Page 80 of Plus-Size Bratva Possession
An innocent woman.
Ricardo circled us slowly. “They were quite interested when I told them I could deliver Gastone Ajello to them. Especially since I asked for so little in return. They’ve been helping me for three years. We were going to kill you, but you found me days before our plans were to be set into motion, and then I thought, I might as well have fun while we did it.”
“What do you want?” Elena demanded, her voice sharp.
Ricardo's eyes shifted to her, and I tensed, ready to launch myself at him if he came closer. “Nothing from you, sweetheart. You're just …collateral damage.”
“Leave her out of this,” I growled. “This is between us.”
Ricardo stopped in front of me, crouching to meet my eyes. “Adriana died because of you.”
“You killed her,” I reminded him, voice tight with fury.
“Yes,” he admitted, standing again. “And I've spent three years in hell for it. I wondered what it was you had that I didn’t. Why did I suffer for her, while you went on with your life?”
He gestured at Elena. “I watched you with her at that lake house. So tender, so sweet.”
He was mocking us, and the rage swept through my skin.
“I'm going to kill you,” I roared.
Ricardo laughed. “In that state? I doubt it. In fact, I'm going to make you watch while I do to her what I did to Adriana. You see? You had everything while I had nothing. And now, I’m going to take it all away so you can feel an ounce of what I did.” He walked over to Elena, pressing a knife against her cheek.
Something inside me broke loose—a primal fear unlike any I'd ever known. Not for myself, but for her. Elena.
My Elena.
The woman I loved.
The realization crashed over me with crystal clarity: I loved her. Deeply and completely. And I was about to lose her.
“Don't touch her,” I said, my voice a raw scrape. “Ricardo, listen to me. Kill me instead.”
He turned, surprise flashing across his face. “What's this? The great Gastone Ajello, begging?”
“Yes.” I swallowed my pride, my dignity—everything that once seemed important. “I'm begging you. Let her go. Take me.Torture me, kill me, whatever you want. The Espositos will be grateful. You could have money, power, anything you want. But let her go.”
Elena's eyes widened. “Gastone, no—”
“Shut up,” I told her gently. “This isn't your fight.”
Ricardo walked back to me, studying my face with fascination. “You really do care about her, don't you? More than you ever cared for Adriana.”
“That's not true,” I said automatically, but even as the words left my mouth, I knew they were a lie. What I felt for Elena eclipsed everything that came before.
“No?” Ricardo grabbed my hair, forcing my head up. “Let's test that theory, shall we?” He nodded to one of the Esposito men, who approached Elena with a knife.
“Stop!” I strained against my bonds. “Ricardo, I'll give you anything. Stop!”
“I want nothing from you!” he snarled. “I want you to suffer like I suffered.”
The man with the knife grabbed Elena's hair, exposing her throat. I lunged forward, driven by blind panic, only to be driven back to my knees by a punch to the gut.
“Please,” I gasped. “Please, I'm the one you want. I'm the one who hurt you.”
Ricardo watched me with cruel amusement. “This is better than I imagined. The mighty Gastone, begging for his woman's life.” He waved the knife-wielder away and crouched in front of me again. “I think I'll let you both live a little longer. It's more fun watching you squirm.”
Chapter 25 - Elena
