AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, Anya. I did that because I couldn’t get you out of my head. And now, with you by my side, I feel like I can do anything. I want you here with me, because I want you.”
He kissed me, parting my lips with his tongue as he poured every ounce of affection he had into the act. I wanted nothing more than to run away with him and leave all of this behind. I’d never felt safer than I did with him.
“I’ll join you, under one condition.”
“Name it.” His forehead lingered against mine.
“We stop the violence. I can’t stand by and watch more people get killed in this ridiculous squabble over territory and power.”
“Done.” He kissed me again. And I knew it was the beginning of something beautiful.
Powerful and beautiful.
EPILOGUE - LIA
I’d arranged for the meet before I’d fully decided what I would say or do. I’d been living as Isabella for nearly two full years now. Life with Dante was amazing; I was so in love. We’d drained the swamp, so to speak, returning hundreds of women to their homes or even back to Russia from where they came. But so long as the snake remained alive, the organization would continue to grow.
My father was gone, that was a blow I thought I’d not come back from, not being able to say goodbye to him. But I was managing.
Tonight would be far worse.
I lingered in the shadows near the family bookstore, knowing Anya’s father was ailing and Dominic would like take his place should he die. The cancer had returned, somewhere a few months after Anya left home to be with Leo. My sources told me this sort of cancer was different than the previous one, much more aggressive, much less treatable. I hadn’t told Anya yet; she didn’t need to worry about it. In due time, I’d set up a meeting between her and her father to ensure she got to say goodbye, the thing I mourned about losing my father most.
Dominic’s car pulled up, his driver leaving him at the front of the store and pulling away. He’d lost a lot too—his father, his bodyguard, most of his business, and me, his sister. I sighed, thinking how this would be the final blow for him, in more ways than one.
He approached the store, keys in hand, and unlocked the building. The way he sauntered in without locking up behind himself made me upset with him. If any one of Dante’s men, or Leo’s for that matter, had followed him, he’d be dead already. As it were, I was more of a threat than anyone, and they hadn’t even bothered to change the locks since I went missing.
I followed him, not attempting to silence the bell that hung over the door. He was all the way to the back before I entered. I noticed him turn around, but I didn’t hide myself.
“We’re closed. Get out.” His rough voice, laced with the slurs only alcohol can induce, was tired. I felt the weight of a thousand lifetimes in that tone. My heart ached to run to him and comfort him like I had so many times as a child. Like the night Dante held a gun to his chest after he’d already been shot, and I’d stood between them to keep the man I loved from killing my brother.
“Dom.” I didn’t try to disguise my voice. I took calculated steps toward the back of the store. Books lined the shelves, creating a barrier between us, but I knew he could see my movement between them.
“I said, we’re closed. Get the fuck out.”
I heard the sharp sound of metal on metal and knew he’d chambered around in his gun. Then I saw the movement between bookshelves too. He approached me. I had my own gun at ready, not wanting to use it like this, but prepared if I had to.
As he rounded the corner, recognition dawned on his face. I’d let my hair grow out, back to its natural color. I hadn’t worn the colored contacts, and I dressed in my favorite sweater, one my father had gifted me for Christmas almost 5 years ago, when I was just a child still.
“Lia?” Dominic tilted his head, his eyes thinning to slits. In the lower light, I knew he might not fully recognize me, and to him it would be like seeing a ghost. After all, I was dead—I had been for years.
“Dom.” I offered a smile, but I kept my gun hand ready hidden behind my back. He stepped away from the bookshelves, shoving his weapon down the waistband of his jeans. He charged over to me, wrapping his arms around me.
“Lia, oh my god. You’re dead. How are you here? What happened? Where have you been?” His questions came all at once, a jumbled mess of words and emotion. He held me for a second before gripping my face and offering a kiss ot my forehead the way our father would have. He was all I had left. Him, my mother—god only knew where she was—and Anya.
“That’s not important.” I backed away, my hand still at the ready.
“What do you mean it’snot important? We thought you were dead for years. Dad’s been murdered, Mikael, Xander, a dozen more. We’ve lost almost all of our ladies, half our territory… You need to come help. Even Anya has gone missing for months now.”
“She’s not missing.” I spoke calmly, watching him study my face. I saw recognition cross his features. His chest rose and fell in hastened breaths, whether from the shock of seeing me or the anger that I watched growing on his face, I didn’t know.
I noticed the tiniest hint of movement in his hand, his fingers wiggle as he reached for his weapon, and I raised mine, pointing it at his chest.
“No.” I flicked the tip of my gun, indicating his hand should move away from his gun.
“What? Lia, this is insane. What are you doing?” He was angry, and rightly so. I wasn’t playing games. I’d seen enough people be hurt and killed at his hand. I had made it very clear to Dante, Leo, Jimmy, anyone who would listen. If Dominic was to fall, it would be by my hand alone.
“I’m sorry, Dom. This is the way it has to be.” I reached for his gun, plucking it from his waistband and tossing it. He watched it skitter across the floor then looked back at me.
