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I’ve gotno choice but to do as Renzo says. I order my men out of the building to their protests.
“Psycho, I think you’re underestimating this piece of shit,” says Omar. “He’s bringing his men in and yet you’ve gotta be alone? We shouldn’t allow it.”
“I have no choice. He has my wife.”
“Maybe we can fake him out. Pretend we’re gonna do it, then flip the script on him.”
My jaw clenches. “I’m not taking any chances. They’ve got her at gunpoint, and he’s unstable. He won’t hesitate to punish me for trying to deceive him. Go, get the fuck out of here, and make sure everybody leaves with you.”
Omar shakes his head, still disagreeing, though he obeys my command. He sets off to collect the dozens of men in my compound and ensure they leave. The process takes a half hour, during which I standby and monitor the cameras.
Renzo’s brought six men with him. Two stand on either side of Delphine. The others in the back. They’ve got their weapons out and ready to fire.
I urge myself to stay calm despite the deep helplessness clenched inside my chest. The mere image of Delphine in such a precarious situation brings flashbacks of the last time we’d found ourselves like this—me on the other side of a two-way mirror as Delphine was at the depraved mercy of Lucius’s men.
I had almost lost my sanity. I had descended into a full-blown panic that caused me to put up such a fight it took four soldiers to restrain me.
In the aftermath, once we defeated Lucius and we were together again, I let the guilt rule my life. I pushed Delphine away because of my own feelings of inadequacy and failure.
I can’t believe we’re being put in this type of situation again. Another moment where Delphine’s being punished for somebody’s hatred of me.
I breathe in and out, my fists clenched and shaking at my sides.
It’s going to be alright. It’ll be alright because I’ll do whatever it takes.
Once my guys are out, Renzo and his men come in. They escort Delphine through the front hall. I buzz in through the intercom and ask Renzo where he wants to host our meeting.
“Your home, of course,” he answers. “I want to see your nice, cozy love nest for myself. You better stick to our agreement. Let me find out you’ve got a weapon on you. Let me find out you’ve kept some of your guys around—”
“There’re no weapons and no guys,” I interrupt with agitation. “I’ve done as you’ve said. Now you do as you’ve said and bring my wife to me.”
“I’ll do whatever the fuck I want. I’m the one that’s controlling the situation. Don’t get mouthy with me. Your chihuahua of a wife already tried that.”
I blow out a ragged breath, my body so tense and tightly wound, I’m liable to snap at any second.
Renzo sends four of his men to go do checks of the building. The other two remain behind, holding Delphine hostage.
He instructs me to leave the loft door open and wait in plain view in the living room. Again I’m doing as he asks, standing back far enough to be in complete view when they enter.
The moment they do, Delphine’s gaze connects with mine. We’re in tune with each other enough to have our own form of silent communication. One look from her, and I understand her thoughts, her feelings.
There’s brief relief that flickers in her brown eyes before extinguishing for the stronger sense of worry she feels. The worry that we might be in serious trouble this time—we might not make it out of whatever this is.
I can only be the pillar she needs like I always try to be. I give her a reassuring nod, telling her it’s going to be okay.
No matter how hopeless things seem, I’ll find a way to make sure of it.
“Hello, little boy,” Renzo says, strolling into the loft. He surveys the wide, open space and then makes an impressed sound from his throat. “Not bad. Takes up almost the whole floor. I’d redecorate, of course.”
My fists tighten to the point my fingernails dig into my skin. “You’ve wasted enough time. Tell me what you want and why you’re here.”
Renzo’s taken to wandering the loft. He pauses near the kitchen cabinets with bushy brows raised. “Ain’t it obvious? What’s yours is about to become mine. See, I’ve spent years suffering while you’ve been throwing temper tantrums and fighting Daddy. Since that went in your favor, you think you’re hot shit. King of the fucking world. I’m here to show ya ain’t.Capeesh?”
“Fine,” I say calmly. “Then we’ll settle this how we did in the past. Man to man. I’ve got no problem with that.”
His men take precautionary steps forward as if prepared to subdue me should I attack. Renzo gestures for them to fall back. His grin shines on his ugly mug of a face as he gives me a once over.
“I never did get to knock you out like I promised. You won our last match up by chance.”
