Page 58 of Cruel Devil

Her gaze becomes laser focused. “Sergio’s life for my sisters’, that’s all. We didn’t discuss anything else.”

I release her.

Step back.

Duck my head under the incessant spray and let the water stream over my face. She tries to slip around me, to leave, but I grab her around the waist and keep her in place.

“Think I’m letting you out of my sight?” I tell her, spitting water from my mouth.

“I want to see Princess.”

“Then I’ll go with you.” I turn off the water, take my time squeezing the water out of Nyx’s hair as she stares up at me with her sullen, navy blue eyes. I pick out a tiny white chunk caught in one of her tangles and hold it out between my fingertips for her to see.

She swallows. “I was standing next to him when Sullivan pulled the trigger.”

“Patrick, or Donny?”

“I have ten days,” she hisses, knocking my hand away like I’m annoying her by asking whose skull was lodged in her hair. “If he’s not dead by then?—“

She cuts off when I press my fingertips over her mouth.

“Hush. No more talking. Papi needs to think.”

Her dark blue eyes stay locked to mine for a second before she looks away. I appreciate that she came to me before deciding to off Sergio in whatever creative way she was planning, but she’s put me in a very inconvenient fucking position.

Family comes first.

But Nyx is family too, now. The lines are getting really fucking blurry.

She pulls away my fingers. “He’s going to sell them off like cattle, Caesar.”

I look down at her, at the bruises, both mine and those she got fighting off O’Brien’s men.

“Put some fucking clothes on before I throw you on that bed and remind you who the hell you’re married to.”

Chapter 19

Vito

“For someone about to be reunited with her mother after being held captive and tortured most of the day, you sure don’t look all that happy.”

Andy gives me a sour look. “Mom and I aren’t exactly on friendly terms.”

The leggy redhead is a knockout in her body-hugging lime-green Dior gown. I’m still on the fence about whether my navy double-breasted suit jacket adds to her look or not. Even though she was shivering when I gave it to her, we spent a hot second arguing about where I got the balls from to assume she needed my help.

With anything.

Ever.

She’s barefoot, almost exactly my height. She took off her shoes as we watched Savage and Nyx storm off toward the villa’s front door. They looked like they needed their space, so I didn’t bother following them.

We took the stairs instead, Andy staring around with a sour expression at all the artwork and furnishings we passed, as if she expected to be jumped by ninjas any second. Or maybe she’s not a fan of ostentatious cartel couture. Even I’ll admit things are a bit loud in here, what with all the gilded mirrors and velvet upholstery.

I point to the master suite up ahead, the large double doors firmly closed. The guard stationed outside is watching us with the same matter of fact gaze that most of them wear inside the villa.

“This is us.”

We walk another two paces before Andy grabs my beige polo shirt in a fist and pulls me to the side.

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