Painted Sins
els bouncing off the buildings. The threatening phone call and the break-in at my apar
brick wall, trying to calm my frantic thoughts. Who was af
t was just a stray cat or my imagination. But as the figure stepped into the fai
re
a mix of concern and frustration. "I
n from, the very reason I'd been looking over my shoulder for five yea
ed the air. A black SUV skidded to a stop at the
nd pulled me deeper into the alley. "Run!"
footsteps and shouts close behind us. Lorenzo led the
gasped as we tur
is eyes scanning the area. "Bu
e wall beside us. I couldn't stop
Lorenzo urged,
zo didn't slow down, weaving us through the crowd. I struggled to kee
id, pointing to a sleek blac
I'd left at the altar, the man who now led one of New York's most powerful
se in the glow of a neon sign. "Aria, I know you don't trust me
sn't the cold, calculating Mafia boss I'd expected. For a mom
, closer this time. The
ting him guide me int
, and the engine roared to life
weaved through traffic with terrifying skill. In the re
g?" I asked, tryin
lied, his focus on the road.
oiding a collision with a taxi. The angry
rning to face him. "How did you find me?
been looking for you, but not for the reasons you think. And those men... I have my suspicions,
But I'm nobody now. Just a galle
obody,' Aria. And I think you know more than you realize. Th
een so careful, so secretive. They were my backup plan if things went
talking about," I lied, my
hing like admiration in his eyes. "Still a te
window shattered in a spray of
shouted, swerving
still chasing us. Lorenzo's driving was in
ment," Lorenzo said, his voice tens
where he'd taught me to shoot "just in case." I'd thought it
n. It was heavier than I remembered, the weight of it a grim reminder of
my thoughts. "I need you to trust
The years had added a maturity to his handsome face. But his eyes-there was
ping the gun tighter.
lips. "Good. Because we're a
us. When we reached the middle, Lorenzo suddenly slammed o
d be ready to jump," Lorenzo instr
med, eyes wide.
of the old Lorenzo. "But it
nding as I placed my h
st upon us, their
enzo said, tensi
us now. I could see the men i
Lorenzo
ed, looking down at the dark water below. In that b
mp!" Lore
me. The last thing I heard before hitting the wat
, one thought filled my mind: H
Romance
Romance
Romance
Billionaires
Romance
Billionaires