Page 101 of Revenge & Ruin

I run to them immediately, helping them lower Cassandra softly to the ground. But the second we let go, she tries to crawl back to the house. “NO!”

Teo holds her firm. “Cas.”

“NO! Teo, he’s STILL IN THERE.”

“I know,” Teo chokes. “I’m going back for him.”

My hand snatches at his shirt before he can take a step. “You will do no such thing.”

“Belle.”

“You will not leave me here!” I plead, desperately clinging on to him.

His endless eyes bore into mine for a second. The sound of Cas sobbing on the ground, the fire crackling behind us, it’s all too much.

He kisses me. It's so soft I can barely feel it. Just a whisper, a promise that this will be okay. He won’t be going anywhere.

And foolishly, I let go.

“No!”

He immediately steps back from my grasp and begins to turn toward the burning building.

But he barely makes it ten paces before someone steps out through the smoke.

Somehow, still immaculately dressed, Ida Natali’s cold eyes fall directly on me.

“Well, isn’tthisan interesting development?”

27

TEO

Despite the raging heat that singes my very skin, every cell in my body freezes at the sound of her voice.

This is the only thing that could have made me wait a second longer. The only thing that could stop me from attempting to rescue my best friend.

A ghost.

Ida Natali.

In the flesh.

And staring down at Isabella as if she were nothing more than the scum on her shoe.

“I always thought out of the two of you, Leon would be the bigger disappointment,” she leers.

My fingers twitch.

I could do it now. I could silence her forever. She wouldn’t say another damn word to Isabella, and I would be able to rest at last, knowing that my sister’s murderer had finally met her justice.

“Teo, please.”

Cassandra sobs on the ground. Her arm reaches out to me as her heart visibly breaks in front of my eyes. None of this can begood for the baby, but if Rocco doesn’t make it out alive, I think Cas might die, too.

“Go, Teo. She’s not going anywhere.”

I turn in surprise to see Leon pulling himself to his full, towering height. His ruthless glare, however, is directed at his mother.

---