Page 46 of Vows of Blood

Hearing a clatter of male voices approach, I lift Sienna’s plate and steer her toward the coffee bar, sliding in beside her and spreading a bound folder in front of her.

Our thighs brush briefly before she shuffles away, the scent of her perfume a sucker punch, catching me unaware for a second. It’s still the same.

"The photos," I mumble, pushing away a memory of it tickling my nose as I buried my head between her breasts. "Tell me if anyone looks familiar. If they’re even a maybe, mark the page, and we can try to find a better shot."

Sienna shifts from unsure to focused as she begins to flip through, deep in concentration.

"Who are these people?" She doesn’t look at me, trailing her finger over the pictures as she studies their faces.

"Associates. Business contacts. Anyone who might have a grudge."

She runs a thumb along the corner of the thick binder, one eyebrow raised. "That's a big list."

"It's a start." I shrug, and she returns to her task. Some of the pictures are of better quality than others. It’s a mix of mugshots, driver's license or passport photos, and discreetly taken images of people doing day-to-day activities.

She turns another page, then another.

I find myself watching her hands, the delicate way she brushes over each photograph, and I remember those soft hands curled around mine a lifetime ago as we walked across campus. The way they felt against my chest when she slept.

I push off from the counter and move to the coffee machine, needing the distance.

"This is so hard. I mean, I already told you, I only saw him for a split second…"

Before I can respond, footsteps sound in the hallway, and Enzo appears, stopping short when he sees Sienna at the island.

Folding my arms, I lean against the stainless-steel fridge as I wait for the coffee to be ready and ignore his beaming smile.

"Well, well. Look who it is."

Surprise flickers across Sienna’s features as she looks him up and down. "Oh my God, Enzo. You’re looking… big.”

I try to recall what Enzo looked like the last time she saw him. Probably tall and slim. He’s packed on quite a bit of muscle since then.

"That’s what they all say." He strokes his chest in mock delight before flexing his muscles, and I suddenly wish I’d locked the door. "You like what you see?”

Sienna, to her credit, rolls her eyes. “The bodybuilder look isn’t really my thing.”

Enzo laughs, low and deep. “It’s a good thing we need you, or that sharp tongue could get you in a lot of trouble.”

Sienna blinks, unsure whether that’s teasing or a chilling warning, the switch from flirting to threatening jarring her.

Carmella touches my arm gently, snapping me out of my murderous thoughts as she gestures for me to move over.

Enzo clears his throat and slides onto a stool at the island while using his fingers to pluck a slice of cheese straight off the plate Carmella sets down, earning him a slap on the hand.

“It's been a long time." His tone is soft again.

Sienna’s gaze turns to me. "Yes, it has." She’s cautious despite having gotten along with Enzo when we were together.

"Don't let him bully you. If you need anything, come find me." He jerks his thumb in my direction, but Sienna says nothing.

I glare at him, wondering what the hell he’s doing.

"That's enough," I bark. "Get out. We have work to do."

Enzo holds up his hands in surrender then picks up his plate and pushes to his feet, still grinning. "Always business with you. No time for pleasure." He winks at Sienna.

"Out," I repeat and this time, he goes, chuckling to himself.