Page 149 of Wrapped in Perfection

"I will. I need to go. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Hanging up is torture, but there is no point dragging the call out. It's only more painful for us both. I know she's going to be up all night worrying. I can tell her not to, but it's pointless.

This needs to end. All loose ends, including Zamir, need to be taken care of.

I only want my life with Anna. I want to marry her. But until I can assure her safety, I won't ask her to commit her life to me.

She already has.

But she can still get out if she wants to.

If she left, she'd kill me.

I hate the thought of her ever leaving me. But what I'm putting her through right now isn't fair. She shouldn't have to be in a lockdown situation.

Which is why Lorenzo and Zamir both need to be eliminated.

I go back into the room with my brothers.

"Right. See you there." Boris ends a phone call. "Killian is dropping Nora off. He will meet us off I-90."

"Are you sure this is a good idea, getting Killian involved?" I ask.

"Why?" Boris replies.

Something in me is warning me to take precaution. I'm not sure if it's from what we're about to do, or the extra ally we will have tonight. "We've not ever done anything like this with anyone before."

"Lorenzo killed Sean. He went after Killian's blood again. Nora may be carrying my baby, but Lorenzo deserves the wrath of Killian and me. And he's going to experience it," Boris growls.

Sean was Killian and Nora's older brother. It's rumored the Rossi family murdered him. Killian has always believed it was Lorenzo who pulled the trigger.

"I am happy you've come clean about Nora and the baby to Killian. But be careful, Boris."

Boris's eyes turn to slits. "You know we can trust Killian."

"Do not get dragged into the wars of the O'Malleys. Zamir pushed us into this life. We have worked hard to do everything in our power to stay away from it whenever possible. I fear you may lose focus on who we really are."

Boris snorts. "I know who I am. No matter what I do, I will always be the devil. Do not think legitimate businesses and three hundred some days a year of 'appearing normal' erase our sins, brother."

"No one said our actions get deleted. But the O'Malley wars—"

His eyes harden. "Will be part of my child's blood. And whatever I have to do to protect him or her from enemies, I will."

My heart sinks. Boris is right. I wish I could tell him he's wrong, but I can't. And I also know if I were in his situation, I would do the same.

"This is not what we should be focusing on right now," Maksim cuts in. "There is a lot to plan for tonight."

Obrecht fills us in on more details. Maksim pulls out clothes, gloves, and weapons.

All of us have a set at our homes. We're always prepared. After tonight, we will destroy it all. Maksim will replace this set, and we will be ready for our next situation.

Why can't all this just end?

Since the day Zamir held our mother captive and turned us into killers, I've been tired of this. But now that I have Anna, it weighs on me at a different level.

When it's time to go, we get into a black Cadillac Escalade Obrecht arranged. We stop off I-90 and pick up Killian.

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