Page 99 of Wicked Rivals

He stood there and stared at me, saying nothing at all.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Shock vibrated through my soul.

I could hardly catch my breath.

“You? Why are you doing this to us?” I cried.

CHAPTER 21

STEFANO

Panic overwhelmed me. My hands shook. My lungs became dead weight inside my chest, pinching my heart between them.

I pulled out of my jacket, loosened my tie, lowered the car window, and sucked in the cool autumn air.

Tony turned and stared at me from the front passenger seat.

“Still in Lordi’s territory, boss. Open window isn’t safe.”

I nodded and put the bullet-proof glass back up.

Fuck. I needed to get to Val and Enzo faster.

Jimmy did his best to get through the traffic quickly, but it didn’t matter how much skill a driver had or how many laws he broke. Manhattan streets were always congested during rush hour, making it impossible to get anywhere in good time.

“How the fuck did she get out of the house?” I asked.

But the real question in my mind, the more important one, remained unspoken.

Why did she leave me again?

She wasn’t safe anywhere else or with anyone else. Someone out there wanted to kill her and our son.

Why couldn’t she accept the truth and let me protect them?

I had broken my marriage contract, calling off the wedding with Benedetta’s blessing, losing the power that came with it… to show Val that I meant every fucking word I’d said.

Val understood the repercussions of the choice I’d made. She knew I had relinquished my best chance to seize revenge for my family, the one thing I’d worked so hard to accomplish. She knew what I’d given up for her and my son.

Still, it wasn’t enough for her.

Tony cleared his throat to get my attention, giving me a better outlet for my energy.

Good. A worried mind and a panicked one were useless.

“I know you don’t want to hear this, Stef, but Bruce said the men were distracted.”

“What?” I snapped.

Anger, I could work with that. Anger got shit done.

I let the rage flow through my body and used it as fuel.

“Distracted by what? And if you say they were watching some TikTok bitch bouncing on a yoga ball again, I’ll put a bullet in their fucking heads myself.”

Tony cleared his throat again.

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