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When the lights turn on, I’m filled with pure panic. Russo is holding my whole world in his hands, a knife pressed to her throat, her body covered in blood. The sight of her creamy skin stained crimson is almost enough to make me look away. Almost. But it’s the fear in her eyes that holds my attention, that prevents me from looking anywhere but her face.
I’m vaguely aware of the fact they’ve stripped her down to her underwear, but I’m blinded by the terror written all over her face. Russo’s cousins step up behind him, as if them being here makes any difference to the fact I’m getting my woman the fuck out of this place.
“You’ve started a war you can’t win by taking one of ours,” I growl, never tearing my eyes from Emerson’s.
Russo chuckles. “You know, I had intended to marry her the moment she got here. I had a minister enroute and everything. The moment I married her, she would become off limits, and if you tried to take her, it would only start a war. Imagine my surprise when your little whore informed me that you beat me to the punch.”
I open my mouth to respond before I can comprehend the words. What did he just say? The idea he planned to marry my woman made me fucking homicidal, but it’s the rest of what he said that has me looking over my shoulder at Storm like he might have the answers.
Emerson’s green eyes clash with mine and her lips move slowly.Play along, she mouths.
I barely hold back the chuckle that catches in my throat. She lied to them. She found out his plan for her and she knew what it would mean. I don’t know whether I want to spank her ass for putting herself into even more danger, or whether I want to worship at her feet for thinking of it.
I shrug. “There was no point waiting.”
“The way I see it, Russo, is that you have one of two choices.” Storm steps forward until he’s standing beside me. “You either return Emerson to us, or you start a war. Those are the only two ways this plays out.”
“And before you answer, we have taken out about thirty of your men. I can’t imagine you have much more disposable muscle to help you win a war against us,” Tommy says.
Russo’s hold on Emerson tightens, the blade pressing deeper into her throat, causing a whimper to crawl up her throat. “Rayne,” she whispers.
“It’s okay, sweet girl,” I say as gently as I can manage with the burning rage siphoning through my body.
“I always intended to return her once she was well used and broken.” Russo’s other hand moves between her clenched legs, eliciting another whimper from her throat.
Everett grabs me from behind, holding me in place when my body screams for me to move, to save her. I can’t watch another man touch her. She’s mine. She’ll always be mine. “Hold on, brother. We’ll get her,” he whispers.
Part of me wants to knock him on his ass and charge at Russo, but he’s fucking right. If I go for him now, he could slit Emerson’s throat, and that’s not something I can risk. I have to play it smart, even if that’s the opposite of what I want to do.
“Be smart about this Russo. Emerson is a Saint James. If this goes any further than it already has, there will be war, and believe me when I say we will tear down your organization so fast you won’t see it coming. We will not hesitate. We will destroy everything your family built, and we’ll dance on your graves when it’s over. It won’t be pretty, and I can assure that you will not win.” Storm’s voice is as even as it is in the boardroom during a hostile takeover. He projects a calm we don’t feel but have to present.
“Hear that, pretty girl?” Russo whispers into her ear loud enough we can hear. “They want to start a war over you.”
Storm sighs exasperatedly. “If he won’t listen to reason, will you?” he asks Paul and Tony. They’re just as sadistic as their cousin, but hopefully they have more self-preservation than Angelo.
They look at one another, but don’t move from where they stand, flanking him. Idiots. The death they’re going to face will be gruesome and painful, and if I have anything to do with it, it’s going to be drawn out over days, if not weeks.
“Russo, one way or another, I’m taking my woman out of here. It’s your choice whether I do it with you dead or alive.” The more time that passes, the harder it becomes to remain calm. I won’t feel anything other than panic until Emerson is back in my arms.
“Let me get this straight. If I hand over the woman, you’ll let us walk right out of here?” Angelo asks.
“Yes,” Storm says before I can say a big fat resounding no. He knows me too well.
Angelo looks over his shoulder at his cousins, deliberating about whether they want to lose their lives today. When he looks back to us, he nods once, the blade moving from Emerson’s throat before he pushes her to the ground in front of us.
I move before I’m conscious of it, before I’ve even processed the fact he let her go. All I can think about is bundling her up and holding her, but I have to get her out of here. Once she’s safe I can coddle her and hold her, but not until she’s away from anything that can harm her.
Storm, Everett and Tommy have their guns trained on the Russos as I scoop Emerson off the ground and move behind them, using their bodies to shield her. “Let’s get out of here,” I say.
“One more thing before you go, gentleman.” Angelo smiles. “Everett, have you given anymore thought about coming to work with us? I know your talents would be better suited to our organization.”
“There’s not enough money in the world,” Everett growls.
“We’ll see.” He smirks.
“Let’s go,” Storm says, moving to the stairs quickly.
I follow close behind with Emerson clinging to me, her body shaking with violent sobs. Everett and Tommy are behind me, keeping an eye on the threat behind us.
