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“I wouldn’t have been able to let you go even if you didn’t.” He crossed the room. His hands fell to my neck, holding me close. “You’re mine, nightling. Forever.”
“Promise?” Tears pooled in my lashes as I stared up at him.
“I promise.” He smashed our mouths together, sealing our confessions with a kiss.
I was never going to give him a reason to doubt. And I knew he felt the same. He was it for me. He was everything. My happiness. My love.
42
Adam
Ileaned against the wall in the dark, waiting. Years alone taught me to be patient while I lured my prey. The key was knowing the right moment. When my presence would bring the most fear. When they thought they were in control, only to find out it was me who was in charge.
The door to the shed opened. A sliver of moonlight illuminated Gio’s face as he stepped inside. He looked older like he’d aged years in the few weeks since I’d seen him.
I’d waited until Ariella had healed. Until he thought I was satisfied with Britney’s death. Until he felt safe again.
“You’ve changed Gio.”
“Porcaputtana.” Bloody hell. He jerked around as I announced my presence. “How did you get in here?”
I just smiled instead of answering his question. I watched as the unease crept across his face. The realization that I could get to him anywhere. Even here in his sanctuary. In the place he’d used to threaten me all those years ago.
But now I was the one who would threaten him.
“Back in the day, your security was tighter. Or maybe they were more loyal.” I shrugged as I rolled the round object in my hand. “Maybe they don’t respect a man who sends someone else to do his job.”
His jaw clenched as he glared at me. It was the tiniest sign that he might have actually cared about Britney. Maybe she wasn’t just a tool for him to use.
It made her death that much sweeter for me.
“Britney was foolish. She did that on her own.” He spat. “I never would’ve wanted her to hurt my child.”
I would’ve believed him if he hadn’t damaged her since birth. All because she was a girl instead of a boy.
“You should tell her that. Oh wait, you can’t.” I tossed him the object I’d been holding. I’d gone back into the woods to carve it out. Kept it safe for this moment. Perfectly preserved.
I watched in sick pleasure as he caught it. Bringing it closer to his face in the dark to figure out what it was.
“Cazzo.” Fuck.He cursed as realization dawned on him. He dropped Britney’s eyeball to the concrete. Disgust pulled on his features as it stared blindly up at him.
“I’ve changed too.” I pushed off the wall, circling behind him so we were staring at the body part together. This close, I could see the sweat rolling down his bald head. I could smell the fear oozing from his pores.
The only thing better was the smell of jasmine. Ariella’s scent would always be my favorite. But this was a close second. I relished it as I leaned forward, speaking low in his ear.
“You see when you and Britney took Ariella away from me all those years ago, I only had one thing to focus on: improving my skills.” I pulled the curved knife from my pocket, resting it on his shoulder. Britney’s blood was like a red beacon on the blade. “Hunting. Killing. And now it lives in me. I can’t go a day without it. I haven’t gotten soft like you. And unlike you, I only have one thing I care about.”
“Caring is a weakness.” His voice was strained like his throat was tight with fear.
“Maybe. But it’s a strength, too. Because if something happens to her, I would have nothing else to lose. There would be no stopping me from turning this city into a pile of bones. From destroying anyone who ever hurt her. Past or present.”
I ran the knife down his suit jacket, easily cutting into the fabric. “Just for the pleasure of it. To make myself feel something again.”
I tucked the weapon away. He inhaled as I stepped back into the dark. “But as long as she’s here, then they’re safe from me. Remember that the next time you want to touch my wife.”
“Wife?” He choked, whipping his head around. I took satisfaction in his anger. In his shock. Not because he didn’t know what she was to me, but that he’d failed to stop it. All he’d sacrificed, and I was still going to get what I wanted. “You’ve married her?”
“Not yet, but soon. And you won’t do anything to stop it. You’ll sit there and keep your stupid fucking mouth shut.” I tapped the eyeball with the toe of my boot, rolling it towards him. “Or you’ll see the terror I can reign down on you. You’ll see what I can do to someone if they try to keep me from my nightling.”
