Stolen: Dante's Vow

Charlie’s forehead is furrowed. “I can see about money having changed hands. I’ll start there if I can get access to Pérez’s account. See if we can work it backward.”

“It’s a start,” I say. “And when I meet with St. James, I’ll see what I can get out of him. It may have to do with this IVI.”

“They’re like a vault.”

“And I’ll be dealing with Petrov’s sons.”

“Forgot about them,” Cristiano says. “From what I hear you did the older one a favor taking dad out.”

“Still, I doubt he’ll send me a thank you card unless it comes with a bullet.”

“What do you want to do about them?”

“Kill them.”

“Are they important enough?”

I look at my brother. “He shared her.”

Cristiano’s jaw tightens.

“He shared her with at least one of his sons. He wouldn’t tell me which, so I figured I’d take them both out.”

My brother mutters a curse. “I should be there with you.”

“You’ve got Scarlett and the baby coming, not to mention Alessandro.”

“I can—”

“No, Cris. Just no,” I tell him.

“We can provide support from here,” Charlie offers.

I nod.

“I don’t like this,” Cristiano says.

“I’ve already arranged more men and a house,” Charlie adds. “A property in Todt Hill.”

“Staten Island?”

He nods. “It has quite some acreage and is surrounded by a twelve-foot stone wall. Our men are already there setting up and the previous owner had decent security in place.”

“Perfect.”

“When are you going back?” Cristiano asks. I know he doesn’t want me going back without him at all, but this is mine. It always has been.

“Tomorrow.”

“Does she know?”

Just then the door slams open, and we all turn. Cristiano and I both on our feet instantly, hands on our weapons before we see Noah.

He doesn’t even scan the room. His eyes land instantly on me.

“You fucking asshole!” He stalks toward me, slaps his hands against my chest to shove me. He doesn’t budge me, but I take a step forward to get in his face.

“What the fuck is your problem?” I ask.

“Noah?” Cristiano says, trying to come between us.

“What the fuck is my problem?” Noah starts. He’s foaming at the mouth. Like a rabid dog. “What’s your problem?”

“What’s going on?” Charlie asks as Cristiano steps between us.

“He hasn’t told you?” Noah asks almost spitting the words, gaze burning between me and my brother. “Hasn’t mentioned where Mara slept last night?” He tries to shove past Cristiano again, but Cristiano blocks him. “I saw her, you fucking asshole. Saw her coming out of your room!”

Cristiano’s gaze shifts to me. I’m looking at Noah, but I see him in my periphery. Periphery is a thing I took for granted before I lost my eye. Now I’m much more aware of where I am in a room, positioning myself to see.

“Get out of the way,” I tell my brother.

“I’m sure there’s an explanation,” Cristiano says tightly. I see the ‘there better be a fucking explanation’ look on his face. “Sit down,” he tells Noah and shoves him into a seat. “You too,” he tells me and closes the door. But before we even hear the click of it, Noah’s on his feet, hands gripping the collar of my shirt.

“You don’t want to start this with me, kid,” I tell him. I still haven’t touched him. I will, though. If I have to.

“How could you do that to her? After everything she’s been through?” Noah asks.

“Relax,” Cristiano tells him, yanking his hands from my collar. “She went up to the cliffs last night. Dante brought her back.”

Noah looks at him and there’s a moment of heavy silence while he processes her intention. “Fuck.”

My brother turns to me. “She slept in your room?”

I don’t owe him an explanation. He doesn’t know this version of Mara. The rescued woman. He still sees her as a little girl. Lenore’s granddaughter. Lizzie’s best friend.

She’s not those things anymore, or not only those things.

“She did.”

He must see something on my face that gives me away then. Something that has him turning on me like Noah just did. He comes to stand nose to nose. “In your bed?”

I suck in a breath.

“Brother?” he presses.

When I don’t answer, he fists my collar. “Everyone out,” he tells the others without turning away from me.

“I’m not—” Noah starts.

“Out!” he commands, and I hear Charlie talking to Noah. See them walk out of the room. Hear the click of the door closing behind them.

Cristiano slams me against the wall the instant it does. “What. The. Fuck. Did. You. Do?”

I shove off the wall and get in his face. “You think I’d hurt her?”

He grips my collar and we’re nose-to-nose. “I think you’d better have kept your dick in your pants.”

He must see on my face that I did not because he shoves me again and I knock a lamp to the floor.

I glance at it, hear the crunching of glass under my boot when I step toward my brother. “Do I need to remind you what you did with Scarlett?” I ask, shoving him back. “Forcing her into your bed.”