Page 85 of Heartless Vows

Aurora grimaces as he presses the muzzle harder against her temple. I clench my fist around the hilt of my knife, struggling to remain in control.

She lifts her finger, indicating Otello’s forearm, but I scowl and give a slight shake of my head.

She’s watched too many movies. I’m not throwing a knife anywhere near her, especially not with her face so close to the target.

He grinds his cock against her back and speaks with his mouth next to her ear.

“Unless he doesn’t know? You haven’t told him yet, have you, darling?”

The disgust and sense of violation filling her expression ensures Otello will not have a quick and painless death. When his words register, her pupils shrink.

“She’s just another piece of ass, Giorgio. She can’t give you that heir you’re so desperate to have.”

I methodically place the knife next to the pistols and pull the last blade from my chest harness.

“There’s no point to any of this if she can’t pop out a few brats for you, is there? You should just forget all this and go find yourself a worthy wife,” Otello continues.

I lift a brow and pause with my fingers still on the hilt of my longest knife.

“Then what would we do with Aurora?” I ask.

Thestronzosmirks and releases her throat to trail his fingertips over her collarbone. His muzzle shifts away from her temple.

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of her,” he murmurs into her hair.

She slams the back of her head into his face and drops her weight. He grabs her hair and pulls the trigger as I throw my knife and lunge forward.

Otello screams. Blood sprays. I swing. As he stumbles backward from the force of my blow, I grab his wrist and punch the hilt of my knife, burying it deep into his arm so over an inch protrudes from the other side. His pistol clatters to the floor as I sever tendons and muscles, ruining his use of his hand.

Aurora twists, trying to free her hair from his grasp. I yank my knife from his arm and bury it in his shoulder. He screams and reaches for the hilt. I push Aurora out of harm’s way and swing.

My knuckles crack against his cheek and fresh blood spurts from his nose and mouth. I follow through and thrust a left hook from the hips, connecting with his ear so hard shockwaves travel throughout my body.

He drops. I follow him down, straddling his prone form and unleashing my fury on his face, raining blow after blow on his increasingly uglier mug, until Aurora’s shouting breaks through my mania.

“Giorgio, stop! You’ll kill him,” she pleads.

Less than a foot away, she stands with one hand on the back of her head and the other hovering between us, almost as though she can’t bring herself to touch me.

I stand and shake out my arms, flinging blood onto the floor, and meet her gaze.

“That’s kind of the point,mia topolina,” I snarl.

She shakes her head and winces.

I run my fingers over her scalp, needing to assure myself she’s okay. She hisses when I find the lump on the back of her head from where she headbutted her uncle. The size concerns me, but maybe it just seems bigger than normal because she’s so small?

“Where else are you hurt?” I demand.

“I’m fine,” she lies.

With splatters of blood on her bare flesh and her hair tangled from another man’s hand, I need to mark her as mine and assure myself she’s okay.

I cup the base of her skull, avoiding the contusion while holding her in place for my inspection. She shivers and clings to my lapels as I run my hand over her shoulder, hip, and back.

When I pull away, silent tears trail down her face, and her entire body shakes as her adrenaline drops.

Shouting echoes down the hall.

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