Page 17 of Queen of Misfortune (Shadows of Redemption)

His presence is a jolt to my system. The color is back in his cheeks, the smirk at full wattage on his face. He’s dressed in jeans and a T-shirt that molds to every line on his chest, including the bandage covering his wound. He exudes stability and strength.

Our gazes catch and hold. Heat floods my cheeks, a telltale sign of the effect he has on me, and I curse myself inwardly because there’s no doubt that he’ll notice. I school my features into irritation.

His gaze is unwavering, as if he's trying to read my mind. I’m a little afraid he can, or can at least see into my soul.

I give a slight acknowledging nod and then turn the door handle to my room. I enter and look out into the hallway where he’s still standing, still watching. His eyes flicker like he’s waiting for me to react. Of course, I don’t.

He shakes his head, but he doesn’t have his usual smirk, so it feels like he’s disappointed in me. It annoys me that he makes me feel that way, so I curse him. I didn’t set out to be an ice princess. I’ve developed my cold strength from necessity, for survival. I can’t let Donovan’s sexy smile and boyish charm cause me to forget who he is, what he is, and how easily he could kill me if Niko ordered it.

6

DONOVAN

The bullet hole, midway between my heart and shoulder, is healing. I’m a lucky bastard. If the bullet had entered any further left, Niko would be planning my funeral. I wonder if Lucia would have come and if she’d be sad? Probably not.

I’m not a hundred percent, but I’m well enough to get back to work. And by work, I don’t mean babysitting two Mafia princesses as Niko is apparently wanting me to do. I hope that our meeting today at the office will result in my getting back to it. Maybe I won’t be hunting Giovanni Fiori down, but I can make sure everyone else is doing their jobs—collecting loan and gambling debts, etc.

Lou is driving us from the penthouse to the pizza restaurant where Niko’s office is located in the basement. The place has the best pizza anywhere in New York… hell, anywhere in the world except maybe Italy. It makes it easy to launder money there. Of course, the clubs are the best places for business because not only can we run our gambling businesses through it, but we can launder as well.

"Thought you'd be laid up for weeks,” Lou says with a glance to me.

"Rest is for the dead. And I'm not done living. Not yet."

He laughs. “You’re like a fucking cat. Just be careful, you may be on your ninth life.”

“Bring it on.”

He shakes his head. “I hear you’re gonna be babysitting. At least that’s safe.”

I arch a brow. “Have you met Lucy?”

“She is a firecracker. And hot.”

My fist balls, not liking that Lou has noticed Lucy. I like Lou. I brought him into the business, so he’s like a brother. But I’ll beat the shit out of him if he so much as looks at Lucy.

“But she’s got a mouth on her. Niko should make her show more respect.”

“Any man who can’t take a little back talk from a woman shouldn’t be in this business.”

He glances at me again, his brow arched. “What? Do you like her or something?”

I shift in my seat, worried I’ve given too much away. "Lucy and Elena are leverage against Fiori, nothing more." The lie tastes bitter, but admitting my attraction to Lucy is like admitting a weakness, which isn’t an option in this line of work.

"Still, didn't peg you for the protector type," Lou says, skepticism lacing his tone.

"Neither did I." I’m irked that Niko plans to make me one. Hopefully, he’s changed his mind.

We park in the alley behind the restaurant and make our way inside and down the stairs to Niko’s office. We reach the door guarded by men who nod and then step aside, granting us passage into Niko's inner sanctum.

Inside, Niko sits at his desk like the king he is whilecaposand soldiers cluster around.

“Let’s get to business.” Niko’s voice cuts through the din of voices once he sees me enter. “The vultures are circling. Like Giovanni, they think they smell blood in the water and want to come after us.”

“Let’s feed them their own carcasses," Lou says, followed by murmurs of agreement from the other men.

"Patience. First, we take care of our business. Remind everyone that all is well and the consequences for thinking otherwise, especially if Fiori or any of Abate’s men come sniffing.”

“Marco, I want extra surveillance on all clubs. We’ve had two enemies waltz right in. And if it turns out someone in the Leone Family is connected to Abate or Giovanni, I want to know.”