My head whipped to him. “What?”
“Do as he says.” Tiernan stood.
Vello rounded his desk, leaning against it in front of me. “On your knees,” he snapped.
“Like father, like son, huh?” I sneered. “No.”
“I see you chose violence today,” Enzo said mildly. “Maybe reconsider? Your head’s too pretty to roll on my floor.”
“I choose violence every day.” I hitched a careless shoulder up. “And I’d rather die than cower to this asshole over here.”
“Tierney,” my brother snapped. “Get it over with.”
The silence cascaded along my skin like knuckles a second from delivering pain. I looked between every pair of lifeless eyes in the room. They were really going to make me do this.
Pushing a scream down my throat, I forced myself to slide down my seat until I was eye level with Vello’s crotch. Every inch of me trembled with anger and humiliation. I couldn’t breathe I was so furious.
“Kiss the ring, Miss Callaghan, and all will be forgiven.” He extended his hand toward my face. He had a pinky ring—worn out, with something in faded Italian engraved on it.
My knees scraped the lush carpet, and memories from the gulag poured into the front of my mind. My ears buzzed as mounting pressure rose inside my head.
Bend the knee.
Open that mouth.
Take out my cock.
Yes, that’s right, Irish slut. All of it.
The cold bronze of the ring bumped against my lips, urging me on. The noise in my head intensified, and the small girl that lived inside it—the one I left behind in Russia—let out a shrieking scream.
I opened my mouth and bit off his finger, clean with the damn ring.
“Puttana di merda!” Vello held his wrist with a yelp, jerking his hand back.
He staggered to the floor, slithering in pain, a venomous snake who’d just gotten a taste of his own medicine. His finger was hanging loosely from his hand. I spat his blood on his face and pushed to my feet.
I stumbled backward, heaving, my back crashing against my brother’s chest. He shoved me behind his back, his pistol already drawn and aiming at his brothers-in-law.
“Move.” Luca pointed his gun at my brother, his eyes telegraphing fire. “That’s twice she blew her chance at redemption. Get out of my fucking way, or I’m taking you with her.”
“Go ahead.” Tiernan didn’t budge. It actually surprised me, and I swallowed back tears. I knew my twin brother was madly in love with his wife. He adored his new life with their son and had even formed a brotherhood with the Ferrantes. His loyalty rendered me speechless. “Make your godson an orphan.”
Enzo helped Vello to his feet, tossing his father’s arm over his shoulder as he escorted him outside to be medically treated. My heart was in my throat. The taste of Vello’s blood sat heavy on my tongue.
“She’s a traitor,” Luca said.
“She’s mysister,” Tiernan reminded him.
Achilles stood in the corner of the room. His rage was quiet and dignified. His gun was cocked but aimed at the floor. “Let her go,” he told his brother.
“What are you talking about?” Luca threw him a scowl. “She’s sending you toprison.”
“Let. Her. Go.” Every word was rasped lethally, quietly, and with deathly determination.
Slowly, Achilles turned to his brother, fixing the barrel of the gun on his head. He clicked the safety off.
“You won’t.” Luca snarled.
