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I stand alone for a moment, the aftermath vibrating through me. It was a trap. It’s bad enough that Romeo got through me, but now I have serious cleanup and coverup to do. Fortunately, shootings in clubs occur often enough these days that cops don’t automatically think organized crime. Still, it’s no secret who I am.
I enter the club, thankful that my men are already soothing the crowd with free booze and cleaning up the mess. I let one of them know about the guy outside, and then I go to the back of the club, grabbing a drink on the way and calling Liam.
“Jesus. Is he dead?” Liam asks of Romeo.
“Donovan is after them. I need cleanup.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll take care of it.”
My shoulder hurts like hell. “I’m going to see Doc.”
“What? Did you get hit?”
“Knife to the back… or shoulder. It’s nothing.”
He’s quiet. “That’s a little too close for comfort.”
He’s telling me. “I’m fine. I’m going to head to the compound tonight. I don’t want to be around when the police arrive.” I need to get going as there is no doubt that their arrival is imminent.
When the call ends, I leave and head to Doc’s, a retired doctor my father had brought into the business. He stitched and patched my wound without a word. I left a large wad of money and made my way back to Long Island. My foot pressed harder on the pedal than usual, eager to return home.
Home. Since when have I thought about any of my places as home?
I scrape my hand over my face knowing the answer. Hating the answer. How had this heartless man grown a heart that could feel something beyond hate? That could long for something beyond revenge?
Agitation courses through me. Abate got to me. Elena got to me. Both are leading me around by my fucking dick. I’m distracted. Reactive. It has to stop. I need to take control.
By the time I arrive back at the compound, my mind is clear. My intention set. Fiori and Tiberius’s time on this earth is coming to a close. But first, I’m claiming Elena. There will be no going to live with her sister. No wandering around the world looking for herself. She is mine. She can try to fight me on it, but she’ll lose. Her place is with me. When this is said and done, she’ll be by my side, the queen of my empire.
23
ELENA
I’m in bed but again unable to sleep when the door to my room bursts open.
“Get up.”
I sit up, startled.
Lucia, sleeping next to me, does too. “What are you doing?” She moves to block me.
“I said get up.” Niko looks like the devil himself in the dark, silhouetted by the moon’s glow around him. His expression is fierce, and I feel like I should be afraid, but I’m not.
I move to get out of bed.
Lucia grips my arm. “No. She stays with me. That’s our deal.”
He scowls. “The Fiori women are either liars or have terrible memories.” His attention turns to me. “Get up, or I’ll drag you from the bed myself.”
I move again, but Lucia holds me firmly in place. “You can’t. Whatever she did, she was naïve.”
“I don’t think he’s going to kill me,” I say to her as I extricate my arm. “Are you?”
His eyes are hard. “No.”
I get out of bed and walk toward him.
“Elena.” Lucia’s voice is filled with desperation and worry.
