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“You want me to take my money back?”
“A couple of nights with my girl is one thing. But she can’tmarryyou.”
I smile coldly. “Why not?”
“You’re… you’re the Devil, Don Bianchi.”
“Even the Devil needs a wife.” I let my smile fade. “And you’re right. A man who crossed me recently is tied up in a warehouse right now, awaiting death. If you don’t want to be next in line, get your gambling under control. Good evening.”
* * *
As I enter the secluded warehouse where Richard Delaney is held, I’m immediately struck by his demeanor. Even bound and clearly at a disadvantage, he exudes a cockiness that grates against every nerve.
His eyes light up with a mix of surprise and defiance as he sees me. The men guarding him step back as I approach.
“Well, if it isn’t Rafael Bianchi himself. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Delaney taunts, a smirk playing on his lips. “Ivanov will have your head for this.”
“In kindergarten, I’ll bet you were the kind of little shit who let your bigger friends fight your battles for you.”
I step closer, my voice calm but laced with a dangerous undertone. “You know exactly why I’m here, Delaney. Your stunt at the auction—bidding on Amelia. You were warned.”
He laughs, the sound echoing off the warehouse walls. “Ah, yes. The lovely Amelia. Couldn’t resist a bid when I saw those sweet tits of hers. An auction’s fair game, you know that. Sore loser, that’s all you are.”
“You were warned,” I say again.
“Come on, stop with the scare tactics. We both know you’re not going to do anything to me. You know I’ve got Ivanov’s protection.”
I say nothing.
His cockiness falters for a moment. “You can’t be serious. Rafael, let’s talk about this. You want money, is that it?”
“You made a fool of me, challenged me over something—someone—far more valuable than anything you could offer.”
The smirk finally fades from his face. “Rafael, please. You can’t kill me over some woman.”
“She’s not just some woman,” I interrupt, my voice cold. “She’s about to become mywife.”
Delaney’s earlier confidence seems to evaporate as the weight of my words settles over him, replaced by a dawning fear.
“Your wife?” he echoes, his voice cracking slightly, the bravado slipping away as quickly as it came. “But, Rafael, think about this. You have a savage reputation, sure, but you wouldn’t start a war over one woman. Not even you.”
I lean in closer, my gaze unwavering, my voice a quiet storm. “You see, Delaney, that’s where you’re wrong. It’s not about starting a war. It’s about finishing one before it even begins.
“You stepped into a game thinking you knew all the rules, but you missed the most important one: never come between a man and the woman he intends to marry. Especially when that man is me.”
His attempt to regain some of his lost confidence is pitiful. “You’re bluffing. Ivanov won’t stand for it. He—”
“Ivanov,” I cut him off, the name rolling off my tongue with disdain, “will understand that it was you who made a grave error in judgment, not I.
He knows better than to wage war over the likes of you, especially when he understands the stakes. I would burn the city to the ground for her. What makes you think I won’t killyou?”
Delaney’s face is a mask of panic now, the reality of his situation crashing down on him. “Listen to me. It doesn’t have to end like this. Think of the consequences. You’re known for many things, but not for being a fool. It was just an auction. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bid. Please, think about this.”
“You’ve crossed my family before and lived to tell the tale. That was a mistake.” I straighten up, my stance relaxed but my intentions clear.
“You insulted Amelia, my future wife, reduced her to nothing more than an object in your petty game. Wanted to prove to me you’re the big man in town.
You disrespected her, and in doing so, you disrespected me. There are consequences to such actions, Delaney, and you are going to face them.”
