Chapter 14 Taken

• Rico's p.o.v
• I strode past the counter, snatching a key from the barely dressed receptionist. She knew who I was and didn’t bother chasing after me. The sound of footsteps behind me told me River was trailing along, hesitant yet dutiful.
• The memory of Rosso’s hand on her, the way he’d spanked her as though she was just another toy, gnawed at me like poison. I clenched my jaw, feeling my control slip. My grip had tightened on the girl on my lap without meaning to, enough to leave a mark, I was sure of it. Any move against Rosso could spark a war I wasn’t ready for. I couldn't let him think I was attached; it would be a weakness he’d exploit without hesitation.