23. Lexi

23

LEXI

T he elevators open to a dark office space lit only by soft security lights along the floor. A small foyer leads to rows and rows of cubicles with walkways between them. I start forward, cutting a path straight through to the far end. Something tells me Vincenzo's office won't be anywhere near his employees. He'll have a corner or some other coveted space, probably with lots of windows and an impressive view.

In the silence, my breath sounds loud in my ears and my heart thuds so hard, my chest hurts. But I force myself onward. If Grey challenges Vincenzo, tonight might be my last chance to learn what's in that file.

I clutch my phone. It's not exactly going to help if I'm caught here, but the camera might come in handy with the files. Besides, it gives me the illusion that I'm not completely on my own.

At the end of the row, the cubicles disappear, and walls close in. On my right, a glass-walled conference room sits empty and dark. On impulse, I turn left and pad silently down the carpeted hallway. Glass doors lead to plush offices with the expected windows and, yes, gorgeous views of the city. Each office has a name etched into the glass. I don't recognize any of the names at first, but then one of them jumps out at me, and I stop to stare at it.

Dominic Albero, VP of Operations.

I blink, glancing past the name and into the office with sudden panic. When I find it empty, I exhale. Stupid. Of course he's not here. It's almost midnight.

I resume my journey down what feels like an endless hall. The offices get bigger and farther apart until I finally come to a corner office larger than any motel room or apartment I've ever lived in.

Vincenzo Diavolo, CEO .

With shaking hands, I pull the door open and step inside.

The security lights don't extend this far, but I know better than to turn on any lights. I force myself to stand still and wait for my eyes to adjust before crossing to a large desk near the floor-length windows. I spot a pile of papers and a closed laptop but dismiss them both. Charlie said the files were locked away.

I try the desk drawers, but they're all unlocked. Turning away, I study the credenza beneath the windows. I bend down and pull on the drawer.

Locked.

Bingo.

With quick movements, I turn back to the desk and search the drawers for a key.

A muffled sound stops me. Holding my breath, I listen, trying to identify what I heard. But there's only silence.

Then a figure appears just outside the office, silhouetted in the uncertain light. For a moment, my heart stutters, but then his height and broad shoulders bring a sigh of relief.

Grey.

I come around the desk as he enters the darkened room. "I'm sorry. I know it was stupid, but Charlie said there's a file on me, and I had to know?—"

He steps into the moonlight, and it's not Grey at all.

"Dom," I gasp.

Before I can even think about running, he grabs my wrist, squeezing to the point of pain. "Hello, beautiful. What a coincidence, finding you here."

"Let me go," I say, willing my voice not to give away my fear. But it's impossible not to notice how alone we are.

"Not a fucking chance, little mouse." Dom's eyes gleam like two cruel stars in the darkness.

I struggle against his grip, but all it does is make him squeeze harder. The pain elicits a sharp cry from me, but he doesn't yield.

I stop struggling to glare at him. "If Grey finds you here?—"

His eyes narrow. "That prick doesn't scare me."

My suspicion edges toward fear. "If you hurt him?—"

"Relax, princess. You're the one I came to see."

"How did you find me here?" I demand.

His smile is twisted as he snatches my phone out of my hand and slides the back cover off. He picks at it then holds something up between his finger and thumb. It looks like some kind of plastic tag.

Disbelief quickly turns to horror and my mouth falls open. "When did you put a tracker on me?"

"At the restaurant when you made your little promise to Franco." He tosses the phone across the room, where it lands on the carpet, well out of reach.

My stomach churns. "You've been following me since that night?"

"You aren't holding up your end of the bargain. We needed to have a private conversation." He licks his lips, and fear grips me as I realize how trapped I really am right now.

When he backs me against the wall, I draw on every reserve of courage I can find to keep from losing my control. His free hand runs over my hip, and he leans down, breathing me in.

"What do you want?" I ask, my voice trembling at what the answer might be.

"Let's start with that information you promised Franco and see where it leads."

Frustration and panic send my thoughts racing for some way out of this. I can't give him anything that will lead to Grey or the others being harmed, but I know he won't let me refuse him.

I have to keep him talking until I can figure out how to get away from him.

"They'll notice that I'm gone any minute now," I say with false bravado. "When they find me, you'll be caught too."

"Nah. They'll think you're into me." He smiles and holds up his phone. On the screen is a headline about us having a lovers' quarrel. Below it is a picture of us at the church with his hand on my arm. Without context, his touch looks almost intimate. My stomach rolls.

"That's not true," I say weakly.

He shrugs. "Not my fault the media likes to spin shit. I tried asking you for an update at the funeral," he reminds me. "You chose to make a scene."

"I didn't choose any of this," I say angrily.

He snorts. "You're more na?ve than I thought if you still think that." His amusement vanishes. "Care to tell me why your fiancé is suddenly partying with his old man after years of betrayal?"

I summon a smirk, heart thudding. "It was all a ruse to draw you out. It worked too. You won't walk out of here tonight."

