I should be focused on the new client we are delivering weapons to today. This client is enormous, and if this first delivery goes well, it could continue to be extremely lucrative for the Carini family in many ways.

But I can’t focus on the trade. All I can focus on is Eden.

Damn it.

Fabio said words and I have no idea what. And now he’s waiting for me to respond.

“Exactly,” I say.

He smiles happily at my response. Hopefully, I didn’t agree to give him double the number of weapons for the same price.

I pull out the piece of paper and slide it across his desk.

“Have your team meet us at this address in ten minutes.” I stand up and walk out of the office and out to my car where my team is waiting next to their own cars.

“It’s on,” I say.

The men nod and get in their cars. I do the same and start driving fast to the trade location. The car ride gives me plenty of time to lose myself in ways I can fuck Eden. On the balcony, the pool, my car. Tied up, from behind, in the air. Every way makes me want her more, grow more desperate for her.

My cock can’t stop thinking about her. My brain can’t stop dreaming of her. And I don’t just want sex. I want to drive her in my car and show her all Italy has to offer. Take her to drink fine wines with me and delicious foods. Explore the city and countryside.

I don’t understand what is wrong with me. Or why I feel this way. It’s been a while since I’ve gone on a date. Perhaps I need to invite one of my old girlfriends to do something fun with me this weekend instead of spending all my time on work or Eden. That was my father’s problem. Work started consuming him until it was his entire life.

I hear the danger before I even arrive. I’m the fifth or sixth car to get to the location, but I know that we are being ambushed. And I know it isn’t our new client. He was far too eager to do business, and although he is wealthy, he doesn’t have the experience to launch an attack like the one I’m witnessing.

I don’t hesitate, I park the car and jump out with my gun out, firing off shots into the woods at our attackers. Some leaders don’t get involved in attacks like this. They hang back and let their men do the fighting for them. Carini’s don’t hang back and let others fight our battles. If I’m going to ask my men to fight, I better be willing to take the risk equally as much.

We are outnumbered. I know that much from the bullets whizzing past my head, but that doesn’t mean we are going to lose.

I see my number two, Maximo, to my left. And I give him a look, telling him what I’m thinking without having to say anything. We’ve had plans like this for weeks after the last almost ambush.

We’re ready.

But it’s risky.

Maximo takes some of the men and starts moving them to the left side while I stay with some of the men in the middle. We need to draw them to us so that Maximo and his men can attack from behind.

I move forward out of my hiding spot so Clive and Erick’s men will focus on me. I’m their target anyway. They want to take me out. Make me feel pain. They don’t give a shit about my men.

They think if they can take me out, my men will switch their loyalty to them. They don’t realize to join my ranks you have to be loyal. Too loyal. So loyal you’d die rather than join anyone else.

I see Clive hiding behind his men, not even bothering to attack. Letting his men do the dirty work for him.

I aim at him trying to take him out, but he’s too far away. A bullet grazes my shoulder, but I keep shooting, sticking to the plan. Another hits my leg; I kneel on the ground still shooting. Not stopping until I the plan succeeds.

Another hits my hand knocking the gun out of my hand. I start to reach for it, but one of Clive’s men knocks it out of the way.

A gun is pressed against my head, and I hold my hands up, not that I will surrender. I won’t. I would rather die than surrender.

I glare at Clive and Erick, my body red with rage, as they walk over. They are the reason everything started in the first place.

“Ready to give up yet?” Erick asks.

I don’t give him a response. He doesn’t deserve one.

“Don’t worry; we aren’t going to kill you yet. What fun would that be?” Erick says.

I frown. The only reason they wouldn’t kill me now is if they had bigger plans they thought would hurt me worse. “You can’t hurt me. Arlo and Nina are gone. And I know you won’t hurt Gia. So there is nothing you can do to hurt me.”

Clive smirks. “Oh, there is certainly a way to hurt you.”

“No, there isn’t.”

“There is,” Clive looks to Erick both smirking at me. “Eden, your new slave toy. Except, she isn’t a slave. You love her.”

I growl. I don’t want them threatening Eden or telling me I have feelings for someone that I don’t. I will never love again. Love only makes things worse.

“My slave is nothing more than property to me. If you steal her, it would be the same as if you stole my car. I would be pissed and kill you. So go ahead and try. I’ll enjoy hunting you down.”

“We will. The only way to stop this is to turn over Nina, but I bet you won’t do that. I think your feelings have shifted.”

I open my mouth to respond but I see the gun coming down on my head, and I know it’s useless anyway. I close my eyes to control the darkness before it comes. But then I don’t have any control at all. I’m lost to the darkness.

* * *

I open my eyes and find Eden’s. She’s staring at me, looking at me worriedly, and I’m sure I’m still dreaming. She can’t be worried about me.

