Page 124 of Deception

Most of the thugs are dead, the rest wounded, writhing on the floor.

I straighten, storming out into the opening, throwing out my hand for my brothers to hold.

“Give us the girl and you might live,” I growl.

“One more step and she dies. Surrender now and no harm comes to her!”

“Let her go, and maybe you get to die quick.”

“Doesn’t matter. I got you here. Got you to leave your people unguarded. My job’s done. I just want to get paid and go home.” His hands are quivering. He doesn’t want this.

“Where’s your captain?” Adriano steps into the open doorway.

“Dead. Harry killed him, took over.”

“And where’s Harry?” he continues, keeping the man’s attention on him.

“I…I don’t know. He’s a whack job.”

“He’s dead!” Isabella spits out around the grip of the man’s arm. “I fucking killed him.”

“Hmm. I guess that leaves you.” Adriano steps closer.

“Step back. Step back! Or I put a fucking bullet in her head. Gun down.”

Ero stares at the man, finishing off stragglers as he joins us. He glances my way, shaking his head. No clean shot.

None of us have one.

But Isabella’s staring right at me.

She looks … scared?

No. She looks pissed.

I lower my gun slowly, her eyes tracking my hand to the floor, locking right back onto mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ero lunge in right as I give her a nod.

Isabella rams her elbow into his ribs as hard as she can, wrenching herself loose and running, right as Ero slides behind him, slicing him behind the knees, Ciro rushing in to snatch the gun from his hands.

And I surge forward, clutching the screaming thug by the throat, driving him down to the ground. My first punch knocks him senseless, and I lose track of how many times I’ve hit him when Adriano grabs my arm, pulling me back.

Looking down in a daze, I see that there’s nothing left of his face. My fugue clears instantly, and I’m looking around, desperate to find Isabella.

“Isa? Where are you?”

My brothers spread out, finishing off the leftovers as I look for my love. I hear a grunt, off to my left and follow the sound through the maze of machines.

She’s there, crouched in a corner, a gun in her hands, her chest heaving in panic. I approach slowly, cautiously, my hand out as she spots me and whips the gun up at me.

“Isa … it’s me. It’s okay.”

Recognition dawns in her eyes and she lowers the gun, still breathing heavily, teeth bared in a feral grin.

In that moment, she’s the most stunning I’ve ever seen her. Spattered in dirt and blood. Showing her true nature, the beast inside of her. Just like me.

“Amore mio…” I rumble, pressing the barrel down farther, looking into her eyes. “You did it. You fought your way out.”

“And you came,” she chokes out.

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