He hoped Phillip had underestimated her.
“Do you think it was hard? Lucas didn’t even know I existed. He already had his main son. The heir. His pride and joy. I was … nothing to him. He didn’t even see me when I stood in a room with him. It wasn’t hard to figure out I could learn everything I needed to by just being in the right place and right time. The men would come with their whores, and they would ask him to fix it. So he did. If she didn’t have an abortion, or was too far gone to, Lucas made sure the baby was taken, and I found out where. Sometimes the kids were put in foster homes, but like the case of little Stuart, he was hurt, left, and abandoned. It was a coincidence that day that you found him, you know, but I have a feeling that is what led to the Greco Smith alliance.”
Phillip glared at Roman. “I should have been picked to marry her. You’re the firstborn. You should have been married to a capo’s little virgin. Alex was meant to be mine.”
“Alex was never going to be yours,” Roman said. “Do you really think Dad was ever going to look at you?” He took a step toward his brother and immediately stopped when Phillip pressed the blade a little harder against Alex’s neck.
“Go ahead, brother. Tell me how useless I am. Tell me how Father was never going to pick me. I’ll kill her.”
“And you know I will kill you,” Liam said.
“Which is why you get to kill him,” Phillip said. “Kill Roman, and I will let Alex go. You and I, we can form an alliance. A true one. One where I guarantee that I will love and protect your daughter. Roman couldn’t keep her safe, but I can. I can give you everything you ever wanted.”
“I’m listening,” Liam said.
“You cannot be fucking serious,” Roman said.
“My daughter’s safety and happiness are my only priority. How will you keep her safe?”
“Simple, with Roman out of the way, I will be the only heir to the empire. I will make you my second in command. I will give you more power and money than you could ever dream of. You’ll have everything you want, but all you’ve got to do is kill Roman. Make him suffer. He hurt Alex. He has been plotting to hurt her for months. I heard what he wanted his friends to do. They were all going to share her.”
“I was never going to allow that to happen. Not anymore,” Roman said. No other man was ever going to touch his woman. Alex belonged to him.
He saw the tears in her eyes, the pain. He didn’t know if it was because of the knife at her neck or his words.
“I’m sorry,” he said, looking at Alex. “I’m sorry that I fucked up. I’m sorry that I … was willing to have my friends seduce you. I fucked up, Alex.”
“Enough. I have said enough!”
“My brother is not going to be good enough for you. I have heard from sources that he has a little dick, and he will never be able to satisfy you. He is a selfish, envious, little shit who wants what he can never have because you are mine and you will never be his.” He looked at Phillip. “I took her virginity, and as usual, you will be enjoying my seconds.”
“Shut your fucking mouth. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
It got Phillip exactly where he wanted him, with the knife pointed away from Alex’s neck and losing his temper, so he didn’t have time to prepare for the charge.
Roman took him down, easily overpowering Phillip.
His little brother was no match for him, and he twisted his arm, snapping it. As he did, he jerked his hand so Phillip thrust the blade into his own neck. All Roman did was be the force behind the sudden jam.
****
Alex sat on the make-do hospital bed. They were not in any medical center. Her father had grabbed her and pulled her out of the house. He’d removed the tie from her mouth and released her arms. Her neck was sore.
The doctor had already treated her wounds. The tiny nicks on her neck were nothing. The blade hadn’t done any lasting damage, but the lamp that Phillip had used to knock her out with, that had cut the back of her head. She had to have some stitches there.
“How are you feeling?” Liam asked, coming into the room.
“Fine.”
“Honey, don’t lie to me.”
“You knew who those kids were?”
“Not in the beginning, but something about the setup confused me. I dug and discovered the truth.”
“And you never told me.”
“Would it have made you love them all any less?”