Page 39 of Thorns of Blood
And there it was.
“We’ll compensate their families and ensure they’re well provided for. They understood the risks of working for a criminal organization.”
Romeo shoved his hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Her sister should have someone else to deal with this bullshit.”
My muscles tightened, revolting at the idea of another man being around her. But I forced myself to speak calmly when I answered: “Having the Volkov twins on our side gives us leverage.”
“Don’t tell me Mother has finally gotten to you?”
I let out a sardonic breath. Our mother—if she could be called that—had been paranoid of the Volkov girl since her marriage to Santiago. She worried the girl would have children with him and stand in the way of my—pardon, my mother’s—claim to the Tijuana throne.
“Mother doesn’t know she’s alive,” I warned, my gaze narrowing on him. “And we’re going to keep it that way for a while.”
He watched me with those inquisitive eyes, and it was annoying as fuck that he was one of the rare individuals who could read me so well.
“She’ll feel threatened once she does,” he remarked casually, a smile playing on his lips. “Are you ready to handle that?”
We both knew Julia had only one purpose in life and that was to keep her children, and most importantly herself, in power. No matter the cost.
Her calculated ways extended to every single one of us. Marissa was lucky enough to evade our mother’s interest. My brothers and I weren’t so lucky. Romeo, Cristiano, and I experienced her schemes and ambition firsthand. Though, I put an end to it once we were old enough, cutting her off from any business involving the mafia. In fact, Julia didn’t know muchabout my personal life either, because I kept her at arm’s length for exactly that reason.
“I could protect her, although it’d be easier if she’d just marry me. And we all saw exactly what she thought of that idea,” I said, and Romeo winced. And fuck, if that wasn’t a totalouchmoment for me.
“Yikes, good luck with that.”
I cast a glance at the woman in my bed, her even breaths signaling she was in deep sleep. I was trying to appear unfazed to my brother, but in reality, I was shaken. Liana’s complete disregard for her own well-being didn’t bode well. She had to have known jumping over that rail meant certain death, and yet…
“What is it about her that has you wound so tight?” he asked casually, pulling my focus back.
I shot him a glare that could have killed a lesser man. But the only reaction I got from Romeo was a low chuckle.
“Don’t you have some work to do?” I said dryly. “If you don’t, I’ll find you something to do.”
“See? This is exactly what I mean. So sensitive ever since you brought that woman around.”
“Maybe I should show you exactly how sensitive I am,” I grumbled. “By smashing your pretty face into the deck of my boat.”
A smile played in his eyes and he put his hands up in surrender. “I’m just pointing out the obvious.”
It felt like nothing had been the same since I learned Liana was alive. I didn’t know how to get rid of the edgy sensation beneath my skin whenever I thought of her.
For fuck’s sake, I’d kidnapped a woman I was sent to rescue. Why? Maybe to remind her of our meeting eight years ago, which she seemed to have conveniently forgotten. Or maybebecause even after eight years, I was still fascinated with the woman.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure which was worse.
“Are we going to sit here and watch this crazed woman as she sleeps in your bed?” my brother asked, leaning back in his seat.
“She’s not crazy,” I growled.
He raised a brow. “Misunderstood, then?”
“You’re about to be misunderstood when I break your teeth.”
Romeo brought his glass of whatever poison he was nursing to his lips, trying to conceal his smile. “But can you tell me first what you’re going to do with her?”
I didn’t know.
The mafia princess was clearly determined to wreak havoc on any man who dared to get close to her, and I started to question whether the idea of marriage was untimely.
