“Well then, I have a few ideas that align with taking it easy.” I grinned, my pulse quickening. “Besides, it would be rude of me to not pay my respects to my dearly departed fiancé, wouldn’t it?”
I fluttered my lashes and feigned as much innocence as I could, but I almost choked on the last few words. Thinking of him that way caused bile to rise in my throat.
“Of course you do.” Kellan chuckled, and Merrick grunted in agreement.
A crease formed between Spade’s brows. I knew he wanted to keep me safe, but it warred with his desire to unleash hell itself on those bastards at my side.
“You’ve always encouraged me to embrace my power and take my revenge any way I can.” My tone was soft, but Spade still flinched as though I’d physically struck him with an accusation. “I need to do this, just as much as I had to take care of Tommaso myself. But this time, I want you by my side. I want them to know exactly who they’re dealing with and that this war is far from over.”
Spade’s chest deflated slightly as he nodded, his eyes gloomy and downcast, refusing to meet my gaze. I had to get through to him, but we had less than a day to plan our attack, and knowing Angelo, he’d probably already have a few men staking out the church after what happened at the engagement dinner.
“If you’re going, then I’m coming too,” Merrick said and shifted to put his bowl of soup down.
“Nope, you still have to rest, doctor’s orders.” I pecked his cheek with a chaste kiss and swiftly dodged him when he tried to turn and deepen the kiss. A giggle slipped from my lips as I wiggled out from Sophia, who thankfully let me get up with only a half-hearted grumble this time. “No trying to distract me into staying with you. I’ve made up my mind.”
I took my time getting out of bed, gingerly putting weight onto my injured leg. It was healing well, but there was still a twinge of pain every time I put weight on it. I’d have to hide it tomorrow for my plan to work, but it was easier now than it had been before the treatments with the physiotherapist last week.
“Giana,” Merrick growled, clearly not missing the way I kept my weight on my good leg.
“Don’t Giana me,” I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “I have to get out of bed, otherwise the muscles will weaken. Don’t tell me you know more than the physiotherapist and the doctor.”
“We’ll watch out for her,” Kellan assured him. I grumbled under my breath at the thought that I had to be babysat, but secretly, I loved the way they protected me. As long as I still got to be part of the action, I could handle their hovering.
Despite my insistence on being at the center of this fight, the vision of the flames devouring the furniture, inching closer and closer to my nearly unconscious form, caused a sliver of concern in my heart. I could tell the memory still replayed through Kellan’s mind with the way his eyes softened. He always had an uncanny way of reading my mind, like my expressions were an open book, revealing the thoughts within to him alone.
“We don’t have much time if we want to make an explosive entrance.” I winked at them and blew a kiss Merrick’s way before merrily skipping to the door. Well, it was actually more of a hobble, but I’d never admit that out loud.
Spade caught my arm before I could make it out to the hallway, his delight glinting in his violet eyes like lightning flashing through purple storm clouds, but his jaw ticked, clearly not missing the unease in my steps. “I can’t wait to see what you have in store for them, sugar.”
His eyes closed as he sucked in a breath; his fear and excitement merged into a tornado in his head, each fighting for dominance. “Stick close to me, please?”
I could tell that his request was as much for me as it was for him, so I nodded and pressed my lips to his. “Always.”
Some of the ice melted at the declaration, his dazzling grin almost eliciting a sob in my throat. I quickly blinked back themoisture begging to pool in my eyes, and flashed him a beaming smile in return.
We wouldn’t let the Barones win, not in the fight for this town, nor with the war that raged within our souls after our near-death experiences. I refused to let Tommaso or his actions haunt another of my precious moments with my men, my family—the only true one I’d ever known.
Tommaso was dead, and now it was time to lay him to rest—hopefully right alongside his father.
Chapter Three
Giana
“Howareyoudoing?”Eve asked, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder as she slid me a limoncello La Croix across the bar.
I wasn’t sure how she discovered my favorite flavor of sparkling water, but she started to stock it ever since the night Mike drugged me and took me to Tommaso. One of the guys probably told her, but I was grateful either way. Even with Tommaso gone, it would be a while until I trusted a drink that I didn’t see opened in front of me.
“The doctor gave me the all clear today, so I’m excited to get back to work.” I winked at her and cracked open the drink, allowing the bubbles to slide soothingly down my throat, the subtly sweet flavor sparking a giddy delight in my chest. I was soused to tea and soup, the cold liquid almost seemed like a treat after the last week.
“How are you really doing?” She eyed me skeptically, cocking a challenging brow.
Well, damn. Eve wasn’t pulling any punches today.
I glanced around the bar, spotting a few familiar faces taking their places at the surrounding tables. I didn’t know the men and women of the Devil’s Demons well, not all of them, and the unease niggling at my gut wasn’t something that I wanted to broadcast. Especially when we needed to appear confident and bloodthirsty.
I was definitely ready to shed more of the Barones’ blood, but any sign of weakness would destroy the trust my guys had worked so hard to establish between them and the rest of the Demons.
“Ready to spill more blood.” I grinned, mirroring her lifted brow. Judging by the way she blanched, my grin was more of a baring of teeth—exactly what I was going for.