I close and open my eyes again to try to force myself to wake up, but when I open them again, she’s still sitting on the foot of my bed staring at me with her big eyes.

“How are you feeling?” she asks.

I frown. “Like hell.”

She nods. “You want some pain meds?”

“In a minute,” I say, sitting up and examining my body. My left shin is sore, along with my right shoulder and right hand. And my head is pounding like I was knocked out.

“Don’t worry; I didn’t stitch up any of your wounds. You wouldn’t be alive if I did. Maximo had the doctor come and remove the bullet fragments and stitch you up. He said you should rest in bed for at least a week, but you probably wouldn’t listen to his advice.”

I nod.

“How long have I been out?”

“Since yesterday afternoon,” she says, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was worried you wouldn’t wake up, but the doctor said I shouldn’t worry. It was impossible not to worry though.”

I grin. “You were worried about me? I figured you would be praying for me to die so you could be free.”

“Nah, I figured you had something written in your will that I would go to some long-lost cousin of yours or something if you died.”

I smirk. “It’s not written in my will, but it gives me ideas.”

She laughs, but it’s nervous.

I reach out my hand and take hers in mine, wanting to calm her nerves.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

She shakes her head, but I can see the tears in her eyes.

“Nothing, I just…I’m really glad you are okay.” She wipes her tears. She must be on her period or something because there is no way she should be crying over me almost dying. The sex isn’t that good.

“Anyway, is there anything I can get you to make you feel more comfortable?” she asks.

My eyes turn mischievous as I grab her neck and pull her into a hasty kiss that is meant to show her exactly what I want. My cock pushes into her belly as she falls on top of me.

She pulls away. “We can’t. Your doctor told you to rest, and the sex that you usually are into requires far too much of you.”

I pout, and she grins.

“No,” she says again.

I pull her back into a kiss, and I know she won’t be able to resist me. She’s horny, and I’ll have her tied up in this bed in no time.

Her leg hooks over my body as she sits on my lap, kissing me, as my cock hardens against her groin. Her hips grind over me making me harder and I pull her body too me. She grabs my shoulders to keep her balance.

And I groan in pain.

She pulls back.

“I’m so sorry,” she says, holding her hands over her mouth.

I wince, holding my shoulder.

“I told you it wasn’t a good idea,” she says.

I growl. “No, it’s a very good idea.”

I grab her, pulling her back to me, despite the pain in my arm. All I feel is the ache in my groin.

“It’s worth the pain,” I say.

She smiles, but her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. It’s not genuine.

I kiss her trying to make her forget about anything but having me. She moans against my lips, and I think I’ve convinced her when she pulls away again.

I frown. “What now?”

She bites her lip in the most adorable way, and it melts my insides a little. “I have an idea,” she says.

I raise my eyebrows.

“Do you trust me?” she asks.

“Are you going to let me fuck you?”

“I’m going to fuck you.”

I narrow my eyes not fully understanding the difference, but I’ll go along with whatever at this point if it gets me laid. My wounds are minimal, although she thinks I almost died. But regardless, my cock deserves sex for what I’ve been through lately.

She continues to straddle my lap while she looks around the room searching for something.

“Be right back,” she finally says as she hops off my lap and runs to my closet.

I sigh.

I guess I understand how she feels every time I tease her and make her wait for sex.

She runs back, holding a couple of my ties in her hand.

“What are those for? Do I get to tie you up?” I ask.

“No, I’m tying you up. That way you won’t hurt yourself, and we can still have sex.”

I frown, not liking her logic, but as she hops back on my lap and my cock strains against my pants, there is no arguing with her. I want her. And if this is how I can have her, fine.

“Hold out your right arm,” she says.

I do.

She takes it and begins tying the tie gently around my wrist before attaching it to the bed.

“I can get out of that you know.”

She smiles. “I’m aware. I mainly want your injured arm out of the way, so I remember not to touch it.”

She glances back at my leg. “Do I need to tie your leg up too?”

I grab her waist, pulling her to me as I sweep a kiss hungrily on her lips, not letting her stall this any longer.

She kisses back, just as hungrily, forgetting that I'm injured or that she needs to be careful. Her hands grab my neck and tangle in my hair, holding me to her.

I tangle my one free hand in her hair, keeping her lips locked with mine. We don’t always kiss when we fuck, but when we do, it's like fireworks go off. Lighting strikes our bodies, and we can't stop kissing. No matter what.

I reach for the hem of her shirt needing her T-shirt off.

She grabs the hem and lifts it over her head, tossing it to the floor giving me access to her perfect tits. I massage the soft flesh of her breast as it fills my hand.

Her moans are like honey. Sweet and sultry and beautiful. I love the sounds she makes with her throat. Sounds that I cause.

