Then movement caught my eye, and I sucked in a breath.
Dante Palazzo was cutting through the crowd, heading straight for us. His dark eyes—so like Rocco's—were blazing with barely contained fury. His lips curled back, revealing the tips of his fangs.
He looked like he wanted to tear his brother apart right here in the middle of the party.
I grabbed Rocco's arm. "Rocco?—"
He'd already seen. His body went rigid, and then he stepped in front of me, putting himself between me and whatever was about to happen.
"Stay behind me," he said quietly.
Two brothers. Cain and Abel.
And I was standing right in the crossfire.
Chapter Nine
Rocco
Damn Angelo. I knew this was fucking going to happen.
My brother stormed across the room, the crowd parting before him like water. His long hair flew behind him, his hands already clenched into fists.
Dante grabbed me by the lapels and lifted me off the ground like I weighed nothing. His face was inches from mine, fangs fully extended, eyes blazing with three years of rage.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snarled. “Here to finish the job?”
I wrapped my hands around his wrists but didn’t fight him. Not yet. “Put me down, Dante. Do you really want to do this at Julienne’s party?”
“I don’t give a fuck about the party.” His grip tightened, the fabric of my tuxedo straining. “I’d kill you anywhere. Anytime.”
“Dante, release him this minute.”
I winced.
Mom.
My chest caved in. Every muscle in my body locked. The last time I’d heard that voice, she’d been on the floor, bleeding, begging me to stop.
She approached us, her heels clicking against the marble floor, and placed her hand gently on Dante’s arm. “Please don’t do this. Not here. Not tonight.”
Dante’s jaw worked. For a moment, I thought he’d ignore her—thought he’d rip my throat out right here in front of everyone. But slowly, grudgingly, he lowered me to the ground.
Then he shoved me. Hard.
I stumbled backward. Behind me, Selena gasped. I whirled around just in time to catch her before she fell, my hands gripping her waist to steady her.
“This isn’t over,” Dante growled behind me. “Brother.”
He spat the word like a curse.
I turned back in time to see him stalk away, the crowd scrambling to get out of his path. His mate, Katona, waited for him near the edge of the dance floor, shaking her head slowly. She was the calm to his storm—always had been.
“I’m sorry,” Mom said softly. She stepped closer, her eyes searching my face. “He’s just never gotten...” Her voice trailed off, the words she couldn’t say hanging heavy between us.
Over what you did. Over the monster you became.
I looked at her—really looked at her—for the first time in two years.
