Page 80 of Her Wicked Men

I acted, the white-hot rage inside me claiming my very soul, plunging me into a tunnel-vision as I dug my thumbs into his eyes, determined to drive them right into his goddamn brain. They caved beneath the force, and his screams were music to my ears.

It wasn’t until he’d fallen silent that I was able to pull myself out of the red-soaked vision to realize I was in danger.

“Mario,” Enzo spat. I glanced at the doorway, finding said man standing there, his gun pointed directly at me.

Well, so much for keeping my head clear in a gunfight. It was hard to do so when Veronica was involved.

I was all out of plays now, no weapon in sight, and Enzo was naked and unable to do anything where he stood. Mario would shoot us both before we could even make a move.

I moved my gaze to Vee, desperate to see her one last time. She’d pulled the trigger for Enzo, saving him. Too bad it was all in vain. We had no hope now. I just prayed she didn’t move, that she’d somehow get out of this unscathed. Perhaps Kieran would shoot him dead before he realized she was still alive, or the rest of our security would get here in time.

I didn’t want to die, not here, not with her watching. I wanted to protect her, cherish her, grow old with her, and more.

Too bad I wouldn’t get that chance. She just had to survive this. After all she’d been through, she deserved the goddamn world.

But when our eyes locked, her pistol hidden from Mario’s view as she held it close, I knew she had a plan. A stupid, foolhardy plan as her eyes glittered with determination.

Of course my little stray was wanting to protect us.

She was too good of a person.

And I loved her all the more for it, even if it was stupid.

I couldn’t say a word or give away what she was planning.

“And this is where the Slade legacy ends, along with the Carbone.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Enzo snapped.

Vee’s face hardened, and she rolled onto her back, firing off two shots in quick succession.

Mario crumpled to the floor in a heap as Vee slowly sat up, staring at him on the floor, unmoving.

She still held the pistol at the ready, but it was shaking now.

She’d killed him.

She’d taken a life. For us.

30

VERONICA

Istared at the body on the floor, my heart in my throat, unable to look away.

I’d killed him.

“Veronica.”

I didn’t move, just stared, frozen in place as I drew in shaky breaths, the tears streaking down my cheeks. Each breath was torture, my throat constricted and pained, but it was nothing in comparison to the life I’d just taken.

That man would never hurt anyone again.

I had to remind myself of that. He’d been planning to kill my men, and he would’ve killed Thomas and I as well.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Zane said softly as he gently lowered my pistol. “You’re okay, I’m okay.”

“You’re okay,” I whispered shakily, my mind still reeling as everything tried to settle into place.

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