Forbidden Love With My Mafia Step-Brother

on

midnight, a single line glo

mansion. I

eo

summon me now could only mean trouble, and the weight behin

en a knock rattles my door-hard, impatient. Alex

itation, eyes sharp, mout

th accusation. "And minutes later he shows up half-dead, bruised

t. I study her in silence for a beat, my jaw tightening. She does

e my gun," I mutter, clo

have you murdering people for me. I'm relieved you wore a mask. If any

es me, as if I'm a reckless fool with no sense of survival. I turn fr

gesture to the large frame abov

ning the photograph. "Men.

no longer exist. Be

t me as though she doesn't recognize who's standing in front

my voice steady, deliberate. "But if anyone threatens me-o

bed, laying out the clothes I'd chosen. She watch

is?" she whispers finally.

r. The distance between us feels ch

ce hardens. "My godfather drilled it into me: power is tak

trocities. They're the ones who arranged my mother's death." My throat tightens

silence stretches. At l

e same roof as you-I can't trust a killer

"I've saved your life twice already. Three times if you coun

with reluctant defiance. "A

swer she turns on her heel and leaves. The echo

beneath the mask. I was never supposed to let any woman close. But

al whether she destr

ion. I'd taken a car from my private warehouse, one few even knew e

nder the porch light, posture still commanding despi

day," he says dry

y to kiss the heavy ring on his finger

say the same, but you've made a

stiffen. "W

ll gang members found dead in a

al. "Maybe they ange

s mine. "Or may

s. He raised me in this business, trained me to be the

exhaling slowly. "I d

ou've just declared war, Baron.

back to me," I coun

rds. "Maybe. But Lucifer won't stop until he finds the man resp

Lucifer. Ruthless, unrelenting. A ref

im, my voice tight. "I could swim in their blood if

ld, relentless. The only difference is, he already commands an em

wer, because the truth is bitter.

g to Lucifer. My jaw sets, r

inst one," I say at last, my voi