CHAPTER XXII

T his fucker needed to die, and I was going to enjoy draining every single drop of blood from his body.

As soon as I received the call, I instructed Enzo to not leave Winter’s side, no matter what.

When I bolted outside, Lo, Luca, and Matteo were already huddled by my car, each of them on high alert.

“What’s going on?” Matteo asked, his brow furrowed.

“Get in. I’ll explain on the way,” I replied tersely.

The guys exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and concern as if they were trying to figure out just how bad this was.

“Let’s move,” I demanded and snatched the keys from Miguel.

His eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t question me and climbed into the front seat.

Every mile I drove to my house, my mood darkened like the impending thunderclouds overhead. As I gunned my car’s engine, visions of dismembered limbs danced in my head, along with the grim realization that I was being toyed with. I didn’t like that one fucking bit.

Not. One. Fucking. Bit.

As soon as I pulled up to the gates of my home, I spotted several of my men, armed and guarding the gate.

We jumped out of the car, fury burning within me. “How the hell did they get in?” I barked at my men as I stomped forward.

One of my soldiers stepped forward. “Boss, we think there might be a blind spot in the camera feed. It?—”

“Not an excuse!” I barked. “Find out how they got onto my fucking property!” I pushed past him toward the box.

I opened it, revealing a variety of mangled body parts. Hands severed at the wrists, feet with rough, uneven edges, and a pile of ears and tongues. Amidst the horror lay a note, scribbled in black ink.

The strings are tighter than you think.

—The Puppet Master.

“He’s getting desperate, Nico,” Lo said.

I shot him an incredulous look. “Desperate? No, Lo, this isn’t desperation. This is a declaration of war. They think they can walk right into my domain and spit in my face.”

My heart raced as I glanced again at the body parts. Each piece represented a failure—a failure in my empire’s security, a failure to protect those under my command.

“Get everyone here,” I ordered sharply. “And the doctor. I need him to identify who the fuck is in this box.”

“Right away, boss,” Miguel said with a nod and pulled out his phone to make the call.

I turned back to the mess, eyes narrowing. “This Puppet Master thinks he knows how to play. He’s about to learn just how wrong he is,” I said through clenched teeth and marched my ass to my office.

The guys followed behind.

I pushed the heavy doors open with a force that echoed through the room. Striding straight to the bar, I snatched a glass, my fingers unscrewing the cap of the whiskey bottle, and poured the amber liquid into the glass. I slammed the bottle down onto the counter. I took a long swig, the burn of the alcohol igniting a fire in my chest, before pouring another one.

“Lo,” I grumbled. “What’s the situation with the security cameras? I need a complete rundown of how many eyes were on that damn box when it got dropped off.”

“We’ve scrubbed the footage from all the cameras in the vicinity,” Luca replied. “One camera caught a deli delivery truck, but the shot of the actual drop-off is fuzzy. You can see a figure, but it’s too blurry to ID anyone.”

I clenched my jaw, irritation simmering just beneath the surface. “What about the timestamps?”

“The drop was around an hour ago.”

“Did you get a license plate?” I asked Luca.

Luca shook his head, his brow furrowing. “There wasn’t one, boss. Just a plain old truck.”

“Are you kidding me?” I pounded my closed fist onto the desk. “So let me get this straight. A random deli truck shows up, drops off a box, and not one fucker thinks to question it?”

Matteo finally broke his silence, his voice laced with exasperation. “We need to track down this asshole before shit really gets out of control.”

“What’s the next move, then?” I asked.

Luca straightened, determination flickering in his eyes. “We can dig into the delivery records and determine who made that drop. I can run a trace on the truck, track its route, and see if we can pull any names. And if it turns out to be connected to him…” His voice trailed off.

I nodded slowly. “Alright, let’s get moving on that.”

“I’ll handle the guards and make sure they’re on alert, including at the club,” Lo added.

“Good,” I replied, my tone sharp. “I want an ear to the ground, and I want it yesterday.”

They filed out of the room, leaving me alone in the office. Moments later, the silence pressed around me like a thick fog. I opened my desk drawer and took out a cigar and lighter. Holding the cigar to my lips, I struck the lighter, the dancing flame creating shadows on the walls.

I took a deep drag as I contemplated the mess left by a single box, a box that threatened to unravel everything I’d fought to build.

I needed my Winter fix. She was the only one who could calm the beast within me.

* * *

WINTER

I looked in the mirror and grimaced at the sticky pink crap covering my entire head.That’s what happened when you forgot to keep the cover on the blender.

I stepped into the shower and washed the pink shake down the drain.When my skin became pruney, I grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around my body.Wiping the fogged mirror, I brushed the knots out of my hair. My gaze drifted down to the massive hickey on my breast and the cut that was still an angry red on my upper thigh.

My fingers brushed against my lips, recalling the sensation and flavor of his kisses. A touch of rich whiskey and fresh mint gum lingered. I forced myself to shake the thoughts away when I felt heat rising in my cheeks.

I slipped into my pajamas, preparing for a night in, before I heard a knock on the front door.

Another persistent knock followed. I stood on my tiptoes and peeked through the peephole. “No way,” I whispered to myself.

What was he doing here?

“Are you going to let me stand out here forever?” His deep voice from behind the door rumbled through me.

I didn’t say a word and stepped back, biting my lower lip.

I heard him release a deep frustrated sigh. “Open the door, Winter. I know you’re standing behind it. I can see your shadow underneath the door.”

Excitement swelled within me at seeing him here at my place. I hesitantly opened the door but kept the chain in place so it only opened halfway. My heart beat fast against my chest like the roadrunner when I saw Nico leaning against the doorframe with both hands tucked into his pockets.

