Page 39 of Mercy in Betrayal

“You’re a queen, Carina, and I’m proud of you.”

Then she’s in my arms, and for the first time in my life, I know Carina is hugging me and not our brother’s ghost.

“I love you.”

I don’t expect her words, and they bring emotion to the surface in the form of a lump in my throat. I release her with a little push. “Let’s get you back inside.”

She nods and smiles, her expression lighter. The heaviness that had consumed her is gone.

“I actually thought you might become a nun at one point.” I tease.

She snorts. “I don’t think the sisters would have been very forgiving of my ways.”

I glance at her with a smile. “I suppose not.” Murder, arson, and God knows what else wouldn’t have gone over well.

Inside, I let Carina go first up the spiral staircase leading to the bridal party’s gathering. Carina gives me a final smile before she walks toward Evie. I ignore her, my gaze roving around the space to land on the other woman standing just beside the staircase.

Her gaze widens with confusion, and her mouth opens. Momentary panic has me stepping briskly toward her, and I’m surprised when Rowan tries to back away, realization filling her eyes.

I clasp my hand over her mouth and pull her out of sight from the rest of the women, who thankfully all have their backs to us and their attention focused on Carina. I keep a hand over Rowan’s mouth as I move us both down the stairs. She sinks her teeth into my fingers, confusion having faded swiftly into anger, and I stop at the bottom of the stairs when a few more guests arrive and walk past.

As we wait, I whisper in her ear. “You forgot that I like it when you bite me.”

She removes her teeth from my hand and tries to pry my fingers off her mouth.

I walk across the entry hallway to the heavy oak arched door that leads to the basement. Rowan seems to panic the moment she realizes we are descending. She fights, but her small frame and useless slaps don’t have me loosening my grip. I quickly bend and scoop her off the ground.

“Put me down now, or I’m going to scream.” Her cheeks are as red as her flaming hair.

I don’t stop until we are deep in the basement.

I throw open the door of what looks to be a small study room, complete with what appear to be a few cast-off pews, bench, lectern, and whiteboard. This will do. I shove the door closed behind us with my foot and raise an eyebrow at the hissing woman in my arms. “You seem angry.”

She slams her small hands against my chest.

“How dare you!” She wiggles, and I give her one small mercy and place her gently on the ground. “You bastard…” Hurt floods her gaze.

I don’t mind her being angry at me, but I can’t stand the hurt in her eyes. I also can’t blame her.

I have no idea what to do, so I do the only thing that allows me to avoid the look in her eyes. I take a step forward and grip the back of her neck, dragging her mouth to mine.

Chapter 14

Rowan

Enzo is a… “Scarpetta? Marzano? Who are you?” I hiss, wrenching my mouth away from his. I can’t reconcile this. Seeing him here, though, at this church, with these people—it’s incontrovertible evidence that he’s not who he said he was. That he’s something else entirely.

Enzo is famiglia.

“Scarpetta,” he answers. “I’m Carina’s brother.”

“The whole time you were with me, you knew—”

“Who you were?” His eyes blaze a warning even as something flickers behind his defensiveness. Shame? Uncertainty? It’s gone too soon for me to be sure. “Yes. Yes, I knew exactly who you were, and I’m not sorry, Rowan O’Rourke. I saw you, and I decided…her. She’s mine. My prize for this fucked up, twisted hell of a landscape we were born into. You’re my prize, and you’re my penance…my obsession and possession.”

His mouth crashes down upon mine again, obliterating the room around us, our reason for being present in this place, and nearly every ounce of anger I have in that moment.

Almost.

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