Page 49 of De Luca: The Saint

He grins, “Now we’ve both fucked up. Maybe one day I can be your brother again.”

I look at my little brother and shake my head, “You always have been.”

We’ve had our issues, but my wife has made me see that he never meant for anyone to get hurt.

Giada tells me daily that forgiveness brings healing. She won’t shut up about it.

I don’t listen to many people, but I listen to her. The fact is, I’ve shut him out for years, and my pregnant wife wants our child to know all of its uncles. Nobody knows we are expecting, and no one will until I can tell Damian. I’m close with all my brothers, but Damian and I are closest. If he weren’t my brother, he’d be my best friend. I would choose him if I had a choice. I made a grave mistake, and I have to fix it. I will not fucking lose him.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Kat

“Have you ever fired a gun?”

I let out a pfft sound, “Of course I have.”

Damian pulls back from me and arches a curious brow, “Really?”

I nod, “Yep. I have fantastic aim too.”

A pained expression crosses his features before he quickly stows it, “That’s good, Angel. Real good.”

He pulls his arms back over my head and begins to scoot back. “I don’t want them to see us together like that, they’ll think we’re planning something. If I could, I’d hold you forever.”

“I know.”

Even knowing Damian and I could never be together like we were, I feel the absence of his touch. He was right because Wolf enters the basement again. This time he’s not alone. Shit. There’s three of them this time. I was really hoping to only have to deal with him.

“What’s the verdict?” Wolf looks at me, folds his arms over his chest, and glares at me like I did something to offend him.

I take a deep breath before releasing it, “I’ll do it. I want to go home.”

He chuckles as he glances at Damian, “See what happens when you rape women, De Luca? They turn on you. She’s probably going to have trouble sleeping, she’ll hate herself. Maybe she’ll even take her own life. Hopefully, that brings you comfort in your final moments.”

Damian doesn’t say a word, he just stares back at Wolf while he undoes my cuffs. “As soon as he’s dead, you’re free to go. Not until we confirm he’s gone. No theatrics, you just leave.”

I rub my wrists and fight the smile on my face, “I never thought I would take a life, but I’m looking forward to it. I used to think nobody ever deserved to die, but I’ve changed my mind.”

Damian swallows hard, “I’m sorry.”

Wolf places the gun in my hand, “Wow, this is heavy.”

He nods, “It’s a man’s gun, Sweetheart.”

Wolf and his three men move to the side, “Just pull the trigger. It’s a custom, you don’t have to do anything other than pull the trigger multiple times. In fact, empty the clip in this fucker.”

I nod, “I plan on it.”

The sorrow is written all over Damian’s face. It’s hard to watch, but this needs to happen. His voice cracks when he speaks, “It’s okay, Kitty Kat. I’m not afraid to die. Get it over with and go live your best fucking life.”

I take a deep breath, hold my shoulders high, grip the gun the way I was taught to, and point it at Damian’s head, “Goodbye, This ends now,” I say. His eyes flutter before closing, he lowers his head, resigned to let me take his life. “Be happy,” he says with a choked breath. My heart feels like it has been sliced open, but it had to happen this way.

The three men gasp with excitement as I move the firearm in their direction and fire once, twice, three times. Like a game of dominoes, the first two drop to the floor, one and then the other. Wolf grabs his chest and begins to come toward me, I fire again at his head. He falls to the ground, dead, exactly as he belongs. I never imagined I would take a life. I thought I would struggle with it but I’m not. It was us or them. Two years ago, I didn’t choose us, but I will now.

“Jesus Christ, Kitty Kat.”

I walk over to the now-dead bodies, fish into Wolf’s pockets, find the key to Damian’s handcuffs, and immediately uncuff him.

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