Fiction. Literature. Romance. Copyright © Talia Carmichael 2014. All Rights Reserved, Total-E-Ntwined Limited, T/A Totally Bound Publishing. Giovanni Murray sped toward his home, spurred on by the earlier alarm signal he?d gotten on his cell. He whipped his Sequoia around the corner of Moreno Avenue, pressing on the gas and speeding down the block to the middle of the area. Disbelief filled him as he saw the fully engaged blaze. Giovanni jerked the wheel and executed a precise turn, then stopped in front of the burning building. He opened the door and stepped out before slamming it and striding to the hood of the car. He stopped and stared at his home?the one he?d meticulously built to his specification as his oasis and fortress of protection?as it burned to the ground. When he?d gotten the signal earlier, he hadn?t believed it and had thought it was a mistake. But standing here now, with the smoke billowing out of the windows and flames eating away at the structure, Gio faced not only the fact that it was real, but what the repercussions would be. ?Someone burned my house down.? His tone was calm and low. Gio took out his cell and sent a text to a few people before slowly putting the phone away. He clenched his fist briefly then strode toward the house. The fire sizzled and crackled and the scent was one he hoped he would be able to forget. Gio broke into a lope, heading to the burning building. Although there was no sound or anything to let him know he wasn?t alone, Gio instinctively pivoted then studied his attacker. Curly hair in varying shades of brown framed a craggy face and dark-brown eyes that were expressionless and seemed to see everything. He was bulkier and more muscular than Gio, but they were the same height. The man rushed him, and in a quick move, Gio caught the clenched fist of his assailant then flipped him. The man dropped onto his back hard, making his teeth rattle. He blinked when he went down but immediately he drew a gun before coming to knees and sweeping out with his leg. Gio calmly blocked his kick before punching out, hitting him in his shoulder then taking his gun. Gio jumped and lashed out with a high kick, knocking him across the head. The man fell back with a shout, cursing. ?Fuck!? He was up again in a moment, moving out of strike range. The calculation in the assailant?s gaze implied he was evaluating the best way to attack. The intensity of his stare was unnerving. ?I?m not going to let you run into that house.? Gio saw the moment he decided to attack again. Gio cocked the gun and held it on him, a cold smile spreading on his face. ?Burning my house down was a bad idea. Who the fuck sent you?? ?Burn your house down?? He looked startled then straightened, staring at him as if he was crazy. ?I called it in when I saw it. I didn?t burn your house down.? ?Likely story. You just happened to conveniently come by when my house was burning??Gio marked where he would shoot him??and you happened to have a gun with you. Not to mention you attacked me.? ?Attacked you?? He laughed, a bitter sound. ?You?re the one who has my gun. What the hell are you? I?ve never seen anyone move that fast.? ?Don?t.? Gio dropped his tone lower. ?I will shoot you.? ?If you shoot me it?ll be murder,? the man scoffed. ?You won?t commit cold-blooded murder.? ?Whoever sent you didn?t do a good job of informing you about me.? Gio lowered his lids and smiled. ?I don?t mind a little blood.? ?No one sent me. As for not minding a little blood?? He stopped, his expression hardening. ?Are you a criminal? Is that why someone burned your house down?? ?You tell me why you burned my house down.? Gio leveled the gun at his head. ?Now.? ?I?m getting really tired of you holding my gun on me.? He crossed his arms over his...