The gun felt heavy in my hand; it was larger than I usually used, but when it belongs to the giant of a man behind me, it makes sense. Kicking the chair out of the way, I watched my father flinch. “What’s wrong, Dad? Are you a little worried?” I bent over and whispered in his ear. “Are you worried that the time has come for me to enact my revenge? You made me marry a man to ensure you remained in power. Power, you haven’t held for over two years. Your power was mine.” He closed his eyes and then opened them, staring at me as evil incarnate. My father was gone. The man who, at one time, was a loving man before he let this life worm his way into his soul.
“Fuck you.” He spat.
“Nico, sit him up,” I said without looking back at my husband. In this life, a woman telling a man what to do didn’t happen often, and I was sure we would have to “discuss” it when we got home, but right now I didn’t care.
He moved slowly, methodically and pressed his hand to my back as he looked at me. Most people would have missed it, but it was he telling me I didn’t have to be the one to do this; he would take the burden from me. He pulled my father into a sitting position, and I let my eyes flutter closed for a brief moment.
I needed a moment to myself. This was different from taking out a drug dealer or a man who likes to traffic young girls; this was my father. When I turned around, I saw Nico’s men gathering behind me; they were waiting for their next orders from him.
Turning back to my father, I took a few steps toward him and raised the gun to his temple. “Daughter, how can you stand over your father and point a gun at me? Where are your loyalties?”
That was all it took for the switch to flip, for me to forget the relationship and look at him like an enemy. “You sick fuck. Let’s talk about loyalties, shall we? I ran your operation for two years when you couldn’t get out of bed. Do you have any idea how many people I put in the ground for trying to take what was ours? When you found out, what did you do? You gave me to the highest bidder.” For the briefest moment, I tore my eyes away from my father, the man who gave me life, the man who was supposed to protect me and stared at the face of the man who had actually done those things. At this moment, I knew he’d burn the world down for me if I needed him to. Letting my eyes fall back to my father, I took a step closer, pressing the gun harder against his head.
“You can’t do this, you’re a Carminatti.” He yelled, his face going red as his anger built. I was surrounded by Venosa men who were waiting to see the decision I made at this moment. It would either ensure their devotion and allegiance for eternity, or it would mean my death alongside my father.
I let my eyes fall to the floor, but the words from my wedding night seemed to be whispered in my ear, “You’re the wife ofNiccolò Venosa, a title you will hold with honour and pride. Never look down for anyone.”
“I’m a Venosa.” I bent over and whispered in his ear. Standing, I locked eyes with Nico and pulled the trigger. My father slumped to the floor, blood oozed from his head, and his blood spattered all over the plastic behind him, but it didn’t even phase me.
“You need to see the doctor,” Nico said as he reached for my hand with his and the gun with his other. Placing my blood-stained hand in his, we walked past his men lining the way to the exit. They all lowered their heads as we walked by. They had done it when I married Nico, but this time wasn’t because of him. I’d proven to them I wasn’t my family any longer; I was theirs.
“Antonio, home.” My husband’s quiet words were music to my ears. We climbed into the back of the car, and I sank into the seat. I suddenly realized I ached all over. My head was pounding, and my eye was swelling so quickly that I would lose the ability to see out of it shortly.
“Amore mio, what do you need?” He still gripped my hand tightly. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I thought my hand was broken.
“I have everything I need right here.Ti amo.”
“You do?” He asked, disbelief filling his words.
“I do, I love you Niccolò Venosa, and I will until the end of my days.”
“I love you, Emilia, my wife, my partner.”
“I don’t know if I want to be your partner, Nico. It’s a lot of work, could I just be your wife?” I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
“Oh,amore, you’re my partner forever, because you’re terrifying and it will benefit our family. But you can retire fromthe bloodshed if you like.” His light laughter was the last thing I heard before the world went black.
CHAPTER 36
NICO
Whirring,sputtering, and the most wonderful smell filled my nose—coffee. As I forced my eyes open, I quickly realized I had only opened one. I stared up at the ceiling and understood I was in my bed. Why was there an espresso machine in my room? “Welcome back, Emilia.” He sounded tired and concerned. He was on the side where my eye was swollen shut.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“Unconscious, you mean?”
“If I were unconscious, why am I not at a hospital?”
“Because your husband paid me well to monitor you here,” another voice said, and I focused on the woman at the end of my bed. She’d been my doctor since I joined the Venosa family. “I’m pleased with your progress. I’ll leave you both for now and check back tomorrow. Welcome back, Emilia. You had me worried for a while.” She patted my foot and grabbed her bag. “Oh, and no intimacy until I say you’re cleared.” She smiled as she left the room.
The way I felt right now, intimacy was the last thing I wanted even to consider. I needed some answers. “How long?” I asked without turning my head.
“Five days.” He whispered.
“Can you move to my other side? I want to see you.” The bed gave way as he got off and walked around to my good side. That was laughable. Did I even have a good side anymore? “I want to know.”
“Your face is covered in bruises, and your right hand is broken. Why didn’t you tell me when I was holding your hand in the car?”
