Page 84 of In the Dark

Yet, he didn’t say a word to her. He looked to me. “She’s more trouble than she’s worth for you Diamonds. Call the wedding off.”

“Telling my future husband to leave me?” Jasmina stepped in front of him so she got his attention.

“I deserve her instead. And she’s—”

“Watch what you’re about to say about my future wife, Fitzpatrick.” I cut him off and casually pulled my pistol from where it was tucked at my back waistline.

Yet, he didn’t seem to care who he was dealing with. And he shouldn’t have really cared at all about me. When he said, “Her family is trash and her—” she was the fastest of us all. His hand didn’t even get to his weapon before she had a knife at his neck.

I was right behind her with a gun to his fucking head too.

“Don’t talk about my family,” she said, her teeth bared.

“Callahan”—he looked at me like I was a traitor—“she’s a Ruiz. You know they owe us,” he said, shaking from being held at gunpoint and with a knife to his neck.

“Did you come on my territory to disrespect my fiancée?” I asked him, my voice just above a whisper.

I took one more step so that Jasmina’s back was at my chest, and I felt how stiff she was until I was against her. Then she leaned into me, relaxed into me, almost fucking melted into me, the knife still at that man’s throat.

I shouldn’t have come with her or entertained the conversation at all. I knew that initially, but now with her against me, I realized what a mistake I’d made.

Because even having eyes on her made me want to lose control.

And letting a monster in me out wasn’t what this community needed to see. I saw my brother pulling up behind my car, and soon the whole damn community would know about it if I couldn’t keep a lid on everything.

“Callahan, Paolo promised us ports—”

“Paolo promised things, and we took his life. You can thank the Diamonds at our next event. Until then, you come to the wedding to support us, or you will find that you don’t have our support at all.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, still shaking.

“It means my enemies are about to be Callahan’s enemies, Fitzpatrick. So stay on my good side, huh?” Jasmina told him.

“You little—” One of his men moved in a way he shouldn’t have.

Archer aimed, but I was already ready. My temper was quick, and my rage ruthless.

I pointed my pistol at his leg and pulled the trigger before he got his words out.

“Christ, Cal—” Jameson barked, and Fitzpatrick put his hands up in surrender. Jasmina rolled her eyes and dropped her knife so he could move toward his guy.

“I hit his artery.” The blood was sprayed all over me, my men, their men, and Jasmina. “He’ll live if you leave now,” I told him. Well, maybe. “Right, Jameson?”

“I mean, yeah.” Jameson winced. “Leave now, Fitzpatrick.”

Lucille was still there, now with a few other people, including my mother. “Can we include you on the guest list?” she had the audacity to yell from the sidewalk.

And that’s when Jasmina smiled and clapped once, blood droplets on her face. “Of course we can include him, right, Fitzpatrick?” She winked at the man who was staring at Lucille in shock and then at Jasmina. “You’ll be at the wedding at four o’clock sharp with a smile on your face. And I’m positive you won’t be late.”

They carried the injured man to their SUV and sped off.

Jasmina turned to Lucille, my mother, and a few of the others standing there. “Anybody else have a problem with the wedding?”

Even my brother shook his head no.

She went to my car door and then pointed. “Door, Callahan?”

I jumped out of my stupor and practically ran to open it for her.