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“No.”
The fact he paid my little Petal a visit means he’s already sampling her and how to use her against me.
She can’t stay here for another fucking second.
If Lucio already put her in his sights, there’s no fucking stopping him —he’ll keep her close and kill everything she has ever held dear.
My eyes widen and my hold around her arm loosens.
You’re not a dog.
Lucio didn’t save you.
You were never a dog, Jasper. Costa has always —
The words swirl around my head like a fucking tornado.
The images of a small boy being shoved into the basement by his mother barges into my mind.
She was crying but held a finger to her mouth and told him to stay quiet. Screams echoed in the air, cries, shots.
Lots of fucking shots.
The boy’s face was ashen, pale. I watch his lips trembling and his eyes welling with tears as if I’m there with him.
He doesn’t cry, though. He can’t. He wants to come out of there and protect his mama and his little sister because that’s what his dad told him, he said it’s his duty to protect his family.
His mother shrieks as she falls back against the opening, covering him from view. Her vacant blue eyes stare at him, then out of nowhere, blood trickles down her mouth and drips on his face.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
“All done, boss.”
“Wrap it up,” the malicious very familiar voice, says. “I want this line in the newspaper tomorrow, the Vitallio family died in unfortunate shooting.”
Laughter breaks down and it’s like scratching on a board to that boy’s ears. His mother’s vacant eyes stare at him, his baby sister is no longer crying like usual. His father and nonna and the servants are all gone.
It’s only him now.
The only Vitallio with no family to protect.
“Jasper?”
“Jasper!”
A soft voice calls my name before a palm touches my face.
I grab it with my other hand and twist it back, nearly breaking it.
My little Petal shrieks and I let her go with a jerk. I’m breathing heavily, as if my lungs are about to give up on me.
Fuck! Fuck!
The boy, that boy was me. I’m the last of the Vitallio that the Costa family finished in cold blood.
Enzo and Serrano knew that. Just how many more knew I killed for the family that slaughtered mine?
“Fuck!”
“Jas… are you okay?” My little Petal’s small arms wrap around my waist tentatively. It’s clear she’s scared, but instead of running away, of leaving me be with my dark thoughts, she chooses to come closer.
I wrap my arms around her waist and lower my head to hers, breathing her in, her scent and her calm.
My little Petal has always been my calm, even when we were kids.
For a few seconds, it’s peace. It’s just me, Petal and the silence surrounding us like a cocoon.
“Jas, what is it?”
“Pack your things, we’re leaving.”
She jerks away as if I hit her. “What?”
“You heard me.” There’s no way in fuck I’m leaving her in Lucio Costa’s orbit.
I’m not exactly sure where we’ll go from here, but it has to be away from Lucio’s orbit.
Petal might me a Costa heir, but she’s also my little Petal.
“I can’t just leave,” she says slowly, spooked almost. “I have a life here, I have work, friends, my cats!”
“Those don’t fucking matter.”
“Of course they do. You can’t just tell me to leave.”
“You’re a mafia princess, Pet. And do you know what they do to mafia princesses? They marry them off to be abused and impregnated. They usually die of mental illness, or in my mom’s case, a fucking bullet to the heart. Don’t make me repeat myself, pack your fucking things.”
Her lips part and she opens her mouth to say something but soon closes it then opens it again. “W-what the hell are you talking about?”
I grab her by the arm. “You’ll find out when we’re out of here.”
“No.” She wiggles free. “I’m not going with you.”
“Georgie.”
“If you make me, I’m calling the cops.”
I reach into my pocket and thrust the phone in her hand. “Do it, then.”
“W-what?”
I dial 911 for her then put it on speaker. “There you go. Tell them to come for me. Do it, Pet.”
Her bottom lip trembles and she stares between me and the phone as if it’s some sort of doom.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
I mouth, ‘Do it.’
Her frantic gaze bounces between me and the phone.
“Hello?” the lady asks. “This is 911, how may I help you?”
Last chance, Petal.
A tear slides down her cheek as she hits the hang-up icon.
My little Petal doesn’t want me gone. Not that I would’ve allowed them to take me, but the fact she didn’t push a report despite having the chance means a lot fucking more than she could ever imagine.
She just sealed her fate.
“This doesn’t mean I’m going with you.” She juts her chin. “I won’t.”
I reach for her neck and wrap my fingers around it. It’s a soft touch that my little Petal leans into with no protest. My head lowers and I capture her lips in a quick soft kiss.
