The image of Heather peeing in her pants almost has me chuckling.
“Then I visited Jason. I was going to bankrupt him, but he said he didn’t know how they were treating you, so I showed him mercy.”
“Oh good.” I press my hand to my chest. “He was never in the office. That was Heather’s realm to reign over.”
Adriano’s expression turns vicious. “I met Austin.”
“Ugh.”
That’s all I get out before he continues, “My men roughed him up. Last I heard, he was in the hospital.”
When I don’t feel bad for him at all, a frown forms on my forehead.
“If you dare tell me I shouldn’t have done that, you and I are going to have our first fight.”
“No, it’s not that.” I wet my lips before asking, “Is it weird that I don’t feel bad for him?”
“Not at all. It would be fucking weird, though, if you did,” my possessive husband grumbles. “Anyway, I’ve emptied their bank accounts, leaving them penniless like they did with you. I’ll kill them soon. I’m just letting them suffer while the fear eats them alive.”
This time I shake my head hard. “No, Adriano. You can’t kill them. That would be taking it a bit too far.” When I can see he’s going to argue, I give him the most serious look I can conjure on my face. “They aren’t a part of your…ourworld,” I quickly correct myself. “They were just mean people, and you scaring the crap out of them is enough punishment for me. Trust me. If you did that to me, I’d sleep with one eye open for the rest of my life. Let them live with the fear.”
He lets out a heavy breath. “Fine, but only because it’s what you want.”
“It is.” I place my left hand against the side of his neck. “Thank you for my wedding gift.”
Just as he leans in and kisses me, we hear, “Laurie!”
When Yuki and Nina rush into the room, I’m so surprised, I just stare at them.
Adriano quickly gets up, then Yuki gives me a tight hug before Nina embraces me as well.
They came.
My nose tingles as happy tears threaten to fall, but I fight them back.
“You came,” I voice my thoughts out loud.
“I’ll go get your phone. Do you need me to bring anything else from home?” Adriano asks.
When I shake my head, he gives me a quick kiss before leaving me with my friends.
Friends. Plural.
A smile spreads over my face as I look at Yuki and Nina.
“Are you okay?” Nina asks.
“Yeah. They’re just keeping me prisoner for observation.”
Yuki lets out a chuckle. “I take it you don’t like hospitals?”
I shake my head. “Who does?”
“I couldn’t believe my ears when Augusto told me what happened,” Yuki says. “It’s insane. I didn’t know Marco, but it’s damn scary to think one of our own can turn on us like that.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever trust the guards,” Nina gives her two cents. A dark expression moves over her face, making me wonder if there’s a story there.
When she sees my questioning gaze, she says, “A guard almost killed Simi. Georgi saved her.”
