Page 74 of Sin and Redemption

“I can protect her, don’t worry,” I growled. “She’smy wife, my responsibility.”

Flavio turned to his sister. “Sara?”

“I won’t leave my husband alone when he’s injured,” Sara said firmly as she buckled up. She pushed him back and closed the door. I pulled away from the curb immediately. Flavio and I had good and bad days. I got it. I would have resented me too if I were him, but he needed to respect certain boundaries. Sara was my wife and belonged at my side.

When we arrived at our place, Sara went to the bathroom and returned with our first-aid kit.

“Remove your shirt and sit.” She motioned to the kitchen chair. With a grunt in pain, I dragged my shirt over my head and sank down. Sara inspected the cut below my left shoulder and on my left bicep. “Both need stitches. Why didn’t you go to the doc?”

“I promised to pick you up.”

She gave me a stern look. “Your health is the top priority.”

“No,” I muttered. “You are and will always be my top priority, Sara.”

She swallowed and cleared her throat before she focused on my back. “I’ve done this once before, but I can’t say I’m good at this.”

“It’s fine. They don’t have to be pretty. Just close them up.”

She caressed the burn scars on my back. The tattoo was close to being done now, so the scars were only visible when you were close to me. She brushed her pointer finger over the inked “Nemesis” on my hand. “So many scars in the name of revenge. Is revenge ever served?”

“Hard to say. Revenge often leads to more revenge. It’s a vicious cycle.”

“Maybe you need to be the one to break it.”

“No, honey. I’m not going to be the bigger man in this case. I’m not the ‘turn the other cheek’ kind of guy. I’m going to keep hunting Bratva assholes until no one is left for revenge.”

Sara looked at me strangely. “You called me honey.”

“That’s what bothered you from my words?” I asked, amused.

“I didn’t say it bothered me.” She took a needle and thread from the first-aid kit, not elaborating what she meant. We both fell silent as she stitched me up. I could tell she was trying to be careful, but she definitely didn’t have much practice doing this.

Afterward, I took a shower, and when I entered the bedroom, Sara had already fallen asleep. The nightmare last night had kept her from sleeping sound. That night, we stayed on our respective sides. No cuddling, much less more entertaining activities.

In the next few days, Sara and I returned to our usual routine of dinner and movies, falling asleep beside each other, and a brief talk during coffee in the morning. My worry that the nightmare had put a wedge between us again seemed to become reality.

I turned my entire focus on work, especially as we had our monthly Enforcer meeting where Luca, Matteo, Amo, and Valerio joined us too. Luca’s daughter Marcella had often been present as well, but since she’d recently given birth, and even in the weeks prior, she’d pulled back.

My father, Primo, Maddox, and I were the main Enforcers in New York. But for these monthly meetings, the men for the smaller jobs and the countryside joined us too.

When I saw Luca’s face upon entering the new meeting room in the basement of Luca’s club Sphere, I knew trouble was on the horizon.

The moment we’d all gathered around the table, Luca stood and began pacing. “The Pakhan has been very restrained with his reaction to our revenge.”

“Because he’s more concerned about finding a good anchor place for his yacht,” Matteo said as he leaned back in his chair.

“He’s not in control. His men can do what they want, and it might become a problem because we got intel that Jabba’s father, who lives in Saint Petersburg, is on his way here to avenge his sons.” Luca looked at me. “You killed three of them.”

I nodded. I remembered very well. “And a few cousins. I’ll kill him too.”

“That’s the plan,” Luca said. You could always count on Luca when revenge was concerned. His massacre of the bikers would always be legendary.

“We have to up protection until we have him. He poses a risk, not just for you or Romero, but also for our women.”

“We’ll make sure they’re safe until he’s dead and until a new Pakhan brings a shift to the local Bratva.”

“What are the rumors? Who’s a possible successor?” Dad asked.

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