The way Lorik carved a glare on Enzio’s face, and the way his jaw ticked with tension, I was about one hundred and thirteen percent sure he was a second away fromconversingwith his fist against Enzio’s jaw—which would be a bad thing. Really bad.
“Do we have a problem here, gentlemen?” Antonio’s voice broke the tension like a wrecking ball through a building as he stepped in next to me. I wasn’t sure whether I was relieved or more anxious that Antonio had decided to join our little gathering of guaranteed carnage.
Neither Lorik nor Enzio even attempted to respond. It was like they both had turned into giant concrete walls. Something told me even though Lorik was outnumbered by an entire gang of ruthless Italians, he would not back down. This may seem courageous and brave to some, but to me it was just plain stupid…and suicidal.
“Lorik.” I took hold of his elbow, but he didn’t move an inch. I placed my other hand on his arm and tried my best to urge him back. “Lorik, please.”
At first, he didn’t budge, but then he relaxed a little and took a tiny step back.
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day Detective Stone backed away from confrontation.”
Everyone turned simultaneously, and there stood this creepy-looking guy with a beer in his hand, a smug grin showing off a gold filling between his two front teeth.
Enzio’s eyes widened as he looked at Lorik. “Detective?” Then he looked at me with knowing eyes. I ignored it and tightened my grip on Lorik’s elbow.
“Fuck off, Gio.” Antonio stepped forward. “Take your cheap-ass beer and move the fuck along, you low-life piece of shit.”
Enzio didn’t say a word, but I noticed him nodding slightly at this Gio guy before the weirdo disappeared into the crowd.
“Dating a detective now, hey, Karina?” Enzio sneered while he straightened the collar of his gray suit.
I was just about to correct him, to tell him Lorik and I weren’t dating, when Lorik loosened his elbow from my grip and placed it firmly around my waist, pulling me against his side. My breath hitched, and I almost stumbled over my own damn feet.
“What happens between me and Karina is absolutely in no fucking way any of your business, Mancuso.” Lorik tightened his hold around my waist. I tried my best to ignore the heat that flared where our bodies touched. It spread all the way up to my chest, and I felt my neck and cheeks flush almost instantly.Flusher.
Enzio narrowed his eyes as he glanced from me to Lorik, and then down to where Lorik’s hand rested on my hip. I didn’t know if it was just the tension and angst that currently swirled all around us, but I was pretty sure I saw Enzio’s nostrils flare, his lips moving like he was biting the inside of his cheek.
Was he jealous? Of course not. The thought was completely absurd, since Enzio Mancuso was incapable of feeling anything for anyone. And for him to be jealous would mean he had tofeelsomething. Again, absurd.
Enzio looked back up at me and smiled maliciously. “I guess once you’ve experienced the thrill of breaking the rules, you’ll always crave that exhilaration, won’t you…little lamb?”
The moment those words came out of his mouth, it felt like every drop of blood drained from my body. Shudders wracked through me as my legs grew weak. If it weren’t for Lorik gripping me so tightly against him, I would have been flat on my ass on the floor.
Little lamb.Hearing him say those two words was more painful than I ever could have imagined. And the way he said it, the amusement in his tone, was like he was out to remind me how easy it was for him to trick me—to hurt me.
At that very moment, I was so consumed with hate, and hurt, and disgust, that every ugly emotion this man had stirred inside me drove me to do the unthinkable. I loosened myself from Lorik’s grip and stepped right up to Enzio, keeping my gaze locked on his like I was somehow able to convey my hate for him simply by looking him in the eye.
That damn arrogant smirk remained on his wicked, cruel face, and all I could think about was how much I despised him.
“Why don’t you do the world a favor, Enzio, and go fuck yourself.” As if my words weren’t enough, I slapped the son of a bitch right across the face.
Gasps erupted all around me as his face jerked to the side, but I didn’t give a shit. I didn’t care that I just bitch-slapped Enzio Mancuso. All I cared about was somehow letting him feel just a shred of the pain he had caused me so many years ago.
Enzio placed his palm over his cheek and glared back at me. The threat in his eyes was clear. I had stepped over the line, and there was no way he’d let that go unpunished. But I didn’t even see it coming. It happened so fast—Enzio lifting his right hand and aiming at my face.
“Karina!” Antonio grabbed my elbow and pulled me back.
Lorik lunged forward, grabbed Enzio’s arm, and twisted it around his back before slamming him face first against the wall.
The entire club had come to a standstill as they watched the chaos erupt.
Enzio’s idiot squad all reached for their guns, but then Dante, who appeared out of nowhere, and Antonio both pointed guns at them. Dear God, complete anarchy had broken out in a matter of minutes. Weapons were loaded and aimed, and Lorik had Enzio’s face pushed against a wall.
The music stopped abruptly, and all I could hear was my heart rampantly beating inside my chest. Everyone was looking at us, but no one dared to make a move, to challenge our family or the Mancusos. This wasn’t the kind of war anyone wanted to be a part of.
Enzio struggled against the grip Lorik had on his arms, but Lorik just pressed harder against him. My heart was a millisecond away from exploding.
Lorik leaned closer to Enzio’s face. “You listen to me, you worthless cocksucker. You better stay the fuck away from Karina, or you’ll have me to deal with.”