Page 88 of His Bride

“Give him an Xbox and a bag of Doritos and he’ll be fine.”

“Aurelio will retaliate. He will come after you, after your brothers, Leandra and Mira. What if he hurts the twins? Aria and Alessio.”

“He won’t dare.”

“I won’t dare,” I say, eyes wide. “I won’t dare take that chance. I will not be the cause of a war where more people get hurt. I can’t do it. I won’t.”

Caelian hisses through clenched teeth, practically vibrating with rage. “Well, I’m not letting you go. I won’t.”

“You have to.”

“The only thing I have to do is protect you.”

I reach for him, cupping his face as I place a tender kiss on his lips, a lingering touch that melts into me. “Maybe it’s my turn to protect you.”

His amber eyes narrow as he studies me. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m going to end this, Caelian. Once and for all.”

The car stops, and I do the only thing I can think of.

I jump out of the car…and I run.

Chapter 23

CAELIAN

“You let her go?” Isaia says. “What the fuck?”

I turn, grab Isaia and slam him into the wall. “Watch your fucking mouth.” Then I release him and go to my gun, checking the rounds.

“She jumped out of the car,” Maximo says. “Caelian went after her, but it was like she disappeared into thin air. Drove around town for an hour and couldn’t find her.”

“I wanted to go straight to her house, but Maximo here decided to pull a big-dig move, telling me we need to come back here first.” I glare at him. “Would you like an award for the best kiss-ass?”

“We can’t just barge in there, guns blazing, without a plan, Caelian.”

I scoff.

“Why would she run?” Nicoli asks.

I still for a second, hating the thought that’s been stuck in my head ever since she ran. “I think she’s going to try to kill him.”

“Jesus,” Isaia curses. “How the hell is she going to do that?”

“I don’t know,” I snap at him. “I don’t fucking know. But I have to find her before she does something stupid.”

Nicoli shoots me a stern look. “First, you’re going to tell me exactly what the hell is going on.”

I flick my gaze to him. “You look like him. You talk like him. But you’re not him. I can do what I want.”

My brother glares. “Not until you tell us what the fuck’s going on. C’mon, man, I’d like to see my wife before she gives birth, but I’m not letting her back here until this is done and dusted. Kidnapping?”

“Desperate times, brother.” I check my second gun. Murder is hot and volatile in my veins. Ways to kill the fucker keep flashing up ideas in bright neon. It’s Satan’s version of Times Square. Full of evil intent. “I’m ending this. Tonight.”

“You don’t even know if she’s home. All your guards have left after you got Cristiano taken. You don’t have eyes on that place.”

“Where else would she go?”

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