Page 64 of Coerced Kiss

Luigi turns on the threshold. “You did a good job in Boston. It deserves a celebration. Drinks at the club are on me.” He points a finger at me. “Tomorrow night. Make it around nine.”

Giorgio shoots a smirk my way as he crosses the floor, finally having gotten his way. I flip him off, which only makes him grin wider.

“Tomorrow night,” I tell Luigi in a neutral tone.

Not waiting for me to get the door, Luigi opens it and exits with Giorgio in tow.

As I follow them down the hallway, movement at the top of the staircase catches my attention.

I look up.

Anya stands on the landing, gripping the balustrade as she stares down at us. Her eyes flare as her gaze lands on Giorgio, and then her pretty face turns white.

I don’t acknowledge her lest I draw their attention to my new inhabitant, but Giorgio is like a bloodhound, always fast to catch on. He’s slowed down, falling in step with me. Before I have time to turn my face away, he follows the direction of my gaze. His eyes narrow with recognition. Like the sly, intuitive boss Luigi is, he senses the disquiet without anyone having said a word. Stopping, he glances back at Giorgio, who still has his face tipped toward the landing. Luigi lifts his head.

His tone is curious. Calculated. “You have a guest.”

I gnash my teeth. It’s hardly the right moment to introduce them. Keeping my voice even, I say, “This is Anya.”

He nods politely while dissecting her with his gaze. “Pleased to meet you.”

Giorgio observes her with an unreadable expression but with no less interest.

Resisting the urge to punch him in the face, I open the door. “I’ll have a list of candidates for you by Friday.”

Luigi smiles in my direction, but his attention stays with Anya even as he walks through the door.

On the porch, he pauses. “Is she the one?”

Giorgio watches me quietly. Too closely.

“Yes,” I say, carefully schooling my features.

Luigi comes closer, stopping short of me. His voice carries softly, but the threat is clear. “When this is over, youwillmake her disappear.”

It takes everything I have and then some to keep my poker face. “I may still have a use for her.”

“Sav is right,” Giorgio says. “We need her in case new evidence is found. Like Sav said, she can testify that we visited Lewis because she introduced us.”

“You’ll do what’s right when the time comes,” Luigi says before turning and climbing down the stairs.

Giorgio shoots me a look over his shoulder as he follows his father and opens the car door for him.

I clench my hands into fists as they get into the car and, a moment later, drive off.

Anya is mine.

She’s not going anywhere.

Not now.

Not soon.

Not ever.

If I’m to keep her safe, I’ll have to claim her, and I’ll have to do it publicly.

CHAPTER