Page 48 of Defy

“You were in love with Adriana.”

It’s not a question.

He nods, staying silent which means there’s more he’s hiding and warning lights start flashing in my brain.

“You’re either working with Mateo or you’re planning to go after my parents alone and going to use this information as an insurance policy.” He doesn’t avoid my gaze as I talk to him but he doesn’t answer me either. “Which one is it?” I demand.

“The first one.”

Jesus.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Since you left.”

My head is spinning. There are so many secrets. So much deception. If Diego and Imelda are both on the same side as me though, that significantly increases Libby’s chances of getting out of here alive.

“We’ve always been on the same side, brother. Looks like we still are. Can I count on you to help me get Libby out of here?”

He opens his mouth to respond when a shrill scream pierces the open spaces of the fortress working its way into the weapons room on the second floor.

I know that scream.

I heard it when Willem shot me.

Libby.

I waste no time in tearing out of the armory toward Libby’s scream.

A well-placed boot to the locked door of the office opens the heavy wooden structure easily.

I find my brother on top of Libby on the couch with his dick in his hand. Before I can get to him, he smacks her across the face.

“Take it, you whore. Dominic thinks he gets to havemytitle without consequences? Not in this house.”

In one swift move, I grab him by his neck and throw him to the floor, placing my knee on his chest as he tries, and fails, to swing at me. His eyes are wild but not from drugs this time. Purely from rage. I don’t even think he heard me kick the door in.

I guess Omar dropped the news that after our deal and my successful negotiation with Sampson, I was moving into Luis’ spot.If nothing else, this certainly proves that Luis is going down with this ship.I had thought to spare his life but he’s not escaping after this.

“Get off me, you motherfucker! I show up and save your ass and this is how you repay me? By taking awaymykingdom? The place and the peopleyouabandoned?”

Oh, if only he knew.

I slide my knee up to his neck, blocking his windpipe, ready to rid the world of another one of my siblings.

When I look up, our parents are standing in the doorway while Luis chokes for air. Finally, my father holds up his hand.Enough.

The scene is unmistakable since Libby’s clothes are ripped, her hair’s a mess, and she’s crying while trying to hold her shirt closed. Luis’ red handprint is angry on her tan skin, her startling blue eyes wide with shock.

No one asks if Libby’s hurt or if he actually made it inside her. No one spares her a second glance, except for Irina and Camila. Irina creeps quietly in the room to assess her, a soft expression on her face as she approaches Libby. I’ll have to thank her for that later. Camila on the other hand let’s her disgust fly. “What thehell,Luis?”

My mother addresses him next. “What was your plan here, son? To make her suck your dick like one of the girls at the club? Or did you plan to rape her like a common criminal? Maybe both?” our mother sneers in disappointment.

The hatred in my brother’s eyes has yet to abate and I almost feel bad for him that his dick is still lolling about in the chaos for everyone to see, too soft to have actually done any damage. Our mother pays it no attention as she plays tit for tat and smacks him hard across his face, making him angrier. He bucks against my knee which is still on his chest.

“What thefuck? You’re onherside now? Why don’t you just shoot me and namehersecond-in-command? Hand our world over to the Santoses.”

I watch my father pull a pistol as he crosses the room and places it against Luis’ temple.

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