~Klaus~I didn’t leave the penthouse until Doc Kidd did a thorough check-up on Rylee. Guilt over what I had done last night still loomed over my head. I was an asshole. I should’ve asked her like a normal human being would.I had to keep in mind that Rylee is not my employee, but my girlfriend.“What’s up with you?” Ghost asked. We are on our way to dad’s Hamptons estate. He called for a sudden family meeting, and I didn’t really have it in me to face all the heads of the Martinelli mafia.I’m still mad about what dad did to me, but I had to show up and get a feel of the situation personally.Whoever hired the hacker who tapped into my computer is an expert in these situations. They hide their traces well. And there are only a handful of people in the underworld that could match my team’s abilities.‘Better than me,’ Ash said, ‘but no one can outwit Ghost and I.’It’s what I loved about my team. I hand-picked them because we have one thing in common. We are no quitters. The more chall
~Klaus~Dad is clearly into something. Things are not what it seems, and I feel like I was a character in a story he was authoring.He didn’t agree with me nor argue. He just said that before he took over, the mafia and Martinelli Holdings had been two separate businesses of the family. Since I was his only child, he merged the two businesses, thinking there was no need for doing things separately. It was easier to oversee things that way.I’m on floating status, awaiting dad’s verdict.“Do you think it’s the right move?” Ghost asked on our way back to the city.Dad’s siblings second his notion. In fact, they even looked happy at the prospect of seeing the mafia be separated from our legal business. Kino and Davide were the only ones who didn’t seem thrilled by the idea.“I had to get back inside the circle somehow,” I said, gazing into the slowly setting sun. “Someone in that meeting is behind all this.”“Davide and Kino?” Ro supplied.“They have every reason to want me out of their
~Klaus~ Ice cold droplets stung my skin. I’d been under the shower for ten minutes, yet my cock was still stiff; it could cut a diamond in half. I groaned, slamming my fist on the tiled wall. Fucking wildfire. Once I get my hand on her, she will learn never to taunt me like this. ~Rylee~ Kids were taught never to play with fire. It’s dangerous; it will burn you if you’re not careful. I don’t know why I dared play with fire. Yes, I am a spy, an assassin if needed to be, but I don’t think I’ve ever included pyro dancing in my CV. Now, the question is, why the fuck am I playing catch fire with Klaus Martinelli? “Rylee, Rylee, Rylee,” I murmured, blinking into the darkness bathing my room. “Don’t play with fire. Since when did you become such a pyromaniac?” My cheeks are red; my skin warm. I can still feel his fingers on my navel, the delicious burn where his lips had been. And my God, rumor has it of how well endowed he is. I might have seen the outline of his hard-on a few times
~Klaus~“Who?!” Devin coughed on his beer.“Rylee,” Evan squeezed my shoulder, chuckling.The party was in full swing, but I couldn’t pay attention to anything. My eyes kept drifting where Cali and Rylee disappeared, waiting for my girlfriend. It’s not that I don’t trust Rylee; it’s her kidnapper I am worried about.Don’t get me wrong, Cali is my cousin, and I love that girl, but she can be a pain in my ass if she wants to be. From the bottom of her heart, I know she cares for me, too. She got that tough love going on for me since she was little, acting like she was my age growing up when she’s typically my younger sister, and I fear she might brainwash Rylee to run for the hills.“Rylee Allen?” Devin asked skeptically.Why was it so hard to believe that Rylee and I are together? Well, to their defense, I couldn’t believe it either. And the sad truth is, she wouldn’t be with me if not for our deal, but they didn’t have to know that.I leaned an elbow on the bar counter where we had be
~Rylee~ I hadn’t done kissing in a long time, but Klaus was merely pressing his lips against mine. It was an innocent peck. Innocent and Klaus? I never imagined a day I would associate the two. I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t. My body tingles everywhere. A different kind of current zapped my dormant senses to life, stirring from where he’s touching me. He had an assertive grip on my waist and nape, firm enough to leave me marked, keeping me steady. Pure bliss. But he pulled away, ceasing everything before I could part my lips for more. Both of us were breathing hard. Our eyes met, forehead pressed against one another. Klaus ran his thumb over my lips, which parted in delight at the sight of his dilated green eyes. “Hey, Rose…” “Hm?” my hands remained on my side, clenched tightly. My body has forgotten how this works, stunned by this strange coil blooming in my center. It’s like my first kiss all over again. “puoi promettere di non spararmi?” He sounds so damn sexy, speaking g
~Rylee~An unspoken understanding seemed to loom between Klaus and me.We went back into the party hand in hand, as though the earth-shattering kiss on the rooftop never took place. He introduced me as his girlfriend to everyone he knew, almost every guest at Evan’s party. I’ve ignored the sparks kindling where he touches me. My hands, my lower back, my shoulder, and from time to time, he’d drape wound an arm around my waist to tug me closer, giving it a light squeeze.Apart from this electricity sizzling between us, I also had to snub the endless daggered glare from women who had been eyeing my date the entire night. I met some of them from working with Cali, some were Klaus’ fling, and some were just mad, jealous perhaps, wanting to be where I am.At some point in the night, I had to go to the ladies’ room to freshen up and escape the social life Klaus warned me about. ‘Suffocating,’ that’s how he described mingling with these people. He made it look so easy when pulling the trigger
~Rylee~ Klaus’ insistent tongue parted my lips, robbing all the air out of my body. It made me dizzy. I moaned into the kiss, throwing my arms over his shoulder as he hauled me flush against his body. “She means nothing to me.” Klaus heaved like he ran a marathon. Chewing my lower lip, I bite back the smile at his declaration. “You don’t have to worry about me,” I said when all I really wanted to say was how hot it was for him to leave Summer and kiss me the way he did. Klaus groaned, grabbed my hand, and dragged me out of the building into the parking lot. “We’re going home?” I asked, sliding on the passenger side of his 918. Klaus didn’t answer, backing out of the parking lot and driving like a maniac on New York’s congested roads. He’s a constant law breaker; this was the first thing I learned about him in L.A., where we first crossed paths. He parked his car at a convenience store and told me to stay and wait for him. He came back a few minutes later, and we were on the road
~Klaus~I’m used to shaving time driving wherever I go. Breaking tons of traffic regulations and disregarding speed limits.On our way back to the penthouse, I was a dutiful driver, abiding by traffic rules. If Rylee notices that, she doesn’t comment.Throughout the entire drive, we’ve been holding hands. She allowed me to pull her hands on my lap, leave it there while I shifted gears and held it again. There’s a comfortable air between us, a shift in our rapport since our first kiss.The teasing and flirting were still there, but it was borderline joyful and playful.I came to a full stop at my reserved parking spot in the basement. Usually, I’d be the first to step out and open the door for her, but both of us seemed to be waiting… wondering.Rylee was chewing her lip, fingers clutching mine as we sat there in silence.All my life, I’ve been so sure of what I want and how to get it. What I have with Rylee is like treading on stony, shallow waters with blindfolds on. It’s not only wh