Page 107 of Capuleto

"And what would have happened if Adriano had whistled?"

"Nothing, she knows how to distinguish different types of whistles. She’s a smart girl." Romeo scoffed. "By the way, I’ve got you in my sights, so stop being an idiot and listen to me. Even guys on death row get a last request, and mine is for you to hear me out." He didn’t respond. Silence was his answer. "I have no intention of killing you and I never did. Well, maybe at the beginning, but that doesn’t count anymore, my desire to end you and yours has expired."

I stood up, not a coward. Blood was seeping from the wound in my arm, sliding down to my fingers; surely it would leave a mark. If I survived, it would be a nice reminder not to lie to your husband if he's a mobster.

His eyes flickered to it for a second, and I saw annoyance in his expression.

Was there still a chance he might forgive me? I had to try.

"You’re right about some things," I continued, "and wrong about others. I didn’t know Yuri was alive until he kidnapped me in Santorini. He was the one who held me on a boat and then in his summer house. Not in a human trafficking ring," I confessed, taking a step to the side.

"Could I have told you when you rescued me? Yes. Did I? No. Why? Because it’s really hard to choose between the brother you thought was dead and the enemy you’re falling in love with. Maybe we’re different in that. I have my own timing and needed to put everything in place before making a decision that has been anything but easy."

"I don’t believe you. You’d say anything to save yourself and save him. You’re caught, so you have to feed me this bullshit. Knowing you, I’m sure you’ve rehearsed this conversation more than once. Of course, I believe he got you out of Santorini, but only to keep planning the fall of my empire."

I had no right to be angry that he didn’t believe me, I had made it very difficult for him to do so, yet it bothered me. I either acted decisively or I was dead.

"You want to kill me?" I was going to take a gamble. "Fine," I raised my hands without letting go of my weapon and moved forward. "Shoot. Here." I pointed the exact spot where my heart was with the barrel, walking slowly towards him. Romeo stayed on guard. "You can ask Andrey what I told him this afternoon about my intentions. Call him."

"You think this will help? That I’ll believe your man? Do you think I’m that stupid? I admit I might have given you that impression because next to you I’ve been a fool, but you have no idea who I am or what I become when my balls are busted and I’m betrayed. Especially by the only woman I’ve allowed to break my heart."

"Then shoot, damn it!" I screamed, unhinged. "Break mine if it makes you feel better! But I warn you, it’s impossible for a nine millimeter to kill what I feel for you. No matter how many bullets you put in my body. Because when I stop breathing, I won’t go towards the damn light, I’ll stay here, haunting every fucking moment of your life. I warned you, Capulet, what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too. And even if you now consider me your enemy, for me you’re the love of my life and I’ll do anything to prove to you that I’m not lying about that."

I was a step away from him. Seeing the burning hatred in the darkness of his eyes. Knowing myself, I wouldn’t have let him get the first word; if the situation were reversed, my husband would already be lying in a pool of blood.

I always knew Romeo had more soul than I did.

I grabbed the barrel of his gun and pressed it against my chest.

"Do it, you bastard!" Romeo panted.

"You think I won’t shoot?! That I lack the balls?! That I won’t be capable?!"

"What I think, you don’t want to hear, and yes, maybe you lack the balls to hear the truth and it’s easier to pull the trigger. Shoot and forget about knowing the truth!"

Romeo's gaze filled with determination. He raised the gun and aimed it between my eyes. My breathing became erratic, the adrenaline rush so high I thought I would collapse before feeling the lead embed in my brain.

"Goodbye, Koroleva, I’ll see you in hell."

He was about to pull the trigger when a soft voice interrupted him.

"Daddy? Are you practicing shooting without me?"

Adriano's voice shattered the moment. Terror took over Romeo's pupils as he immediately aimed the gun back at my chest.

"Go to your room, Adriano," he thundered.

"I don’t want to, I want to shoot with you," the boy insisted, rubbing his eyes. From my perspective, I could see his sleepy face and his hands rubbing his eye sockets. "Is that blood?" He blinked, focusing on my arm. "Did you hurt yourself, Aunt Nikita?" R looked at me with a hard warning.

"It’s okay, a mosquito bit me and I scratched it."

"Well, it must have been a mutant tiger mosquito, you’re bleeding a lot."

"Don’t worry, your father will take care of me later. It's late, go back to your room, you have school tomorrow."

"But I want to..."

"Adriano!" my husband roared in a tone that brooked no argument.

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