My mafia queen had come so far since the night we’d run for our lives. She’d grown so fucking strong. There was no doubt in my mind that she’d fight her way free. Hell, she’d probably waltz back into the penthouse any moment, having saved her own damn self.
Despite the feeling of being separated from my other half, I knew I’d hold her in my arms again. I fuckingknewit.
I believed in her.
The alternative was impossible. Unacceptable. I couldn’t letmyself descend into despair. Hope was the only thing fueling me, allowing me to push my body past the limit. We’d burnt four different Albanian businesses to the ground. We’d killed dozens of Clan members. Once we’d learned who took her—the Vokshi Clan—we’d returned to the penthouse to sleep and eat before we’d agreed to go back out again.
None of us could sit still, but we also needed to be ready for when Ciel found her.
I downed a glass of water in the kitchen and gently washed the cup in the sink. Ryu, Obi, and I had returned to the penthouse in the early morning hours, and I’d tried to catch a few hours of sleep, but our room smelled like her.
She was everywhere. Her pajamas, folded and ready for another wear, on the dresser. Her brush left out on the countertop in the bathroom. Her pillow creased from the imprint of her head.
I couldn’t.
So I’d sat on the couch in the living room and watched the sunrise, trying to hold myself together. Trying to picture her and Max, possibly trapped together. Then, trying to erase the image of the two of them fighting with each otherandtrying to survive the Albanians.
If Max did anything to her…
Iftheydid…
I swallowed my shiver and pushed the thought from my head. Nope. Not going there. We’d seen the Albanian drug and brothel operations, and imagining that happening to Leona was only going to make me insane.
I set the glass on the counter and turned my head slightly at the movement behind my shoulder.
“Hey,” Ryu said behind me. He’d been a fucking wreck. Somehow, that made me like him a little bit more. He’d been vicious last night. Insatiable.
“Hey,” I answered, turning and crossing my arms over my chest. “Did you sleep?”
The dark circles under his eyes answered my question. “No. You?”
I shook my head.
Ryu grimaced, running his hands through his hair. He paced the kitchen, looking like he was two seconds away from snapping. If he didn’t take some of the edge off, hewouldsnap—whether that was at us, or some innocent bystander, it didn’t matter. Someone was going to get hurt.
I knew how I could distract both of us.
“Do you want to work out with me?” I asked.
He paused. “What?”
“We’re stuck in a holding pattern until we have more information. Giulio is trying to hear more about what happened to Max. Ciel is still trying to triangulate the ship.” I sighed and rubbed my eyes. “I’m going to go crazy if I do nothing. So, do you want to work out? Burn off some energy?”
He clenched his eyes together, then nodded sharply. “Only if you spar with me so I can whoop your ass.”
I smirked. “Going to play dirty again?”
He snorted, clearly remembering how the last time we’d “sparred” in the gym, he’d kicked my bad knee on fucking purpose and I’d then flipped him over my shoulder and knocked the wind out of him. A part of me wondered what it would be like to spar with him at both of our bests, in a fair fight.
Probably would be fun.
“I’m only dirty if provoked,” he replied, heading toward the private elevator that led down to the gym on the floor beneath us.
I followed. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re dirty all the time, no provocation necessary?”
His mouth pulled up into a crooked, pervy smile. “I’ll show you dirty, bodyguard.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes as the two of us rode the elevator down. “Let’s see what you got.”
