Page 58 of Blood and Lies (A Twisted Duet 1)

In other words, he was giving himself up and wanted his little girl set free.

I looked up at my mother. “He’s agreed to the trade.”

She kissed the crucifix then smiled my way. “I didn’t doubt that he would.”

After deleting the email and closing the email account, I closed my laptop. There was something heavy in my gut, somethingunsettling.

“There is still time,Madre.”

“Time for what?”

“To put a stop to this.”

“What are you saying, son?”

I sighed, placing my elbows on the table and leaning my chin against my fist. “I’m saying there is still time to stop this from going any farther.”

She stopped pacing. “Are you saying you don’t want to go through with this, Castello?”

“I’m saying maybe we should reconsider.”

“Excuse me?” She leaned with her hands on the desk.

“Killing him won’t bring Carlo or Dad back, and neither would killing Tatum.”

“Tatum?” Her eyes narrowed. “Tatum? Are you and Miss Linscott on a first name basis now?”

Exasperated, I leaned back in my seat, slamming my hands against the desk. “That is not the point.”

“That is exactly the point. My God, Castello, do not tell me that…that woman has managed to get her claws into you as well.”

“Of course not.”

“Good.” She stood straight. “Then you will have no problem going ahead with what we planned.”

My gaze found hers. Deep inside my gut, I knew I had no choice. Whether my mother’s motives could be questioned or not, I had no choice but to execute this plan—and execute Tatum along with her father. If I didn’t, I would face the wrath of the rest of the Fattore family, risk being exiled or executed myself, and Tatum would still die. There were enough Fattore men who would happily step up to the challenge. Tatum was dead no matter what I did, what decision I made.

With a heaviness in my chest that I couldn’t explain, I nodded at my mother. “I will see this through,Madre.”

“Promise me, Castello.” The same words she uttered at my brother’s and father’s graves. The same vow she demanded me to make.

“I promise,Madre.”

She walked around the desk, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I trust that you are a man of your word, just like your father was.” She squeezed my shoulder. “Do not disappoint me, my son.”

And then she left, the click of the door behind her resonating like a drum through the room. I was left alone with my thoughts, the ache of guilt, and the twinge of dread defeating me so damn easily.

Glancing out the window, my mind was a bloody warzone. Battles raged between my heart and my head, images of Tatum and what we did earlier the weapons of mass destruction threatening to destroy me.

But unfortunately for her and me, my brother’s birthright had become my curse, and now I had to carry that curse up until the day I finally took my last breath. Freedom was no longer a luxury I could bask in, replaced by responsibilities I would ultimately drown in.

No matter how hard I tried to fight it, the blood running through my veins had made this decision for me.

I would kill Tatum Linscott.

Chapter 19

TATUM

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