It’s taking every ounce of my strength not to shoot Greco between the eyes because I want to see him bleed while I beat him to death.
Turning my back to Greco, I walk to Luca and hand my weapons to him. I glance at Rosalie, and seeing the bruises and blood on her face, gives me another surge of rage.
She’s so fucking beautiful and petite, yet the fucker hit her.
I wink at her, then turn to face Greco. “Let’s do this.”
Greco takes off his tuxedo jacket and tosses it to the side. While I slowly walk closer, he unbuttons his cuffs and rolls up the sleeves.
I know the man is trained. He might be over fifty, but he has years of fighting behind him.
I crack the muscles in my neck, the corner of my mouth lifting when he takes in a ready stance.
The church has cleared out except for the priest, the members of the Cosa Nostra, the Priesthood, and moya Malen’kaya Roza.
Greco lunges at me, but I move to the side, stepping close to a row of benches. He lets out an impatient growl, coming at me again. Grabbing hold of the back of a bench, I twist my body into the air, delivering a double kick to the side of his head.
Greco sprawls over the floor as I land on my feet.
Chuckling, I taunt him, “Come on. Don’t tell me you didn’t see that coming. Are you getting old?”
I wait for him to get up. He shakes his head, then glares at me. “You’re still wet behind the ears, Vetrov. I killed long before you were a sperm in a ballsack.”
I give him an arrogant smile. “Yeah, but were you trained by Demitri Vetrov and Alexei Koslov?” I shake my head. “I didn’t think so.”
Darting forward, I use the weight of my body to plow into him. Grabbing hold of his sides, I lift him into the air for a moment before slamming him down on the ground. Straddling the fucker, my fingers wrap around his throat, and squeezing on a pressure point, it makes it easier to keep him in place.
My fist slams into his nose, causing blood to spurt from him. His eyes tear up, his mouth gaping open so he can breathe.
“You touched my woman,” I grit out between clenched teeth right before my first meets his face again.
While he’s dazed from the punches, I slap his cheek. “Come on, old man. I didn’t hit you that hard.” I slap him again. “Christ, can you even get it up anymore? Do you have to take Viagra?” I let out a chuckle as his features start to tighten with anger from the serving of humiliation I’m giving him.
Slap. “Not so strong when you have to fight someone your own size.” Slap. I lean forward to get into his face. “You’re a pussy.”
He grabs hold of my left arm and twists hard while using his entire body to roll over. I quickly jump to my feet, and as Greco gets up, he pulls a knife from his pocket. Jumping, I spin into the air, kicking the knife from his hand before my other foot slams into the side of his head.
As the fucker drops, I let out a disgusted growl as I kick him in the stomach.
He coughs and wheezes as he struggles to his feet, and says with a smirk, “My only regret is that I didn’t fuck her raw.”
Everything inside me stills as I stare at the man who tried to steal Rosalie from me.
Greco manages to take a couple of steps back to put some space between us so he can recover from the blows I dealt him.
Darting toward the fucker, I grab hold of his shoulder and twist my body around his. Wrapping my legs around his neck, my hands grip the sides of his head, and using all my strength, I break his neck. Greco immediately drops, and I land with him dead at my feet, his eyes wide open.
Taking a step away, I savor the moment.
“Are you satisfied now?” Parisi asks.
My eyes flick to his, and not bothering to answer him, I walk to my friends. I take my guns from Luca. I stalk back to where the priest is standing, horror etched onto his face.
“Kneel,” I bark to the priest who dared to fucking pronounce them husband and wife.
Against Rosalie’s will.
He drops to his knees, and as he begins to sign the cross, I press the barrel of my gun to his head. “Please,” he begs.
“I’m a sinner, Father. You’ll find no mercy with me.” I pull the trigger and watch as his head snaps back before he slumps down.
Glaring at Parisi, I mutter, “Now I’m satisfied.”
As I walk to Rosalie, I shove my guns into the waistband of my pants.
Her lips are parted as breaths rush over them, her eyes locked on me with an expression I’ve never seen. Inches from her, I lift my hands and tenderly frame her face. Staring deep into her eyes, there’s finally peace in my heart.
“Take me home,” she whispers.
Slipping my arms beneath her knees and behind her back, I pick her up bridal style and carry her out of the fucking church to the SUV.
The skirt of the dress is all over the place, but I bundle her into the backseat and slide in beside her.
Luca climbs in behind the steering wheel while Nikolas takes the passenger side. Gabriel and Liam get into the other SUV, and when everyone is ready, we leave the church behind.
“You know that’s not the end of it, right?” Luca mutters.
“It can wait,” I grumble as I wrap my arms around Rosalie. The second I pull her against me, she lets out a whimper and flinches.
I pause, moving my hands to her shoulders. “Where do you hurt?”
It’s only then I notice she’s cradling her right arm.
“I think I sprained it when I climbed out of the window,” she explains.
Chuckling, I shake my head. “You and windows.”
She tries to smile but stops because of her split lip. Lifting my hand, I try to wipe some of the blood from her chin.
My eyes burn on every bruise, and it makes me wish I could kill Greco all over again.
“Jesus, moya Malen’kaya Roza.”
“I’m okay,” she whispers, gingerly leaning her swollen jaw against my palm. “How did you find out?”
“Luca’s father told us your family was banned from New York. Had I known, I never would’ve let you go.”
