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He wants revenge.
It all started with a lie. When I was in high school, I ruined Mr. Gallo's reputation.
Now I'm in his classroom again. I'm older and most definitely over him.
Except, Professor Gallo isn't over me.
Does the grumpy and hot-as-hell college professor have reason to hate me? Yes.
Does he intend to punish me for what I did to him years ago? Also yes.
Professor Luca Gallo has a lesson for me that I'm sure I will never forget.
Forbidden love finds a way in this steamy, friends to lovers short
Vittoria Salvatore is no one of consequence. Her life is simple, until she falls for the wrong guy, Giovanni Valentino, the one they call the Lion, her best friend, and the current Don of the Valentino family.
The girlish crush she harbored well into adulthood can never be.
Giovanni knows the rules that bound their world and follows them to the letter—the five original crime families can never fraternize. Her feelings for him don't matter.
But rules were meant to be broken. When Vittoria receives the news that would turn her life upside down, she decides to send it all to hell and claim the Lion for herself.
Excerpt, Wicked Knight, Book Two
Copyright 2024, Diana A. Hicks
With a loud thud, the door exploded open. Jeez. Even though he was still wrapped in bandages, Maxim looked as menacing as a raging bull.
“Don’t come near me.” I put up both hands, then kicked myself for not procuring a weapon when I had the time. The bedside lamp would’ve been a good choice. “You’re sorely mistaken if you think I’m going to stand back while you hurt me and my family.”
His gaze swept up and down my body. “I didn’t think you would.” He winced, then strode past me toward the bed.
As if Anatoli could read minds, he rushed into the suite while panting, as if he’d ran up the stairs. He met my gaze then turned his attention toward Maxim. When he realized there were no casualties, he relaxed his stance.
“You’re bleeding, Maxim. Let me look.” He gestured for Maxim to sit.
Maxim raised his hand and stopped Anatoli in his tracks. “No. Let my wife tend to my wounds.”
“Ooo-kay.” Anatoli looked as confused as I was.
“Leave us.” Maxim braced his good arm on his knees and released a breath.
“Everything you need is in the bathroom,” Anatoli said to me then turned to leave. He paused when he spotted the unhinged door. “I’ll get someone to fix that.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at him.
The wife in me wanted to tell my husband to go to hell. But the doctor in me was already thinking of all the things that could go wrong if I didn’t check on Maxim. He was tired because his body was working overtime, trying to heal itself. But also, because he just cracked open a heavy wooden door with his foot.
Cursing under my breath, I strode to the bathroom and got all the essentials to wash out his wounds. When I returned, Maxim hadn’t moved an inch.
“We should rinse your wounds twice a day, then cover them. They’ll heal faster that way.” I approached him tentatively, the way one would do with a wild animal because that was exactly what he was. My gaze swept from the splint and stained gauze to the blood seeping through his white dress shirt in two different places. “I need to take a look first.”
He nodded. With a sigh, he undid all the buttons, then sat back to let me help him with it. I pulled the fabric up then pushed it over his shoulders. The soft hair on his chest bristled the skin on my arms and chest. To my surprise, the gentle exchange eased my nerves.
“Getting out of bed today was a bad idea.” I picked at the gauze and removed it.
“I had things to attend to.”
“Right. You had that illegal wedding to go to.” I shot back.
“Yes.” He chuckled. “I did.”
“This shouldn’t hurt. It’s just water.” I squeezed the squirt bottle and rinsed his entire shoulder.
Even if fear wasn’t a big part of the equation anymore, I still couldn’t get myself to look at him. Not even when he cocked his head to look at me. His hot breath left a warm trail that ran from my cheek all the way down to my hip. He gripped his thigh with long fingers as his inspection of me continued.
“Little late for that, don’t you think?” I sneered.
“What’s that?”
“Buyer’s remorse.”
“I didn’t pay for you.” He took a lock of my hair. “Your hair is shorter.”
“I cut it after…” I’d cut it shortly after Luca left, but Maxim didn’t need to know that. I swallowed and bit my tongue for offering him intimate details of my life. “You were spying on me.”
“Not for long.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Your scent reminds me of something. But I can’t remember what.”
“Probably your dungeon. I’ve showered six times since I left and I can’t seem to scrub the stench off me.” I shuffled back. “I need you to get up to get the other two sutures.”
Slowly, as if he were trying not to scream in pain, he rose to his feet. When I stepped into his circle, he bent down to whisper in my ear, “You smell fine to me.”
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Diana A. Hicks is an award-winning author of steamy romantic suspense and science-fiction romance.
When Diana is not writing, she enjoys hot yoga, kickboxing, traveling, and indulging in the simple joys of life like wine and chocolate. She lives in Atlanta and loves spending time with her two children and husband. Connect with Diana on social media to stay up to date on her latest releases.
Praise for Diana A. Hicks:
"Hicks' first installment of her Desert Monsoon series is confident and assured with strong storytelling, nuanced characters, and a dynamic blend of romance and suspense...A sexy and irresistible tale for fans of contemporary romance." - Kirkus Reviews
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