Page 121 of Vicious Kingdom

“How long do I have?”

“Less than ten seconds,” the man replied.

They walked to the door.

It opened and closed.

Leo returned to the living room. He bent. A loud exhale filled the room. With a swift turn of the lock, he opened the anklet and re-clasped it. Less than three seconds.

Staring at the foul thing, triumph thrummed through his eyes. He chucked it across the room, where it clattered against the glass and fell to the floor.

The monster was free.

I smiled. Who the hell thought they could chain him was the biggest idiot in town. He was coming for them, the beast already on the hunt. I crept back to bed, relief flowing through me.

Chapter 43 – Annaliese

“What’s this?” I laughed, stepping into the underground parking garage of the apartment building.

Leo held out a matte black helmet. “A proper date.”

Afirstdate.

Five years ago, we had one. It was beautiful, grand—extravagant. While I enjoyed it, I was eager to see how he would top it this time. I didn’t ask about the anklet. It had been sitting on the island this morning before Leo left to ‘run an errand.’

He didn’t seem concerned about being caught.

So I didn’t have to be either.

“I’ve never ridden one of these.” I pulled the helmet over my head.

His fingers were gentle as they helped me secure the strap under my chin. “It’s easy, cara mia, just grip me tight with those sexy thighs and hold me here.”

He guided my hands around his waist.

“Okay, lion.”

Heat blazed in his eyes, and I made a mental note to start calling him that more. I did in my head, so it wasn’t a hard jump to start practicing it out loud.

Leo guided me to the bike, mounted, and pulled me behind him.

My heart began a wild patter.

The motorcycle roared to life beneath us, vibrating with raw power. Leo revved the engine a few times, the sound echoing through the concrete structure.

“Ready?” he called over his shoulder, pulling on his own helmet.

I gave him a thumbs up before my arms tightened instinctively around his solid torso. He clicked his visor shut. I did the same, scrambling to regain my hold on him. We lurched forward, and I gasped, clinging tight as we emerged from the darkness of the garage into the sun-drenched streets. Wind whipped at my clothes, the city blurring around us as we accelerated. I squeezed Leo tighter, my chest pressed firmly against his back.

The city unfolded before us in a kaleidoscope of movement and color. Leo guided the machine with confident precision, weaving between cars. The wind rushed against my body, somehow both violent and caressing. I could feel Leo’s muscles flex beneath my fingers with each turn, each adjustment.

We slipped through an impossibly narrow gap between a delivery truck and a taxi. My heart should have been racing with fear, but instead, a strange calm settled over me.

Leohadme.

I always wanted that.

We slipped between cars stopped at a red light, then darted forward when it turned green. The afternoon traffic was thick with commuters, but Leo navigated through the maze of vehicles with practiced precision. We’d slow, then accelerate, weaving between lanes like we were dancing.