Page 64 of The Bratva King's Twins

Within half a beat, I aimed at Dante and squeezed the trigger as our men raised their guns against Elio, making sure he didn’t pull a fast one on her.

But as Dante froze in place with complete shock stitched into his features, blood pooling into the fabric of his shirt, gleaming in the darkness around him, Elio dropped his gun.

In disbelief of it all, Dante coughed up blood as his pistol fell to the ground next, unable to fire at anyone. Then, as if the wind had pushed him just enough, he leaned too far to one side and hit the ground in a heap.

As everything came to a head, our men surrounded Elio with their rifles, forcing him onto his knees with his hands behind his head as Vivian was carefully moved out of the way.

Able to breathe again, I was with her in an instant, catching the dazed look on her face as I grabbed her arms and examined her.

“Are you alright?” I asked, concern gripping my heart tighter than ever before.

I was so afraid, not only for her, but for the twins, too. She had been through more than enough trauma, and I needed to know they were safe.

Vivian blinked back at me through her startled haze, eventually managing to nod. As the realization hit her that everything was over, tears filled her eyes as she pushed herself against my chest.

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, breathing in the relief that my wife was just fine.

“You’re okay,” I reassured her, unsure if I meant it for her or myself. “I’ve got you.”

She went through the motions as I pulled her away from the chaos behind us, eager to get her somewhere quiet again.

I could hardly fathom that she was back with me, and we didn’t have to worry about her brothers anymore. While we still needed to check the state of our growing little ones, she was mostly physically unharmed.

But all the same, I was so grateful.

“I’m so sorry,” I murmured the moment we were alone, unable to find it within myself to let her go. “I shouldn’t have waited so long to take action. I should’ve put them back in their place before they could ever get the chance to find you again.”

With a sniffle, Vivian shook her head and pulled back just enough to look up at me. “Please don’t blame yourself, Ari. You’re here, and you kept your promise.”

Managing a small smile for her, I stroked her hair out of her face before caressing her cheek. “I told you I would, and I meant it.”

I could’ve looked into those damp, yet crystal-clear eyes of hers all day and soaked in her beauty, but our attention was snagged away as orders were given, and a shuffle of movement came from them hauling Elio away.

With ample gun power against him, he had no choice but to be cuffed and led toward one of our blacked-out vehicles to be sent elsewhere. His face was mostly blank, but the last glance he made in Vivian’s direction gave away the slightest fear. The regret.

“Please spare him.”

My brows furrowed in confusion as I looked back down at her. “What?”

“Please,” Vivian insisted, looking alarmed at the thought of not knowing what was next for her brother. “Punish him as you must, but let him live.”

I still couldn’t believe what she was asking of me after it was all said and done.

“But why? He had a hand in this, too,” I reminded her. “He also had a gun pointed at you.”

“I know, but Dante was the one orchestrating everything, and Elio was going along with it for the benefits. While he wasn’t always the best to me, I could tell he was fighting between who he was and who he thought Dad wanted him to be. He was neglected, too,” Vivian explained, showing me her sincerity through her determined gaze. “Elio may have assisted him, but Dante was the worst of them. I believe Elio can learn a different path if he’s given the chance.”

Taking her in completely while I considered her words, I knew I couldn’t say no to her. Instead, I sighed and nodded.

“So long as he’s as far away from you as possible, and you believe he isn’t completely rotten, then fine,” I said, honoring her request. “I’ll make sure he lives. But for now, I need to get you home and have a nurse swing by to check on you.”

With a faint smile, Vivian nodded and moved back in for another embrace. “Thank you, Ari.”

Holding her close, it took everything in my power to not get emotional in front of the others, even if we were some distance away from the scene. “I was scared out of my mind that something might happen to you, but you’re safe now, and we don’t have to worry about anything. You were brave out there, and I can’t tell you enough how glad I am to hold you now.”

“I could only think about how much I wanted to be back home with you and live out the rest of our lives together,” Vivian murmured against my chest, letting me feel her warmth. “I love you, Ari.”

“I love you more,” I said, cradling her like I’d never get the chance to again. But knowing that wasn’t true, I let a content smile settle on my lips. “Let’s go home, sweetheart.”

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