On the platform, Alban fought off one of my men. Catalina tried to drag Elle away, but my tigress resisted, clawing for freedom. Salvatore, the coward, crept along the wall toward the exit. With a flick of my wrist, my blade flew—burying itself in his thigh. He collapsed with a cry, then staggered up again, dragging his useless leg as he limped for escape.
I lunge towards him. A fist connects with his nose. The sound of bone breaking is satisfying. He screams like a girl. As the coward tries to stop the flow of blood, I put a bullet into his kneecaps. Lying on the floor, he begs.
“I’m family—you can’t kill me.” His plea drips with hypocrisy. I laugh, cold and humorless. “Family? That’s rich coming from you. You’ve betrayed your own blood, and the Cosa Nostra Family as well.” My growl fills the room as I press the barrel to his forehead. The shot cracks, and he collapses lifeless.
I turn toward the platform—my wife is gone. Catalina lies where she last tried to drag her away, her body motionless, eyes frozen in a blank stare. Nearby, Dario clashes with Alban. “He’s mine, Dario,” I snarl. “This bastard dared to touch my wife.” Alban sneers. “I thought you didn’t care for her, Vitelli?” “Fuck off,” I spit, slamming my fist into his jaw. He only laughs, blood on his teeth.
“Did you see her face? I don’t think she wants you now.” His words cut deep, reminding me of the lies my angeloverheard. Dario’s eyes flicker with confusion by our exchange of words.
My anger surges back, raw and unrelenting. Truth be told, I messed up—badly. I need to end this now, before I can face my wife. Dante will see her safely to the mansion. I kick him hard, sending him sprawling. “Hold him,” I ordered.
Dario and Fabio drag him to his knees. “A blade,” I demand. Fabio presses the hilt into my hand. “Hold his hand out,” I snarl. “This is for daring to touch my woman.” My growl fills the room as I bring the blade down, severing his right hand. His scream rips through the air, echoing off the walls—until it dies abruptly when I drive the steel into his ribs, straight into his heart. His body collapses, lifeless.
I wipe at the blood on my hands, only smearing it further. Around me, the Albanians lie scattered, broken. “Dante called. He’s taking Elle back to the mansion, Dominic.” I nod, but the weight in my chest is heavier than the carnage. The conversation with her looms ahead, and I dread every word of it.
“Burn it to the ground. Make it look like an accident,” I order. Dario nods, phone is already at his ear. Minutes later, we stand outside Berisha’s mansion, watching as flames devour it, the night sky painted in orange and black.
“Let’s go.” We slide into the backseat of the black SUV, the city lights flickering past as we head toward the mansion. “Send word to the remaining Albanians—they have twenty-four hours to clear out of my territory.” Dario acknowledges, his silence steady, as if he knows I don’t want conversation. The closer we draw to Elle, the tighter the knot in my chest becomes. I ache to hold her again, to feel her in my arms. But her devastated expression lingers in my mind, a reminder of the lies she heard spill from my lips.
Dario’s phone rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Yes, of course. He’s here—I’ll put you on speaker.” “Dominic…I lost her.” My mind stalled. “Lost who?” I barked. “Elle. She begged me to stop… and then she was gone.” “What the fuck do you mean?” “She was sick, Dominic. She asked me to stop.” The words blurred, drowned in the roar inside my head. All I could hear was that she was gone.
Chapter 41
~Elle~
Motel.
“I can’t believe this. Oh God! This can’t be happening.” Grabbing up the discarded package again, to ensure that this was not a mistake.
The flickering ceiling lights in this dingy motel bathroom illuminates the white and blue stick resting on the bathroom counter. My vision becomes blurred, as I look at the two blue lines that indicate that I’m pregnant.
Heart racing, knees going weak; I slid on to the bathroom floor sobbing uncontrollably. After all the upheaval, fear and despair, thinking that my missed period was due to stress.
I should have known better. When I was beginning to think that my life couldn’t get any more complicated. This happens. Now it’s not just me existing in this messed up world. I’ll soon have another tiny being who’d be dependent on me. Someone who didn’t ask to be here.
After all the chaos and uncertainty of my upbringing, I didn’t want to bring a child into the instability that is now my world. A month ago, news of a pregnancy would have added to my happiness.
We had our future planned together. But then he betrayed me. I should have known that he didn’t really want someone like me. Someone who was discarded by the very same people who were supposed to love and care for me.
Going from one foster home to another. Finally, finding someone to belong to. I should have known that it wouldn’t last. Nobody stays for long. The humming of the bathroom vent lolls me to sleep.
I’m startled awake by the slamming of a door in the apartment adjacent to mine. Getting up slowly as my limbs were stiff, I moved back into the bedroom. My hands unconsciously moved over my flat abdomen.
“You are not going to feel unwanted like I did. I’m going to love you and take care of you.” I can’t let him know. If I do, he’ll drag me back into his world and it won’t be because he wants me.
It's been three days since I ran. I can’t bear the humiliation that I feel whenever I remember his words. The pain of being unwanted cripples me. It’s incomparable to the physical pain from the blow to my head when the bitch Catalina kidnapped me. The throbbing ache is more of a nuisance than the crippling agony of having my heart broken.
How can I blame him? He never lied to me. When Dominic suggested marriage, he made it clear—protection, repayment of a debt. Never love. He couldn’t reciprocate, and that isn’t his fault. But calling me docile, dismissing me as unsatisfying during sex… that cut deeper than any truth. No woman deserves such public humiliation.
To have your supposed inadequacy laid bare threatens to unravel years of hard-earned self-esteem. Dominic made it clear: I was never worthy of his love. Just days ago, I was happy. Or so I thought. That illusion shattered behind the red curtain, where I sat forced into that despicable corset, paraded like a prostitute. I prayed, every second, for Dominic to rescue me.
Finally, when I heard his beloved voice growling,“fuck you”I was hopeful. That hope was soon shattered by his words.“It isn’t because I have any feelings for her.” And while my heart was breaking, the bitch was looking at me with smug satisfaction. I felt no remorse when Dante ended her, when she tried to drag me away.
Before this nightmare, I had suspected I might be pregnant. I had dreamed of confirming it, of sharing the news with Dominic. That dream is gone now.
But one truth remains: I will take care of my baby.
Chapter 42
