Page 129 of King of the Cage

“Right. Well, don’t worry, they’re all ready to go, selkie.”

She studied me and narrowed her eyes. “For the infamous Lost Boy of Hell’s Kitchen, you haven’t put up much of a fight. I suppose the fact that my brother has agreed to honor the agreement between our families over the disputed area has soothed any sting that ending this sham marriage might have caused.”

Her words were nonchalant. She didn’t care either way, clearly. They hit me like poisoned darts, sinking deep.

I shook my head. “No, wee one. There is no soothing the sting of losing you… but it’s what has to happen. I’m returning your skin to you, my wee selkie, so you can come back to me. I’ll be waiting.”

She studied me a little longer and then shrugged, going to the wardrobe to pull her clothes out. She folded the shirts over her arm and looked around.

“I’m going to take some of this stuff. I guess this is goodbye, O’ Connor.”

I shook my head again. “I sincerely fucking hope not, wee one… but it’s your choice.”

She stared at me, seeing into my heartbroken soul, and then turned away, wrenching off pieces of me and leaving them scattered in her wake.

I watched her walk to Elio’s car. He held the door open for her, and she lingered for a second before getting in, staring up at the window where I stood. I felt like there was a whole ocean between us and she was disappearing, slipping through my hands. I’d cut the net and cast her back. It already felt like a mistake. The worst one of my life.

She left, and the world seemed darker than ever.

I stared at the place where her brother’s car had been for so long that I lost track. Only my phone ringing pulled me back to the present.

“Hello?”

“Mr. O’Connor. I trust you’re sufficiently healed and your wife is doing better?”

Archibald Calloway?

“To what do I owe the honor of your call, Archibald?” I asked.

“I am merely inviting you to the next stage of your initiation. You are the only new acolyte we are admitting this year, an unusual occurrence. Would tonight suit for your final test?”

In all this turmoil, I’d nearly forgotten I was supposed to be passing another fucking test and finding out about who was involved in the drug production. This was it. My chance to advance, and maybe, just maybe, bring the entire thing crashing down.

The Enclave had taken so much from me… it was time I took back. Now, I had Elio and his band of ex-military mercenaries to help me.

“It would suit me down to the ground. I’m ready. Let’s finish this.”

38

GIADA

The last thing I wanted to do tonight was go out, but apparently, the universe had other plans.

Elio had dropped me off hours ago, saying he’d be busy later, and I’d just sunk into a hot bath when the doorbell rang. I wanted to lie there and mull over every second spent with Bran. Returning over those memories felt like wiggling a sore tooth; painful but addictive.

I checked my phone to see who was at the door.

Aldo Sepriano?

What the hell was he doing here? My brother’s guards were at their positions behind Aldo. Of course, they wouldn’t stop him. Aldo’s father had been a De Sanctis made man for decades. The family had only shifted away from the Cosa Nostra to pursue their political ambitions. I got out of the bath and wrapped myself in the biggest bathrobe I could find.

The doorbell rang again when I opened the door.

“Giada Santori. You’re a sight for sore eyes.” He smiled widely at me.

“Am I? It’s Aldo Sepriano, right? It’s been a few years,” I murmured. Honestly, I had barely given the aspiring senator a second thought in a decade. His brother, according to Sol’s quick catch-up, had been an ass to her at Renato’s wedding. Aldo had always seemed above the ridiculous antics of his younger brother.

He nodded, giving me a tight smile. “That’s right. It’s been a while, indeed.”

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