Page 107 of Sinful Lies

I slide my arms out from beneath Zara and quietly climb out of bed.

She stirs, but I quickly tuck the covers in around her and kiss her forehead. She sighs at my touch, and I can’t help but smile at her peaceful expression.

To know that I’m the one to bring her comfort in the darkness makes my chest swell with pride.

I will take care of her, for as long as she’ll let me.

“Sleep well,sladkaya,” I murmur against her forehead. “I’ll be back soon.”

I sneak out of Zara’s room, quietly shutting the door behind me. Crossing the hall into my room, I head straight for my closet to pull on a fresh pair of pants and a shirt.

I want nothing more than to put a bullet in Giovanni’s skull, to end this once and for all, but that would be too easy. He should suffer just like Zara has been all these years.

After shrugging on a jacket, I push apart the row of suit jackets to reveal the hidden safe where I keep a stash of weapons for emergencies just like this. After tucking ahandgun into the back of my pants, I grab two magazines and stuff them in the inside pockets of my jacket.

My fingers trail over the selection of knives that I have stashed away, and I decide on a four-inch blade.

My lips curl as I trace the tip with my finger, imagining slicing Giovanni apart until he’s unrecognizable.

I tuck the blade into the inside pocket of my jacket and close up the safe. As I head back down the stairs, I pull my phone out and dial Mikhail as I cross the living area toward the elevator.

“Mikhail. Get dressed. We’ve got a job to do.”

My brother groans. “Dimitri, it’s one in the fucking morning.”

“I can call Danil instead. I’m sure he’d love to carve up?—”

“Just send me the address.”

I chuckle under my breath. I knew the mention of some bloodshed would get my brother out of bed.

As I step into the elevator and press the button for the garage, I text Mikhail the location of Giovanni’s house, telling him to be there in ten.

Climbing behind the wheel, my thoughts are a mile a minute. I let the roar of the engine clear my head as I pull away.

There is nothing but adrenaline fueling me as I speed across the upper East Side toward Giovanni’s brownstone.

Knowing that he’s sleeping soundly in his bed while Zara wakes drenched in sweat, her dreams plagued by the memories of him, has my knuckles turning white as I grip the steering wheel.

If he wants to be the reason for Zara’s nightmares, I think it’s only fair that I be the reason for his.

My jaw aches from grinding my teeth as I push thepedal to the metal, swerving in and out of the oncoming traffic.

Horns blare, but I barely hear them over the roaring in my head.

I’m going to have to make this quick in order to make it back before Zara wakes up. I don’t want her to wake up alone and afraid. I want her to wake up wrapped up in the safety of my arms, feeling nothing but loved.

That image is enough to ground me.

I’m doing this for her.

No lights are on as I pull up outside Giovanni’s brownstone and kill the engine.

Glancing around, I clock the empty street apart from Mikhail’s obnoxious car parked a few yards away.

Mikhail flashes his headlights, and I climb out of my car, running my hands over my jacket to feel the outline of the knife and ammunition tucked away inside.

Mikhail stalks toward me, and I release a breath. This has to be quick and dirty if we’re to get away unseen.

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