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My eyes flutter, trying to open, wanting to see his handsome face, only to realize his smell is all wrong. Forcing myself to focus, I peer up and see Coy, holding me in his steady grasp.
I can’t help but search for Luca. He’s nowhere to be found. Another car squeals up, and for each step, another of their guns is taken out. I wait to be killed in Coy’s arms, but anyone who gets close is shot as he rushes for the back door of the car.
Jonny must have a sniper out here, is my last thought before the pain I felt earlier tears through my body, and a scream leaves me. My arm burns like it’s on fire. I can smell burned flesh, causing me to go lightheaded before I feel blood seeping down me and onto Coy.
“Jonny?” I ask, remembering the explosion. Coy doesn’t utter a word while keeping me in his arms even once we’re in the car. He’s yelling out instructions, and our bodies are slammed into the seat before he rips off his shirt, placing it on my arm.
In my heart, I know Jonny is dead. I’m unsure how to react to the thought. We fought, and I always said I didn’t care for him. But the ache in my heart tells me otherwise. No matter what, he was my brother. The only sibling I knew and interacted with. Even though he hated it, I knew he would keep me safe.
Then, my heart does another nosedive.
The heir to the Mancini throne is gone.
Chapter 10
Luca
AlyManciniisgoingto get me buried six feet under. I willingly murdered my own blood and family, all to save her while she was cradled in another man’s arms. I’m a traitor, but I killed more of their men than mine. My heart twists with disgrace littering my soul. My father has given me everything, and I do something reckless like this? My heart pounds, not getting the memo. It will always save Aly first. That’s the fucked-up part. I’m so obsessed with using her for my revenge that I saved her instead of allowing Mancini to lose two children instead of one.
Sitting in a family meeting, we talk strategy for getting them back. I’m half paying attention. I need to find out if they have a target for me. The impulse to shoot something or someone makes me fidgety. I’m unnerved, a feeling that is uncommon for me.
“The Mancini family is out an heir, and the old man is scrambling. He thinks marrying off Aly Mancini to a made man will fix this. People recognize a real heir when they see one. No one will follow a girl he hasn’t accepted as one of his.” Uncle Tony says. There is laughter around the room at the thought of a female being a leader. I use my father’s reaction to guide me on how to respond. I have four sisters, all of whom he treats equal to me.
My father’s face is emotionless, his thoughts hidden away for himself.
“That’s not true. He accepted her the moment he put protection on her, and now he’s marrying her to one of his men. He’s rebuilding,” I toss out my opinion. Without a doubt, she is meaningful to him.
The men start murmuring amongst themselves, and I realize they’re talking about her getting married. My heart constricts tighter, acting like a chain is locked around its hard beat, daring it to fight its way free. It’s a similar sentiment I had when I saw a gun lined up with her, ready to shoot to kill.
“There is tension between the ranks. Let them fight amongst each other, weakening themselves. We don’t want to give them a common enemy to unite them,” my cousin Pauly says. It’s a horrible idea, but I see some nods in agreement. Again, I watch for my father’s reaction. I’m always trying to learn from him. From experience, I know he won’t say a word until after he has taken in everyone’s ideas, and then he’ll give his final decision.
“When’s the wedding?” I hear myself ask. I notice the way their faces change as ideas fill their minds. They want to go in blazing. And all I think about is saving her once again. She will never belong to anyone but me. She is mine to torture.
“A week after the funeral,” someone answers me as I devise a plan to move ahead quickly.
I don’t normally speak up in these things, but this needs to go down as I have planned for the last five years. “I have a better idea.” I smile.
The room grows silent, all eyes shifting to me. My father gestures with his hand, indicating I have the floor.
I now have a way to use Aly. If we want a war, I’ll bring them a war.
Chapter 11
Aly
I’msatdowninmy father’s living room. This is the second time I’ve ever been in their house. My father has his head in his hands. I’ve never seen him like this.
“How is your mother?” he asks after an awkward amount of time has passed. He peers up at me, and I don’t recognize the expression he gives me.
“Not good. Her speech has gone downhill rapidly. She complains she has a hard time sleeping.”
He nods.
My mother was diagnosed with MS ten years ago. The last two years have been particularly bad. She now has to be in a wheelchair, and her condition keeps deteriorating. It’s the most heartbreaking thing to watch. The woman who has loved me more than anything in life can no longer defend herself. She is reliant on everyone around her, something she never wanted.
His eyes are somber as he reaches for my hand. “Aly, Coy has asked for your hand.”
My head jerks up, on edge more than before. My head is spinning with ways to get out of this. Ways my father will understand.
