band
manager, Bill, insisted on doing everything to keep costs down. That meant lousy
salariesforthesupportstaff,includingher.Butthatwasokay.She’dworkhard,payher
duesand,eventually,strikeoutonherown.

She glanced at the books gathering dust on her dresser, the ones she needed to

studytotaketheexamsforherCPAlicense.Maybethistourwouldgiveherthetimeto
study.Thenshecouldgetthebetterpayingjobshewenttocollegefor.

Rightnow,though,sheneededtogetherassingear.
Rightafterbreakfast…
The smell of bacon and eggs wafted up the stairs, lighting a fire under her ass.

Groggilycrossingthehall,shestumbledintotheshowerandturnedonthewater.

Thenhowled.
Thearcticcoldwaterhitherlikeatonofice.
“Shit,”sheswore.
ThensherememberedthatRorywasfullydressed.Thatmeant,asusual,heusedup

allthehotwater.Oh,theyshouldhavehotwater.Therewasagoddamneddinosaurof
a water heater in the basement. But the thing was older than dirt and yielded only
enough water for one shower in the morning and her brother had always thought it
washisdue.

Sherubbedherbodyvigorouslywithawashclothassheshivered,mentallyblaming

Dev for this too. The only good thing about the cold water was that it woke her
immediately.

To get her mind off the cold, she visualized the day’s schedule. First was the staff

meeting with Bill in preparation for their new tour, then pics of the band, and lastly
updating the website and the different social media outlets with information on the
band.

Maybeshecouldtrytosnagsomecandidvideo.Fanslovedthat.Sometimebetween

thestaffmeetingandpicssheshouldtrytoprysometidbitsaboutthebandmembers
out of them to post on social media. Some of the band hated that, especially her
brother,andshewishedwickedlythatshe’dhadhercamerareadytotakeapictureof
himwiththatbraoverhisface.

Nowthatpostwould’vegottenloadsofsocialshare.
Shewasstillchucklingwhensheemergedandstoodbeforethemirror,combingout

herdarkhair.Shedidn’tbotherwithmake-up,mostlybecauseshe’dneverlearnedto
applyit.Hermotherhadbeenjustanotherbadactorintheirnightmareofafamilylife
growingup,andhadfoundlittletimetoteachCherianythingbuthowtohide.

ThosedayswerelonggonebecauseRoryhadthecouragetowalkoutwhenhewas

eighteen,takingherwithhim.Shewasforevergratefulforthat,butitwasn’tasifshe
couldlearnhowtodressorwalkinheelsfromherbigbrother.Notthattherehadever
beenanymoneyforsuchthingsaslipstickandfoundationbackthen…

Cheriletahappymemorywashawaythebadones,smilingassherecalledthetime

shetoldhimthatsheneeded“supplies”.Ithadtakenhimafewminutestofigureoutit
wasn’tschoolsuppliesshe’dbeenaskingfor.Shecouldn’tgetthemherselfbecauseshe
was teary-eyed, sitting on her bed with a towel beneath her. Rory didn’t blush much
but he’d turned beet-red that day. Like all other challenges he faced, her big brother
hadsetoutgrimlytoaccomplishthetaskbeforehim.

Inallways,hewasherhero.Noteasingintheworldwouldeverchangethat.
Dressedinblackskinnyjeans,andabandt-shirt,shetrotteddownthesinglesetof

stairs and entered the kitchen from the living room. A plate of bacon, eggs and toast
waitedforheratthetable.

Rorysatscrunchedoverhiscellphone,hishandsomefacetwistedintoafrown.
“What’sup,bigbrother?Brokeanotherheart?”
Hegrumbledanddisconnected,settingthephoneonthetable.
Cherimunchedonherbreakfastinsilence,debatingwhethertopresshim.Hehad

that look on his face that told her he wasn’t going to open up, no matter how big or

small the problem was. Having seen how their parents made sure that both of them
wereprivytoeveryproblemtheyeverhad,Rorymadethedecisionnottodothesame
thing to her when they were younger. And even though they were both technically
adultsnow,hestilltriedtoshieldher.

