Page 133 of My Sweetest Temptation

“Why didn’t you ask someone else to stand guard? How did those fuckers take her without anyone knowing? If I hadn’t gotten there seconds later, those assholes would’ve fucking raped her!” I yelled.

Enzo stepped forward, his face twisted with guilt. “You don’t think I know that?” he shouted back. “She was my responsibility. I should’ve been there. I failed you both!” He hit his chest.

“Damn right, you should’ve!” I roared, pointing at him.

“Both of you, shut the fuck up!” Matteo snarled, pushing me backward. “This isn’t helping. You going at each other is going to solve jack shit. It’s not all his fault, Nico.”

I struggled against Matteo’s hold, my eyes never leaving Enzo. “You should’ve?—“

“No,” Matteo cut me off. “Enzo is not the enemy, Nico. We need to work together. Placing blame on any one of us isn’t helping Winter.”

My nostrils flared, and for a moment, I thought about landing my fist in Matteo’s face. But then the anger drained from my body, leaving only pain behind.

Matteo continued, his voice laced with steel. “This isn’t just on Enzo. It happened in your club, Nico. Under our watch. We all failed Winter, and the only way to make this right is to kill those motherfuckers.”

I walked through my front doors at close to two a.m. when we finished what we’d set out to do.

Lo and I arrived at the entrance of the old mill, where the persistent sound of dripping water echoed as we stepped inside. The air was heavy with the smell of mold and decay, and moonlight filtered in through the shattered windows.

Will, the Ken wannabe who was caught in the hallway of my club, now hung suspended in the air, his crisp polo shirt torn and stained with dirt and blood. The two other men were tied to chairs on either side, unconscious from the beating they received.

He squirmed against his restraints, his eyes round with fear. “You guys can’t do this! My parents?—”

“Shut up, “Matteo snapped. He pushed off the wall, advancing toward the shit head. “You think we care about your parents? Did you even know you were walking straight into hell?”

“Dude, not even your parents can save you now,” Luca, perched casually on a stool, added.

“Look, I’m sorry,” Will pleaded, his voice breaking. The arrogance he had earlier is long gone. “I didn’t mean to?—”

“Didn’t mean to what?” Luca interjected with disdain. “Didn’t mean to follow orders? Didn’t mean to go after one of our own?”

“I was just doing what Preston said! He said she was one of the strippers that liked to role play!” he blurted out, his eyes darting between Matteo and Luca.

Luca stepped closer, a cruel smile creeping onto his face.

“She wasn’t a fucking stripper, you idiot. Preston lied. They were going to rape her.”

He swallowed hard, his fear turning into sheer terror. “I swear, I didn’t know she was going to get hurt! Preston just said?—”

“Yeah, we already know what he said,” Matteo harshly cut through his ramblings.

I took this moment to step out of the shadows, my presence causing Will to tremble like a tree in a hurricane. The front of his trousers was visibly darkening. He was pissing himself.

The stench of his blood and piss was overwhelming.

I gave one glance to Luca. He jumped off the stool and strode over to the metal table. He grabbed the red container full of gas and turned to stand before Will.

“You walked into my club uninvited. You may not have put your hands on my girl without her permission, but the fuckers you were with did. Your cooperation doesn’t mean shit to me.”

“Wait, wh-what are you doing?” Will pleaded. “Please! I—” His words turned into a desperate scream as Luca doused him with the gasoline.

Will’s scream pierced the room. “Pl-please. Don’t do this!” Snot flew out from his nose as he cried.

Turning my back on him, I made my way toward the door, unbuttoning my suit jacket. “Light ‘em up!” I bellowed.

I heard a Zippo lighter flip opened and an agonized wail followed.

“Where to, boss?” Matteo asked.

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