Page 121 of No Promises, No Lies

We enter a tense standoff, neither one of us breaking eye contact.

The door crashes behind me. I momentarily forget where I am, putting my back to the cold-blooded killer behind me. I feel his hand curl around my arm, tugging me backwards. As I come face to face with the horrified expressions of my brother and my—husband.

“Aidan,” my voice breaks on his name—at the sight of him. Dried blood cakes the side of his face, his shirt missing. His chest is streaked red from various cuts across his chest.

He doesn’t hesitate, lunging forward and grabbing hold of me. I protest, screaming in panic, certain Cole is about to blow Aidan’s head off right in front of me. My husband rips me out of Cole’s arms, but before I can get my bearings, I’m thrust into Niko’s chest with Aidan in front, blocking me entirely from Cole’s sight.

“No one touches my wife, DeLuca,” Aidan growls menacingly.

Cole’s gun is high, pointed right between Aidan’s beautiful green eyes.

“No,” I squeak out, trying to get back in between them, but Niko holds me back, despite my best efforts to escape his grip.

“You killed my cousin,” Cole snarls.

“Aye, I did,” Aidan admits, chancing a glance behind him, finding my eyes. I choke out a sob and he shifts his body again to better block me from Cole’s view. Turning back to face the Italian Capo with a smile, “Do you want to hear how he cried before he died?”

I’m shaking, the fight ebbing out of me as fear takes hold of my body. Cole willneverlet Aidan live after this. Niko seems to realize this at the same time as me and starts for the door. Not wanting me to see what’s about to happen.

There’s a tense silence before Cole finally speaks.

“Good.”

The room stills.

To everyone’s surprise, Cole lowers his gun. “It appears I owe the Irish a favor.”

Cole holds out his hand to Aidan and all three of us blink at him—stunned. Aidan recovers first, taking Cole’s extended hand and shaking it hard.

The Italian Capo holsters his gun, his dark gaze passing over mine before leaning in to tell Aidan something only they can hear. Aidan’s eyes follow Cole’s to mine.

Then Cole straightens, moving around Aidan and heading for the exit, casually, as if he wasn’t just about to kill all three of us seconds earlier. He stops on the threshold, looking back at the three of us.

“Hold on to this one,” he nods his head in my direction, “If you can.” The corner of the Italian’s lip quirks up. “And give me a call when she gets you into trouble again.”

Niko lets out a snort, and my eyes narrow on DeLuca. Giving him what I hope is a death glare, I notice the corner of his lip only ticks further up in amusement. He slides his dark gaze back to my husband, “I never had your sister… As far as I know, no one did.”

Aidan nods solemnly.

“But I’ll put every available resource into finding her.”

“Thank you,” Aidan gives Cole a nod of respect before wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me close, looking pointedly in the direction of Adrik’s dead body.

Cole laughs, and he shakes his head. “Oh, that wasn’t me. That was all your lovely little wife here.”

I wince when Aidan looks my way, eyebrows raised.

“Don’t piss that one off,” DeLuca winks at me and disappears into the hall.

Aidan doesn’t waste any time. The second Cole’s gone, I’m in Aidan’s arms and he’s checking me over for injuries, his gaze lingers on my cheek. “Are you okay?”

I let out a shaky breath, not having to pretend in front of him. “I think so, I—” I look over to where my father lies. Niko stands over him, arms crossed.

“It was a good shot,” Niko looks up at me, but I can’t read his expression. “Looks like you’re a Kostalov after all.” He gives me a little smile, and I return it. I’m a little shocked, not having realized his face could do that…

Niko straightens when his gaze slides to Aidan, his body angled slightly between my brother and me. I realize with my father dead, Niko inherits the Russian crown, making him the new Pakhan.

My brother and my husband size each other up.

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