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I’d liked her before. I’d thought of her like a sister. But she had the unfortunate problem of being born into the wrong family. A family full of snakes. People only out for themselves. Who would do anything. Kill their own flesh and blood. Rip out the heart of their loved ones, to get what they wanted.
“Matteo sent me.” My words sealed her decision. Zara stepped back, allowing me entry.
Everything looked exactly as I remembered. The whole place seemed to be dipped in gold. Gold leaf on the ceilings, gold floors, gold wallpaper, even the pictures were in gold frames. It was a façade. All this gold hid the rot inside.
“God, Adam.” She sighed as she leaned against the door. “It feels like forever.” She cleared her throat as she stared at me. “I’m sorry. I-I never called after everything that happened. I—.”
I gripped her shoulder, cutting off the words. The old me might have hugged her. Comforted her in some way, but I no longer had that part inside. The one that felt.
“Where’s your father?”
My skin crawled as her eyes softened. I hated the pitying look. It was another reason I hadn’t wanted to come back. Everyone here knew what I’d lost. That I’d been discarded. “He’s in the shed. Let me go tell him you’re here.”
“Let’s not.” I was already stalking through the house, heading to the back door.
“Adam!” She shouted as her heels clicked on the tile. “He’s not going to like you surprising him.”
No, I bet he wouldn’t. But I didn’t really care. In fact, I was looking forward to the shock on his face.
The sound of her chasing me died as I stepped into the perfectly staged backyard. It looked like something out of a magazine. The lawn was professionally maintained. The furniture seemed brand new. The flower beds bloomed with life.
It made me sick. The lies people told about themselves. Gio believed he was this person. This great father. Powerful businessman. Strong.
But in truth, he preyed on the weak.
As the shed at the edge of the property came into view, my mind traveled back to a time when I’d felt weak in his presence. When I believed he could hurt me. Turns out it wasn’t him who would land that blow, but his daughter.
“Loyalty is everything in this life.” Gio’s voice bounced around the wood walls as he held the knife to her neck.
Sweat slid down my spine, but I didn’t move. I did nothing to try and save her as the fear froze me in place.
“I know.” I was surprised I didn’t stutter as I watched the tears roll down her cheeks, sliding along the duct tape over her mouth.
“Good. You were given a gift; being allowed into this life. You wouldn’t want to ruin that by being disloyal. Once you break our trust, it can never be fixed.” He yanked her hair back. “Isn’t that right, wife?”
She whimpered in pain. My stomach rolled at the sound. I knew why he was doing this. She’d cheated. Made him look bad. Reputation was everything to a man like Gio.
I also knew why I was here. He might not know about Ariella and me, but he suspected. We’d gotten reckless in the last few months. But not even his threats would keep me from her. In fact, he might have just given me our freedom.
I shifted the phone in my pocket, making sure it was capturing everything as he sliced her neck. Blood splattered his skin and mine as he smiled.
I ripped the door to the shed open, shoving the memories down into the depths where they belonged. Gio’s head whipped in my direction. His eyes burned with rage at being interrupted.
“Miss me?” I relished the shock on his face. The paling of his skin as he saw me. I could smell his fear in the air.
It wasn’t because of anything I’d done to him. Back then, I’d been too young. Too scared to try.
He feared me because of the rumors of what I was now. Because of the number of kills I’d racked up. The brutal ways I’d killed them. And they had just been jobs. Orders to follow. None of them had personally hurt me like Gio had.
“Cazzo.”He whispered before his face morphed into the leader he was. The one who would pretend there was no history between us. “Adam, to what do I owe the pleasure?”
He hadn’t changed at all. He was still overweight. Still ugly. Still trying to tie himself to the most powerful person in the room.
A nasty smile pulled on my lips as I walked around the small space. His prisoner was barely conscious, and I doubted he’d live long, so I spoke freely.
“I’m here on Matteo’s order.” I picked up a knife he had on a table. I ran the blade along my thumb, testing the sharpness.
His fingers wavered on his own weapon as he watched me. “And what order would that be?”
