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Unless she was important.
I show Conti a wicked smile. “Here’s the thing, you pathetic little man. Your wife left you. She left you because you’re an abusive, weak little loser. She left you for someone better. Someone that can satisfy her in ways you and your tiny little dick could only ever dream about.”
His mouth drops open and he releases a snarl. “You motherfucking—”
“She isminenow, Conti. Camille ismywoman. She left you for me, and if you ever come near her again, I will whisper your name to all of my soldiers and make sure you end up dead in the lake. Do not think about my woman ever again. Do not come near her or my family. Pain waits for you if you cross that line.”
His face turns red. “You bitch,” he snarls. “You fucking bitch!”
I turn and walk away. Camille’s staring at me with undisguised shock as I drag her back to the truck, get her buckled in, and drive off. The tires peel out, and Conti’s still standing on the sidewalk, screaming obscenities.
We don’t speak for a few minutes. I put distance between us and her former husband, seething the whole time. I feel backed into this situation, and now I said something I can’t take back.
Which means I’m committed to this course of action.
Once I feel like it’s safe, I pull over and look at her.
She stares at me with an open mouth. “Why did you say that?” she whispers and shakes her head like she’s getting control of herself. “Holy shit, Evander, I didn’t leave him for you! Why the hell would you say that?”
“Here is the deal,” I say softly. “You will come live with me starting right now. The story I just told to your ex-husband? That is the story we will tell everyone. You left him for me. You left him because we are in love, and we are going to get married. That is the only way you will survive what’s to come. Do you understand?”
She blinks rapidly, her jaw working, and I don’t know what she’s thinking or what she wants, but some part of me yearns for this, for a relationship with a woman that makes me feel fucking alive and good for once in my life.
Even if she’s trouble, even if she might tear my family to pieces—I can’t let her go. Iwon’tthrow her to the wolves.
“There is absolutely no way I amevergoing to marry you,” she says, and all I can do is laugh.
Chapter16
Evander
There’s only one safe place I can think of in the entire city.
“Where are we going?” she asks as I roll through Hyde Park, turn off a quiet side street, and down a shady avenue.No Trespassing - Private Propertysigns are plastered all over along with more cameras than Buckingham Palace.
Somewhere not too far, a small army of well-paid, loyal, and heavily armed men watch every inch of the property for anything out of the ordinary.
“This is where I live.” I reach a gate and it opens before I can even roll down the window. The guard nods to me respectfully as I drive along a tree-lined, shady driveway until we come into view of the Kazan family home.
Camille sucks in a breath. I try not to smile to myself, but even after all this time, a swell of pride fills my chest. This is the heart of my family’s power, the nexus around which the city turns, and it’s all mine.
It’s a beautiful Tudor building with tall peaks and a stone facade. Trees surround the property, the grass perfect manicured, the bushes trimmed to lovely little round dumplings. I park the truck beside my sister’s Corvette and kill the engine as Camille gapes.
“How?” she breathes. “This place is massive. How thehellis this even here, in the middle of the city? This property has to be priceless.”
“My family has been in Chicago for a very long time,” I say and get out of the truck. She scrambles to keep up. “My ancestors built this place eight generations ago, before there was much else around here, and the city sprouted up around us. But our property remains.” I breathe deeply, smelling the fresh air and the briny scent of the lake not far from our garden.
This is my home, the place where I grew up. My best memories and worst nightmares are inside those walls—too much heartbreak, too much rage and sadness, but also triumph and excitement and joy.
The Kazan family may be depleted, but we are still powerful.
I begin to climb the front steps, but Camille stops and doesn’t move. “Wait,” she says and her tone’s firm now. “I’m not going in there.”
I turn back to face her. “This is the only place where Conti and the Italians can’t touch you. If you want to leave, I can give you the keys to my truck, but—” I let the repercussions remain unspoken and allow her to fill in the gaps.
Her hands curl into fists and she glares at me. “This is moving too fast. You told Christopher that—that—”
“I told him that you’re my woman.” I descend the stairs again and stand in front of her. I marvel at how small she is, and how beautiful. I find her more attractive every day, because every day she comes into herself a little bit more, growing into the gaps left behind by years of getting pummeled down and down in a loveless and abusive marriage.
