His lips met mine in a desperate kiss, as if he could somehow keep me safe through sheer force of will. When we broke apart,the Owl’s Talon had returned, his eyes cold and calculating, his posture rigid with deadly purpose.
"Let's make some lunch," he said stiffly, heading for the kitchen. "We have work to do."
A sense of relief went through me that he was on board. Don Ezequiel Azzaro would die, and with him the ghost of my father could finally rest. The price might be steep, possibly my life, but some debts could only be paid in blood.
"I need to know Rhea's driving routes. I can deviate from them knowing he’s looking everywhere for her so it looks like she’s trying to stay hidden. It shouldn’t take too long for them to find me.”
Gavriel's hands tightened on the knife he was using to make sandwiches. "Harley can provide her schedule and the routes she typically takes."
"I'll need her clothes too," I continued. "Something she wears regularly that they'd recognize."
He nodded, his mind clearly racing ahead. "I can get her red coat from her apartment. She wears it almost daily. And her sunglasses."
"Good. What about the car? Where is it now?"
"Parked downstairs. I had Harley move it."
I leaned back against the counter, closing my eyes briefly. "Once they take me, you'll have a limited window to move. They'll realize I'm not Rhea quickly."
"I'll have teams stationed at strategic points around the compound," he said, slipping into the tactical mindset that had earned him his reputation. "Harley's already identifying which guards are loyal to me versus my father."
"And Juarez?"
Gavriel's expression darkened. "He’s staying in one of the guest homes at the Azzaro compound. He dies too. If not, we hunt him down afterward."
I nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Once this is done, you'll need to secure your position as Don. There can't be any question of succession."
"There won't be," he promised, his voice cold with certainty. "By the time we're finished, the Azzaro family will be mine to command."
The implications of what we were planning settled between us. This was not just revenge or a rescue, but a complete reshaping of power. Gavriel would emerge as Don Azzaro, with all the influence and responsibility that it entailed.
"And after?" I asked quietly. "What happens to us when you're Don?"
His eyes met mine briefly before returning to the plates. "Everything changes," he admitted. "And nothing does. I'll still be yours, Goddess. Always."
The sincerity in his voice made something flutter in my chest. "Then we end this, once and for all."
As we sat with our lunch, I silently prayed that I wasn't leading us both to destruction. But some risks were worth taking and some vengeance worth dying for.
Don Ezequiel Azzaro had taken everything from me once. I wouldn't give him the chance to do it again.
Chapter 45
AsGavrielandIprepared for what might come, my thoughts drifted to something more intimate than the danger surrounding us. I clipped the silver chain I’d bought a week ago around my waist. It was going to be my personal constant reminder of my position, my control, my power.
A collar of sorts. Not the restrictive cage that occasionally adorned his cock, but something more meaningful. Something permanent. This wasn’t from him, but for me.
I ran my fingers over the delicate links, wondering how a similar chain would look around his throat. Not something gaudy or obvious—Gavriel was still the Owl’s Talon, after all. Perhaps something elegant and discreet, visible only to those who knew what to look for. A symbol that transcended our roles as domme and submissive, marking him as mine in a deeper, more profound way.
Would he accept it? The question lingered in my mind as I watched him check his weapons with practiced efficiency. This man, who had killed without hesitation, who had defied hisfather for his sister's freedom and my safety—would he wear my collar?
Gavriel caught me staring and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"Nothing. Just thinking."
"About?"
"About what happens after," I admitted.