Her fingers rake down my chest, feeling every muscle in their wake.

She's fierce as she moves her hands over my body, knowing exactly what she wants, and not being sorry for it.

I try to pull her pants down, but she swats my hand away.

I frown.

"You need to learn to be patient," she says, grinning and enjoying herself far too much.

She stands, and I pout, as I try to grab her and pull her back to me. She fights me off.

She very slowly lowers her pants like she is putting on a show for me. Wiggling her hips as the pants fall slowly to the floor.

I growl at her naked body that is a few feet away that I don't get to touch.

I pull at the tie that is barely holding me to the bed.

She wags her finger back and forth at me.

I growl.

She grabs the covers and pulls them down, before grabbing my boxer briefs and pulling them down my body, as I lift my hips to help her.

I want her on my cock now.

She winks at me, knowing exactly how desperate I am for her.

She takes my cock in her hand and pumps it up and down slowly. So, so slowly. I can't handle it.

I grab her hand, moving it faster over my cock.

"No, I get to be in control. Not you," she says, pushing my hand off.

She lowers her head, and her lips wrap around my cock as she moves just as slowly up and down, teasing and taunting me.

My eyes roll back in my head, and I let my head fall back on the pillow, at how good her lips and tongue feel over my cock.

But I'm not patient. Not with her.

I grab her hair, moving her head faster over my cock.

She grins when she can finally breathe again.

"I knew I should have tied both of your hands up."

I smirk. "No, you shouldn't have."

I grab her, as she climbs on top of me and finally sinks her pussy on top of me. My cock drives into her, and she moans against me as her hips climb up and down on top of me.

I won't last.

And from the moans she is making, she won't last either.

I thrust, and she sinks down on top of me, our eyes meeting and our tongues tangling.

"Yes," she moans, as she comes on my cock, drenching me.

Her moans take me over the edge, and I come right after her.

She grins as she climbs off me and slowly unties my arm, which is just beginning to ache again, now that the adrenaline is slowly leaving my body.

I watch her body, now flushed and glowing, as she puts her baggy T-shirt and sweatpants back on.

I get up to go shower and get dressed. I need to go to the office and make a plan for how to deal with Erick and Clive. I'm not going to let them make the next move. I won't let them hurt Eden or anyone else.

The only way to defend ourselves is to take out Erick and Clive. Destroy them and their business. I need them dead. Only then will Eden be safe. Any of us be safe.

"What are you doing?" Eden asks, staring at my naked body, as I start walking toward the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower and then get dressed. I have work to do."

She frowns and chases after me as I walk to the bathroom and turn on the shower, before stepping in. The water is chilly at first but quickly turns warm within seconds of me standing under the water.

"You are not going to work," Eden says, stripping before stepping into the shower with me.

I smirk, enjoying having a naked woman in the shower with me. I grab the bar of soap and begin running it over her body, over every one of her curves.

Her eyes close as she enjoys my hands on her body. She shakes her head, realizing that I've gotten her under my spell again.

"You are not going to work! Your doctor told you to stay in bed for a couple of weeks. You were just shot. Three times and knocked unconscious. You aren't going anywhere."

I cock my head to the side and hold down her flailing arms.

"I'm going." I glance down at my wounds that are healing well and barely ache. They are nothing compared to the pain I feel knowing that Erick and Clive want to take what is mine.

I stare at Eden. "Trust me. I'm fine. This pain is nothing."

She pouts. "Stay…"

I narrow my eyes at her. "I have to go."

"Why?"

"Because I protect what's mine."

She takes the soap from me and begins scrubbing my body with it, as she contemplates what I meant by my words. I rinse off and then turn the water off when I'm done before stepping out. I hand her a towel and take one myself before I walk to my closet to get dressed.

Eden follows me to the closet, watching me dress in jeans, a shirt, and jacket.

"I don't need you to protect me. I need you to stay alive," she says, her voice soft.

I raise an eyebrow. "You'd miss my cock that much if I was dead?”

She swallows. "Something like that."

I stare at her a moment before I make up my mind. "Get dressed. Jeans, a nice shirt, and jacket. None of those sweatpants you usually wear."

"Why?"

"Because you are coming with me."

Her face lights up, and she runs to her closet to get dressed before I even step out of the closet.

She looks gorgeous in her dark jeans, red shirt, and black leather jacket. She chose red heels to complete her look.

"I'm not going to have to hold your hand to keep you from falling in those all day, am I?"

She laughs. "No, but you can hold my hand all the same."

I do hold her hand. I hold her hand in the Ferrari as we drive with the top down on the way to the warehouse we use as an office building and storage facility.

I try to relax knowing that Clive and Erick won't launch a second attack again so soon. I spoke with Maximo before we left and I know that their team was severely injured. They don't have the manpower to launch a second attack again so soon.

