Take Me Apart (Vitale Brothers, #1)

by Brea Alepoú

People never ceased to fascinate and disgust me.

I enjoyed taking people by surprise when they underestimated me. They saw the glasses, groomed facial hair, and the nerdish look that made hunting more fun. Someone like Tex was my ideal prey.

Did he think I’d let him slip away? He’d already walked into the cage with free will. There was no leaving, not till I set him free. “Bold words. Hope you aren’t all talk.” “Same.” Tex grinned at me, showing off his pearly whites. Cute. It was like looking at a kitten. Teeth and claws, but in the end, nothing more than prey.

I was mesmerized. Everything about Enzo screamed danger in big, pulsing red lights. I wanted to see more. Focus on the mission. Get dirt on him, take the Vitale’s down, make detective.

What the fuck is that? A poorly drawn duck with a cowboy hat on holding a gun was tattooed on his right ass cheek. “You like it?” Tex asked with a smirk.

“You made another mess.” I clicked my tongue and let out a sigh as I accepted the mess before me. “I’ll have to punish you for it later.” Tex murmured in his sleep, and I took that for consent. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. “You really should be careful of the monsters you seek out.”

As much as death was beautiful and alluring to me, I didn’t have a death wish.

He was right. It wasn’t a hickey or anything like that, but a red line that stood out against my skin. It was right where Enzo’s arm had wound around my throat, those suffocating, terrifying moments when I thought he was going to kill me, only for him to release and fuck the life out of me. My cock twitched again.

Another unsatisfying kill. It wasn’t enough, and I felt the edge of chaos closing in on me. Tension built between my shoulder blades, and the feeling of a needle piercing my flesh repeatedly grew tiresome. No amount of reading or meditation was helping.

He was the kind of toy I’d end up breaking too fast. Or get fixated on, and the last thing I needed to become obsessed with was a cop.

Telling him I was at Tex’s place wouldn’t go over well, but lying to Benito never ended well, either. I didn’t answer him, choosing to stay silent as I pet the freshly cleaned orange Maine Coon on my lap. The kitten purred and snuggled up closer.

“So, who is this guy anyway?” “A bad man,” I answered. “Yeah? Well, why did you look at him like that when we were at Blu?” “Like what?” I asked. “Like you wanted to put his whole dick in your mouth and swallow.”

“And once he’s locked away, he won’t be my problem.” She whistled. “Ah, I get it. He’s the bad boy. You’re the good guy. It’s a match made in hell, but lust made in heaven,” she sighed wistfully. “It’s the perfect setup, really.” “You’ve been watching too many romance movies again.”

Was I pathetically lonely? Or did I have a death wish?

“Put some pants on.” My gaze traveled from top to bottom of Tex. Heat swirled in the pit of my stomach, and my cock hardened. Even now, I want him. “Or what?” Tex shot back. My head tilted slightly to the right as I tried to understand if Tex was testing me on purpose or if he was trying to elicit some kind of reaction from me. “I will fuck you until you can’t walk away from me ever again.”

It just feels like there’s always something more important than me out there. To everyone I know.

The horny brain side of me almost wanted him to hold me down and never let me escape. Then I will know he really cares about me.

“That look that says you want to do something illegal to anyone you think is too close to me.” Not that I hate that it’s his first instinct. Something might be wrong with me, but that’s fucking hot. I would never in a million years tell Enzo that, though. He would take it as a reason to do something insane.

“We slept kind of late, so breakfast or lunch is an option.” I raised a brow at him. “You’re going to keep pretending you don’t hear me, aren’t you?” Enzo glanced at me and smiled. “What do you like to eat the most?” Fuck. He’s so cute.

“You’re shit at listening.” I grabbed another box and handed it to him. “I’m never letting you go, Tex Caster.”

“You distract me, and risotto is a delicate dish.” “I’m distracting you? How?” I sighed. “You being so close makes me want to bend you over the counter and fuck you as I hold a knife to your throat.”

“But I’m not craving drugs or even alcohol.” He licked his lips as his eyelids lowered and his pupils dilated. “I found something far more intoxicating and just as deadly.”

A shudder ran up my spine. I opened my mouth to tell him we were doing it again but stopped short. The meow and scratching at the door made us turn in that direction. Enzo groaned. “I’ll let him in.” “Thanks,” I laughed. “He’s needy.” “Like you.”

“I fucking hate you.” Tex wrapped his bound wrists around the back of my neck, pulling me close. He kissed me as if he couldn’t breathe without me. I’d give him all the oxygen he needed as long as he stayed with me.

I laid open-mouth kisses from Tex’s lips to his ear. “I’ll gladly take all of your hate.” I continued to fuck Tex, ecstasy coursing through my veins with every thrust. “Just be mine.” I felt as if I was pleading.

“Want to talk about why there is a cop passed out in your bed with your cum leaking out of his ass?” Gin asked. My shoulders tightened, and I glared at my brother. He shrugged. “I had a few sugar-coated options, but let’s be real, Enzo. You’re essere stupido.” “I know.” I couldn’t deny it, but there was no way around it. “You know what you have to do.” I shook my head. “He’s mine.” “Enzo—” “Gin, lui è il mio tutto.”

I went to the guest room and cleaned myself up. I hadn’t been able to go to my room without staring at my bed in disdain. There was a reason I never allowed people into my space, and I’d opened it up to Tex. I missed him. I even missed the bell jingling around Pen’s neck.

My heart was pounding, and my lungs burned. I searched each way, but there was no Tex. I pushed my fingers through my hair and tugged. In the place of the tumbling emotions crashing through me, one took control. The one emotion I understood above all. Anger. “If I can’t have you, then no one can.”

“I have to go.” “Fine.” I stopped and glanced back at him. Enzo stuck a cigarette between his lips. He lit up, smoke curling into the night sky. “Don’t let me see you again, Tex. I showed mercy this time. Next time? I’ll kill you.”

“You know what they say. If you love something, let it free or some shit like that.” I shook my head. “That is ridiculous. It should be, if you love something, lock it away so that it never escapes.”

Enzo was the most important thing in my life. I only wanted to focus on him.

“Fuck. I think I love you too,” I whispered. A smile took over his lips as his eyes closed one last time and stayed closed. The soft, even breathing against my ear made my chest tighten. I stared at Enzo for what felt like ages, watching his chest rise and fall as he held onto me. I love you more than I’ve ever loved another human being in my life.

“I’ve never been on a date,” I said. Tex stilled a piece of bread halfway to his mouth. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that? You’re thirty-three!” He rubbed his ears as if they were clogged. “Dating seemed to be a waste of time. I had far more important things to do.” Tex’s mouth dropped open. He stared at me as if I’d grown another head. “But it was your idea to go on a date.” I nodded. “You’re the most important thing to me.”

“From now on, I’m the only one allowed to hurt you or make you cry. Every inch of you belongs to me.” I bit his lip. “Even your life.” Tex groaned. “Yeah. Where do I sign, Satan?”