Page 140 of His Juliet

My jaw was at risk of cracking from how hard I was clenching it. I hadn’t betrayed Juliet, would rather fuckingdiethan harm her. But the Butcher was right about one thing—this was my fault. I’d led him straight to my woman.

“What was the allure of this girl for Mr. De Luca? At first, I didn’t expect to find anything interesting. She was just a foster care child who ended up in a group home because she wasn’t good enough to be adopted. But there were some strange inconsistencies in her background. Did you know Juliet’s parents were murdered?”

Matteo swore under his breath.

“What I didn’t realize when I killed my dear brother and his wife was that we weren’t alone in the apartment. Locked away in a closet was little Juliet. Juliet Smith is really Juliet Leka—daughter to the former Krye, and Mafia princess.”

My knuckles turned white as I clutched the edge of the table. What? No. It wasn’t possible. I tried to deny his words, but everything he said aligned perfectly with what Juliet had told me about her past.

“Imagine my irritation when I realized my mistake. But life has a way of working things out, doesn’t it? If I had killed two-year-old Juliet, she would have lost all usefulness to me. But now, she can be extremely useful.”

“Useful how?” Matteo asked. At least he could still form words because the ability was far beyond me as I drowned in self-loathing. She had been free from the Butcher’s clutches…until she met me.

“Juliet will marry my new Kryetar, Spiro Abazi. You will give us full access to the New York City trade routes, or every time you see sweet Juliet, she’ll be missing a new body part.”

Black spots appeared in my vision, and I breathed through my nose to keep from throwing up.

“If that’s not a good enough incentive, consider this—it was nothing for me to break into your apartment and take Juliet. Do you think there’s anywhere you could hide Sofiya and Sienna that would keep me from them?”

“And if I agree, what then?” Matteo’s voice was ice cold.

“Next week, after the wedding, we will meet in New York to iron out terms.”

An involuntary growl vibrated my chest. I would burn the entire world to the ground before I stood by while my girl was forced to marry some sick bastard.

Matteo lifted his chin. “Fine.”

I whipped my head to look at him, but he stared straight at the screen, eyes locked with the Butcher.

“But when we meet,” he continued, “Juliet will be there to show that she has not been harmed.”

The Butcher took his time before responding. “As long as Romeo doesn’t cause trouble at the meeting.” He leaned closer to the camera. “I believe these past few months have made clear that you are no match for me. You don’t want to cross me.”

He hung up the call, and silence descended on the room.

“Fuck!” I screamed. I sucked in ragged breath after breath, but nothing could stop my world from spinning out of control.

“Is he really gone? Not listening in?” Matteo asked.

Sienna nodded, and a slow smile spread across her face. “Not only that, there was an error in the call’s encryption.”

My head snapped up. “You got his location?”

“I got it.” She turned her screen so we could see the map she’d opened. “They’re outside Tirana, by the Adriatic Sea.”

Matteo clasped my shoulder. “Lift off in twenty.”

I’m coming for you, baby. And somehow, I’ll make this fucking right. Just hold on a little longer.

67

JULIET

“Juliet,my love, we’re going to play a game. Stay in here and keep quiet.” Her finger pressed gently against my lips. “Not one sound.”

A loud crash rang out on the floor below and I cried out, wrapping chubby arms around mama’s neck. But instead of holding me close like she always did, she pushed me into the hall closet. It was dark and cramped. Mama wedged me between some cardboard boxes.

“Don’t leave, no matter what. Promise me, Juliet.”

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