So Eden is safe, for now.

I stop the car outside the building that is my whole world. The men inside are not just men. They are family. Family that relies on me for an income. For keeping them safe. And for providing them a family.

I hold Eden's hand as I lead her into the building. When we step inside, all eyes are on us. Everyone has wide eyes or shocked expressions on their faces. I've never brought anyone here that wasn't my family or an employee.

No one expected me ever to bring Eden here, yet here she is.

"I need a team ready to discuss what our plan of attack is to take out Clive and Erick in five minutes," I say to Dierk.

He nods and runs off to gather a team while I lead Eden to the long table at the far end of the warehouse.

She smiles at the men. "Hi, guys. Is Matteo working you too hard?"

"Not any worse than usual," Paul says with a wink.

"I'll put in a good word to try and get you some time off," she says back, smiling.

I pull her to me. "You know that you don't have to flirt with every guy here?”

She smiles. "Why? Would it make you jealous if I did?"

"Yes, very jealous."

"Good. You don't have to worry though. I've just gotten close to a few of the guys that have been helping me out."

"I know. Going against my rules, feeding you, and taking care of you."

She grins. "Go easy on them. I'm charming."

I kiss her on the lips, claiming her in front of everyone. "I know."

We both take a seat at the long wooden table, as several of my men start taking a seat at the table surrounding us. When the team of about six of my most trusted men arrive, all sitting down at the table, I start.

“As you all know, we are here to talk about how to handle Clive and Erick. I’m done with their games. They threatened my life. They threatened this company and all of your lives.” I don’t add that they threatened Eden’s life. “We are going to put an end to them and their business.”

“I think we should set up an ambush similar to how they attacked us,” Dierk says.

I nod along just listening, not shooting down anyone’s ideas yet.

“That will never work, they will be expecting that,” Paul says.

“They are going to be expecting every kind of attack. The only thing they won’t be expecting is one where we do nothing. So unless we plan to do nothing, then we are going to lose our element of surprise.”

“What do you think sexy?” Maximo asks, running his hand up and down Eden’s arms. “I know you have some brains in that head of yours. What do you think?”

I glare at Maximo, not liking him touching Eden. I don’t like how she shivers at his touch. I don’t like him even talking to her. I immediately regret bringing her here.

Eden looks from me to the men as I can see her brain turning, thinking of a solution to our problems.

“You use me,” she says.

I frown. Yep, definitely shouldn’t have brought her.

I laugh. “You’re crazy. Erick and Clive don’t give a fuck about you.”

She raises an eyebrow at me, as do most of the men.

“They are after Eden? Why?” Dierk asks.

“Because I look like Nina. The Carini’s stole my best friend from them, and now they want revenge. They think I’m the new Nina. So they want to steal me. Use me to draw them in. Use me as bait, then attack,” Eden says.

Realization hits every one of my men as they listen to her speak. They like her plan. And there is nothing I can say to convince them otherwise. The only leverage I have to put an end to the plan is my claim as the leader. Their boss. Tell them they don’t get a say in decisions that affect their lives too.

“No, we aren’t using Eden,” I say, trying to end the conversation. They know that if I say no, that’s the end of it.

But instead, chaos erupts. Men start talking over each other trying to throw out plans and convince me why Eden should be involved in the plan.

This is not what I expected. At all. I thought we would come up with a plan that involved a carefully crafted attack. Not one that would involve using Eden as bait.

I glance to my right and see Maximo, with his hands on Eden. I’ve had enough.

I punch Maximo in the face. “Touch her again, and you’re fired,” I say, grabbing Eden’s arm and leading her out of the warehouse.

Maximo runs after me blood pouring down his face. He grabs my arm, and I think he’s going to punch me. Instead, he says, “I’m sorry.”

He looks from me to Eden.

“Apology accepted,” Eden says.

“Eden, go wait for me in the car,” I say, tossing her the keys, knowing that she could jump in the car, take off, and I could never see her again.

She takes them with wide eyes and walks out to the car.

“I don’t need your apologies. I need you to focus on work instead of on my woman. Understand?” I say.

Maximo nods. “I understand. But I need to be blunt with you. Your feelings for that woman have blinded you. Clive and Erick want Eden, don’t they?”

I don’t respond, giving him his answer.

“That’s what I thought. So the only way to take them out is to use her as bait. She knows that. The men know that. And —”

“I know that,” I say finishing his sentence.

He pauses. “So what are you going to do? Are you going to lead us into an ambush even though you know it will end in us all dead or will you use the girl?”

I glare at him. “She’s not a girl.”

He takes a step back, assuming I’m about to hit him again.

I glance out the window to where Eden is sitting in the car.

“I’ll use Eden.”