“Well, Jason Larvin, none of us have time for pleasantries. Why don’t you cut to the chase and tell me what incited thisfamilyreunion?”
“I wanted to see the hoor I lost my parents, my brother and my whole empire to because of her, her filthy mucs and the fucking Italians.”
“Nice to meet you, too,manky pollandyourfucking Italians.”
He straightened up with a snort. “You think I’d repeat the same mistake my father made? The Lanzas are still in their holes where the belonged. What you see, lass,” he gestured at the masked men surrounding him, “is my own army that I raised back home. They’re all honoring our legacy, not outsiders.”
“Good for you.”
“And for what I came here to do. You’re nothing but a stinky worm that would lure all the big fish out, and when they come to rescue you, thinking they have enough men to stop me…” He laughed slowly. “Poor fuckers. They won’t have the time to blink before their bodies pile on top of each other.”
“If you think your filthy mucs will stand a chance against mine, think again. I have the Night Skulls and the Bellomos with all their crew and arsenals backing me up. What do you have? Some mercenaries?”
“No, lass. It’s not some mercenaries I rallied from the streets. It’s the IRA with all their soldiers and arsenals. Ever heard?”
Fuck.
He bent again, holding my gaze with all the hate in the world. “God, I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. The moment I look you in the eye and smile when we both know you’re not going to see another day alive, to make sure you know the name of the man that single-handedly ends your gobshite line.”
I stared back at the stupid smirk on his face and headbutted him in the chest so hard he stumbled back, wheezing and out of balance he almost tripped. Then I spat in his face.
His militia held me down while he recovered. He flashed his stinky teeth at me for a second before the back of his hand knocked me down on the floor. My head banged against the concrete. After all the hits I took on the head today, I must have had a concussion. My mouth and nose tasted of blood. The drugs seemed to have worn off because the pain thrummed through my whole body, not just my skull and face.
I ignored the physical pain, my mind fixed on the most acute one. The fear of getting my unborn baby hurt. I tried to move, but as I began to feel my limbs, I realized I was tied to the chair that was now broken from the impact. “You will pay heavily for this, Jason Larvin.”
He crouched and yanked my hair so roughly I felt it coming off my scalp. Then he opened a dagger with a big silver L on the handle and cut a piece of my hair. “For the package I’ll send your ol’man.” He nodded at one of his men. The soldier got a phone out of his pocket and started filming me.
I opened my mouth to warn Furore and Tirone, but before I could utter a word, Jason ran the blade along my arm, drawing blood, and all that came out of my mouth was my screams.
“Better hurry up, lads. I don’t know how long I can hold myself back from killing your hoor.” He laughed again and ordered the man to send the video.
Heart in shreds, I didn’t know what to wish for. For Furore and Tirone to listen and come save me and our baby or for my quick death that would spare them? If it were just me, the choice would have been so easy. I’d done it before, and I’d do it now. I still loved them and had every intention to sacrifice my life for them.
But it wasn’t just my life on the line. There was an innocent soul growing inside me that I’d do anything in this world to protect.
Jason stabbed my other arm and twisted the blade. I screamed in rage more than pain. He laughed at me. “We’re going to have a very long night together, sissy.”
Could this be happening? The day I found out I was finally pregnant was the same day I was about to lose everyone I loved, my life and my baby’s?
CHAPTER 24
Tirone
Bile rose in my throat while Furore played the video. A tormented groan rumbled in my chest. I was aware everyone was looking at me and wondering why I was losing my mind even more than Prez, but who fucking cared? Jo was kidnapped and being tortured. She was alone and scared. Terrified she and our baby that hadn’t gotten a chance to breathe yet wouldn’t make it out of there. I lunged forward into the small distance between me and a wall and slammed into it.
“Rex, stop. Save it for that bastard,” Prez commanded.
Blood dripped from my forehead. I wiped it all over my face, the pain resonating with the one Jo must be having. My fists balled so tight my knuckles turned white, the pressure reaching all the way into my bones, as I pictured, at least, fifty ways of torturing and killing that piece of shit.
The brothers gathered as much weapons and ammunition as we could carry. Dusty and Owl wanted to join the fight, but Prez refused to get them involved. It was our fight, our ol’lady, my baby. They had their own family to protect.
I watched the video one more time, fueling my rage. Her eyes that held the light I thrived on were aching and dark, telling me I failed, telling me I deserved no light. They were right to accuse me. I was guilty. If I couldn’t protect her, I didn’t deserve her.Just breathe, my little faerie. You’ll be safe in my arms soon enough. You and our baby.
“Prez… Dad…” I talked to him in private. “Whatever happens tonight, she lives, okay?Shelives. If anything happens to me, promise me you’ll save her and take care of the baby.”
He held my face between his hands, his eyes reddening with emotions. “You’ll raise your own baby, Tirone.”
“Promise me. Promise me, Dad.”