Chapter 30 – My Precious Little Cheat
Dee
Control was slipping through my fingers like water, and I hated every second of ic
“Pull up Cove Street Cafe’s security feed” I ordered, my voice carrying that edge that made lesser men tremble. The tech team worked frantically, knowing henter than to question why their bou needed immediate access to a coffee shop’s cameras
“Sir, we’ve got three angles. Multiple screens in up, showing different views of exposed brick walls and vintage furniture. The street cam, the interior front, and there.”
My brought a Lucia appeared on screen, wrapped in that Burberry trench Flugh her last thonth. She moved with that natural grace that fi cagh my eye, all Valentini steel wrapped in designer armor.
And there, at their old table by the window, waited Sullivan
My hath curled into fats as I sched him stand so greet her. Even through grainy security footage. I could read the hope in his body language, the way he’d dressed in impers The tin had traded palat ained jeans for designer labels, trying to prove he could play in our world. “Audio!” I demanded
“Working on it, sir. The cafe’s system is-
ΠΕ
p gestures she rarely allowed hemelf in public.
Watching them in silence was toure. I could read Lucia’s anger in the set of her shoulders, the sharp ges Whatever Sullivan was crying had cracked her careful composure. Good.
Bu not good enough to stop my blood from being every time he leaned closer, every time his hands moved like he wanted to touch her. “Audio’s up.” the tech announced just as Lucia’s voice cut through the speakers.
never really existed” Her words carried that edge I usually loved, now surned against her mistic ex–lover. “That girl was a fantasy, Mark Pride and possession ward in my chest. This was my Lucia—ere, unipologetic, finally embracing her true nature. But the fact that she was having the conversation at all, thus she’d gone behind my back to meet him.
“Someone is trying to kill hem
My jaw clenched. So then’s
Sullivan voer crackled through the speakers. “Your perfect once. Your chosen darkness.”
this was about. Another attempt to paint inte as the villain in their love story.
Im Lucia’s responce stopped my dark thoughts cold
“Because he’s mine.” Her voice carried something fierce, protective, then made my hear stunter. “Contract or not, business or not, he’s mine, And I protect what’s mupe,
Heated my veins at her words, the possessiveness that matched my own Without thinking, I reached for my phone.
Where are you
I watched on screen as she checked the message, a small smile playing at her lips. Her response came seconds later Handling someshing. Someone’s trying to kill you.
My fingers moved automatically: Come home.
She left Sullivan sating there, shell–shocked by whatever final words shed delivered. Part of me wanted to send me to finish what her verbal assault had started To remand the artist exactly why the Roman me was feared.
But Lucia’s words echoed in my head. He’s mine.
If she was claiming them, the least I could do was trust her judgment. For now
When the clewwar doors opened an hour later, I was waiting in the penthouse foyer, perfectly positioned to look like I hadn’t been tracking her every movement
“Enjoy your coffee date aked, my voler carrying carefully measured anger.
She shrugged off her in–soaked coat, tot bothering to look at me “About as much as you enjoyed watching it through legal security feeds.” I didn’t bother draying it. I told you not to see him.
“And I told you not to dictate my choices. She finally and water dripping from her hair onto imported marble. “But since we’re both terrible at following orders, can we skip to the part where someone’s planning to kill you?”
that concem Thear, cara I moved closer, enjoying how she tensed at my proximity Careful Someone might think you care “Someone thinks too highly of himself. But her breath hitched as I reached out to brush wet strands from her ice. “We need to focus on the
“The threat of you meeting your ex–lover behind my back? My fingers trailed down her neck finding her pulse point racing beneath damp skin. “Or the alleged motion plot he’s using to manipulate you”
Toth.” She stepped back, but not before 1 felt her shiver. “Mark may be naive, but he wouldn’t he about this, ameone’s feeding him information.
Chapter 30 – My Precious Little Cheat
using him to
“To get close to you.” 1 advanced again, backing her against the wall. “To exploit your history, your connection-
“To wam met” She showed against my chest, real anger flaring. “God, do you ever think about anything besides your possessive caveman routine! Somer is actively trying to kill you, and you’re worried about who I have coffee with?”
“When it’s him” I cough her wrists, pinning them above her head “Yes,”
“You’re impossible.” She glared up at me, min–smeared mascara making her eyes look bigger, fiercer. “And if you don’t let me go right now-
1 cut her off with a kiss that was pure possession, swallowing her protests as my free hand tangled in her wet hair. She bit my lip hard enough to draw blood, but then the was kissing me back with equal fury, her body arching into mine despite her anger.
When I finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard.
“Feel better?” she asked sarcastically, though her voice shook slightly. “Got the territorial display out of your system!”
“Not even close.” I released her wrists but kept her caged between my arms. “But we can finish this discussion later. Tell me everything Sullivan said
about the threat.”
She took me to collect herself, smoothing her damp clothes with trembling hands. “Within the week. He doesn’t know exactly when or how, but he seemed certain about the timelle.”
“And his source?”
“He claims not to know.” She met my eyes steadily. “But someone’s clearly using him. The USB drive, the media appearances, the anonymous tips about your business dealings–it’s all too coordinated.”
“My enemies aren’t known for subtlety. I stepped bork, letting her move away from the wall. “Chen, Foster, the lurbor unions–they’re all capable of orchestrating something like this,”
“Through Mark” She shook her head. “He’s an artist, not a criminal. They’d need someone to guide him to feed him just enough truth to make the lies believable”
They all love every reason to irani me dead.” I was already reaching for my phone. “Marco, I need everything-
“Wait.” Lucia caught my arm. “Start with Mark. Check the people he came into contact with
Isnirked, “You’re using Mark for me
LİK,
