Page 5 of Immoral

Dante:What about Uberto?

I take several deep breaths to calm myself, opening and closing my fist. The things I want to inflict upon him flash before me.

Me:After I do what I need to in order to protect Cara, I'll take care of him.

Two minutes pass. I stare out the window, watching a thick blanket of snow surround the vehicle.

Dante:We'll pick him up. He'll be waiting for you when you get back.

Me:No. I'll handle it.

Dante:Stop being stubborn.

Me:Don't cross me on this. I'm turning my phone off. Enjoy your party.

I do as I state and slide my phone back in my pocket while staring at Cara. Mascara streaks her cheeks. Her pouty lips are bright red and slightly parted. I steal a quick kiss then stroke her soft, dark hair, having an imaginary conversation in my mind about how I'm going to inform her about what is about to happen.

She's going to want to kill me. Yet all I can think about is how she'll finally be mine. There won't be any way for her to continue to avoid me. She and I will be tied together until the day one of us dies, because once we make our vows, there's no taking it back.

I shift in the seat, tightening my arms around her, letting my mind go to a place I shouldn't.

It's the spot that makes me a bigger bastard than I already am. All I can obsess over is how I'm not going to just let her say "I do."

I'm going to make her repeat every promise I've ever wanted to hear her say. She'll be mine in every way, and anytime she wants to think otherwise, I'll remind her of her pledge to me—her husband—the one who would die to protect her. The one she's going to willingly give every part of herself to, over and over again.

All the ways we should have been together over these last few years will no longer be a should be. They'll be a reality, and my tesoro is going to love every minute of it.

Once she gets past it,I remind myself.

I glance down at her again, knowing every part of this scenario feeds into my warped self. I'm not ignorant about who I am. I know how deep my immorality is. Hell, Cara knows it, too. She's the only woman who saw the true me. She never ran from it. It's how I should have known not to throw her away all those times. I was a fool, yet I no longer will allow myself to be one. There won't be a need to beg for any more chances. She's going to be mine, and no one besides me will ever have her again.

And I'm going to bestow the most painful death I can upon Uberto.

Then I'm going after the rest of the Abruzzos. Any man who was in that room tonight, I'll hunt down.

The SUV pulls into the private airport and stops next to the jet. I'm not taking our family one. I don't need my papà or brothers coming after me.

Cara stirs, her eyes fluttering.

I stroke her cheek. "I'm putting the blanket over your head. It's going to be cold."

"Where—"

"Shh," I say, putting my fingers over her lips, lying again. "We need to get back to the city. Close your eyes."

She sighs but obeys.

I move the blanket over her, open the door, and step out. I barrel through the snow, up the stairs, and nod to the flight attendant. I go directly to the bedroom, shut the door, then lie down on the bed with Cara, removing the blanket from her head.

Her tired blue eyes peek at me from under her long lashes. "My head hurts worse than before."

I grab a bottle of water from the nightstand, unscrew the lid, and hold it to her lips. "Here."

She drinks half the bottle.

I give her a moment then ask, "More?"

She shakes her head and locks eyes with me.

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