Page 66 of Brutal Vows

“He landed a solid slap before I could stop him,” Tomas grumbles from across the room, his words laced with angerand sorrow. “But as you can see, he paid dearly for that miscalculation.”

Vitali curses quietly under his breath, his disapproval heavy in the charged air.

“I’m sorry,” Vitali repeats relentlessly, pressing gentle kisses onto my forehead. “Please forgive me.”

“Why?” I manage through chattering teeth, my voice small and pained. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Vitali exhales deeply, burdened by an unseen weight, but it is Tomas who finally speaks, his tone halting between resolve and regret.

“Because it was the only way to get us into this house with minimal casualties,” he explains, each word leaving a taste of compromise and hurt. “We needed something believable. Fino would never have trusted me unless I gave him a reason to believe I was an ally. We kept you in the dark so your reaction would be unfiltered and genuine. I’m sorry about your head.”

In that moment, I hunger to feel the sting of betrayal, but the sting of betrayal barely registers. Vitali slides an arm under my knees and lifts to carry me bridal style. He carries me to one of the outdated couches and sets me down with cautious care while signaling for someone to join us. Matthias’s concerned face fills my vision, his gray eyes silently assessing me.

He reaches out, his fingers gently probing my face and then the back of my head, his right eye twitching when I wince at his delicate touches.

“It’s not too bad,” he murmurs, concerned. “Have her drink a ton of water and give her some of this.” He pulls a bottle of Excedrin from the bag at his side. “It will help with the pounding.”

I muster a wry smile, my voice wavering as I teasedespite the turmoil. “Seems a bit of a waste to knock me out and keep me in the dark for a measly twenty minutes,” I pout, swallowing the pills and taking a sip of water from the cup Tomas offers me. The three men exchange a loaded glance. “What?”

Tomas grimaces, guilt and conflict warring in his eyes. “You were out for over six hours,” he confesses, his voice heavy with the weight of his choice. “Your father drugged you when you first arrived so you wouldn’t wake up to bother the men.”

That explains why I feel so sluggish and dehydrated.

“What happens now?” I ask.

“Now we gather our allies and continue with the plan,” Vitali says. “This evening, we will take the compound by force.”

Glaring at my husband, I ask, “And no surprises this time?” The coldness in my tone has Tomas and Matthias biting their lower lip and glancing at Vitali with amusement dancing in their eyes.

Vitali shakes his head. “No,amore mio,” he assures me. “No tricks or surprises this time.”

“Better not be,” I mutter petulantly, causing Matthias and Tomas to bark out a laugh.

“Everything is set to go.” Dario strides through the hall to join us. “We’ve taken care of the men loyal to Salvatore and rewarded those who stood with us.”

Vitali nods solemnly. “It isn’t long before we take out the compound,” Adrian says from the other side of the room where he sits with Kenzo on one of the other sofas. They’ve been so quiet, I hadn’t realized they were there. “We are covering the back with Gia. Vitali and Matthias will approach from the front with Tomas and the rest of the men.”

The men all nod. “We only have one shot at this,” Vitali reminds everyone. “If something goes wrong, do not stay. Retreat. Don’t risk your men’s lives for this war.” My husband asks this of the men, but from the looks they all exchange, they won’t leave him behind. And neither will I.

“We’ll have C4 on the stone walls on the east and west sides of the perimeter,” Kenzo informs everyone. “Once the explosion happens, we’ll have less than five minutes to secure the back half of the property while you take the front gate.”

Matthias grunts in agreement. Adrian gives Kenzo a broad smile, his eyes glinting with determination. He’s been itching for action, and I’m sure storming my father’s home has ignited the violent part of him that has made him the dangerous Bratva leader he is.

All of these men are experienced killers, their calm demeanor belying the tempest of violence within them. Vitali glances at me, his fierce hazel eyes softening momentarily. There is worry eating away at him behind his stoic façade. This isn’t just another operation for him, it is a gamble with our lives, one he has to take if he wants to regain what he lost all those years ago.

Taking my hand in his rough, calloused ones, he leans in to reassure me. “Everything is going to be fine, Gia.” His tone is firm, but beneath it lays an edge of uncertainty that is unusual for a man like him who is always so sure of himself.

“You can’t promise that Vitali.”

For one more quiet moment, he simply looks at me, immersing himself in my eyes as if memorizing every detail of my face. A small smile curves his lips; warm yet melancholic, and he brings my hand to his heart and murmurs, “Sempre e per sempre.”

Forever and always.

Despite the assurances echoing in the crowded room, we all know that the night holds uncertainty and chaos. A shudder ripples through me. Tonight is going to be a critical game changer, hopefully in our favor.

Time feels brittle around us as we move forward with our plans. Every machination is hinged on those crucial five minutes after the explosions, and if we make one mistake, it can easily mean our death.

Every tick of the clock will be a countdown to our fate and decide who will win this war.

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