Page 73 of The Casella King

“I said what has gotten into you?” She looks at me expectantly, and I look away from her, remembering her words at the Brayford house.

“The world you want to be part of is fucked up, morally unjust and unethical in every way.”

“My sister.” I begin to explain to her, and just as I finish, she lets out a sigh, and I could’ve sworn I heard her voice in her sigh say ‘I told you so’.

“I’m sorry.” Her voice is almost a whisper as she places her hand on mine.

“I don’t blame her. It is my fault.” I shrug, the sadness overcoming me at a loss so big I never thought I would endure.

“You don’t have to stay strong for everyone all the time, Aries.” She squeezes my hand. “It’s okay to let go.” I feel the tears sting my eyes at her words, and I can’t control the pace at which they fall.

“Oh god, look at me crying to a woman who’s being held captive.” I reach for the tissues on the stand near the couch and wipe away my tears.

Darcy chuckles as she watches me. “It’s not something that’s foreign to me,” she admits, causing me to pause. I know she’s hiding something very dark beneath her icy exterior, and I think I’m afraid when I find out, I’m going to wish I never knew.

“You know I’m here for you, right? I know the Casella brothers are your enemies, but I can’t help but feel we have some sort of a friendship or kinship since the Brayford house,” I confess.

She smiles. “I like you, Aries. You seem genuine and caring. But please, don’t ever ask me to relive what I have been through.” Her eyebrows pull together as she stands, walking over to the window, and I know it hurts her to even think about it.

“I’m sorry. Whatever happened, I’m sorry.” I clasp my hands in my lap as I think of what to say. “I just want you to know I never intended your captivity.”

She smiles a half smile. “I know. Somehow, I know I can trust you.”

“Tell me something about you, Darcy.”

“What’s there to tell?” she asks, looking out the window into nothing. “To everyone who sees me, I’m the mafia princess, the one who had everything given to her on a silver platter.” Her hands brush the skin on her arms, over the ridges of her scars, and it makes me wonder if her family had done that to her. I don’t ask because I don’t want to pry. As much as I want to know, it’s really not my place.

She takes a deep breath before speaking again. “Leo was my uncle.” She looks back to me, her eyes brimming with tears, and I think to myself how hard it would have been for her to watch her uncle die.

The past couple of days have been tough on Aries. She won’t admit it to me, but I see it. In everything she does. I hate that I’m the reason for the fallout between her and Giselle, but my need for Aries outweighs everything else in this universe. If it meant that I’d keep her, I wouldn’t change a thing.

If that makes me selfish, so be it.

My life without Aries was filled with darkness, not to say it still isn’t, but now, it’s filled with her. Her laugh, her smile, her pretty little lips. I would do anything she asked in the blink of an eye. If she commanded it, I would watch as the world burnt beneath the throne she sat on with me bent at the knee, awaiting my next order. I’ve come to realise love is just a word. Sure, it’s the reason behind why we do things, but the word holds no meaning without her. My love is different from hers. My love is dark, all-encompassing, and hers is light…authentic, and anyone who tries to disturb that peace will have their own personal Azrael to answer to.

Me.

“What are you going to do with them?” Nico asks from beside me as Henry watches from across the dank room.

My nostrils burn with the smell of the dead in the corner of the space. “Whatever I want.” My lips curl as I watch the horror solidify on the man’s face knelt beneath me. I revel in his pain, in his terror. I love watching them take their last breath, and I almost feel the power seep into my bones as they leave the earth.

“P-please, n-no.” He sniffs, the snot running down his chin. “D-don’t kill me, I swear I can be of use to you. Please!” he begs, but it doesn’t bother me. In fact, I enjoy it.

“Say that again for me.” My voice gravelly, echoing throughout the emptiness of the shadowy room.

“P-please!” His breathing increases as I pull out my switchblade, unfolding the knife.

“Tell me again how you thought you could use an innocent child in your war games against us.” My jaw clenches at the memory. The memory of my brother on the floor and Ryan cradled in my arms.

“It wasn’t me! I swear! I didn’t know anything! I was just the driver. It was them.” He nods over to those who have made their peace with me moments ago before I sent them off to meet their maker.

“Come now, John,” Nico says, crossing his arms and leaning on the chair behind him.

“It wasn’t.” He sobs. “It wasn’t.”

The tip of my blade makes contact with the soft flesh beneath his ear. “Do you know how many ways there are to kill a man?”

His panicked eyes dart from me to Nico. “W-what?”

---