Page 127 of The Devil's Deal

I squeeze my hand around the gun in my hand, pain stretching over my fingers. “Your death will be the best thing I’ll do as a man. I only wish I’d done it as a boy.”

From the corner of my eye, I see Miles’s gun lift up toward me. Before I can think, I point at my target and pull the trigger.

Miles falls to the floor with a loud thud just as Faro’s lips curl upward and a bullet from his weapon bursts through the air, straight for Chiara.

“No!” I scream, my pulse pummeling in my ears, my feet taking over.

Everything moves in slow motion, yet too quickly at the same time.

Running forward, I go as fast as I can to shield her as she falls—her body rocking sideways before the chair hits the ground hard. But as I make it to her, I find no traces of blood.

She glares past me, her body curved to the side, the chair missing one of its legs, and picks up the gun Miles left behind. She must’ve found a way to free one of her hands.

“Nice try, Daddy,” she coughs on a laugh.

And this time, she’s the one pulling the trigger.

Faro screams, holding out his hand, a bullet hole right through his palm.

The crunching of multiple footsteps is behind me as I turn, finding my brothers and my men there surrounding Faro with their weapons drawn.

Once I know we’re safe, I undo the rope he used on her, freeing her other arm from the chair.

My hands are on her, checking for wounds, but she brushes me away, her eyes still on her father.

Crawling away at first, she gets up with the gun in her hand, a look of seeping rage on her face as she moves toward him.

Her hand slowly crawls up, the barrel pointing at Faro.

“No, Chiara!” I yell. “Don’t do it!”

I know she wants to kill him—I get that more than anyone—but taking a life…it changes a person. I don’t want that for her. That burden is mine. Finding out someone they love was murdered can make someone irrational enough to do something before they’ve had a chance to consider the consequences.

Her gaze flickers to mine, a flash of anger filling the emptiness in her eyes.

“You’re not the only one who lost someone at his hand.” Her exhales pulse with frantic indignation, and all I want is to hold her and tell her everything will be okay.

“All this time…I knew he killed her.” Brushing away the errant tears filling her eyes, her lower lip trembles. “But a small part of me hoped I was wrong That she really did run away. And though that would’ve hurt, I’d have understood. I’d have found her and forgiven her. But…” Silent whimpers flow steadily from the heartbreak residing inside her heart. “He killed her. She’s really gone, Dom.”

My heart fills with agonizing grief, her pain and my own blended together into one. I wish I could take hers away and make them mine.

Testing the waters, I tread lightly, until I’m close enough to cup her cheek. My palm lands with a light touch over her damp skin, attempting to pull her away from the darkness I’ve been at peace with for so long.

“I know you’re hurting, Chiara. But killing him might change you. Think about this before you do what you think is right at the moment.”

The narrowed slits of her eyes crinkle with a new slice of ire.

“You, of all people, have no right to tell me what to do. After all the things you’ve done in the name of revenge, you’re what now?!” she roars, the words emphasized with a sharp bite of truth. “My friend again? No. You’re nothing, just like he is.”

“Chiara…” I warn as she levels the gun at her father’s chest, her eyes glued to mine. “Let’s talk about all of that and forget him. I know I fucked up. Plea—”

“Do it!” Faro hisses like a cornered serpent.

Her gaze zaps to his as she makes her way to her father, her long hair now tattered and caked with blood on the ends. My men let her pass, refusing to stand in her way.

“Goodbye,Daddy,” she grits out, her hand aiming at his head from a few feet away, her tone even. “You’ll never hurt another innocent child again.”

“You fucking who—”

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