Page 61 of Vow Of Fire

Except that meant so could anyone else—and my family had a lot of enemies.

“You know what to do,” I said.

She tentatively placed her hands on my shoulders.

I nodded in encouragement. “We’ll go through it—slowly.”

She lifted her knee. The inside of her thigh brushed mine on the way up. I caught her leg and held it there. She felt soft and warm under her leggings. Vivid images of what I’d done to her last night had me breaking a sweat.

“Higher,” I instructed. “With enough force, he’ll go down. You’ll have about three seconds, so use them.”

I let go and she lowered her leg to the ground.

Beside the cabin, Max had joined Kyle, both watching with amused expressions.

Evelyn’s brow furrowed and her jaw clenched in concentration. Her hair was coming loose, damp tendrils falling over her face. She looked so fucking sexy that I wanted to pick her up, carry her back inside, and do unspeakable things to her. If only to hear my name on her lips again, but this time it wouldn’t be a moan. It would be a scream.

After a resounding kick that had me exhaling and doubling over, she stopped. “Oh God. I’m sorry. Did I⁠—”

“I’m fine,” I wheezed. It took a second for the pain to recede. That’ll teach me for losing my concentration. “That’s good. You’re getting it.”

She looked beat. I’d pushed her hard, but she hadn’t complained.

“Let’s take a break,” I said, nodding to the cabin. I could do with a breather, and an ice pack. I heard a guffaw behind me. Bastards were enjoying this.

Evelyn nodded and let out a relieved sigh.

We were about to head back inside when we heard the throaty roar of a motorcycle approaching. I turned to see my brother’s Ducati flying up the road, a dust cloud behind him.

Kyle and Max both braced and raised their rifles, but I shook my head to signify he wasn’t a threat. They didn’t lower them, however, until he came to a complete stop outside the cabin and removed his full-face helmet.

“Nico,” I said, giving him a gruff nod.

He looked knowingly from me to Evelyn, then back again.

Things were about to get interesting.

17

NICO

Evelyn

So this was Dante’s brother.

I watched with interest as he took off his helmet, then threw a long denim-clad leg over the saddle and climbed off his beast of a motorcycle.

What was it with the Marcelli family? Had they won the genetic lottery or something? Dante’s sister Isabella was beautiful, if a little icy. Dante was brutally hot in a scarred, dangerous kind of way. Nico was effortlessly sexy, just a little rough around the edges, in black jeans, a white shirt, and a distressed leather jacket.

I think my mouth must have fallen open because Dante shot me a scalding look and said, “Get inside.”

I don’t know why he thought he had the right to order me around, but I didn’t want to create a scene in front of his brother, so I nodded and walked into the cabin. That didn’t stop me heading straight for the nearest window, though, to continue gawking.

They talked for a moment, Dante gesturing to the dwelling. Nico frowned and ran a hand through his slightly-too-long dark hair, the same color as his brother’s. He seemed agitated and edgy, and I thought I knew why.

He didn’t believe I was innocent. I saw it in the way he eyed Dante as he took off his gloves and threw them on the seat of the motorcycle. His stiff body radiated tension.

Then they turned and headed inside.