Twisted Bonds (The Camorra Chronicles 4)

“You’ll burn them anyway. The moment we’ve passed out, you’ll kill them,” I said tonelessly.

Our mother shook her head with a soft smile. “No, no, she’s a victim like I was, and the boy isn’t yours, so he can live as well. We have to go but not them, boys, don’t you see?”

Savio stared at her in disgust. “Fuck, if I’d known how batshit crazy you are, I would have killed you myself.”

“See?” she said. “It’s in you like it is in them, like it was in your father.” She regarded us. She motioned at Carmine, who gave her an incredulous look, then he handed me my knife back. “Either you’ll cut your wrists now, or I’ll burn them. I’ll count to three.”

Kiara began crying softly, rocking Alessio.

I brought the blade to my forearm, then slashed horizontally, never taking my eyes off Kiara.

“No!” she gasped, but it was the only way, and she knew.

“Good,” Mother crooned. “Now the other.” I slashed my other wrist, feeling the warm liquid slithering down my palms then my fingers before it dripped to the floor. There was no pain, no fear, nothing, only the determination to save my wife and son.

“Two,” Mother counted. “Savio, Remo.”

I glanced at my brothers and held out my knife for them to take, feeling empty inside, and at the same time filled with a terror like never before, not for myself, but for Kiara and Alessio.

Remo grasped the knife with a growl, and holding my gaze he cut his wrists open and my shoulders sagged.

“Fuck,” Savio breathed, closing his eyes.

Fabiano’s eyes glistened as he pressed his lips together. I could see him working on his bindings but from his look of despair he wasn’t making progress.

“One,” Mother warned.

Savio opened his eyes, snatched the knife from Remo and slashed his wrists. I gave him a grateful look before he lowered his gaze to the blood running down his hands. I wished he didn’t have to share this experience with us.

CHAPTER 27

KIARA

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be.

I sucked in air but it didn’t reach my lungs. I took in the growing pool of blood on the floor, dripping from the veins of the men who’d become my family. All of them putting down their life so I and Alessio could live, but I couldn’t let them, couldn’t allow it. Remo had Serafina and the twins who needed a father and husband, and Savio was too young, he needed to get the chance to find what we had—someone he loved and who loved him back. I wouldn’t take that from him.

Mrs. Falcone pointed at one of the men. “Now get me that knife.”

“We want the rest of our money. We aren’t your soldiers, remember that.”

Mrs. Falcone only smiled. “There’s plenty of money in the glove compartment of the car. It’s yours. Now give me that knife.” She’d closed the lighter but it wouldn’t take long to open it again.

Remo laughed darkly and wiped sweat off his forehead, spreading blood all over his face. “She tricked you. She doesn’t have more money. Or did she show you?”

The men exchanged looks.

“Not another word,” Mrs. Falcone warned, raising the lighter once more. “I’ve had enough time to hide money before you arrived in Vegas.”

A shadow in the corner of my eye caught my attention, and from the brief flicker of recognition on Nino’s face, he’d seen it too. Someone was crossing the garden from Fabiano’s mansion.

“We want our money. We need it to establish control. You said you could hide several millions.”

“She’s a lying bitch,” Remo growled.

“Don’t call me that!” she shrieked.

Remo’s mouth curled. “Do my eyes remind you of Father?” He smiled. “Oh, they do, don’t they? He didn’t turn out to be the prince you hoped for, right? Was it worth it killing his fiancée to become the alpha bee yourself?”

“You … you …” she gasped, moving closer to Remo, panting. He was taunting her, drawing her away from me.

And then everything happened too fast. Adamo stormed inside through the French windows and barreled into his mother’s back, clamping his hand down on her fist with the lighter and at the same time he drove a knife up into her stomach. Her eyes grew wide and they both tumbled to the floor.

For a moment, the whooshing in my ears was the only sound, then the screams crashed through the blissful cacophony.

Nino stormed toward me. One of the men stepped in his way with a raised gun. I jumped up and kicked his shin at the same time as he fired. The bullet tore through Nino’s upper arm but then he was upon the man, broke his leg with a kick to the knee before gripping him by the back of the head and jerking his face down on his knee. The man fell to his side, gurgling. Nino took the gun, feeling the man’s chin. “I broke your jaw. I hope you can scream anyway.” He gripped the man’s fingers and jerked them back, causing him to cry hoarsely. “Not the best screams I’ve heard, but they’ll do. Later.” He straightened, stepping over the man. Remo and Savio had knocked out the other men and were freeing Fabiano.