“CHIARA, HEY,” THE BOUNCER at the door of my favorite club greeted me as I entered, and I gave him a brief nod. My guards, the men who were members of a gang known as the Cobras, were by my side, and even though they’d been keeping an eye on me for over a year now, I still hadn’t completely gotten used to their presence. This club was in their area, and tonight it was brimming with people. The music was loud and upbeat, and it was almost impossible not to start swaying in rhythm with it.

But as I made my way toward the bar, I caught a glimpse of a man and froze on the spot. No. It couldn’t be. I blinked, wondering if maybe I was seeing things that weren’t there. A few people passed in front of me, obstructing my view. A moment later, a pair of dark brown eyes focused on me and a shiver ran down my spine.

There was no mistaking who the tall, handsome guy with messy short black hair was. Theo. The man I’d really liked once upon a time and also the man who’d sworn he’d kill me the next time he saw me. How the hell had he gotten in here without any of the Cobras noticing? My pulse sped up, my palms getting sweaty. I waited for him to pull out his gun, but he was only staring at me, his intense gaze never wavering.

I knew I should run or alert my guards, but everything around me seemed to have slowed down. Despite his threat, I’d been secretly hoping I’d see him again, but I’d never expected it to actually happen.

If he planned to kill me in here, he wasn’t going to get out alive. He had to be aware of that, so I wasn’t sure why he was here and why now. Why hadn’t he just waited for me to come out and killed me then? It would’ve been easier. Or was he here simply to warn me that he was definitely coming for me?

If he or the Cobras pulled out a weapon in here, innocent people would get caught in the crossfire, and that was the last thing I wanted. But Theo was simply sitting at the bar and I couldn’t see any weapons. Surely, he could’ve gotten to me without me even noticing him until it was too late, but that didn’t seem to be his intention.

I doubted he hadn’t known I usually came here, even though he wasn’t from this city and hadn’t been seen around here for months. In fact, the only thing the Cobras had been able to tell me about him was that he was now a professional hitman and that he was really good at killing people, which I’d already known.

God, those dark eyes. Memories flooded my mind. If I hadn’t gotten involved in gang business while helping out my best friend Vix, I would’ve never met Theo. Vix’s mother had been the leader of a powerful gang, the Rosa Nera, and Theo had been her second-in-command. I was transported back to the night that had changed everything for Theo and me.

My gun had been in my hand as I’d made my way around a house as war between two gangs raged inside. Shots could be heard everywhere, so I kept to the shadows outside, hoping I could find Vix and her boyfriend and get out of there before anything happened to all of us. Bodies lay everywhere on the ground, and I had to be careful about where I stepped.

Suddenly, the gunfire ceased, and I heard voices in the distance. As I approached, I realized one of the voices belonged to Vix’s mother Ingrid. I couldn’t imagine Ingrid had been too happy to find out that her daughter had betrayed her, but then, Ingrid was a ruthless, cold-hearted woman who’d sold off Vix’s boyfriend to a gangster as if he were a piece of property.

My breath had caught at the scene in front of me. Ingrid and Theo were standing not far from me, and they were facing Vix and her boyfriend. They all had their guns up and pointed at each other. Oh shit. My heart was thudding loudly in my chest as I inched forward, hoping they wouldn’t turn their heads toward me, but they seemed to be too occupied with each other anyway.

“You threw away your future and your life for some silly notion of love.” I could hear Ingrid’s voice clearly now. “I thought you were more like me, but I see I was wrong. You’re weak, and you disgust me.”

“Thanks, Mother. The feeling’s mutual,” Vix said, but nobody fired.

“I wish there was another way, but what you did... You don’t deserve to be my daughter. I gave you life and now I’m going to take it,” Ingrid said, and her grip on her gun tightened.

I had to do something. I couldn’t let Ingrid shoot my best friend. Lifting my hand, I aimed at Ingrid and pulled the trigger. The shot was so loud that it cut through the air like thunder, and someone else fired too as Ingrid fell down. Vix and her boyfriend threw themselves to the ground. I ran forward, my gun still raised and ready.

Theo was on his knees, his shoulder bleeding, his gun on the ground, but he didn’t seem to care about any of that as he stared at Ingrid’s body with wide eyes filled with shock and sadness. Ingrid had never been a mother to Vix, but she’d been like one to Theo, or at least that was the impression I’d gotten during the brief time Vix and I had been with the Rosa Nera.

I glanced at Vix and her boyfriend, and a bit of the tension left my shoulders when I realized they were unharmed. Vix’s boyfriend tried to fire at Theo, but his gun was empty, and I was really glad about it. Except now I wasn’t sure what to do.

I should end Theo’s life too. He wasn’t going to forgive me for this just because he liked me, and right now, I was sure he hated me. Why did that thought hurt so much? Falling for a gang member and killer was a terrible, terrible idea, and yet... my heart seemed to have other plans.

