Page 125 of Coveted By Cupid

“I can’t,” she says, rocking him in her arms. “He’s all I ever wanted. I gave him everything I had, but all he wanted was Vanessa. No matter how hard I tried when he was alive, he never picked me. Maybe now in death he will.”

Her words make my stomach sink to my feet, sensing she’s about to do something reckless and permanent.

Before I can react, Riley points the gun under her chin.

“Riley, no!”

Too late.

She pulls the trigger, and the blast echoes around the room, vibrating through my chest. Blood bursts out of the top of her head, hosing the ceiling and wall behind her in crimson rain. Her eyes close and her head slumps forward, the gun tumbling from her hand with a clank on the concrete floor.

I stare in shock, my ears ringing from the discharge and the screams coming from upstairs.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

CUPID

“CUUUPID!” Vanessa screams, crying out for me like she expects the worst.

My poor, Butterfly. She worries about nothing.

Hearing Vanessa in distress has the shock of Riley taking herself out wearing right off me. I run upstairs, hating the fear in my woman’s voice.

When I open the door to the main floor, I find Cookie hanging on to my ole lady around her waist and my woman fighting to break free of his hold with all she’s got.

As soon as Vanessa spots me, she breaks down in harsh sobs, slumping against Cookie. Relief washes over her features with her tears.

The prospect releases her when I approach, and she falls into my waiting arms. I sweep Vanessa into a bridal style and walk to the viewing room, taking a seat in one of the many chairs. With her safe in my arms, I take a moment to thank the gods she’s still with me. Feeling my woman move and breathe in my hold grounds my senses after fearing I had lost her.

“Y—Y—You could have died,” Vanessa chokes out between gasps. “I could h—h—have lost you.”

“I feel the same about you,” I growl. My words come out harsher than I want for our reunion, but I’m so damn pissed at Vanessa for running into danger.

Taking her face in my hands, I glare at her. “Do you have any idea what I went through when I discovered you were missing?”

My woman sobs, gripping my cut in her tiny fists like I might slip through her fingers. “I’m sorry!”

“When I learned your ex was involved, I was ready to bring down the city,” I snap, desperate for her to understand the lengths I’d go to keep her safe. “Why would you not come to me?”

“Boden sent me a text and an image of Romy tied to the mortuary table. He threatened to hurt her if I didn’t go to him.” Vanessa’s tears are running down her face in torrents, all her fear and anxiety pouring out of her. “I was scared he’d do it.”

“And what about you, huh? Did you think you were invincible and that he wouldn’t hurt you? Goddamnit, Vanessa! Did you not stop and think for one second how I would feel if anything happened to you under my protection? I’d rather die than see you harmed. Threats or not, you come to me when there’s trouble!”

I lift her ass off my lap just to slap it and drive the point home. “Do you understand?”

Whimpering, she bobs her head rapidly.

“Use your words, Psyche,” I hiss, ready to slap her pretty peach again if she doesn’t do as I say. “Tell me you understand.”

“I understand,” she says before throwing her arms around my neck and burying her face against me, blubbering uncontrollably. “I’m sorry!”

Fuck, I’m an asshole for being angry with her after everything she’s been through. I’m not sorry I laid into her—she needed a good scolding for being reckless. I’m just sorry I gave her more to be upset about on top of what happened with Boden and Riley.

Wrapping my arms tightly around her, I let out an exhausted sigh. “I know you are, Butterfly.”

“The gunshots?” Vanessa asks with a stuttering breath. “What happened?”

“They’re dead,” I say, not sugarcoating the truth. “Boden was shot in the scuffle with Riley. Riley took her own life out of guilt.”