Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly

life right now.” It was a confession I regretted the moment I said it.
Father leaned forward and patted my leg. “Then change it.”
I glanced at my watch. “I need to go now. I’m meeting Christian to discuss
his findings about that new chapter of the Tartarus MC. They’re popping up like
weeds.”
I stood and this time, Father didn’t try to stop me.
Mother followed me to the door, trying to convince me to stay for lunch, but
I wasn’t in the mood for their meddling anymore. I kissed her cheek then hurried
to my car.
Christian and I met in a small Italian place that served the best risotto in
town. Christian already sat in our usual booth when I walked in. I gave him a
curt nod when I slid into the seat across from him. “Any news on the chapter?”
Christian didn’t say anything for a while. “How’s Giulia?” I didn’t like the
undercurrent of warning in his voice one bit.
“She’s well. She’s my wife now, Christian. She isn’t your concern. She’s
mine.”
“I can accept that as long as you promise that she won’t end up like Gaia.”
I jerked up and bent over the table, grasping him by the throat and shoving
him back against the bench. His face turned red, but he held my gaze. “Careful,
Christian. In this city, my word is law. The protection of your father, and even
that is limited, ends at the borders of Baltimore.”
“I don’t need my father’s protection or I wouldn’t be here, working under
you,” he pressed out. “Giulia is my little sister. I’m going to try to protect her as
well as I can.”
I tightened my fingers on his throat. “Giulia is safe with me. She doesn’t
need your protection.” I released him and sat back, pushing my tie back under
my vest and smoothing my jacket.
Christian massaged his throat. “No wonder that Luca likes you so much. You
and him have very similar tics.”
“The bikers are planning something. Look what they did in New Jersey and
New York. We’ll have to keep an eye on them.”
“I’m doing that. It’s not easy to establish contacts.”
We talked only about business after that, even if it was clear that Christian
wasn’t happy about it. Too many people were trying to meddle in my marriage,
and I didn’t appreciate it in the slightest.
It was almost midnight when I unlocked the front door and entered the
entrance hall. Light from the living room caught my attention. Elia wouldn’t be
waiting in there. The guards had their own small house on the premises where
they could spend the night.
Something darted toward me. It took me a moment to understand that it was
the dog. She yapped, and I braced myself to grab her again before she destroyed
another pair of my pants.
“No, Loulou. Come here!” Giulia ordered. She appeared in the doorway to
the living room, only dressed in a silken nightgown. She was barefoot and her