Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 72799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
And yet, he only stares into my eyes as if daring me to make him cut me.
“You won’t.” I shake my head slightly, careful not to touch the blade.
“Why wouldn’t I? You mean nothing to me.”
“Because you’re not like him.” I don’t have to explain that I’m talking about our father. Something in Lucas’s eyes changes. Surprise, maybe? Realization?
Before I can say more, the door bursts inward, slamming against the dining room wall. On the threshold is Nicolo, his gaze promising murder, his eyes fixed on Lucas.
5
Nic
The eye of a hurricane is a trick. There’s nothing quiet or calm about it. The eye is there for the target to realize the storm has only just begun.
And this calm settling over me as I survey the scene in my brother’s safe house is nothing more than a warning. Too bad he won’t be able to do anything about it.
I carefully shut the front door behind me and stalk forward. Lucas turns to put his back against the wall and pulls Celia tight into his chest; the glint of a knife shines in the light as he brings it to her throat. I know my brother well enough to know if he wanted to kill her, she would already be dead. This isn’t about wanting to hurt her. It’s about trying to save his own ass. And I suspect, more of a reaction than a threat.
Instead of focusing my attention on him, I survey her, cataloging the leggings she has on and the oversized T-shirt she’s wearing. The shirt is one of his own, and I want to rip it off her body. My eyes roam her beautiful face, even with her makeup half crusted on her face, I’ve never seen a more beautiful woman.
There’s a red mark on her cheek, and I step forward to rub my thumb over it. Her big brown eyes are wide, staring up at me, awaiting my reaction.
“Did he hurt you, princess?”
“Why? You didn’t care if I was going to get hurt when you sold me.” She throws the words into my face, and I force myself not to react.
“Tell me,” I order. “If you don’t, I’ll assume he did.”
She shakes her head frantically. “No, he didn’t hurt me.”
Now that she’s confirmed as unharmed, I lift my gaze to my brother and let all that boiling rage spill over the surface.
Knowing my next move, and no doubt feeling the change in the air, he shoves Celia away, and she stumbles behind me. At least he has the presence of mind to get her out of the way before I beat the shit out of him. It’s enough to keep me from killing him. For now.
I don’t have time to see if she’s okay before Lucas comes swinging at me with the knife still tucked into his fist.
“You’d stab me, brother? After everything we’ve been through.” I blink, shutting down my feelings, my thought process.
He huffs as I pry the knife from his grip and throw it across the room. “You’re going to do a lot worse to me. I can see it in your eyes.”
I punch him in the stomach, causing him to double over while I use my other hand and grip him by the back of his neck. “You are so right. But the difference is, you deserve it. You stole something that belongs to me, and I’m here to get it back. As my brother, you should’ve known better, but it seems you don’t care. Therefore, I won’t care what happens to you while you suffer the consequences of your actions.”
Celia steps into the corner of my vision, and I meet her gaze. “Please, don’t hurt him. You’ll end up killing him if you keep hitting him like that.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Lucas yells at her while scrambling to get out of my hold. He thinks I’m distracted by her presence, but I’m hyper-focused on protecting her.
I lift him by his neck and slam him into the wall. Then deliver several more blows, one to his face and two to the ribcage. He grunts and slides to the floor in a heap. My knuckles are split from the force of my punches, and my hand throbs, but the pain doesn’t matter to me. I thrive on it. It’s like a drug. Each blow I deliver is another hit of dopamine to the brain.
“Please, stop!” Celia screeches from behind me. But I can’t stop, not now that I can finally let all the festering rage out.
I drag him back up by the hair and pull his face to mine. I grit my teeth as I speak. “Did you fuck her? Is that why you wanted her? You wanted a taste of her so badly you had to steal her away to get it?”
Celia gasps from behind me, but my gaze never wavers. The look in Lucas’s eyes is one I understand all too well. It’s self-loathing, hate, and rage swirling into a tornado that will only end up destroying him.