Christ Almighty.
I can feel Franco behind me, and it offers me some comfort knowing if I fail, he will be able to take revenge for me.
Umbria begins to chuckle, the sound filled with madness. “Finally, you’re a hard man to kill.”
“Umbria? Who the fuck are you?” I spit the question out, even though I already know the answer.
“Eva Lucas, your father’s trash.”
Her words make me frown. “My father? What does he have to do with you?”
“I’m the one he threw aside for your mother. I was fed to Valentino.”
My finger flexes around the trigger, but I can’t take the shot without risking Elena.
“All Cotroni men are the same. All liars. I’m doing Elena a favor by killing you, just like I killed your father.”
My eyes lock on my wife’s, and then Elena grabs the knife from her shoulder, and pulling it out with an infuriated cry, she buries it in her mother’s side.
Elena rips out of Eva’s hold, and without hesitating, I take the shot. Eva stumbles back from the bullet hitting her chest, and as I stalk toward her, I bury another one in her throat.
Eva falls to the floor, gurgling through the blood building in her throat. As I come to stand next to her, I lock eyes with her. “This is for my father.” Training the barrel on her head, I pull the trigger.
I watch as she stops breathing, her eyes dulling as death creeps in.
I savor this moment, wanting to never forget it.
Satisfaction fills me, and the sorrow of losing my father loosens its grip on my heart.
I’ve avenged you, Papà. Now you can rest in peace with Mamma.
Elena takes hold of my arm. “I’m so sorry,” she says as she presses her body to mine, looking for refuge from the death surrounding us.
It was a fucking bloodbath.
I lift my right arm, still gripping my Glock, and wrap it around her.
She raises her face to mine, her mouth slowly curving up with relief. “Angelo mio.”
“I told you I’d go to the depths of hell for you,” I say, still fucking processing everything that’s happened today but wanting my wife to know I will always come for her.
I push Elena away from me, my eyes roving over her to make sure she didn’t get shot. Not finding any other wounds besides the cut on her arm and the stab wound to her shoulder eases the merciless grip panic had on my heart.
It takes a moment for me to realize Elena’s okay, then I press my mouth to her forehead and take a deep breath of her scent. My sanity returns, and slipping my arms beneath her body, I lift her to my chest and bark an order at Franco, “Let’s get out of here.”
My eyes scan over the room. Valentino’s mutilated, dead body is strapped to a chair.
Eva Lucas. Umbria. Finally fucking dead.
With Franco in front of us, we head out of the study and down the hallway. Random gunshots still ring in the air, and then it grows quiet.
All my men gather our wounded and dead, and then we head back toward the remaining vehicles, knowing we have to haul ass. It’s going to cost me a fuck-ton of money to silence law enforcement, but I’ll pay whatever I have to.
Alexei and Demitri get into an SUV with us. As Franco floors the gas and we speed away from Tino’s destroyed kingdom, we all glance at each other.
These men. They went to war for me. For Elena.
Alexei’s eyes lower to the blood staining Elena’s shirt. “Demitri will take care of the wounds.”
“Thank you,” Elena whispers, and then she burrows against my chest.
I press my lips to her forehead, just needing to feel her warmth.
Knowing my wife is safely in my arms where she belongs, my mind turns to Eva. How does Nick Cabello fit into it, and where the fuck is he?
Remembering Valentino’s mutilated body, I feel nothing. He deserved the death he got. You live hard, you die hard. It’s just the way it is.
But he’s dead. Dante’s dead. Umbria, aka Eva Lucas, is dead.
My eyes caress Elena’s face.
Amore mio, I’ve defeated your demons.
ELENA
After Demitri is done stitching up my wounds, I lift my gaze to Lucian’s. He hasn’t left my side for a second, gripping my hand tightly where he’s sitting next to me on the couch.
I lower my eyes and whisper, “I’m sorry. I was so stupid.”
He shakes his head. “You’re okay. It’s all that matters.”
“I put your life in danger,” the words shudder from me.
If Lucian had died today, it would’ve been my fault. I’ll never forgive myself.
“Tell me what happened,” he demands, residual anger tightening his features.
“My mother called and said she had you,” I admit the biggest mistake I’ve ever made. “I didn’t think and just wanted to get to you.”