Page 191 of Lovely Venom

“I do like a woman who knows how to handle a weapon,” Ares answers smoothly.

Just as soon as that’s settled, Romeo makes an appearance, traipsing up to the group from somewhere beyond the walls of the estate.

“Did I miss all the fun?” he asks.

“Almost.” Cristian eyes him, and Romeo gives him a subtle nod.

“Alright, well I’m going to get everything prepped,” Romeo says. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

Cristian thanks him, and Romeo walks away as the rest of us pass through the gates and head to the vehicles. Before we climb in, I take one last look at my father’s corpse lying on the ground, wondering what they’ll do with him. But to be honest, I don’t really care.

The ride back to the house is silent and tense until I lean over and quietly ask Mariella if she’s sure about this. The determination on her face tells me she won’t be swayed, no matter what any of us might say.

“I just want to be free of him.”

She’s always had nerves of steel, but I don’t miss the slight hitch in her voice. While she’s played off Ares’s attention as an annoyance, I can see how much it’s weighed on her.

Beneath all that hostility, the pain still lingers, and I can only imagine how hard it’s been for her to move on when he refuses to let her go. This obsession of his has burned for years, and I can only hope that he’ll be true to his word once his time is up.

“I’m sorry that you have to do this,” I whisper.

“It’s not your fault,” she insists. “He would have found a way regardless. That’s why he’s been sitting on that agreement between him and Angelo for so long.”

I nod, but it doesn’t make me feel any better about the situation.

Cristian seems to sense my discomfort, and he takes my hand in his as we reach the house. I know this is when the men will disappear into an office to hammer out the final details, so I’m not surprised we have to part ways once we’re inside.

“Doing okay?” He pulls me aside, shielding me from prying eyes as he assesses the situation.

“I’m good,” I assure him. “Just a little tired.”

He palms my face, and I close my eyes, soaking up his touch. We don’t have much time, but there’s one thing I need to ask.

“What did Romeo go get for you?”

He hesitates for a beat, and when I meet his gaze, a heavy feeling settles in my gut.

“Was it Theodore?” I venture a guess.

Cristian nods, and I swallow.

“He’s here now?”

“Yes.”

I take a few seconds to process that and say the only thing I can. “You guys work fast.”

“He wasn’t going to breathe another day.” Cristian’s voice dips.

I release a shaky breath, and he brushes his lips against mine.

“It will all be over soon.”

There’s so much significance to those words. It isn’t just closure from my past, and the fear that’s followed me like a shadow. It’s the promise of a new beginning. It’s the indisputable truth that Cristian is willing to risk everything to keep me. And after today, he will.

“I love you,” I whisper. “So much.”

Warmth flickers across his face as he drags me closer and squeezes me tight. “Ti sceglierei in ogni vita.”