He lifted the bottom of my tank top with a finger and then trailed his thumb up the side of my body before slowly letting his hand fall to his side. “I want you to do exactly what Sean said and pack a bag.”
I didn’t move—not even an inch.
Max glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, I made that sound like an option.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I said. Did I even stand a chance against a man like him?
His jaw flexed so tightly the muscles stood out harshly in his face. It was a silent warning. He shuffled his feet slightly before planting them firmly on the ground. “And who made you the boss?”
“Max,” I began to plead, unsure of what else to say. The feeling in my throat—the harsh thumping—I couldn’t handle it. I didn’t even know what I was pleading for. Mercy? Time? A quick death?
“I like it when you say my name,” he said, his voice devoid of any emotion, “but I didn’t make you the boss, baby.”
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. “Please, I—” I choked out, my voice raw with fear.
Lying to Max was one of the biggest mistakes anyone could make, and my entire family had made it. I had a feeling I was dead either way, and it would be Max Romano who killed me. So I wanted him to make this quick for me.
“Don’t play innocent with me, Rosalie,” he said, his voice a mere murmur. “We both know the game. You call the shots, while I ...” He trailed off, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. “While I clean up the messes you make, yeah?”
The sting of his words sent a spark of anger that battled the fear burning in my gut. “You made this mess on your own,” I argued. “Why drag this out,huh? Just get it over with. Kill me here.”
A hollow part of me almost hoped he would.But what about my family?Had he gone for them first? I was sure my father was top of his list.
Suddenly, I began to feel a cold breeze against my face. Was I sweating? Itwashot in here, wasn’t it? It felt like my heart was in my throat.
Then a sharp rapping echoed through the apartment. The confidence I’d had just a moment ago vanished almost as quickly as it had arrived.
“Rose?” a deep voice, laced with concern, murmured on the other side of the door. “It’s Lucas.”
Oh god.
Max’s gaze zeroed in on the door and then swept the length of my body, from head to toe. The expression on his face told me enough.
He couldn’t believe me, and neither could I at this point.
My eyes widened, and I bit down on my cheek. My heart hammered against my rib cage the second he glanced down at the ring on my finger.
“Rose?” Lucas asked once more.
Shut up, shut up,shut up!
Max remained perfectly still, his eyes narrowed but unreadable. I knew exactly what he’d do, and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop him either.
Lucas didn’t deserve death.
Max exhaled—a sharp, angry breath that ripped through the room. “I thought I made myself clear,” he said, gesturing to the door, “but let me remind you.”
“Don’t,” I warned firmly.
Lucas opened the door. He stepped through.
Pop!
Not a moment later, Lucas’s eyes locked on mine, and his mouth fell open. I could hear the pounding of my heart in my chest, the blood rushing through my veins. Everything happened in the blink of an eye. A sound sliced through the air like a blade—a zipping noise that seemed to pass right by my ear.
Max had shot Lucas in the center of his forehead, as if he’d taken aim before Lucas walked in. His body dropped to the floor like a discarded rag. The sickening thud echoed through the room, accompanied by the metallic tang of blood that filled my nostrils. Thick, red liquid oozed from his skull, forming a gross pool beneath him.
My eyes watered, and my mouth dropped open in shock, pure horror, as I took in the morbid scene before me. Terror gripped my throat like a vise, sending me speechless as I stood rooted to the spot.Again.