Theo shifted next to Ingrid’s body and his hand moved toward the gun on the ground.

“Don’t even think about it or I will shoot you,” I said, doing my best to keep my voice steady.

His jaw was clenched as his angry gaze settled on me, and he rose to his feet. “Go ahead,” he said, his voice bursting with emotion as he spread his arms. “Pull the goddamn trigger. End this once and for all.”

I took a shaky breath, my finger hovering over the trigger, tears pooling in the corners of my eyes. If I didn’t do it, he would come after me and he wouldn’t stop until he got his revenge. And yet, I couldn’t do it. A part of me wished Vix and her boyfriend weren’t out of bullets, but deep down that wasn’t what I really wanted.

“Go,” I found myself saying. “Just... Please go.”

He glared at me. “Next time I see you, I swear I’m going to kill you,” he spat out, then turned on his heel, and broke into a run.

“Why the hell did you do that?” Vix’s boyfriend was yelling at me, but I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said. I watched as Theo disappeared from view, a sob rocking my body. I’d probably made the biggest mistake of my life, but I couldn’t have pulled the damn trigger. I just...

I snapped out of the memory as my guards formed a tight circle around me. The club. I was back at the club and the Cobras were trying to protect me from Theo, who had gotten to his feet and was making his way toward me in such a calm and casual manner that it was almost infuriating. I was sure that if one of the Cobras lunged at him, he’d be ready for it.

“Wait,” I said, lifting my arm when the Cobras wanted to block his path.

“Chiara?” the nearest one of them said, his eyebrows rising. “Stay back. He’s alone. We can take care of him.”

“No. Let him come.” I took a deep breath, bracing myself as I stepped forward. My guards stared at me as if they couldn’t comprehend what had gotten into me.

“But...”

“It’s fine. If he was going to kill me in here, he would’ve done it already.” I didn’t know why I believed that, but Theo was good at keeping to the shadows, and one of the reasons why he was so good at his job was that he could find ways to be invisible to his target and get them without anyone ever being able to catch him.

He’d never seemed like someone who’d want to make a show or an example of me in front of everyone, and he wasn’t crazy enough to try to hurt me with all my guards present and with so many innocent people around. No, there had to be something else. And I wasn’t going to run now. I’d always known killing the leader of one of the biggest gangs in this area would have consequences, but somehow I didn’t believe I’d die here tonight.

“Step away,” I said as Theo was getting closer, and the Cobras hesitated.

“We can take him,” one of them whispered.

“No.” That wouldn’t end well for anyone, and I wanted to avoid a potential disaster. Hopefully, that wouldn’t get me killed. The Cobras finally took a step back, but their hands were hovering near their weapons, so if Theo actually made a move, then that would be the end for him too. He might be able to take down a few of my guards, but he couldn’t take them all, and especially not when they were prepared to shoot to kill.

I was barely breathing when Theo stopped in front of me, a soft smile stretching his perfect, full lips. He was deliciously handsome in his black leather jacket and dark blue jeans, and those brown eyes pierced through me as he looked me up and down.

I’d changed since the last time he’d seen me. My long black hair was no longer shorter on the left side as it had been, and I had a new piercing on my right eyebrow. Maybe I should’ve listened to Vix’s advice and dyed my hair, or hidden my dark brown eyes behind colored contacts, but I wasn’t willing to become a completely different person when I was sure Theo would find a way to get to me no matter what I did or how fast I ran. His gaze lingered on my black lace corset and tight leather pants.

“If you’re here to kill me, then let’s not do that in here,” I said, glancing around at the people who were having fun, completely oblivious to our little exchange. “This is between you and me.”

The corners of his lips quirked up, and he leaned forward, his breath tickling my face. I could feel my guards tense, and it took all of my willpower to stay still and not show Theo that my stomach was fluttering with fear. His lips were so damn close to mine that it was hard to focus.

“If I was here for you tonight, you’d be dead,” he said. “But don’t worry, you’ll get your turn.” With another look at me and my guards, he turned away and disappeared in the crowd. I exhaled loudly, my knees feeling weak. I’d been right that he wasn’t here for me, but then what had brought him here? Was it a hit job? Was he here to kill someone else?

“We could’ve taken him down,” one of my guards said. “No one would’ve even realized it. I didn’t see any weapons on him. Should I send someone to follow him? We can...”

“No, it’s fine. Thanks.” If I thought they could actually get him without getting themselves killed, I would’ve sent them after him, although I still wasn’t sure if that was what I would’ve done. A small part of me was hoping Theo’s feelings for me hadn’t changed despite what had happened...

He’d had a whole year to come and kill me, but he hadn’t. Even if he had another job here, he could’ve taken me out without too much thought, but that hadn’t happened. Maybe it was because I’d spared his life, so this was his way of returning the favor, but I couldn’t know for sure. Something told me that I was going to find out soon enough just what he planned to do with me.