Bound by Hatred (Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles 3)

“We waited for you,” Tito said.

“Does it look as if Tito started his work yet?” Nino asked eagerly. The kid had a sick fascination with torture.

“Good.” I stalked toward Gianna’s attacker. He glowered at me. “What’s your name?” I asked.

“Fuck you,” he said in heavily accented English.

I smiled at Tito, Romero and Nino. Then I unsheathed my knife and held it out for the Russian bastard to admire. “You sure you don’t want to tell me your name?”

He spit in front of my feet. “Where’s that red-haired whore? Her pussy was calling for me.”

Nino nudged Romero with an eager smile. Tito had pulled his own knife and was wiping it on his jeans.

“Tough words for a dead man,” I said lightly.

“I won’t tell you anything.”

“That’s what they all say.” I stepped closer. “Let’s see how tough you really are. Twenty minutes is the longest it ever took me to get someone’s name.”

I slammed my fist into his side, right over his left kidney. While he gasped for breath, I nodded at Tito to start his work on the other Russian bastard.

Twelve minutes later I’d learned that the man in front of me was called Boris and had been working for the Bratva in New York for six years, before that he’d been in Saint Petersburg. He was still reluctant to give me more than the basic information. I paused, staring down at his blood covered face. “You sure you don’t have an answer to my question?”

He coughed, blood dripping down onto his shirt. “Fuck you.”

“I can do this all night, but I can promise you, it won’t be pretty.”Gianna

I grew tired of waiting for the Doc to show up. I didn’t feel very dizzy anymore, and I barely winced when I straightened. And to be honest, being alone freaked me out after what had happened today. I’d been sure we’d all die, and my body still wasn’t convinced otherwise. My pulse was fast and occasionally I broke into a sweat. All because the mob had a bone to pick with the Bratva.

I walked out of my room, then hesitated in the corridor. My eyes darted to the end of the hallway where the master bedroom was. Luca and the Doc were probably still taking care of Aria. They’d send me away if I tried to walk in, or worse lock me into the guest bedroom so I couldn’t wander the house. I decided to go in search for Lily and Fabi instead. I yanked my phone out of my pocket and sent my sister a text.

Where R U?

Instead of replying, a door opened and Lily’s dark-blond head poked out. Her face was puffy from crying and her eyes were huge and fearful. When her gaze settled on me, she ran in my direction and threw her arms around me.

“Where’s Fabi?” I asked when I could breathe again. My ribs were throbbing fiercely from her hug but I didn’t want her to know I was hurt. She looked terrified as it was.

“Asleep. They gave him some kind of sleeping pill because he was having a meltdown.” She looked up at me. “I was so scared, Gianna. I thought we were all going to die, but Romero protected Fabi and me.”

Her cheeks turned red. Her crush on Romero had been growing rapidly over the last few months. I didn’t have it in me to tell her what kind of man he must be if Luca chose him as Aria’s protector. Lily would realize soon enough that we were surrounded by the bad guys, not knights in shining armor.

“What about Aria? Romero only said she was fine before he left Fabi and me alone in that room and told me not to walk around the house because it was too dangerous.”

“She was shot in the shoulder, but the Doc is taking care of her. She’ll be alright.”

That’s what I hoped. My eyes darted to the master bedroom again. I’d have to try to sneak in later when the Doc and Luca were gone.

“Go back to your room, I’ll be back soon.” I turned to leave but Lily followed me like a lost puppy.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“Downstairs. I want to see the damage.”

“I’m coming with you.”

I sighed. Aria would have told our sister ‘no’, but it was hypocritical of me to tell Lily to behave when I’d rarely followed orders in my life. Lily wasn’t a small kid anymore. “Okay, but be quiet and stay away from the men.”

Lily rolled her eyes. “I’m not interested in them.”

“I didn’t say you were, but they might be interested in you.”

I really didn’t want to have to explain Luca that I had to kill one of his men because they touched Lily. Of course, I’d first have to figure out a way to kill them. We headed downstairs. The entrance hall was a mess. Blood and broken glass littered the floor. At least the bodies were gone, but a trail of blood led outside to a pile of dead Russians. I really hoped they didn’t treat Umberto’s body like that. My chest tightened but I fought the sadness. Umberto had chosen this life. Death was part of the game.

I blocked Lily’s view of the corpses and dragged her toward the living room, which wasn’t in much better shape. The white couches would definitely have to be replaced. I didn’t think any bleach in the world could get out the stains. Lily made a small distressed sound and I pulled her further along, already regretting that I had allowed her to come with me. A couple of men were taking a smoking break on the terrace, and glanced our way as we passed. They didn’t seem bothered by the blood. I walked faster.

“Hey,” Lily protested but I ignored her. If I’d been on my own, I wouldn’t have cared but I didn’t want to put my sister in danger.

We headed to the back of the house where the kitchen was, and almost bumped into another man. “Watch where you’re going,” he said, then paused and actually checked us out. I didn’t know him and I had no interest of finding out more about him.