Page 25 of Owned By the Mob Boss
“She’sminenow,” I growl. “You never cared about her. You sold her to me like cattle. And now you want to act like you give a damn!?”
My finger curls around the trigger.
One squeeze. That’s all it would take. I’ve done it hundreds of times before. One squeeze and Seth Rossi’s brains would paint the walls of the warehouse behind him. I can see it…
…but then I seeher. Unfathomable beauty in my mind’s eye. I feel the warmth of her body against mine, and the way my heart melts when she’s near me.
I see her eyes filled with tears before I left her. The way she looked at me this morning, begging for me to have mercy on her lech of a father.
“The man who took me to dinner, made me breakfast—that’s the man you truly are, Viktor!”
Her voice echoes sweetly in my head, so soft yet so certain.
I’ve never trusted anyone in my life—not completely. Until she came along…
I trust Bella with my life. She’s my queen. She would never hurt me. Nor would she ever lie to me.
So is she right? Is it true?
Can I be more than just The Ice Man?
“Do it…” Seth sobs. “Just do it.”
My hand is shaking. My handsnevershake. I’ve executed men and then gone back to dinner, killed my rivals withoutblinking. But now, this worthless drunk’s life has me trembling like a boy with his first gun.
Because I know that if I pull this trigger, I lose her.
Bella…
Maybe not today or tomorrow, but down the line, she’ll realize she can’t forgive me. And she’ll be gone.
The warmth in her eyes will turn cold. The way she melts into my arms will never be the same. And slowly, she’ll pull away.
And what will my life be then?
I’ll have lost the only good thing that’s ever happened to me. My life. My soul.
I lower the gun. Seth looks up at me with complete astonishment, his eyes red.
“Your daughter. You can thank her for making me merciful.”
He stares at me like I’ve grown a second head. Viktor Morelli doesn’t have mercy. The whole city knows that.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” I say, my voice fierce but controlled. “You’re going to disappear.Tonight. Leave New York and never come back. Never contact your daughter again. Understand?”
“But she’s my—”
I grab his throat, tight enough to make my point. “She’s nothing to you anymore. You sold her for a gambling debt you couldn’t pay back. She belongs to me now.”
He nods frantically, relieved that his life is not ending tonight.
“If I see you in this city again or hear about you running your mouth about me, I’ll make you wish I killed you. I’ll make you beg for death, Seth. You got me?”
“Yes! I got you!”
I release him, and he falls to the floor, instantly scrambling to his feet. I reach into my jacket pocket and pull out a wad of cash—at least a few grand.
“Use it to get out of the city and disappear. Consider your debt to me paid. I’m buying you out of Bella’s life.”