She was just about to ask again when he forced a smile. “It’s nothing for you to

worryabout,JuneBug.”

“Oh,soit’sJuneBugnow?”saidCheri,archinganeyebrow.Itwasadeflectiononhis

part, and they both knew it, but she let him get away with it because his smile had
turnedfromfaketogenuineasherelishedmakingfunofheragain.

“JuneBug,”hesmirked.“Doodlebug,Love-bug--”
Cheri rolled her eyes. “Love-bug? Oh, no, brother mine, that doesn’t fit. I haven’t

hadadate,inwhat,sixmonths?I’mnoone’slovebug.”

“Andagoodthingtoo,”saidRory.“OrI’dhavetosquashhimwithmyboots.”
Rorygavehersuchathunderousfrownthatshebrokeoutlaughing.
“Ifyouwantmetogrowupto,youknow,havealifeofmyownorgetmarriedor

anything,you’regoingtohavetoputyourbugsquashingbootsaside.Otherwise,I’m
doomedtoalifeofeatingyourbaconandeggs.”

“What’swrongwithmybaconandeggs?”hedemanded.
She stood and picked up her empty plate and his. “Nothing. Just that they aren’t

cooked in my very own kitchen in my very own house. Now, go get that beast of a
truckofyoursstartedsowecangettowork.”

Rorygrumbledbutdidasshesaidwhileshedidaquickwashofthefryingpan.She

could hear the truck coughing and rumbling, even over the sound of the faucet
running.Thethingneededanewstarter,butRoryclaimedthatallitneededwasafew
goodtapswithahammer.WhatRoryneededwasanewtruck,buthewouldn’tspend
the money. She didn’t understand with the improving fortunes of the band why he
wouldn’t.Butmaybetheyearsofscrimpingandsavinghadbeenindeliblyetchedinto
hispsyche.

Those years had etched a lot of things into them both. Things that she sometimes

wonderedifthey’deverbeabletoovercome…

Shepushedthethoughtasideanddriedherhandsoffonadishtowelbeforeblowing

outasighofreliefasthetruckgrumbledtolife.

Anhourlater,though,shewonderedwhatshe’dbeeninsuchahurryfor.Billwas

droning on about the upcoming tour schedule and hammering home the point that
eachofthestaffridingthesecondtourbusshouldonlytakeessentials.

He was a recent hire as band manager, having come on staff just as production

finishedonZeroPrimed.Hewasshortandplumpandhisblackhairwasslickedwith
godonlyknewwhat,butshepersonallyimaginedwasCrisco.

GinaSaldano,thePublicRelationsDirector,andCheri’snow-friend,elbowedCheri’s

armandnoddedtowardheriPad.

Onlytwobuses???Cheapbastard,she’dtyped.
For the whole band and the support staff. They’d be cramped as hell. But Bill was

stillyammeringsoallChericoulddowasnod.

“Wearehittingfourteenstopsinthreeweeks,travelingatmost,twodaysatatime.

Nobreaksuntilwefinish,sobepreparedforthatpace,twenty-fourseven.”

Whatadick,Ginatappedoutonherscreen.
Cherinoddedagain.
“Withthat,let’sgoaroundthetable.Gina?”
“We’re good. We’ve got press releases out to each of the newspapers in our tour

cities.I’llmakesomecallsthisafternoontomakesureofplacementforourfirstfew
venues.AndIhavecallsintothelocalradiostationstosetupbandinterviewsoverthe
phone.”

“Keepmeupdatedonanychanges.”
“I’mgettinganewsetofpicsofthebandafterthismeetingtoputonthewebsite,”

Cheriadded,“andIhaveanicepieceI’mputtingoutontheblogaboutsomeoftherock
greatswhoplayedatsomeofourupcomingvenues.Sortofa‘lookwhocamebefore
us’piecethatpushestheup-and-comingstatusoftheband.”

