AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And what if I don’t uphold that vow?” Judah challenges Papa, and I want to gasp, but I stay quiet. The shock of what Judah has just asked has me on edge. I know he loves me, so he wouldn’t hurt me, but what’s to stop him from getting someone like The Agency involved. They could so easily find me, kill me, and Judah could play the broken-hearted husband.
“You wouldn’t,” my father spits out as he scowls at the man who just recited the most beautiful wedding vows to me. It’s as if both men before me are as volatile as each other. And I can escape neither of them.
Judah chuckles darkly. There’s a hint of malice in the sound, one I recognise from the day he took me to the cliff’s edge. When he promised me that he could easily end me.
He spins on his heel, and makes his way to me and within seconds, his hand is wrapped around my neck. His fingers slowly dig into the sides of the column which cuts off my breath.
My hands grip his one, but I can’t pull them away. His eyes glower as if he’s possessed and in this moment, I don’t see my husband, I see the arsehole who first brought me to Black Hollow.
“It’s so easy, Saviatti,” Judah says, but he doesn’t look at my father, his stare is locked on mine. Panic sets in as my vision is dotted with black spots.
“Please,” I croak, before I turn my gaze to my father’s. “Papa.”
“Judah, stop,” my father’s voice is pained as he tugs at his bindings, but I know they’re far too strong to break. He won’t save me. “Fine. I’ll do as you say.”
But my husband doesn’t relent. He leans in and presses his lips to my ear. “Trust me.” It’s two words, and in my mind, even though everything feels as if it’s slowing down, my panic eases and I drop my hands to my sides.
“Please, Judah, fucking hell, I’ll do anything you say. I’ll help you.” The sound of my father’s voice sounds so far away.
Judah gently eases me back to the present moment. When I open my eyes, he’s looking down at me with pride shining in his eyes. “I’ll never hurt you.” He steps back and instinctively, my hand goes to my throat. I’m not sure if I’m angry or turned on at him, but either way, I’m going to slap him when we leave this fucking place.
Judah turns to my father, and then he says, “You will write a full statement of all your crimes against us. The Mafia, the Camorra, and everyone else you hurt. It doesn’t matter if it’s some random stranger you didn’t know, or your daughter. I want it signed, in blood.”
My father’s mouth pops open, shock painted on his expression. I’m sure he wants to argue, perhaps debate with Judah, but I know there won’t be changing my husband’s mind. Papa’s gaze flicks to mine, it’s only for a second before he nods.
“I’ll be waiting at a hotel in the city. Once you’re ready, we’ll return and we can finish this off.” Judah turns to me, “Wait outside for me. I’ll be right now. There’s something I need to say to your father.”
I want to argue, but I don’t. Knowing Judah, he won’t budge until I’ve obeyed. Once the door to the room is shut, I can’t hear anything. It only makes me more anxious. Moments pass, and I can’t help but pace the corridor. Finally, after twenty minutes, Judah exits the room and he offers his hand. I want to talk to my father, but also, I don’t want to hear the lies he’ll tell me.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. We need to leave.” He doesn’t look at me. I wonder if he killed my father, but I don’t ask. I’m not sure I want to know.
I take Judah’s hand and we walk out, leaving my father possibly still chained, awaiting his fate. When we reach the car, my anger at Judah has dissipated and I’m left with the empty feeling of knowing my father will be dead in a few hours.
“How did it go?” Kai asks the moment we slip into the back seat of the SUV.
“Not as great as we expected, but I’ve left him with a task. If he can complete it, I may show him an ounce of mercy,” Judah admits, causing my head to snap up, my gaze landing on his.
“You said he’s going to die,” I whisper while looking at my husband.
He nods slowly before glancing out the window as if lost in thought. When he turns his attention back to me, he answers, “He knows what I’m capable of now, there’s no need to take things to extremes. Also, he may come in handy.”
“Can we trust him though?” Valen questions. “If he fucked over the organisations all these years, he can do it again. And not to mention, you will have the Camorra coming after you if you show any form of mercy to an informant.”
I don’t want to, but I have to agree with Valen. Even though my father has apologised and agreed to do what Judah’s asked of him, there is no way to trust him.
“I’ll have his confession, which will go straight to law enforcement. The Camorra won’t know until he’s behind bars. Killing him would be too easy,” Judah says then, before he glances at me. “The life-long torture that I’ve bestowed upon him for now will suffice. Don’t worry, it’s been handled. Keeping him alive, making sure he’s witness to everything that happens around him is going to ensure he obeys, that he’s loyal.”
“And you want to keep him alive to taunt him for however long he survives?” Val asks, his tone incredulous, but also, there’s a hint of a chuckle that I can tell he’s stifling at the moment.
“I have a feeling that you sent me out of the room for a reason. I want to know what it is,” My voice is tinged with confusion, but also, the demand is there. However, my husband only smiles and his gaze flickers with something I can’t quite pinpoint and all I can do is sit back and sigh.
“I need you to trust me, little spy.” Judah looks at me. I can tell he was serious when he held me close and begged me to trust him. The thing is, I do trust him.
“I’d like to see my father again. To say goodbye.”
“We can go together to get the signed confession from him,” Jude responds. “And then, we’ll head back to Black Hollow before planning our honeymoon. I want to go away somewhere, far from the island. We need to put the past behind us.”
