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A shaky breath escapes Rosie as she tries to keep it together. I feel her body shaking against mine and I tighten my hold on her around her waist. She must be terrified. Even with a mouth and attitude as wicked as hers, it can’t save her from the pain a man like Bianchi can bring.
“I’ll forget the transgression since my only witness can’t prove who she is. The man who was killed is a body that can easily be replaced,” he says as if this man’s life didn’t matter.
I’d be furious if one of my men died. They are my family. My brothers. We protect one another, but I suppose that’s the difference between me and Bianchi.
“Tell me, where is your brother, Ms. O’Connor?” Bianchi directs the question to Rosie.
“I don’t know,” she says with a shrug of her shoulder. “I haven’t seen him in weeks. He’s always running around the city.”
“Do not lie to me, girl.”
I lean forward, meeting Bianchi’s stare. “We are here to speak to you, but I won’t have you disrespecting my wife. You’ll either direct your questions to me or you’ll call her by her name.”
My enemy lifts his hands in surrender. “Apologies,” he says, sounding bored.
“Your brother has something of mine, Ms. O’Connor and I want it back. “
“I’m sorry. I don’t know where he is.”
“Bullshit! I need that gem. Don’t lie to me!” he yells, and he is able to be heard over the music. The stripper on stage looks down at us, her eyelids hooded. One of her breasts is free from the small triangle bikini top, her pink nipple pierced with a hoop.
She slides her body along the pole, dipping down, then stretches her arm to the table to roll her finger in the white powder scattered about. She lifts it to her nose and inhales the snow staying around her nostrils.
I need to get Rosie out of here.
“Tell me where he is, and I promise I won’t hurt him.”
“How do you know my brother took anything that belonged to you? I wouldn’t think he’d come this way.”
“Yes, well, after some tracking and looking at security footage, I was able to identify him. So where is he? I won’t ask again,” he threatens, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
Wait.
If he is asking about Rosie’s brother, then it wasn’t Bianchi who attacked us on the airstrip, and he doesn’t know that Caplan has been out of the country. Bianchi didn’t see him leave. If it wasn’t Bianchi who attacked us, who was it?
I study Bianchi, noticing his nervous twitches and how he rubs a hand over his mouth constantly as if he is stressed. He pours himself a shot of vodka or maybe tequila, something clear and disgusting, then shoots it back. His eyes shift down and he rubs his temples.
I know what a panicked man looks like and it hits me that Antonio Bianchi is a man in debt.
He owes someone and his payment is that damn diamond.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Rosie
“So you don’t know where your brother is which means you don’t know where the gem is,” Bianchi takes a hit from the blunt and passes it to the girl next to him. “If you don’t get me the gem in seventy-two hours, I’ll be taking the only payment that will do. If her brother isn’t here, then she will have to pay for the crime. You know how it goes. You know the rules. Your wife either gives me the gem or she’ll have to give herself to me.”
I gasp, a cold chill settling in my bones. Being his could mean many things or it means he’ll kill me. The way the man’s face shows no sign of remorse has my head dizzy and the urge to run away hits me hard. I know I won’t get far, but it’s the fight of flight response in me and I’m dying to fly right now.
Ari said for me not to say anything, and that hasn’t been a problem since we have set foot in this club. The person I was when I came here the first time looking for revenge is gone. This is all above me. The violence, the way of life, and what people will do to get what they want. I killed someone and I never want to do it again, but these people seem to salivate for the kill.
So I’ve been a good girl. I’ve only been speaking when spoken to.
My husband stands, pushing me behind him protectively and one of his hands is gripping my arm so hard it hurts, but I know it isn’t to harm me but to make sure no one else has the chance.
His voice is low, full of fury and hate, gravel clawing at his voice belonging to a man who is far from a saint and allowing the monster to reveal itself.
“I’ll say this once and you better fucking hear me. My reach is a lot larger than yours and if anyone dares to threaten or put their hands on my wife—” he hits his chest with his palm and raises his voice “—My fucking wife! I will destroy everything you fucking love right in front of your face before slowly killing you. She is mine and I will fucking torture, murder, and slaughter for anyone who dares to try taking her from me.” Ari leans in and seethes in Bianchi’s face. “I fucking dare you.”