“Soundsgood,butIwanttoseethecopybeforeyouputitup.”
“Yougotit,boss,”shesaid,managingtokeepthesmilepinnedtoherface.
Bossataloss,typedGinaandCherihadtobiteherliphardnottolaugh.
“Richard.”
Richard Hawkins was the Tour and Production Manager. He handled everything

that had to do with putting the show on the stage. He was in his forties, lean with a
rectangularfacethatwasetchedwithlaughlines.Hisgrayinghairwasstyledinano-
nonsensebuzzcut.

“I’mstillwaitingonsomeofthebackdrops,”hesaid.
“They might not be ready on time,” said Bill. “Think of some creative ways with

lightingtomakeupthedeficit.Mostroadshowsdon’tcarrymorethanonebackdrop
anyway.How’stherestofthecrew?Allthepositionsfilled?”

“Yup.Theonlythingthat’snotfilledismyproductionassistant,butIhaveaperson

inmind.”

Billglanceddownatasheetofpaperonaclipboardandthensmiled,acraftylookin

hiseyethatCherihadcometoloathe.

“Noneed.Bugwillhelpyouout,won’tyou,Bug?”
“Oh,Bill,Idon’tthink--”protestedRichard.
“Look,we’reonatightbudget.Ifwecanpareoutaposition,thenweneedtodoit.

Social media can’t take up all of Bug’s day. What do you say? Can you handle the
work?”

Itwasn’tlikeshehadn’tdoneitbeforewiththebandontheirsmallergigs.Still,she

thought it would be better to have a professional with large tour experience to do it.
Buttheslickbastardthat hewas,Billhad frameditinsucha waythatshewas hard-
pressedtogiveafirmno.“Imean,Iguess,but--”

“Thenit’ssettled.Bug,gettogetherlaterwithRichardtoseewhatheneeds.Okay.

That will do for today.” Bill looked down at his phone and excused himself from the
room,leavingtherestofthembehindstaringafterhim.

“Thesonofabitch,”saidRichardglaringatthewall.“Sorryaboutthat,Bug.”
“Notyourfault,I’lldowhateverIcantohelp.”
“Iknowit.Youaren’ttheproblem.”Hesighedandstood.“Seemewhenyouhavea

fewfreeminutesandI’llgooverthejobdutieswithyou.I’llkeepitaslightasIcan.”

Richardlefttheroomandtheaudioguysfollowedbehind,alllookingveryunhappy.

“Thatwasacluster-fuck,huh?”Ginaasked.
Cherinoddedslowly.Billhaddefinitelyhelpedtheband’sbottomlineoverthepast

months,butthiswasgettingoutofhand.

“Hey,where’sthatpainintheassbrotherofyours?”Ginaasked.
Cheri rolled her eyes. “Hanging with the groupies, where else?” She hitched the

strapofthecamerabagonhershoulderandtheystrolledoutoftheconferenceroom
tothelargeareathatservedaspracticespaceandhangoutfortheband.

Theloftwasonefloorofan1800'sfactoryconvertedintoofficespace.Sub-Zerohad

the top floor and here the ancient wood beams held up the roof. The walls were all
madeofredbrickandthefloorsolidhardwoodvarnishedtoabrightshine.Attheend
of the room, a raised dais held the band’s instruments and amps, and tall, thin Bose
speakersgracedeithersideofit.

Gina’s eyes roamed the room until she spotted a knot of scantily clad girls

surrounding Rory next to the makeshift bar a roadie had set up on a plank and
sawhorses.“There’snomossonthatrollingstone.”

“Nope,”Cherisaidwithanod,tryingtoignorethegrowingpitofherstomachasshe

willedherselfnottosearchouttherestoftheband.“Weneedtoroundthoseboysup
forthesepicsorI’llnevergetthemonthewebsite.”

“Connor,” called Gina, beckoning with her hand, “Mac, Quinn, Rory. Hmmm,” she

frowned,lookingleftandright.“Idon’tseeDevanywhere.”

“That’s because he’s a lazy shit,” said blond-haired Connor after giving Cheri a

friendlykissonthesideofherforehead.“Themanhasn’tdraggedhimselfoutofbed
yet.Ijustspoketohimonthephone.He’sonhisway.”HedrapedanarmaroundGina.

