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He frames my face. “Beppe’s on it,” he whispers. “I was so fucking scared, Portia. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he was doing to you. I’m glad you’re okay, but fuck...”
I rest my head against his. “I love you,” I tell him, my heart full with how much love I have for this man.
“That’s good, baby, because I love you too. Now let's get you and your mom checked out, then we can get the answers we need from those two bastards before we end their miserable lives.”
I beam at him. “That sounds like a good plan. I just want to make sure Mama’s okay.”
He helps me to my feet, and I see that both Beppe and Elio are helping Mama to hers. “Mia bella, figlia coraggiosa,” Mama whispers as I move toward her.
I gently wrap my arm around her. “Ti voglio bene, Mama,” I whisper. “I’m so glad you’re alive. I’m sorry I left you alone with him.”
She takes my face into her hands, and they’re icy cold, but it’s the look of strength and determination in her eyes that has my heart stuttering and my breath catching. “Do not ever say that,” she says with a bite. “You are amazing, mia bella, figlia coraggiosa. Never doubt how proud I am of you.”
Dario’s hand slides around my waist. “She’s right, baby. You are so fucking brave. I’m proud of you too.”
I rest my head against him as he holds me close. “Ti amo,” I whisper to Dario.
“Ti voglio bene, mia bella ragazza,” he says as he presses a kiss against my head. “Let’s get you both to the hospital.”
I nod, relieved and glad that this is all over and I have not only Dario, but my mama in my life. Hopefully, this is where our lives start again.
THIRTY-TWO
DARIO
I keep Portia close as Rocco drives toward the warehouse. I’m not letting her out of my sight. Not for at least six months. Fuck. Seeing that cunt hurt her was more than I could bear. She’s got butterfly stitches on her head wound, and they’ve had to reset her shoulder. I held her hand through her screams as they popped it back into place for her. Nothing can gut me quicker than her tears and pain-filled screams.
“You doing okay, Portia?” Elio asks her, and I have a feeling it’s more so for his wife than him. But either way, I’m glad he’s interested.
“Yeah. I just want this over with,” she replies.
Neither of my brothers think she should be with us for this. They don’t think she’ll be able to face what’s going to happen, and that I shouldn’t push her. I’m not pushing her. If she changes her mind, then she changes her mind and I’ll have Santo bring her to Jade and Teagan, who are currently sitting with her mom at the hospital. Portia didn’t want to leave her alone, but she also didn’t want to miss out on coming with us. So this was the compromise. Jade assured her that no one would get to her mom, that she would protect her.
“Are you sure you’re okay to be here?” Rocco asks, and I bite back a wince. “I mean, what’s going to happen isn’t going to be easy to witness.”
“Trust me, I’m more than ready for whatever is going to come. I lived on the streets. I’ve killed people. I’ve witnessed people getting killed for looking at someone the wrong way. I’ve seen dogs eating the remains of their owners because they’re hungry. Nothing is going to make me not watch that bastard get what he deserves.”
Rocco nods. “Okay. If you want to take a shot at killing him, I’m sure Dario will let you.”
She raises her head from my shoulder and smiles. “Any suggestions on what to do?”
Elio lifts his shoulders. “What have you done before?”
“The usual,” she says flippantly. “Throat slashing and stabbing.”
Elio clicks his tongue. “You should do whatever feels right for you. I know that if it were Jade, she’d probably cut his cock off. Hell, if it was me, I’d take his heart, the bastard.”
Portia’s silent for the rest of the car ride, and I leave her be. She’s thinking about what she’s going to do, and I don’t blame her. That bastard abused her mom for years. When I saw Marianna today, I almost didn’t recognize her. She didn’t look like the happy, vibrant woman who sat content at Davide’s side five years ago. She looked like a shell of a woman. I know Portia has a lot of guilt for leaving her mom behind, but she shouldn’t. She did what she needed to do to survive, and no one, not even Marianna, is angry that she did. We’re all proud that she took the opportunity to escape. What could have happened to her would have been truly awful, and no one would have ever seen her again.
“We’re here, baby,” I say to her when Rocco pulls up outside the warehouse. From what Kelvin told me at the hospital, Stephen and Maverick have already removed the women from here and are currently disposing of their bodies in a vat of acid. I didn’t ask for more details; I just thanked the man for the update.
“Let’s get this done,” she says, holding her head high.
I bite back a snarl when I see pain slash through her eyes as she climbs out of the car. She told me she’s got a headache, but she’s not willing to take any pain medication. She will when she’s home but not right now. She wants a clear head. She wants to be able to think clearly as we do this. I just hope the pain goes away soon.
I keep her hand in mine as we enter the warehouse. Everyone is here waiting. Kelvin, Stephen, Maverick, Beppe, Santo, and Lorenzo. These men are wanting to see the pain these assholes are about to feel.
“Portia, meet Judge Lachan. He’s one of the assholes who have been buying young girls from Marco for years.”
