Page 70 of Rialta

I flip the photo over to find an address written. It’s a trap; I know it is. He wouldn’t have sent us this photo otherwise. And I recognize the address as the same church Rialta and I got married in—the bastard.

“We go to the address.”

I open the doors, and it’s like stepping through my memories. I’m calmer this time than last. Before was a beginning—this is an ending.

Kit stands to my right. His body shaking in a subtle rage or fear. I can’t tell with him.

I contacted Gage and Hayes, but it seems their phone has been turned off. I have no way to contact them anymore. It was to be expected when they went back to the Retribution Kings. I just have to hope they were accepted into the fold and not killed.

But it means I’m on my own, and this church may be the last place I see before I die.

I know why Andrea called us here—to end this. I don’t know if he’s succeeded in figuring out who The Abyss is yet. Or if he’s persuaded Rialta to pick him over the two of us. But he must think he has the pieces to end this tonight.

When I look up, all I see is her in a cascade of white fabric. The dress is big—so big I don’t know how she can move in the skirts of fabric. But maybe that’s the point—keep her immobilized as the prize to be won.

It makes me sick.

Rialta Corsi deserves so much better. Even if the man she wants wins, she doesn’t deserve to be forced into anything. She doesn’t deserve all her choices to be taken. Her father may have committed crimes that he needs to face punishment for, but not her.

Her eyes travel down the aisle to Kit, then me. Kit probably sees his future wife when he looks at her, but I see a warrior who is finally going to take her future into her own hands.

Kit begins walking down the center aisle without a care in the world, while I cautiously stalk, trying to sniff out the danger.

“You look beautiful,” Kit says, and I find myself rolling my eyes once again. It seems that’s all I do in response to him.

Rialta helplessly looks over at me as Kit tries to figure out how to get close enough to hug her without stepping on her dress. Her look splits my soul in half, and I stumble back, unsure of what I’m going to do next. He hugs her over her dress half-heartedly.

“You came,” Andrea says from behind Rialta.

“Of course, we fucking came. We weren’t going to let you force Rialta into marrying you,” Kit spits in his direction while still gripping onto Rialta.

“I’m not going to force Rialta into marrying anyone. She agreed to marry whoever wins,” Andrea says.

“What is he talking about?” Kit asks Rialta.

Rialta looks at him with a serious expression. “If you’re to be my husband, then you have to beat them. You have to be the strongest man. You have to be able to protect me and my unborn baby. You have to be able to do the job too.”

Kit blinks as if he can’t believe what he’s hearing. In the blink of a second, he went from having my help and being a frontrunner to having a one-in-three chance.

“I’m confused. Are you saying you want to decide who marries Rialta with a challenge different than what Vincent proposed?” I ask, looking at Andrea.

“None of us are going to be able to find and kill The Abyss in the amount of time Vincent is giving us. What Vincent really cares about is that we are loyal to Rialta and will continue the Corsi bloodline,” he clarifies.

I nod, agreeing. Vincent just wants someone who will keep Rialta safe, and falling in love with her would ensure that.

“What are you proposing?” I ask.

“A fight without weapons,” Rialta says.

“To the death?” Kit asks.

“To whenever you surrender or die, yes. But if you surrender, the others agree to let you go. You get to live. And we’ll make Vincent think you’ve been killed to satisfy his terms. You’d be free if you surrender,” Rialta says.

There it is—a way for her to save us all. She cares about us all in different ways and doesn’t want to see any of us die. But she only loves one of us.

Andrea walks to the first pew and begins unloading his guns and knives onto the seat.

I walk next to him and begin doing the same.

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