Page 8 of Don't Break My Heart
“You all have a fuck ton of explaining to do.” I smirk back, so fucking happy to see him.
“When we get to the villa, doll face,” Romeo says, patting my thigh. He’s just as happy for me to see my brothers as I am to see them.
Suddenly, the car ahead of us explodes in a fiery blast, sending shards of twisted metal and shattered glass flying. The air fills with the smell of burning rubber and gasoline, and I grip hold of the seat in front of me as Jagger slams on the brakes, tires screaming, stopping just inches from the horrific mess.
Chapter 4
IscreamfranticallyasI grip hold of Romeo and Orlando’s thighs, fear rocketing through me. Are we about to be next? Is this the war they were talking about, their enemies ready to blow us up? “What the hell?”
In a rush, Jagger pulls the car off to the side of the road and turns off the engine.
Orlando takes my face in his hand, his eyes locking with mine. He stares at me, his chest rising and falling quickly. My heart is racing so fast I can hear it thumping in my ears. His lips twist up at the sides cruelly, like I’m in on his joke. But I have no clue what is going on. “Did you really think I was going to let him rule over our lives, treasure? I told you to trust me. I would burn this fucking world down for you.”
I blink back at him, trying to get my rapid breathing under control, but it’s no use, I’m in full panic mode. “You did this?” I gasp, so shocked that it’s all I can come up with.
His eyes twinkle with delight. He’s fucked in the head right now, but something in it majorly turns me on. “They did this, on my orders.” He motions to my brothers in the front, and it all makes sense. Them being here as our drivers, his behavior, the way he was trying to get me to act, it was all a show for his papa until the grand fucking finale.
Cruz cackles out a laugh. “It’s what you get for messing with my little sister.” He winks in my direction. “Boom.” He motions an explosion with his hands like the crazy motherfucker he is.
I stare back at him, unable to share his same enthusiasm for what I just witnessed. “You assholes could have warned me,” I snap, still shaken half to death. “I thought we were next.” Relief washes over me knowing Emilio is dead and this isn’t part of the war between the families they were just talking about, but then the realization of what this really means drops down on me like a ton of bricks. My eyes go wide. “Orlando, this means…”
He grips my hand a little tighter. “Don’t worry about any of that, treasure, I’ll take care of it.”
I keep staring back at him, my heartbeat a constant thump in my ears. How can he take care of this? His papa set me up thinking it would save him, but now I’m his only heir because his sons killed him for me anyway. He’s in chunks on the pavement in front of us. We all fucking know what it means.
I’m in even more trouble. I’m going to be a target.
“Right now, we need to play the part of his grieving family,” Romeo says as he pops open his door. “Stay here with Onyx and Reef while we sort out this mess.” His grin is way too delighted for a man who just witnessed his papa blowing up. But why wouldn’t it be? He hated this man, they all did. I guess I should have trusted that they would come through for me.
Orlando follows him out, and they run toward the burning vehicle, phones up to their ears in a dramatic scene. All fake. They just killed their papa for me, and even though I’m pissed I wasn’t let in on the plan, I think I might have just fallen a little deeper for them both.
“Why do you look like that, trouble?” Onyx asks from the back of the car.
I suck in a shaky breath, wondering how I explain this to them. I turn toward him and Reef. “When their papa called me over to talk on the plane, he said he signed everything over to me in his will,everything,including his enemies. If he’s dead…”
Onyx’s eyes flash with something dark and unhinged. “Then you’re in more trouble than when he was alive.” He finishes my sentence for me, understanding my fresh worry.
“The boys have a plan, Sloane, that’s why we’re all here,” Jagger snips from the front.
Onyx slips his hand into mine, and I realize he’s just handed me something cold and hard.
I glance up at him.
His lips quirk at the sides, pleased with himself. “Your knife, I found it on the boat.”
My heart does a little happy dance knowing this man always knows what I need at the exact right time I need it. A little something to help me feel safer, even if it’s a false sense of security, because who the fuck knows what we’re up against. “Thank you.” I grip it tightly, thankful to have it back, then slip it safely into my pocket.
But his hand is still held out to me, and his eyes lock with mine, a more serious expression on his face. “Now I want the pills you’re hiding in the other pocket.”
I huff out a breath as my brow rises, unimpressed. “That’s not a fair trade.” I pout, looking to Reef for some support on this, but he just shrugs, and I know he agrees with Onyx.
“Doesn’t have to be fair,” he grumbles, and I know he’s not going to let this one go.
“I’ll make sure you get what you need, wildcat, but this situation is about to escalate, and we have all decided it’s best if you’re notself-medicating,” Reef assures me, a flash of concern registering in his features.
I fumble in my pocket then pull them free, handing the pills to him reluctantly before turning back around in a huff. They think they are helping, but sometimes taking extra pills is the only way I can regulate myself. I don’t want to have to go to him begging for what I need.
When I finally glance up, I find Jagger is watching us in the rearview mirror. I don’t miss the flash of disappointment in his expression. The big brotherly concern. “Still abusing the meds, Sis?”