Her chin starts to tremble. “They said my family dealt in sex trafficking.” Her voice grows hoarse, her eyes pleading with mine. “Is it true?”
Fuck. I wanted to spare her the pain, but I can’t lie to her.
When I nod, her face distorts with heartache. I gently pull her to my chest and press kisses to her hair. “I’m sorry you had to find out.”
“Your apartment or the airfield?” Luca asks.
“The apartment. I want her out of this fucking dress,” I mutter.
“She’ll need clothes,” Nikolas mentions.
Rosalie pulls a little back. “I had to leave most at the studio apartment I rented. I don’t know what Mr. Parisi did with my luggage and handbag. All my documents are with him.”
“We’ll get everything,” I assure her. Then I catch Luca’s eyes in the rearview mirror.
“I’ll make the call,” he says.
“Thank you,” Rosalie whispers, looking exhausted.
“When did they take you?” I ask.
“Four days ago. They were going to kill me until Greco said he’d pay my family’s debt in exchange that I married him.” She looks up at me, pleading with me to believe her. “I never said yes, Viktor. I promise. I fought as hard as I could.”
Lifting a hand to her head, I brush her hair back. “I know, moya Malen’kaya Roza.”
A tear spirals down her face. “I was so scared.”
There’s a fresh burst of anger in my chest. I clench my jaw as I press a kiss to her forehead. “I promised you I’d kill any man I catch you with.”
I feel her lips brush against my neck as she says, “I’m so glad you made that promise.”
When we reach the apartment building, I help Rosalie out of the SUV and lift her into my arms again.
“Do I need to call a doctor?” Luca asks as we step into the elevator.
“Please,” I murmur before kissing her hair again.
When the elevator doors open, I walk to the living room and place her gently on a couch.
I hear Luca making the call to a doctor on our payroll before he calls Parisi.
“Put him on speaker,” I order, wanting to hear every word.
“What do you want,” Parisi snaps.
“You have Rosalie’s luggage and documents. Have someone deliver everything to us.”
“I’ll do that when you pay us the ten million she owes us.”
My temper flares, but before I can tell Parisi to go to hell, Nikolas says, “I’ll pay the debt.”
“What the fuck?” I snap.
He locks eyes with me. “I took everything when I killed Antonio and Ricco. I’ll pay it.”
“Today,” Parisi demands.
“As soon as you deliver Rosalie’s belongings,” Nikolas counters him.
“And if you try to ambush us, I’ll fucking come to your house and wipe out your family,” I threaten him.
Gabriel hands Rosalie a glass of water while Liam stands to the side.
“When we attack, you’ll know it,” Parisi hisses. “My man will be there within the hour. You’ll make the payment and get out of my city before sunset.”
“It’s a deal,” Luca agrees.
With burning rage, I get the first aid kit, and taking a seat next to Rosalie, I start to wipe the blood from her face. Every time she flinches, I press a kiss on her forehead.
When the doctor arrives, he informs us Rosalie’s arm might be broken, but she needs to go to a hospital so they can take an X-ray.
“We have to leave before sunset,” Luca reminds us. “We don’t have time for a hospital.”
“I can go to one in LA,” Rosalie says. “I’m kinda getting used to the pain.”
“I’ll give you something to help until you can get the medical care you need,” the doctor says. “I’ll also secure her arm in a sling.”
“Can you wait until I’ve changed out of the dress? Please?” Rosalie asks.
“Of course.” The doctor gives her a comforting smile, earning himself a bonus.
Rosalie keeps stealing glances at me with the different expression in her eyes. I can’t place it, though, and wish we were alone so I could ask her what it means.
“Parisi’s man is here,” Luca announces.
Pulling my Heckler & Kochs from behind my back, I check the clips as I climb into the elevator with Luca.
“Don’t kill the man,” he says drily.
“I can’t promise anything,” I joke.
When the elevators open, we see the SUV parked by the entrance to the underground parking. There’s a man behind the steering wheel, and another stands in front of the vehicle with the luggage.
“Mr. Parisi wants the proof of payment,” the fucker calls out.
I’m on guard, my gaze checking every shadow and possible hiding place for a surprise attack.
Luca makes the call to Nikolas, and we have to wait until he sends the proof of payment that Luca forwards to Parisi.
Parisi’s man gets a call, then he starts to walk to the passenger side of the SUV.
“Hold up,” I call out. “Open the bags.”
“What?” He shakes his head at me.
“If one of them is going to blow up, I’d much rather have you die.”
Reluctantly the man walks back to the luggage and opens them. Then the fucker kicks the bags, so Rosalie’s clothes spill onto the ground.
Not thinking twice, I fire a shot at his foot. The instant the driver darts out of the SUV, Luca trains the barrel of his gun on him. “Ah-ah-ah. I wouldn’t. Get back into the car.”
The other guy limps to the passenger side and climbs in.
Once they drive off, Luca mutters, “You just couldn’t resist shooting him, could you?”
I walk to the luggage and throw the clothes back into the bags. “The fucker disrespected me.”
Luca grabs a bag while I take the other, and we head back up to the penthouse.
“Let’s get this over with so we can go home,” he says, sounding exhausted from dealing with all my shit.
While the elevator climbs the floors, I place an arm around his shoulder. “Thanks, brother. I wouldn’t have survived without you.”
A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Through thick and thin.”
“Always.”
