“Alessio…” I begged.
He sighed and wrapped his hand around mine. We held the gun together. “I’ll help you, Angel.”
His voice was gruff in my ears, almost impatient but filled with so much pride.
The gun was pointed at Alberto’s kneecap. “One bullet, Angel. But don’t kill him. I’m not done with him yet.”
When I didn’t move, Alessio urged me. “Go ahead.”
Our fingers latched onto the trigger.
Bang!
My ears rang, and I winced, closing my eyes.
Alberto screamed so loud it echoed around the chamber. My heart leaped, and my breathing came out harsher.
His scream of agony kept on going. When I opened my eyes, I saw him writhing on the floor. Blood was everywhere, even on my dress.
Before I knew what was happening, Alessio was in front of me. The gun was taken out of my hand, and I was being pushed back.
Alessio put his arms around me. I buried my face in his chest. Alberto was still screaming as Alessio half-carried me out of the basement.
The door closed with a bang, and I flinched. It sounded so much like the gunshot.
I shivered from cold and pain. So much pain.
I didn’t think the pain would ever end.
I cried in Alessio’s chest. He smelled of blood. He was covered with it.
But I was covered with it, too.
The thought made me gag, and I pushed away from Alessio.
I just shot another person.
How…?
My baby moved, and I felt a hard kick. My princess.
Alessio pulled me into his chest again. “Don’t pull away from me, Angel.”
“I hurt him,” I whispered. “I hurt him, Alessio.”
“I know. You were so brave in there. So beautiful. Like an avenging Angel,” he whispered. “I’m in awe and so fucking proud of you.”
I felt light-headed and sagged against Alessio, all energy deserting me.
“I never wanted you to see him like this. I know you want to kill him, Angel. But you won’t be able to live with it,” Alessio said, his voice low but filled with understanding.
“Killing someone is never easy. It will haunt you forever. Your hands will always be tainted with his blood. I know you. Even though he deserves it, you won’t be able to live with the fact you took another’s person life,” he continued.
I hiccupped back a sob and held him tighter. He understood me. Of course he understood me. Alessio could read me like an open book.
Sometimes I felt like he knew me better than I knew myself.
“I don’t want you to dirty your hands as long as I am alive. Let me do this.” Alessio paused and palmed my cheeks. He tilted my head up, staring into my eyes.
“Let me be your monster. Let me kill for you, Angel.”
I nodded silently. Bringing our lips together, we kissed. Softly and gently. A contrast of what was happening around us.
Pulling away, I placed my hand over his beating heart. It matched the rhythm of my own. We breathed together, our eyes never leaving each other.
“Make him pay, Alessio. I want him to hurt…like he hurt me,” I whispered. “Does that make me a bad person? For me to wish death upon someone else?”
Alessio shook his head. “Never. He deserves everything he got and will get. By the time I’m done with him, he won’t even be able to beg for his death.”
I wiped my tears away. “I just want to be safe from him. I want our princess to be safe from him.”
“He will never hurt you again,” Alessio promised. We kissed again, our tongues dancing together. Alessio deepened the kiss, and I held him tighter.
Princess landed a hard kick to my side, and Alessio pulled away, looking down at my stomach. “Damn, that was a hard kick. Is she practicing in there?”
“You felt that?”
He nodded, rubbing the bump. “Go upstairs and take a hot shower. I will come for you at night. Wait for me in the piano room,” Alessio demanded, his eyes softening just the slightest bit.
His face wasn’t soft or gentle. My sweet lover was gone. In his place was a man filled with vengeance and the need to kill.
I had learned to love this side of Alessio too.
And now I would patiently wait for my sweet lover to come back.
In the meantime, I would let him wreak havoc.
I placed another kiss on his lips. “Do your worst, Alessio.”
Chapter 20
My back was aching as I walked up the stairs. Even the soles of my feet were aching. And I barely did anything today. Nobody would let me do anything. I wasn’t allowed to leave the bed or the couch.
I sighed, my shoulders dropping. I was bored, and I missed Alessio.
Eighteen hours without him.
The last time I saw him was the night before, when I played the piano for him. After that, we went to sleep.
But I woke up without him, his side of the bed cold. Like he wasn’t even there.