Page 36 of Killer Love

“And now you’re begging…” He grabs my arm and yanks me around to face him. His eyes draw a line down my nightgown to my toes, each moment filling his face with more anger than before. “You’re begging when you should be silent. When you should be faithful and obedient.”

“Gio, please—”

I wince, realizing far too late the mistake I’ve made. His palm collides with my face and I taste blood before I even feel the pain on my cheek.

“You dare speak my name.”

I whimper. “I’m sorry.”

“Get out.” He releases the iron grip on my arm. “I’ll deal with you tomorrow. I don’t want an ungrateful wench in my bed tonight.”

I dart off the bed and keep my head down as I walk toward the door. He says nothing else and I say a silent prayer of gratitude as I close the door behind me. The sound echoes, traveling back and forth through the empty corridor, just barely overwhelming the pulse thumping in my ears.

My feet move me directly across the hall and I push open the door to Lucian’s room. I can tell before I see him that he’s sleeping, the quiet sounds of his breath moving his chest up and down in the darkness.

Run.

I shake my head as I sit down in the rocking chair. It’s the obvious solution. Take Lucian and walk out the front door — but we’d never make it. The guards rarely stray from their paths and there’s never a moment when every exit of the estate isn’t being watched.

Kill him.

I look into the crib, listening to my son’s steady breath. Killing Gio would be a mistake. An honor, for sure, but a grim mistake. Even if I managed it, I’d never survive the aftermath and then what would become of Lucian? Would he be sent to America to be raised by his Zappia uncles? Or even Antony himself? I shudder at the thought.

Luka.

There’s a shimmer of hope in my chest, but it leaves me just as fast as a passing breath. Luka Lutrova owes me nothing. I’ll never ask him for anything, just as I promised. I can’t ask him for help again.

Even if he wanted to help me again, there’s still the matter of the family truce to consider. He’d never risk that, and I wouldn’t either.

No one can ever know.

I lick my lips and, for a moment, I feel his tongue against mine, but the effect becomes acid in my throat. I can’t let this become the norm. I can’t let these feelings deep down get the better of me.

I have to stay away from Luka Lutrova until the day I die.

Chapter 12

Luka

I stare across the table at Sofia, feeling a quiet rage building inside of me.

She hasn’t raised an eye to me all morning. Her attention has been laser-focused on Lucian instead. Head down, long hair draped over her face, purposefully covering his left eye in painfully obvious ways.

And Gio has not been subtle.

“Be a good wife and fetch me another glass, Sofia.”

A good wife. It’s the fourth time he’s slurred it since he’s sat down.

“Yes, sir,” she says, reaching for his empty glass.

I watch her leave, hoping she’ll raise her head to look at me as she passes, but she doesn’t. She’s avoiding me for a reason. The only one I can think of is the piece of shit sitting across from me with his smug eyes locked on her ass.

“Excuse me,” I say, standing up. “I’m going to use the facilities, and then Yuri and I will get out of your hair.”

“Please, little brother…” Yuri groans from the chair beside me. “A little quieter, please…”

I offer a comforting pat on his back and Gio chuckles at him as I quickly turn and follow Sofia into the hall.

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