Page 52 of Beautiful Obsessions
“Fine.”The word came out rough.“Now we’ve got two problems.”
Machado.Reaching for Tone.
Vilevski.The contract on my head and his plans to eliminate Atlas.
The room shifted—anger snapping into focus.
Atlas straightened.“Vilevski is the priority.As long as Tone’s covered, we contain Machado until Vilevski is handled.Archie’s contract gets cleared first.But no-one lets Tone out of their sight.”
Tone’s gaze cut to me.Sharp.Measuring.She missed nothing.
I wondered how much she was piecing together—contracts, power, violence spoken about like routine.Probably more than we thought.
Raze looked at me then.The warning was still there—clear as ever.One wrong move with his sister, and I’d disappear.
But there was something else now.
Recognition.Of what I’d done.And what I’d do to keep her safe from harm’s way.
“I want her covered at all times,” he said.“No one moves alone.No loose routes.No unscheduled stops.She doesn’t go anywhere without eyes on her.”
“I’m right here,” Tone said flatly, waving a hand.
No one answered.That almost made me smile.She looked like she wanted to tear the room apart.
I was glad that her fire was still there.
“I’ll take her,” I said.
My offer landed before anyone else could speak.
Every head turned.Hers included.
I didn’t look at her.
“If Machado’s fixated, he’ll adjust when he realizes his men are gone.He escalates—or he shifts.”
It was common sense, but it wasn’t the truth.That was much simpler.
I wanted her where I could see her.I wanted anything that came for her to come through me first.I wanted Machado to understand—fast—that obsession cuts both ways.
And mine?Mine doesn’t stop.
Any man who steps between me and Antonella Cavalho will learn very quickly who I am.
15
Tone
Baron Vilevski was going to die.
There was no question about it.The only thing that was questionable was when.
We’d been on him for days—shadowing his routes, breaking down his patterns, learning where he felt untouchable.Every habit mapped.Every weakness tested.
We watched and waited.
And now we were done with that.
