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She sags back and shakes her head. “Authority has no respect for me. I’m just a commodity. If you’re going to kill me, just do it already.”
Her words tangle in my gut and I don’t like it. "I'm not going to kill you yet. There's no satisfaction in that. The satisfaction is in watching the fear and the terror. Of seeing the knowledge in your target’s eyes that their life is in my hands."
She actually lets out a laugh. It startles me, and I look at Donovan, his brows are arched in surprise as well.
I turn back to her. "You think it's funny?"
"You're under the misguided impression that I don't know any of this. I know I have no control of my life. I never have. Whether it's my father or Romeo or you, it makes no difference. It’s all the same. You’re all the same.”
Fury surges through my blood. I grip her by the arms and haul her off the chair, holding her up until my face is in hers. "I am nothing like your father or the Abates."
She startles, but then I see in her eyes that she's resolved to her fate. "Aren't you? They take joy in terrorizing others. You take joy in terrorizing others. They kill, you kill. They feel entitled to whatever or whomever they want." Her gaze goes to where my hands are gripping her tight. “You do too.”
I release her and turn away, pissed off that I've proven her right. "Someone needs to pay for your betrayal."
She glances at Donovan, and I wonder if she thinks he'll save her. She turns back to me. "You can make me pay. I'lldo whatever you want. Just please don't hurt my sister and my friend."
"I'm sorry, but that's not how this works." I cup her cheek, wishing things could be different. The feeling startles me, so I abruptly turn away. "Take her to the compound."
"No!" She reaches for me, but Donovan has already moved and gripped her arm.
“Put Paulie on the sister. If she comes, she’s to be brought to me.”
“No. Please… Niko.”
"Come on, Princess." Donovan tugs her toward the exit.
"Please don't." She’s straining to turn and look at me as Donovan drags her through the door.
"So much for doing what you're told," Donovan quips as he finally gets her through it. "Can I restrain her if I need to?"
"Of course," I say flippantly. "Shut the door behind you."
Donovan shuts the door, but it doesn't prevent the sound of him taking Elena away or her begging. I sit back in my chair, feeling agitated and unsettled again. This moment should be filled with satisfaction. Instead, I feel guilty. Guilty! What the fuck! The only guilt I’ve felt in my life is over failing my mom and brother. What is it about this woman that is messing with me? Whatever it is, it has to stop. My concern is that the only way to stop it is to end her.
13
ELENA
"No, please, let me go back. I need to stop him from hurting my sister and Kate.” I'm resisting Donovan's dragging me up the stairs from Niko’s office. I'm pretty sure my arm is about to come out of its socket.
"Not a chance."
"Please. I promise I won’t cause any trouble if you let me do this."
He stops, turns, puts his face right in front of mine similar to what Niko had done. "I suppose you think his making accommodations for you means that he likes you. But Niko likes no one. He trusts no one, especially someone who goes behind his back. That means that he won't care about begging for your sister's life. More likely, he’ll revel in it."
I know Niko isn’t a good man. The man I saw today was the epitome of the Mafia Don. But before that, there was something softer about him. Donovan says he made accommodations for me. Why? Is it possible for me to remind him of why so he won’t hurt those I care for?
"Please, I have to try."
"You don’t know what it means to behave, do you? You said you would. And now look at you. You’re having a temper tantrum like the spoiled princess you are. I have my orders and I'm going to carry them out. You can come along, or I'll throw you over my shoulder, restrain you, and you can ride in the very back of the SUV. Your choice, Princess."
It's a losing proposition. He must see that I've given up as he turns and heads up the stairs, dragging me with him.
I was quiet and compliant until he put me in the SUV. Once we were on the road, I said, "My sister can't come to New York."
He glances at me through the rearview mirror but doesn't say anything. It has me wondering if he knows something I don’t.
