Page 62 of Possession

“And worse, my son will hate you more. Knowing you came between him and his real family, pushing me out and instead tried to create your own, hurting his mommy in the process.” She clucks her tongue and sticks her bottom lip out, and when I think she’s finished her vicious spiel, she continues. “Who do you think he will take to the Mafia events, little girl.” She sits forward, reveling in the way her words pain me and the way I sink back in my chair as each one strikes me. “You and the bastard? Or the wife and his heir.” She ends her tirade with a cruel laugh. One that tells me she knows she’s hit me where it hurts. Tears well in my eyes as pain surges through me, causing palpitations so strong it becomes difficult for me to breathe, yet somehow, I do.

Trying my best to keep my reserve, I slowly push back in my seat, discarding the napkin on the table.

“You know, Nikita, keep pushing. One day, Rafael will have enough of you. One day, Oliver will learn what a bitch his mother is, and when the time comes, I’ll be the one to comfort them. Both of them. Much like now. Goodnight.”

I raise my head as I march toward the door.

“The only thing that will be pushed is you. Watch your back, little girl. Daddy won’t always be around to save you, but Mommy will always be here. Just where she was always meant to be.”

Her menacing laugh echoes through the halls as I rush up the stairs toward my little man.

I can’t help but feel her words hold a threat. A threat wrapped so tight around my heart it feels like it’s being smothered.

A heaviness swims in my stomach as I sink down beside Oliver and stroke over his hair. He will always protect his son, even if it means protecting him from me and our relationship.

Her words replay in my mind as a lone tear slips down my cheek. “You and your child would be an outcast. The mistress and the bastard. Society will hate you and that baby. But Oliver will hate you more.”

When his soft hand touches my cheek and his sweet voice fills my ears, I know I’m exactly where I want to be. “El, no cry.”

I bend, taking his cute cheeks in the palms of my hand. “I love you, little man.”

His smile fills the void in my heart.

If only temporarily.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Rafael

Sitting through a meal with my wife and girl and son was a whole new kind of hell. Nikita showed Ellie so much disrespect it made my blood boil. Something she will pay for, but hurting the woman has to be done differently. I can’t physically touch her, and she knows it. Maybe cutting off her latest boy toys will be a lesson she listens to.

When Kai called to say Oblivion was on fire, I made a quick exit to rush to the scene.

I snap out of my thoughts. “Anyone inside?” I glare up at one of my most lucrative clubs, still ablaze while firefighters tackle it and police swarm the outskirts.

Kai lifts his shoulder. “Couple of dancers and clients in the private rooms. Security got them out.” He sighs heavily. “They didn’t come back out yet.”

I nod solemnly.

“You get hold of Rocco?”

He shakes his head, ducking it low as irritation floods my veins at where my little brother probably is, all while I’m left to deal with this shit. “He’s safe.” Kai tacks on, causing guilt to lance through me. Shit, I never even considered that he might not be, but I know my little brother can look after himself.

“You got security footage?” Kai’s jaw tightens, and whatever he’s about to say will just piss me off more.

“From first glance, it’s all been wiped.”

I throw my head back on a sardonic laugh. Of course it fucking has. Someone is screwing with us. Taking a deep breath, I tug my phone from my jacket pocket and press call.

“You’re speaking to Owen. Rafael Marino, I see your club is up in flames.” My spine straightens at the notion he already knows the predicament I’m in. His chuckle is husky. Then I hear him moving around and a door shutting while my mind whirls about getting the full lowdown on who Owen Stevens and his company STORM Enterprise are.

“You need my help.” I can sense his smile through the damn phone, and it causes my blood to curdle and my body tense with irritation.

“I need some answers.”

“Then you came to the right man.”

I don’t know what fucking time it is when I finally arrive home, but it’s daylight. Too late for bed, yet too early to start the day.

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