“Hey,” he said in a smooth and sexy tone.

“Hi,” I said quietly.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

Not demanded but asked .

“Um, yeah.” I unhooked the chain and opened the door wider for him to enter.

He stepped inside, his eyes narrowing as they swept over my body from head to toe. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

Huh?

“I’m sorry?”

He stalked over to me and took another look at me.“Don’t ever fucking answer the door when you’re wearing close to nothing,” he growled.

I looked down and, oh…

I was wearing pink-laced trimmed boy shorts with a matching tank top and fuzzy slippers. When I looked back up at him, his eyes were staring at my chest with lust, and that’s when I noticed my nipples were peeking out to say hello.

I wrapped my hands across my chest, embarrassed.

He groaned and looked up to the ceiling with his eyes closed, muttering something in Italian.Suddenly, his hands cupped my cheek, catching me off guard when he said, “I love it when you blush.” This was the most I’d ever seen him use a gentler tone. Then he gave me a genuine smile, which made me blush even more.

His eyes widened as if he realized what he had just said, and he stepped away from me.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, desperate to keep him from leaving.

He rubbed his hands through his soft inky hair and down his face. “I needed to see you,” he admitted, his eyes holding mine and making the butterflies in my stomach go crazy.

“Oh,” I said, not knowing how to respond to that when just the other night he wanted to strangle me to death.

His lips curled up into a sexy smirk, and he tucked his hands into his pockets. “How does that make you feel, Winter?” he teased.

I felt my cheeks flush even further, and I lowered my gaze, unable to meet his intense blue eyes. “I’m not sure,” I murmured, my voice breathy. I hated that he made me vulnerable.

His gaze traveled down my body, lingering on the subtle tension in my knees as I instinctively squeezed them together. Just by his stare, I was already feeling the effects of what he did to me.

He chuckled. “I’m going to taste that sweet pussy of yours again, my angel.”

“That—” I stopped trying to deny the desire burning within me. “We can’t—we shouldn’t do that again,” I stammered.

His cocky grin faded to a look of bitterness, and he took a step forward, invading my personal space. “That’s where you’re wrong, my angel,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I’ve had a taste, and now I’m hungry for more.” He moved closer until I was trapped against the door. “I’m not going to stop until I’ve had my fill.”

I swallowed a gulp, my throat dry.“What do you mean?”

He must have heard me gulp or sensed it because his lips curled up in a cocky smirk that could drive any woman wild. He leaned in, his breath warm on my face, and I smelled the hint of liquor on his breath. “It means you drive me fucking crazy, and all I want to do is kiss those sweet lips of yours and fuck you until you can’t see straight.” He rubbed my bottom lip with his thumb.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling.

“I’m caught up in you, and I’m losing control,” he whispered. “And I don’t like not being in control, Winter.”

I opened my eyes, my heart in my throat. His intense gaze held mine, and I felt myself getting lost in his eyes.

He aggressively grabbed a handful of my ass and lifted me. My legs coiled around his hips, and my arms locked around his neck for support. He slammed my body against the wall and crushed his lips to mine.

The kiss was rough, wet, and demanding. As the kiss deepened, Nico’s hold on me tightened, his grip almost possessive. A moan escaped my lips, spurring him on.

“You wanna come, baby?” he growled into my mouth.

“Yes,” I whispered with anticipation.

A deep, sexy chuckle vibrated through his chest. He pulled his lips away from mine and trailed hot kisses along my neck, each touch setting me on fire. Holding me up with one arm, he reached between my legs and dipped a finger into my wet pussy.

“Oh, God,” I gasped, my breath catching in my throat.

“Fuck me, angel,” he rasped against my mouth and slipped another finger inside me, stretching me wider.

My head fell back against the wall, and I whimpered in surrender. I panted his name over and over again as he brought me closer to the edge. His fingers continued their assault, hitting my G-spot. But then he suddenly stopped, his fingers still buried inside me.

I looked up to see him staring at me with lust. “You look so fucking sexy right now.”

“Don’t you dare.” I glared at him, rolling my hips against his, begging him to finish me off.

His grin turned devilish. “I’m not going to leave you hanging this time, baby.” He worked his finger in and out of me, and I followed his lead.

“Oh, yes! God, yes, right there!” I cried out, thrusting my hips to match his pace. He curled his fingers inside me, and I shattered around him. I clenched my eyes shut and felt the ecstasy burst out of me like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Finally!

“Fuck!” Nico hissed, closing his eyes for a moment. “God damn, Angel,” he breathed.

He slowly pulled his fingers out of me, and I opened my eyes to see him stick his fingers into his mouth and lick the taste of me clean off.

My heartbeat thudded in my ears. Struggling to catch my breath, I let my body go limp, and a soft chuckle escaped Nico’s lips. When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t help but notice the bulge in his pants.

I looked back up to him to offer to give him release, but he smiled wide and shook his head. “I didn’t come here for you to ride my dick.”

I could feel my face flush from embarrassment, warmth creeping up my cheeks.

“Not yet, anyway,” he added with a playful smirk. Nico set me on my feet, and with his hand still on my ass, he gave it a squeeze and placed a light kiss on my neck.

He sighed and whispered, “Always smelling like roses.”

I stood, frozen, my body aching to move closer, to give in to the temptation. The tension between us was electric, and I knew he felt it too. The temptress inside me was crying to get another taste from his lips.

Nico leaned back and tilted his head as if to get a better look at me. “Sweet dreams, my angel.”

And then he was gone, leaving me alone with my racing heart and conflicting emotions.