Page 113 of Devious Lies

“What the fuck, man? You! How did you find us?” Matteo screams, and he is sweating profusely.

“You’re fucking done,” Luc growls.

I’ve seen crazy before, and I see it again in Matteo’s eyes.

Luc isn’t holding a gun.

And when Matteo lifts his arm, brandishing his weapon, I push myself off the floor.

“LUC!” I yell.

Matteo shouts and squeezes the trigger and a loud pop, like a firecracker echoes in the room.

I fall to the floor.

I don’t know what’s happened, but I hear someone scream.

“MARIAAAA!”

The sound echoes in my ears as I lose consciousness.

CHAPTER FORTY-LUC

Isee my woman leap from the floor just as this dead motherfucker raises his arm to shoot at me.

I see the shot go off.

I watch helplessly as Maria’s body lurches backwards and crumbles to the ground as she takes the bullet meant for me.

And I stop being human in that moment.

A pain filled roar rips out of me, and I leap across the room, my hands closing around Matteo Sanchez’s worthless neck.

I’m thinner than he is. But I’m strong. And I’m so fucking mad.

My fury takes us both down.

I lift his head and slam it into the floor.

The sound is harsh.

“Stop!” he says.

“Please!”

But I don’t.

I can’t.

The Viper is free, and all I see is red.

I want his blood on my hands. Need to see it staining the floor.

Chaos is erupting around me, but I don’t care.

I slam his head against the floor once more.

It’s not enough. I dig my thumbs into his eyes.

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