Page 115 of Power & Punishment

“Then what?” I snap, fighting back the anger boiling inside me.

“I was leaving his office and ran into someone that fit the description Alice gave us. The one that got away,” she says, her throat bobbing up and down. “His arm was in a sling.”

A ringing grates in my ears.

“He went into Adrian’s office.”

I pull my hands away from Mia’s hips, the sudden movement making her jump. “I’m going to fucking kill him.”

“Leo, I could be wrong. It’s just a susp⁠—"

“You’re sure it was his office?”

Her throat constricts as she swallows hard and then nods slowly.

I step away, ripping my hands through my hair. I feel sick.

Adrian taught me everything I knew.

Sure, his connection with Enzo made him a bad guy, but he showed me how to leverage those kinds of relationships to get what you want.

He taught me that a corrupt system can be used for good.

Something dark snaps inside me and my eyes are pulled to hers. All I can picture is Adrian cornering her in his office for his own fucked up agenda.

Without another thought, I ignore the rage growing inside me and grab her waist, yanking her flush against my body. And then I crush her lips to mine.

Mia gasps, but she accepts the kiss anyway, making me press against her harder.

When I pull back, I reach out and grab her chin. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Leo, if he really is up to something, you can’t tip him off before I’ve had a chance to look into it. We could lose all our leverage.”

“She’s right,” Michael says. I forgot he was still in the room.

I grate my teeth together. “How the hell am I supposed to look that bastard in the face? I want to skin him alive for even attempting to be alone with her,” I seethe, turning to Michael.

And then Mia surprises me, grabbing my face and pulling it back to her. She looks calm, even if the darkness under her eyes tells a different story.

“You’re going to do what you do best,” she says confidently. “You’re going to put that mask back on that you wear so well, look him in the eye, and lie better than he does.”

I’ve been in this office countless times over the years and nothing has changed.

It still smells like expensive cologne and printer paper.

Clean.

Controlled.

An environment that puts anyone at ease long enough to lower their guard.

I used to admire that type of attention to detail, and now I have to keep digging my fingernails into the soft cushion of my chair to keep from launching at Adrian.

“Rough night?” he asks, offering me a small glance before turning his attention back to the document perched in his hands.

“You should see the other guy,” I joke, trying to remember what I’d say if I didn’t want to wrap my hands around his throat.

“I know I said you were good at taking hits,” he says, setting his paper down and leaning back in his chair so he can fully drink me in. “But I didn’t mean literally. Enzo doesn’t like it when his toys get dirty.”