“Well,Idon’tblamehim,”saidConnor.“AshleyMarloweisagoodreasontostayup

late.”

Ginascoffedandstalkedaway,tryingtogettherestoftheminsomesemblanceof

order.

“Wehaveascheduletokeep,”saidCheri.Shetriednottoletitshow,butevenshe

couldheartheshrillnessofhervoice.“Anyideahowlonghe’llbe?”

“Anyminutenow,”saidQuinn.
Cheriwalkedaway,focusingherenergyonsettinguphertripod,lighting,anddigital

camerainsteadoftheimagesofDevrollingaroundinabedwithAshleyMarlowe.

ShehadfinallygottenlostinhertaskafewminuteslaterwhenGina’sheelsclacked

onthehardwoodfloorandshebenttonudgeCheriinthearm.

“Here,getsomecoffeeinyou.”Ginahandedherasteamingcup.
“Thanks,” said Cheri, but her words were lost in the commotion at the elevator of

theloft.

DevLachlansteppedinwithhisarmaroundAshleyandCheridiedalittleinside.His

darkhairwasmussed,hismuscularframelooseandcomfortableasifhe’dspentthe
nightdoingsomethingtaxing.

Itwasbadenoughimaginingthemtogether.Butnow,seeingit?Shefeltlikeshewas

goingtobesick.

Hehadabigsmileonhishandsomefaceashebentdownandwhisperedsomething

inAshley’sear.Shegavealittlepoutbutmadeherwaytowardthemakeshiftbar.

Devlookedup,scanningtheroom,andrubbedhishandstogether.

“Sowhat’sontheagendatoday?”
Dev’srich,masculinebaritonefilledthespace,justlikeitalwaysdid,andCherihad

tostifleamewlthatcurdledinherthroat.Therewasagoodreasonwhyhewastheir
lead singer. His voice was like rich caramel, decadent and low, making her insides
shiver.Somehow,shestraightenedandsteeledherselfforthejobahead.

“Over here, lover boy,” she said, her tone thick with sarcasm. The years of

familiarity between them took the edge off and he just grinned at her. But even that
hurt.Thatsmilehadignitedamillionpantiesacrosstheglobe,butallitdidwasmake
herache.

Withlongstrides,hestrolledtowardherandthenpluckedhercoffeefromherhand,

hisbluegazedrillingintohers.

“Alwaysprepared,”hesaidwithawink.“Thanks,Bug.”
Hewasstandingtoocloseandthesmellofhiscolognewrappedaroundher.Cheri’s

stomach and her knees turned to jelly just as they always did when he stood next to
her.

Must.Not.Crumble.
She chided herself for not having the fortitude to defend her own drink. But of

course,hecouldhavehercoffee.Hecouldhaveanythinghewantedofhers.

Becauseshewasmadly,crazilyinlovewithhimandhadbeensinceshewaseleven

yearsold.

Andshewoulddojustaboutanythingtomakeitstop.

therestofHardLesson,now!

C O L T A N D B E L L A ’ S P L A Y L I S T

1. Homme–BrazilianGirls
2. KillingMeSoftly(MakPapUnderscoreRemix)–Fugees
3. SayIt–ToryLanez
4. DuHast–Rammstein
5. That’sAmore–DeanMartin
6. LastTangoinParis–GotanProject
7. Sneakin–Drake,21Savages
8. P.S.Hot97isarealstation!
9. WaltzinSwingTime–FredAstaire

10. MustBeLoveOntheBrain–Rihanna
11. DrunkInLove–Beyonce
12. TakeYouThere–Ne-Yo
13. Differences–Ginuwine
14. IfIAin’tGotYou–AliciaKeys
15. InMyHands–Jaheim
16. IWantYou–AnthonyHamilton
17. GoAway–Eisley
18. ColdHardLove–ToryLanez
19. Powerful–MajorLazer,TarrusRiley,MajorLazer

Document Outline

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One

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