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I cup her cheek. “You won’t. These guys are real-life superheroes. They’ll keep you safe, I promise.” She nods, telling the others before S helps get them on the bus.
Irina looks at me, tears running down her face. “I hope your father is okay.”
“Me too.”
“Thank you, Nova. Thank you all,” she says to Vice and the others, not looking at their faces, then she turns and runs to board the bus.
S climbs in with them, giving me a wave. J crosses his arms and looks me over. “I heard you got married.”
Vice steps up behind me and wraps his arm across my chest. “You heard right.”
“Good. Maybe he can take care of Aldo for you.”
“That’s the plan,” Vice murmurs, his body tense.
J nods. “Do me a favor, Nova. Go be happy. Don’t come back. There is nothing here but heartbreak. They don’t deserve you. They never did.”
He turns and walks away. I watch as the bus pulls away, and only the taillights are visible before I turn to look at Vice.
“You have some explaining to do, wife.”
Chapter 34
Vice
I’m still simmering with rage when we pull up outside the house, Nova’s hand clutched tightly in mine, even though she’s sitting right beside me. Veck is driving Nova’s Mustang back, much to his delight, leaving Conner and Isaac with us. Everyone is quiet now that Nova has filled us in on who J and S are and her involvement with them, likely sensing how close to the edge I am.
When I heard Nova’s car start up earlier, I thought I was hearing things. But when I looked out the window and saw her taillights disappearing out the gates, I just about lost my mind. I started tracking her right away, even while I was calling. I was already pissed, but when she refused to listen and hung up on me, something in me snapped.
It was only after seeing her safe and with those girls when we tracked her to that storage facility that I managed to hold back from losing it. Unfortunately, my anger didn’t disappear. It was lying in wait until I had her back in my arms.
Conner jumps out and opens my door just as Veck pulls in. I climb out, taking Nova with me and dragging her into the house. Miles is waiting with an anxious Turner hovering near the door, wringing his hands. I dismiss Turner for the night before pulling Nova into the dining room next to the table littered with discarded pizza and whiskey glasses.
The others file in behind us, fanning out around the room as I whirl around and feel my temper flair. “You put yourself in danger tonight.”
She doesn’t say anything, just stands there looking at me, her hands relaxed at her sides.
“I ordered you to come back, but you disobeyed me before hanging up on me. You knew I’d come for you. Knew my men would.” I step closer, towering over her, as she looks up at me with such defiance blazing in her eyes. “We followed you into Aldo’s territory, giving him the right to shoot us on sight. You didn’t care about your safety or theirs.”
Guilt flashes in her eyes. She turns her head, probably to apologize, but I grip her jaw and keep her eyes on me.
“I’m not just your husband, Nova. I’m your don. You disobeyed a direct order, putting everyone in danger. There are consequences to your actions.”
She swallows as I release her jaw.
“It was Alessio who got you into this mess. If I cut out his tongue, he can’t call you anymore, can he?”
“Don’t,” she snaps.
“Such fucking loyalty to him, but where is my fucking loyalty?” I roar at her.
“I have been nothing but loyal to you. I saved you twice. Fuck, it’s because of me that you’re standing here as the don threateningto punish me. You don’t get to talk to me about loyalty when you shredded my trust with a video and a bloody sheet. A day ago, I would have come to you after Alessio called. Today, I stood in our room and realized I couldn’t trust you. And yeah, that’s on me. The stupid girl who married a monster. Now I know I’m nothing but a pawn.”
Her words feel like glass, embedding themselves in my skin.
“I should never have set foot in that prison. I should have shoved my gun in my mouth and pulled the trigger.”
Raw, scolding heat washes over my body before agony races through my veins at the thought of never having her. A switch is flipped, a red haze envelops everything, and then I’m the monster she always knew me to be.
