Thorton Gallardo POV12:45 a.m.Is it on the armchair of the hotel room couch, hunched over with my elbows resting on my knees? Fifteen more minutes. I tell myself I’m going to wait fifteen minutes, and if she doesn’t show…I have no clue why I’m so anxious to see her. No, not anxious. Excited.Zandra crashing my meeting was never a part of the plan. She officially has spooked all my potential business partners, and for good reason. It takes a lot to impress me, but the woman who strode into that restaurant, confident and dressed to kill, nearly had my jaw on the floor. All it took was one look and I knew…This is what a Mafia Boss princess looks like.I contemplate leaving early. As the seconds tick by, I grow more and more restless. It was never my intention to see Zandra again, but I couldn’t help myself. Something in my hindbrain kicked in, overriding any rational thought I might have had with the unlikely promise of tasting her lips again. Everything about this is a bad idea. The
Thorton Gallardo POVIt’s close to three in the morning by the time I arrive at my apartment. It’s small but comfortable. I have no need for a flashy penthouse suite, or a view most would kill for. In my line of work, all that matters is survival. By that logic, the key to survival is avoiding unnecessary attention.When I step into my apartment, I catch a faint whiff of fresh air. One of the living room windows is propped open an inch. Strange, considering I always keep them locked. It’s the first and only clue I need to know something isn’t quite right.Someone has broken into my home.I reach for the gun in my shoulder holster, tucked safely between my arm and my ribs. Before I have a chance to pull it out, the soft click of a hammer rings loudly in my ear. I freeze when I feel the hard point of a gun jammed against the base of my skull. Could it be a Valderrama sent here to kill me? Is another player in Italy looking to shake things up?“Sit down over there,” Detective Rossi growl
Zandra Valderrama POV“And where do you think you’re sneaking off to?” Jovito asks me as I make my way down the stairs. He’s lounging on the living room couch, phone up to his face with his feet crisscrossed on top of the far armrest. He looks cozy, bundled up in one of the sweaters Aunt Angelina knitted for him for his twentieth birthday this year.“I’m not sneaking off anywhere,” I say. “I’ve just got work to do.”“Do you need any help?”I give my little brother a sweet smile. He’s not as involved with the Mafia as I am by choice, much preferring his books and a quiet existence. Jovito’s always been this way. Too kind and frankly too soft-spoken for this world, which is probably why Mom and Dad never felt the need to push him too hard. They trained him in the basics—self-defense, firearm handling, everything a Mafia prince might need to know—but overall, he’s pretty much hands-off unless he wants to be involved.It must be nice, I think, to live however he wants without the burden o
Thorton Gallardo POVI checked in early.I stare at the text message for far longer than necessary, admittedly puzzled to know that Zandra has somehow managed to get a hold of my cell phone number. I’d heard through the grapevine that, in another life, her father and uncles once owned a cyber security company—now defunct—so I wouldn’t at all be surprised if Zandra had the basic know-how to get my information.Are you that eager to see me?Don’t flatter yourself. I finished my work earlier, that’s all. Don’t keep me waiting.Give me an hour. I’m stuck in a meeting.“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Roman asks me from across my office.I set my phone screen-side down on my desk, swallowing the warm sensation blooming in my chest. I’ll admit the thought of Zandra lying in bed, ready and wet and waiting for me is certainly amusing.Will she undress herself before I get there out of spite? Surely she knows by now how much I enjoy ripping her clothes off. Maybe she’ll tease herself to t
Zandra Valderrama POVI didn’t realize how tired I was until I sat down on the bed, and since Thor was going to be another hour, I figured a quick snooze would help me pass the time. My mind is refreshed and alert which is why I instantly notice the strong arms wrapped around me and the rich scent of Thorton’s cologne filling my nose. Tilting my chin up, I peer at his sleeping face and quietly marvel.Thorton is strikingly handsome. I already knew this, of course, but especially so now that his ever-present scowl has smoothed out. Where once I thought he was made of stone, now I see he’s just like me—human and fallible. I study the sharp line of his nose and dare to run my fingers over his jaw, savoring the roughness of his stubble on my skin.A warm, fuzzy sensation ripples through my body. I know I should go, but I can’t find the strength to leave the comfort of his arms. For the life of me, I can’t remember when someone last held me this tenderly. The realization in and of itself s
Thorton Gallardo POVThe golden light of sunrise filters in through the crack in the curtains, filling the hotel room with warmth and the promise of a new day. Beside me, Zandra’s red locks have curled slightly in her sleep, spilling out like tendrils of copper. I spend a little too long drinking in the sight, her beauty unmatched in all things worldly or otherwise. I silently pray for time to stop. I want to capture this moment for all eternity and bask in it, breathing in the scent of vanilla and admiring her pretty face.But my phone goes off, vibrating angrily on the bedside table. She stirs, eyes fluttering open. When she realizes where she is, Zandra sits up quickly with a gasp.“Oh my God, I need to go,” she says, hurriedly throwing the covers off to climb out of bed. There’s no time to appreciate the love bites I’ve left all over her body. There’s no doubt in my mind my own back looks like a warzone.“What’s the hurry?” I ask her, reaching for my phone.“My guards are waiting
Thorton Gallardo POVRome, ItalyThe city is built on a river, a mosaic of the old and the new. The centuries-old cobblestone streets are lined with modern lamp posts, and the exterior walls of buildings are painted in an array of muted beiges and pastels. On the surface, it’s a quaint riverside city. A perfect vacation spot for those who don’t mind the year-round cold.But I know the truth. Just below the surface, the capital city of Rome has a swarming, thriving criminal underbelly. It’s simply a matter of knowing where to look.“They’re late,” Samuel grumbles. He cracks his knuckles, then his neck, then his back, the loud popping similar to squeezing a fistful of bubble wrap. It’s one of his biggest tells when he’s nervous. If there’s a joint he can crack, he will.“Have a little patience,” I remind him as I fiddle with my lighter. “They’ll be here.”“What if it’s some kind of trap?”The possibility this meeting might be a set-up did dawn on me, but we’re not in a good enough posit
Zandra Valderrama POVI need to see you. It’s urgent. I stare at my phone, mildly confused. Isn’t Thor out of town?Is something wrong? Can’t tell you over text, our usual spot at the Crown Hotel. Tomorrow morning by nine.A strange, sinking feeling grows in the pit of my stomach. Call it intuition. A sixth sense. If this is Thorton, then whatever he has to tell me is clearly something big and sensitive in nature.I’ll be there.“Sweetie?”I look up to find my mother stepping into the kitchen. She wears a soft smile, bundled up in one of Dad’s sweaters. It’s surprisingly drafty in the house today, and I frankly don’t blame her for stealing one of Dad’s comfiest cashmere knits.“Is something wrong? You look troubled.”I shove my phone into the back pocket of my jeans. “It’s nothing. Just… work.”Mom joins me by the counter, reaching for a mug to make herself a cup of tea. “How are you handling things? I know it must be such a huge responsibility.”“Nothing I can’t handle. I’m getting u