Page 72 of Vow Of Fire

Safe, in a cabin where I was being held prisoner. I’d just had the living daylights kissed out of me by a man I hated. He was my enemy, and yet he’d sworn to protect me.

I felt like I was in some alternative universe where nothing made sense.

20

LA FAMIGLIA

Dante

Ididn’t know where I was going. I just drove. I had to get away, regain some semblance of control.

Her tears… Fuck, I hated seeing her cry.

Why that would bother me so much, I had no idea. I didn’t care when people cried. Hell, I usually made them cry. But Evelyn had spirit. She was strong, and I respected that.

She’d been through a lot, and I’d seen her absorb it all and adapt like few people could. I knew hardship. I’d been through it, and I’d inflicted it on others. I’d seen that delicate chin rise to each challenge thrown at her. She hadn’t cowered, she hadn’t submitted to her fear.

Until now.

My hands clenched the wheel as the open road stretched out in front of me. It slayed me that she was broken. By those fuckers. If anyone was going to break her, it should be me.

I vowed revenge on Los Santos Rotos, on Malakov, on anyone who tried to use her or her gallery again.

I thought about the ambush, about my men, about the millions of dollars we’d lost, and I stepped on the gas, pushing the SUV as fast as I dared, not caring about the speed limit. There weren’t many other vehicles on this stretch of road, not at this time. And those there were, I overtook without even noticing.

It wasn’t about the money. I got it now. They wanted to ruin us. They wanted our supply route, our network, and the gallery. They wanted to get rid of the middlemen—us—and stake their own claim.

But it was never gonna happen. Not on my watch.

And not through Evelyn.

Jesus, that kiss. I’d gone in hard, wanting to erase her fear. Show her that she was under my protection now. Safe.

But instead, I’d almost lost it.

I’d kissed her too hard. Wanted her too much. The way she’d responded, the way she’d melted against my mouth and given herself to me… it had nearly undone me. I’d tasted hot tears and desire, and something previously unthinkable had happened to me.

Suddenly, I’d wanted to protect her, to hold her and tell her everything was all going to be all right.

What the fuck?

On either side of the SUV, the trees passed by in a meaningless blur.

That wasn’t me. In fact, it was so far from me that I couldn’t understand it.

A deeper, more worrying thought struck me. I’d always known the woman was a witch, but if she ever discovered the effect she had on me…

Or if anyone else did…

Fuck. It would be game over.

I hissed out a long breath.

In my family, feelings symbolized weakness, and weakness could be exploited. Evelyn Cruz made me vulnerable, and that was the last thing I wanted to be.

I had to get a grip. I needed to take a step back and regain some fucking self-control.

Dammit.