“What a colourful lie.”
Beside me, Cam grunted, but I couldn’t tell if it was through the dismantling pain he had to be in or amusement.
I resisted the urge to check, just, and pushed Gianni forward, making him trip on his shaky legs. “The Crows were seeking vengeance they are too weak to inflict themselves. I killed their president and his friend. I kept this one alive as a consolation prize.”
“It’s true,” Gianni said. “He snapped their necks with his bare hands.”
I smiled again. “Good boy.”
The Sambinis tugged their prince into their fold, backing up, inch by inch. Only Lorenzo remained, and I began to admire him a little. I would not have enjoyed killing him.
You haven’t killed anyone yet.
Yet. A tiny word with so much power.
I stepped closer to Lorenzo, ignoring the wrench in my heart as the movement put distance between me and Cam. Russian words surged up my throat and I let them, knowing Viktor would translate. I was bored with this. I needed it to be over.Camneeded it to be over. “Gianni knows what will happen to you and everyone you’ve ever cared about if you do not follow my instructions. Believe him when he tells you what I am capable of.”
Lorenzo nodded, but it was autopilot more than acquiesce. I’d frightened him and I liked it enough that the devil I was fighting to contain battered the walls I’d built around it. I wanted to frighten Lorenzo more. Only Cam’s suffering presence at my back restrained me.
“Go,” I whispered. “Remember what you have seen and heard today. I do not like repeating myself.”
Lorenzo Sambini held my gaze for a fleeting moment; then he stepped back, escaping the web I’d snared him in when I’d invaded his personal space.
He rejoined his men and they melted away.
Viktor went with them, leaving me alone in the darkness, but barely a heartbeat passed before I felt him.
Before I feltthem.
Cam was too wrecked to speak. As Saint held him up, he pressed his lips to the hollow behind my ear.
“You’re not as cold as you think you are.”
29
Cam
I had no idea who he was.
How he’d bewitched and terrified two international crime families into bowing to his word.
I just knew I wasn’t scared of him.
That I loved him in a strange and beautiful way that was as inexplicable as it was consuming.
I buried my face in Alexei’s neck, absorbing the impact of what he’d done for us had inflicted on him. I felt his pain and trauma in the tiny, subtle shiver he let pass through him, and I knew Saint did too.
Saint and Alexei. I was missing something there, but I was too destroyed to figure it out.
I swayed on my feet.
Only Saint’s arms kept me upright as I raised my head.
“Where’s everyone else?” I choked out. “Orla—”
“We evacuated.” Nash limped to my side, casting Alexei an unreadable glance. “Saint knew something was coming so I gave the order.”
“Rubi?”