Page 85 of Theirs to Rule

"Focus on your breathing," Kage said, standing close behind me, his voice low in my ear. "Exhale slowly as you squeeze the trigger."

I did as he said, letting out a breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding as I pulled the trigger. The shot rang out, echoing in the confined space, and I braced myself for another miss.

But when I looked at the target, I saw that I'd hit the outer ring. Not a bullseye, but a hit, nonetheless. "Holy shit, I hit it!" I exclaimed. The surprise and excitement surged through me, momentarily pushing aside my nerves.

Kage's laugh was warm, his pride in my achievement clear. "See? All you needed was a little focus."

The rest of the session passed in a blur of concentration and gradual improvement. With each shot, my confidence grew. I wasn't going to win any sharpshooting competitions, but by the end, I was hitting the target often.

"Looks like you're not such a hopeless case after all," Kage teased as we packed up to leave.

"Yeah, well, I had a good teacher," I shot back, bumping his shoulder with mine.

My improvement after Kage’s lesson wasn’t much, but it was something. I wasn't about to become an international assassin,but I felt more confident in my ability to defend myself. And right now, that felt like a massive victory.

Chapter 38

Ty

The decision to fly to Italy felt like it was made for me. One second I was booking the ticket, the next I was sitting in an airport hotel, staring at the ceiling, wondering how the hell my life got so messy. The flight was a total blur—just me, stuck in my head, trying to make sense of the mess I left behind and the even bigger one I was walking into.

Morning came way too fast. Sunlight sliced through the thin curtains, way too cheerful for my mood. It took a few seconds to remember where I was, but the sharp scent of the air brought it all back. I was home.

I skipped breakfast; my stomach felt like it was tied in a hundred knots. Instead, I paced my tiny hotel room, going over my plan for the hundredth time. I hadn’t been back to my family’s villa since before prison. After I got out, I avoided it like the plague—too many memories, too much unfinished business. But now, I didn’t have a choice. If there were answers to be found, they were waiting for me there.

With a deep breath, I grabbed my backpack, checked out, and stepped into the crisp morning air. It felt lighter than the weightI was carrying. An Uber pulled up, and I slid in, letting the app’s robotic efficiency take over where my brain couldn’t.

The drive was surreal. Every curve in the road, every landmark we passed, pulled me back to a time when life felt simpler—when my family was still whole. I stared out the window as the city gave way to rolling hills and vineyards, the countryside impossibly beautiful. For a moment, I let myself forget why I was here.

The driver made small talk, the kind of chatter that was easy to ignore. I grunted in response when I had to, letting him fill the silence while I tried to steel myself for what was coming.

When we finally turned onto the familiar gravel road, my chest tightened. The villa came into view, all stone walls and sprawling greenery. It looked the same, but it didn’tfeelthe same. The gates were overgrown with ivy, weeds spilling onto the path like the place was tired of pretending to be perfect.

The car stopped. I climbed out, mumbling a quick thanks, and stood there as the Uber pulled away. Alone, staring at the gates, I felt the weight of everything I’d been running from crash down on me.

I didn’t believe for a second that my parents’ tattoos weren’t connected to what Camille found in Silas’s dad’s house. I just wanted to be wrong.

A low rumble broke the silence, and a beat-up truck pulled up beside me. Rosa climbed out, her leather jacket snug, blood-red lipstick as sharp as her grin.

“Ty,” she said, her voice warm as she pulled me into a hug.

I stiffened but didn’t push her away.

“I’ve missed you, Bambino,” she teased, using the nickname sheknewI hated.

“Still creepy that you call me that,” I muttered, stepping back.

She smirked. “But you’ll always be my baby cousin.” She reached for my cheek like she was about to pinch it. I batted herhand away, and she laughed, but her eyes softened. “I was so happy when I heard you got out. Not so happy that you didn’t bother telling me yourself.”

I clenched my jaw, not answering. What could I say? Sorry for ghosting her? She wouldn’t buy it.

She sighed and looked at the gates. “I still miss them every day.”

I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat too heavy to speak past. I wanted to tell her I felt the same way, but the words got stuck. It wasn’t like me to open up, not even to her.

She held up a bag. “Is this what you needed?”

I nodded and took it from her.

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