Page 145 of Sin & Sapphire

Fuck!

Her eyes reflected heartbreak, not betrayal, but it didn’t soothe the ache in my heart, the certainty that I’d just taken the first step toward losing her.

Ignoring our audience, I held out my bloody hand for hers. She gave it to me, and when I gestured for the knife with my free hand, she handed that to me too.

I turned her palm up, staring at the way my blood covered her, marked her as mine, then sliced through her skin in one smooth motion, so quickly she couldn’t jerk away before it was done.

Valentin swore softly, and I grinned at the darkness in his eyes.

I pressed my palm to hers. “Finché morte non ci separi.” Until death do us part, I vowed.

Ana stared at our hands, pressed together between us, her entire body shaking.

“Ana,” Enzo said, back on his feet, watching us as if he didn’t trust me with her.

She visibly pulled herself together, but before she could pull away, I dragged her body against mine, enveloping her in a fierce hug. Tentatively, her fingers stroked up my sides and then around my waist, and my chest cracked wide open. I loved this fierce, independent, selfless woman who’d never had anything of her own and still didn’t because she’d just handed it to me.

And I was never going to let her go.

53

ANA

The intercom interruptedthe men’s planning. “Luca Russo,” the bodyguard announced.

Angelo opened the door and Luca rushed in, ignoring the rest of the room as he swept me up in his arms. “Baby, are you okay?”

Enzo Accardi barked a laugh of cruel disbelief. “She’s fucking a Russo too? Jesus fucking Christ?—”

He cut himself off when Angelo gripped the holster of his gun. Enzo raised his hands in mock surrender, “Fucking fine, I guess.”

“What happened?” Luca asked.

“Drive by shooting,” I answered. “At the cemetery. We’re fine.”

Luca kissed my forehead, then adjusted our posture so he stood beside me with one arm wrapped around my waist, facing the rest of the room. Guess we weren’t keeping it a secret anymore.

My heart pounded. Queen. Lover. Pawn. Even when I made my own choices, like not allowing my father’s capos to swear their oaths to me, my life spun out of my control.

Valentin’s phone rang, shattering the tense silence. “Oui?” He paused. “Chérie, calme-toi,” he murmured.Sweetheart, calm down. Jealousy took root in my heart before I ruthlessly quashed it. What right did I have?

“Maman? Ils ont pris maman?” The agony in his voice destroyed me. “Quand?” They took my mother? When?“Je te rappelle,” he said, hanging up the phone. I’ll call you back. “Everybody out,” he roared.

Enzo looked at me for direction, bless his heart, but he’d just sworn an oath to Angelo. I looked to Angelo, whose lips tilted in a crooked smile before he nodded, giving me permission to command Enzo.

“You have your orders,” I directed. “Track down the rest of my father’s men and get them back on the payroll. We’ll reconvene tomorrow morning.”

“You should go to mass,” Enzo said, “and show a united front to the family.”

I nodded.

Valentin’s fists clenched. He grew more agitated the longer our visitors stayed.

“Give me your phone number,” I said.

Enzo rattled it off and I saved it in my phone.

“Now go.”

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