Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33564 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
“You’ll never touch her.” I step toward him, the same rage he poured into me coming right back out. It’s volcanic and destructive, and I’ll unleash every last bit of it on him if it means she’s safe.
He smirks, his beady eyes narrowing. “Take him.” His soldiers rush me, but Sal gets to me first, grabbing me and pressing his pistol to my temple.
“At least I have one worthy son.” My father points to the ground. “Get on your knees, Sergei. You’re about to learn a lesson about loyalty.”
Sal pushes me down. I should be thinking about all the bad shit that’s about to happen to me. But I don’t. I think about one thing and one thing only. My Olivia.
22
OLIVIA
“I’m going to kill them all,” my brother Vincent seethes. He’s pacing back and forth in my dad’s office. “Every last Taletti.” He’s out for blood.
Sergei’s last words still haunt me. “I got what I wanted. Your virgin pussy. Now you can go home to your father and tell him how much you loved it when a Taletti fucked you.”
I fight not to cry, because as much as I hate him right now, I don’t want him to die. I also don’t think it’s fair that my brother doesn’t know the blood he’s after courses through his own veins. I peek over at my mom. She’s trying to keep it together. I’m sure she’s thinking the same as I am.
The only reason she didn’t let my dad kill Luca Taletti all those years ago was because it would not only cause a war but it would be killing Vincent’s father–no matter how much he might deserve it.
“We’re not killing him.” All of our attention snaps to Leon. He is always the first to crack a joke or lighten the mood, but when it comes down to anything serious, he stands with Antonio, no questions asked. The two of them have always been a team.
I’d be jealous if not for having a sister of my own and understanding the bond that can grow. There are things I would only ever whisper into her ear. I’m sure Leon and Vincent have that same bond. While we all love each other, some of us understand each other better than others.
“Are you fucking serious? He kidnapped our sister and then…” My brother trails off, unwilling to finish his sentence.
Anger bursts through me at him trying to be ‘delicate’ about me. I’m not a child. I sit at this table with the rest of them. Him holding his tongue insults me, but I don’t think he understands that.
“Took my virginity,” I fill in. “I get that you don’t want to be crude, but we’re all adults here. Just to be crystal clear, he didn’t take anything. I gave it to him willingly. We’re talking about taking people's lives. It’s not a time to mince your words.”
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.” Father’s words mean more than Vincent knows right now.
“Ida B. Wells.” I smile at my father.
“He’s right.” My mom stands from my dad’s lap where she’d been perched since we all entered his office. “You should know who you want to kill.”
The room falls into utter silence as mom tells her story. I can’t take my eyes off Vincent, unsure of how he’s going to react to this. He’s quiet for a long moment after my mom gives him all of her secrets.
“Do you think that makes me want to kill him less? The Taletti men not only hurt my sister but my mother too.”
“Not all of them.” Leon puts his hand on Vincent’s shoulder. His words only go to show the man my father made of Vincent. Our father. Vincent truly knows who his father is. Luca Taletti is nothing more than a man who needs to die.
Vincent, incredulous, stares at him.
“I’m not saying Luca shouldn’t die, brother,” Leon adds quickly. “I’m saying we need to save Sergei.”
“What?” Vincent spins, knocking Leon’s hand from his shoulder.
“He saved our sister's life. They will kill him for that.” Leon glances at me. “He said what he needed to in order to get you to go, but before that, what did he tell you?”
My nose starts to burn at the memory. At how Sergei had changed into a man that I didn’t recognize.
“That he loves me.” I love him too. Even when he uttered those cruel words, my heart was still his. Even if I didn’t want it to be.
“I think he clearly knows you well. He knew the only way to get you to leave was to say those things. He wanted you gone before his father showed up to claim what Sergei was supposed to hand over to him.”
I gasp, all the air leaving my body. If that’s true then … “He set himself up to be killed.” The tears I’m trying to hold back break free. “For me. He let me go knowing it would be his death.”