Bloodied Hands (Bellandi Crime Syndicate 1)

Hopefully, this would be exactly what she needed to pull her head out of her ass.

I dialed the first number, tossing back a shot when it rang.

"Yeah?" Duke's voice grunted on the other end of the line.

"Ivory's going on a date," I blurted, determined to keep my voice strong. I knew Ivory would be pissed if she ever found out, but I would always do what it took to protect her.

Even from herself.

"I told you, I don't want to hear about that shit," he snapped and slammed something around. Undoubtedly some metal scraps in his shop as he worked off his rage.

"It's not with Matteo. It's someone else. You should go, stop her from doing something stupid. She doesn't see you that way; it just doesn't come naturally after being your friend for years, so you need to make her see you that way if you want it to go anywhere."

"Is this one of those grand gesture things women are always talking about?" he returned, a smile in his voice. The metal stopped clanging, and I knew he was considering it.

"Grand gestures, come to Jesus moment. Just get your ass to Indulgence." I hung up, giving him a ten-minute head start before I dialed the number Scar had been all too willing to give me.

"Bellandi," the voice on the other end said.

"Matteo?" I asked.

"Who is this?" His voice went taut, and I took it he didn't get very many phone calls from women. That pleased me.

"Sadie. I thought you'd want to know that I helped Ivory sneak out tonight. Scar's sitting downstairs, completely oblivious that she stepped out and took a cab."

"What?" he whispered, and that voice was menacing.

"I'm in her room pretending to be her to buy her time, but you should probably just head over to Indulgence."

"What the fuck is she doing in my club?" His voice went deep, menacing, and I worried about the guy that was on the date with Ivory. I convinced myself it would be fine. I'd warned him not to get touchy.

"She's on a date," I laughed, hanging up the phone. It rang when he called back, and I ignored it in favor of taking another sip of Ivory's wine. When Scar's phone rang downstairs, and I heard the front door slam, I considered how easy it would be to divert their attention and sneak her out again if the need arose.

I filed that bit of information away in case we needed it.

Nineteen

Matteo

I didn't know what the fuck Ivory was thinking.

Had I not clarified that I'd kill any man who touched her?

And yet, I sat in my Aston, cursing traffic as I tried to get to her from the meeting that had occupied me later than I liked. I scoffed, the thought of Ivory challenging me by going on a date with another man insane to think. Nobody else would have dared, but if she'd made one thing clear with this little stunt?

It was that I'd been too gentle. Given her too much time to adjust to the reality of my return into her life.

That would change.

Effective immediately.

By that time tomorrow there would be no doubt in her mind that I meant every word when I told her she was mine. Every word when I explained I would never let her go.

Pulling up in front of the club finally, I tossed my valet my keys as I climbed out and strode off without another word. The Aston was inconsequential in comparison to Ivory with another man.

"Mr. Bellandi?" the boy asked, hushing immediately when I didn't spare him a glance. My bouncers threw open the doors, and I prowled into my club, ignoring employees vying for my attention.

I didn't give the first shit about any of them. My eyes scanned the dance floor, looking for my deviant little angel. People crowded into the floor, admittedly a security nightmare for Ivory, even if she hadn't been with another man to begin with. The pulse of bodies was too much, would make it impossible for Scar to protect her unless he was practically on top of her. I caught sight of the huge man, standing guard against the wall. Following his eyes toward the center of the floor, my heart stopped when the crowd parted to reveal my angel.