His to break

e night sky like a fortress, cold,

r again, her skin raw where she had fought too hard. But the physic

wn. And if there was one thing Serena De

rm but not rough. She sensed the tension humming through him,

they walked toward a spiral staircase. "No

id of him," s

r his breath. "May

ar would only make her weak, and she couldn't afford weakness in

rs, Santi opened a doo

iture, sleek lines, and no warmth. Heavy floor-to-ceiling windows over

no's

alization he wasn't sending

ping her h

ehind her with

-

be used as a weapon. A fireplace poker rested by the hearth, heavy and

n of being Adriano'

ttered as the do

a shadow wrapped

clinging to him. His dark eyes found hers instantly, and a cruel smile tug

able, I hope,"

s gaze. "If you're waiting for m

you?" He stepped closer, his movements fluid and deliberate

down her spine. "

g her like a puzzle he intended to solve. "You're exac

control me,"

d-slow and danger

-

ould have

him that no one touches what belongs to the Varela cartel. B

orn refusal to subm

t involve dragging his daughter into this. He shoul

rust anyone els

honest, he wa

as she refused to flinch. "Why do you hate him?"

frowned

yes cold. "Why does a daughter so loyal to the De Luc

her face-pain, maybe. But it wa

g is your busi

irritation curled inside him. "Every

-

ered in her ears as

but she refused to give him t

e said, her voice sharper than in

wrong. Even if he doesn't care about

everage," s

act

he way his eyes lingered on her mouth made heat coil in

me," she whispere

anned across her lips. "No," he murmur

tension, crackling like

e stepped back-leaving he

ide otherwise," he said

-

nst the wall, watching the door t

l and back, but this keeping Ser

of losing the control that made him dangerous. And Mateo knew

this," a familia

roaching, her dark eyes glitte

admitted.

breath. "She won't last.

hidden beneath her careless tone. "You

'm not worried. No one

no was already slipping away he held his ton

careful, it would beco

-

mself a glass of whiskey, his mind

all it did was make him want to push harder to

e wors

't want

sure if he