As I look at Romeo, I tilt my head. The longer I stare at him, the more he starts to squirm. And the less scary he is.
Now that I’m not flooded with fear, I see an overgrown child who never learned that there are consequences attached to choices and actions. Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s ever going to change.
“I would never allow you to be hurt,” Angelo’s voice is filled with promise. “Sal was not far away, and neither was I,” he assures me. “I can tell you who you are over and over again, but until you take the crown and put it on your own head, you won’t believe it.” His voice drops to a seductive whisper, “I knew the moment I saw you though.”
He kisses my hair again and something clicks into place inside of me.
My movements are fast as I reach up and pull one of the stilettos free of their sheath holding up my hair. I feel Angelo’s rumble of approval more than I hear it.
Romeo’s eyes widen when I press the sharp edge of the blade against his neck. A slow smile grows on my face when I press the blade into his skin and blood pools against it. He winces, but he doesn’t say anything.
Romeo’s eyes flick away from me and his brother. But no one is coming to save him.
I’m sure Angelo has made sure we won’t be disturbed in this hallway. My man is always thinking ahead and considering all the angles.
It’s no surprise that he’s so good at what he does.
When he looks at me again, Romeo tries to hide his hatred of me. But I still see it.
“You don’t want to do this,” he tries to reason with me.
“I do want to do this,” I fire back, my voice filled with sincerity.
He must see how serious I am because he looks toward his brother. “Angelo,” there’s a whine in his voice, “call off your woman.”
Angelo tsks and shakes his head. “You let your rage and jealousy fuel you. I have no desire to save you.”
The look on Romeo’s face is priceless. It makes me want to laugh and taunt him.
But this needs to be dealt with quickly.
“I’m your brother,” Romeo tries again.
Angelo’s hand slides up the side of my ribs and then down my arm to where I’m holding the blade. For a moment I think he’s going to pull my hand away. From the relief on Romeo’s face, he thinks the same thing.
My man does move my hand, but it’s not away. He moves it down Romeo’s body.
“Your fate was sealed the moment I saw the bruises you put on my woman,” Angelo’s voice thunders even though he doesn’t raise it above a murmur. “Call it fate’s hand at work.”
Something flashes in Romeo’s eyes, but I have no idea what it means. “Please,” he begs with a whimper.
“It was always just a matter ofhowyou died, not if,” Angelo’s words are final. “I will say, not knowing the details has made this exciting,” he taunts his brother. When he leans closer to my ear, his words slide over my skin as he points the blade where he wants it. “There are a lot of options when it comes to death. It can be quick or slow. If you push in here, between his ribs,” he uses his hold on my hand to add pressure where my blade is pressing against the front of Romeo’s chest and angled toward his heart, “it’ll hit his heart, and he will die quickly. The best partis there won’t be a lot of spray. Slicing his neck is messy. You’d have blood splatter all over you.”
I melt back against my man’s chest. His words shouldn’t be sexy, but I’m so turned on I can hardly see straight.
Knowing I’m safe, I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath. I need to keep my head on straight and really think about what I’m doing.
Am I really going to kill Romeo Amato? The brother of the man I’ve fallen in love with even though we haven’t said the words? Is he encouraging me only to find out if I’ll go through with it, but he’ll use it against me later?
A few deep breaths center my soul and help to calm my racing heart.
When my eyes snap open, Romeo is looking at me like he doubts I’ll follow through with the threat with action. And the last of what was chaining me to the anchor of my past falls away.
Angelo won’t resent me. He knows what needs to be done.
If I don’t take my own demon, in the form of Romeo, to the ground and slay it, Angelo will. But I need to do this.
The truth of it burns in my gut. My hand shakes before it steadies. I can almost feel the pride Angelo feels washing over me.
