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“No!” I can barely speak.
I choke on the knot that has my throat closing.
“Fuck!!” I roar, taking another look through my burning eyes.
Her engagement ring.
“Frankie, get the fuck out of there. The rest of it’s gonna collapse!”
I swing around to see my brother, face streaming with tears as he looks at the devastation he’s caused.
Reluctantly, I drag myself to my feet. The wall and ceiling groan and I hear wood break. A piece of plaster bounces off my shoulder, hurrying me to lunge out of the door before I’m crushed, dropping Leila’s hand as I do.
Continuing past Marco, I can’t look at him. Anger builds within me so tightly, I might fucking kill him if I do. Each step crushes me as I walk away from her.
A hollow ache wraps around my heart.
She’s gone.
Tears burn in my eyes, and my chest heaves as I sink onto the ground, wishing it would just swallow me up, too.
The pain is almost too much to bear.
“Frankie.” I can hear the despair in his voice as he approaches me.
“Frankie, I know you’re hurting,” he repeats.
I suck in a breath, white rage taking over. It’s a mistake to be vulnerable to him. To show him how badly this is ripping me apart. He’ll never let me forget this if he sees it.
My gun points at him before I turn.
“Don’t take another step towards me, or I will blow your motherfucking brains out.”
He holds his hands up in surrender, tears rolling down his face.“My daughters. My wife.”
My finger twitches over the trigger. But all I can see replaying in my mind are the visions of Rosa and Eva playing in the yard. That’s the last place Leila said they were.
With a huff, I lower my arm. For them, I’ll tolerate his presence. I need to find my nieces.
Let’s hope Rosa and Eva didn’t listen to Leila and stayed outside.
Without a word, I head off, and he follows behind me as we skirt the remains of the house. The girls always played by the swings. The glass crunches under my shoes as we step around the corner. Marco rushes past me towards the two small bodies lying motionless in the grass.
My knees sink into the soft earth as I pull a limp Rosa into my arms. Marco cradles Eva, and a low moan escapes his throat. I put two fingers to Rosa’s neck, searching for a sign of life.
“She has a pulse,” I call out to Marco, who nods.
I cuddle her into my chest, cupping her bloodstained head as I carry her to my car.
Carefully placing her on the backseat, a new wave of fury surges within me as Marco turns to face me.
I pull out my gun from my shoulder holster and press it against his forehead.
“Once I know the girls are okay, you won’t be seeing me for a while.”
Pressing the barrel harder against his skin, he gulps.I can’t believe my brother would do this to us.
“I’m letting you live so you can care for my nieces. But, don’t mistake that for anything more. They don’t deserve to be orphans; they need you. Just know that I will be coming for you. I will make you pay for what you’ve done. You will die for this, Marco. And so will Romano.”
I’d take them if I could, but they’re safer without me. But when the time is right, I will be back for them. I’ll make sure of it.
“I’m sorry, Frankie.”
“No. We’re done. Enjoy the time you have left with your family, because I will end it.”
My life has been ripped from under me. I have nothing.
I will hold on to this searing pain and use it for my revenge.
Today I watched my future go up in flames, and I left myself in the ashes.
