Page 83 of Beautiful Liar

I spat a glob of blood on the floor next to Luca’s feet, my cheek burning as it swelled. I kept my eyes glued on Enzo. The bourbon had splashed on the white rug, tainting the whole place the way it should be. Enzo took it all in. But he sat back in the sofa as if he didn’t care.

As a kid, I’d never noticed the nuances in his body language, the way his eyes hardened, the way the area around his mouth dipped into an almost-there scowl. The fucker looked more insane than Luca, just hid it well. “You’re a murdering pedophile. A freak. You think Maddox won’t eventually see through you?” Luca squeezed my shoulder in warning.

Shut up, idiot.

I didn’t shut up.

“He doesn’t even love you. He’s in love with … Carl.”

That broke something inside Enzo. I thought he’d launch himself at me, but his eyes grew dark. His features tightened. This was worse. “Maddox would never return to Carl. I made sure of that.”

“What did you do?” I asked because I knew the arrogant prick wanted to tell me and I needed to stall for time.

Kieran, please come for me.

“I paid one of his students to agree to a certain procedure that made her pregnant with Carl’s son. Trust is the most important part of a relationship. Betrayal will never beforgiven.” He cocked his head, something I once thought made him look endearing. I’d been so damn wrong. “And Maddox believes Carl broke that trust. They will never get back together. And Maddox will remain mine.”

“And me?” Because I had to ask.

“The marriage with Maddox makes you my son and you will act as such, or I will rip away everything you’ve ever cared for.” A darkness spread throughout his expression. “And no one will ever touch you again.”

The implication was clear. I’d be in a prison of his making. I’d die, eventually. Or I’d snap, unable to keep the secret of my past buried, and Enzo would kill everyone I ever loved. The dark thoughts swirling through my mind almost pulled me under. But then I felt Luca squeeze me again. A gentler touch. Something reassuring that grounded me.

Fight, Tomás. I had to fight.

“You’re a sickcoward.” His left eye twitched. “You go for the most vulnerable. The only reason Maddox agreed to marry you was to protect Imogen from your insanity.”

I almost heard Luca sigh at my stupidity. Okay, maybe his squeeze wasn’t meant for me to go off on Enzo. Too bad. My words had set Enzo off like a bell. He slowly got to his feet, but his expression screamed violence.

“Stand him up,” he told Luca who forced me to my feet. Enzo cupped my face. “Take his tongue. He has no use for it.”

I spat into his face. “Maddox will kill you when he finds out what you did.”

That gave him pause. I had no fucking clue what I was doing. Wanting to see Enzo turn into the monster he was or stall for time. Enzo’s phone rang, he ignored it, wiping his face with a grimace. “And how will he find out?”

The buzzing again.

“Your hubris will be your downfall.” I tsked. “Yourecorded us, and Jack had a video of all your pretty little girls.” My heart felt wedged to my throat. “And me. And my boys have it.” Not a lie. He saw it in my smile. Because fuck him, I smiled too. “And your threat against Kieran means nothing because Tristan loves him, and he will burn the world for him.” I didn’t exactly know if Tristan loved Kieran or not, but it hit a nerve because Enzo blanched. “They’re going to give that video to Maddox. See what Maddox does when he finds out what a sick monster you truly are.”

The strike across my face came quick and hard. I fell on one knee, dug into the boot, and drew out the blade Kieran had shoved there. Enzo grabbed me by my shirt and pulled me into his chest. My cheek burned. The phone buzzed and Enzo snarled at Luca. “Would you fucking get that?”

Luca started to move near the window to the phone on the table when I caught movement just outside. I bright flash of light near the largest tree in front of the property.

Before I knew what I was doing, I shoved the blade straight through Enzo’s forearm. Enzo squealed like a bitch, a satisfying sound. Luca spun to me, a feral look on his face. I launched myself on him, dropping us to the floor as the world exploded around us. I cupped his head, trying to protect him from the debris raining around us. Heat pulsed through my clothes, singed my exposed skin. The ceiling collapsed, thundering around us. After a few long minutes of waiting to be impaled or squashed, the rumbling settled, leaving my ears ringing. The ground shifted under me. It took me a few more seconds to realize that it was Luca. His eyes on me. “Are you okay!” I screamed in his face, because of the fucking ringing. He shoved me away and I rolled off willingly.

I blinked the dryness out of my eyes and took in the scene. Enzo had been in front of me, his back to the window when it exploded. He’d been knocked into the far wall and wasunconscious. Not dead if the rise and fall of his chest was any indication.

Fox entered through the smoke first, his gun trained on Luca. Luca snarled from where he sat on the floor but didn’t move. Fox didn’t look like he was playing around. For a moment, I thought he was going to shoot Luca.

“Jesus fucking H. I thought you said you knew what you were doing?” Wren’s voice filled the space.

Fox shrugged. “Can I shoot him?” He indicated to Luca.

“No,” I coughed into my hand. “Fuck. You almost killed me.”

Kieran walked through the smoke behind Wren. Only his eyes visible. Blood on his clothes, carrying an assault rifle. And the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. He came for me. Yeah, Fox might’ve killed me with that explosion, but Kieran came for me. It had all worked out in the end. A jolt of emotion lifted me to my feet, and I launched myself into his awaiting arms. “I love you,” I whispered into his ear. His hold on me tightened. “In case I hadn’t mentioned it before.”

I had. Many times. And I loved him now like I loved him when I first said the words.

---