"Bullshit," he snarls, leaning in so close that I flinch. "You have thirty seconds to tell me something to appease the old man. After that, your naivete officially ends, I can promise you." His hand on my hip dips lower, and I force myself not to react.

The way he's touching me scares me more than I want to admit.

"I don't know anything yet," I say.

"Liar." Dom's hand on my hip tightens. "You know something."

Using his other hand, he squeezes my wrist harder than before. The pain is sharp and piercing enough that it will leave a mark. I bite my lip, my eyes watering.

Across the room, my phone buzzes again. For all the good it does me.

"Fine. We think Vincenzo's planning to kill Franco," I say.

"I'm not asking about that prick. I want to know about your boyfriend."

"He has no plans against Franco right now. We have to deal with Vincenzo," I say through gritted teeth. I'm dangerously close to revealing the truth if only to make the pain stop. "That comes first."

"What's Jericho planning against his old man?"

When I don't answer, he tightens his hold on my arm until there's a pop . The pain sends black spots dancing in front of my eyes. My knees buckle. Now, Dom's grip is the only thing holding me up.

"We're gathering intel," I say, gasping. "Then we'll decide."

"No way. Diavolo would have a plan by now." Dom's anger radiates even through the cloud of pain. He's not going to be satisfied with my half-answers. I try to think through the haze, but the pain is consuming.

"You can't stop him," I say, whimpering. "He's better than you. He's?—"

"Shut up!" Dom screams in my face. "Since the moment you showed up, all you've done is ruin shit. You're not worthy of the blood in your veins. You're a failed experiment."

His words don't make sense, but I'm too overwhelmed with pain to care. I bite back a sob. "I'm more worthy…than you."

"Like hell you are. I'm the next alpha of the mafia pack, you bitch," Dom snarls. "Now, tell me what those losers are planning before I break both arms."

Over Dom's shoulder, I see the door shoving open. Dom whirls with me still in his grasp. I yelp in agony, nearly tripping as he yanks me with him.

Grey storms in, his eyes blazing with a fury that makes my knees weak with relief. "Let her go."

"Fuck off, Diavolo," Dom says. "This is between me and the princess." He squeezes my arm again, and something cracks.

I gasp as dark spots flash before my eyes.

Grey swings his gaze to me, and his body trembles with rage. "You hurt her." His tone is both an accusation and a deliverance of judgment. He looks at Dom, and his skin ripples in a way I've only seen twice in my life. "I'm going to kill you for that."

In the darkness, Grey crouches, curling in on himself and grunting. More trembles seem to come from deep beneath the surface of his skin. A second later, Grey's clothes shred as he changes into a monstrous wolf.

Dom finally releases me and steps back to face Grey's beast. "She's not worth it, asshole."

Grey growls, low and vicious.

Dom sneers, and he glances at me then back at Grey. "She's spying on you, did you know that? Informing to Franco himself."

Grey hesitates. His wolfish gaze swings to me, and I can practically hear the question vibrating off him: is it true?

My heart pounds as I try to come up with something to say. "I can explain," I begin, my voice cracking.

Dom's smile is smug as he interrupts me. "Why don't you get back to your party? I'll take care of the bitch when I'm done with her. Free of charge."

Instead of backing off, Grey takes a step toward Dom, his growl louder now. His wild gaze is even more determined.

"Oh please. You fucking touch me, and you're dead, Diavolo." The same smug confidence is still etched into the asshole's expression. Even now, he doesn't think Grey will actually harm him.

Grey doesn't hesitate.

He leaps, closing the distance and sinking his teeth into Dom's throat. Dom cries out, falling back as Grey lands on top of him. The wolf doesn't let up. I press myself against the wall, wide-eyed with shock and disbelief, as Grey's wolf rips Dom's throat out.

Dom's body trembles, his form shifting before hovering awkwardly between beast and man. He gurgles and chokes, blood coating his entire upper body and the floor around him. Then he goes still.

Grey's wolf steps back and studies me with large, yellow eyes. Blood coats its mouth and neck. I don't want to look at it but can't make myself look away.

Unlike with Anthony, I don't scream. This time feels different. The blood and violence are shocking but knowing Dom can never hurt me—or anyone else—again… I can't bring myself to regret what just happened. All I feel is a numb sort of relief.

Then Grey shifts, and the moment he stands before me in his human form, my relief drains away. His glare pierces me straight through my heart.

"Is it true?" he demands.

"It's not that simple. I didn't?—"

"Is it true?" he repeats, the words harsh enough that I flinch.

"Yes," I whisper. He snarls, and I rush to explain. "I agreed to spy, but it's not?—"

"I can't deal with this shit right now." He turns away from me, grabbing what's left of his clothes. "I'm calling Dutch," he adds. "He'll help us clean things up."

"No need," says a voice from the doorway.

We both look over as Vincenzo appears. Behind him are Alvaro, Rocco, and Charlie. Their hair and clothes are slightly disheveled, but their expressions are intense as they take in the body on the floor and Grey and me standing over it.

Vincenzo glowers at us both. "Your alpha's going to take care of it himself."