Page 51 of And Twice as Twisted
Headlights pulled up behind the car and heavy footfalls echoed in the distance. Charging towards me. “Sienna!” my brother shouted as I struggled to shift the body off me. “Sienna! Fuck! What did you do? How could… Sienna!” he grunted my name. Bella sounded from behind us, and the realization had me choking on air. “No! Bella, baby, stay back!” Lucky helped roll the dead weight to the side, pulling me to my feet and wrapping his suit jacket around me.
“No…” Bella whispered, and my gaze snapped to hers. The look she gave me added to the torment I’d already inflicted on myself. There would be no reparations for our relationship. I’d ruined my family. “What did you do?” Tears filled her mismatched eyes as she tried charging forward, but my brother pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as she broke.
“I can’t believe you fucking did this.” Lucky sounded distant, a radio static filled my head, and I barely felt the harsh bite of the pavement as my body slammed into it.
It wasn’t all that long ago that I had begged this man to give me everything I wanted, everything I thought I deserved. I thought he’d be my savior in a world built by men and against women. I wanted to be the queen on the arm of the mad king. Instead, he broke me beyond repair—something I thought I already was, but quickly realized I wasn’t. Not even close.
Until now.
I rolled onto my side, pulling my knees to my chest, and stared at his motionless body. I did it. I killed him. I thought I’d feel better. But his lifeless eyes stared back at me, forever cemented in my brain. Left to haunt me.
They were the last thing I saw before everything went black. That one thought playing over and over in my mind.
I killed him. I killed... Gio Moretti.
“Where is she?” Apollo exited the second car and charged forward. “Sienna!”
I swayed on the spot. Just hearing his voice had me wanting to break my promises of leaving. But one glance at Bella crying over her brother’s lifeless corpse, and I knew I had to go. I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, seeing all of this from a million miles above. I’d killed before, but never someone I’d known sopersonally.
“Are you okay?” Apollo asked, holding me at arm’s length. “No…” That one word was spoken so harshly as he stared at my legs.
I looked down and realized what he was focused on. Bella and Lucky followed his line of sight, looking at my shredded skirt and bleeding thighs. I tried covering myself, clinging to my brother’s jacket, but Apollo ripped it from me. I glanced at Lucky, who was glaring at Gio’s body in disgust.
“Did…” Apollo coughed. “Did he…?”
My head dropped and I gave the smallest nod.
Bella was caressing her belly as her tears turned angry. She stared at me, her eyes a picture of pity and sadness. I didn’t want it.
This too shall pass, I thought.Eventually…
“It’s going to be okay.” Apollo wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight. “I’ve got you.”
As much as I didn’t want to, I pushed out of his hold. My body began trembling as realization settled in, the adrenaline fully depleted. I heard voices but they sounded distant, a radio static filling my head. I barely felt the pavement as my body slammed forward.
“Not until her attorney is present.” Apollo’s tone stirred me from a miserable sleep. “She won’t waive her right to counsel, John.”
“Wh-at? Where am I?” I covered my eyes with my hands, the bright light assaulting my already-pounding head.
“The hospital,” Alexei said, suddenly at my side and shutting off the overhead light.
“I need a statement.” It was John, the FBI agent.
“Later.”
I hated how I wanted to seek shelter in Apollo’s embrace as he controlled the room.
“Miss Agostino, I need a few moments—”
John was cut off by Alexei rushing around the bed. The three of them started shoving each other and arguing before a horde of security and nurses stormed inside. I closed my eyes, swallowing past the nausea that had settled in my belly.
“Enough.” My father pushed through the door, looking between the three of them before clearing the room. “Don’t scare me like that again,” he said, once everyone was out of earshot.
“Sorry.” I had no idea why I was apologizing. It was my name and the allegiance to my family that had gotten me…
Oh…
I stared at my father as tears filled my eyes and more nausea coated my stomach, threatening to haul out of my throat.
