Page 70 of His Broken Queen

“Vincent is your responsibility. It’s up to you what you do with him next, but it’s also your responsibility to make sure he never comes at me again, because if he does, there won’t be a second chance for either of you. Brother or not.”

“I understand.”

“You better get to him before he bleeds out on my bedroom floor.” I handed him Vincent’s gun. “Don’t give that back to him today.”

He nodded, taking the gun from me.

“We’re good.” I patted his back, knowing we had plenty of shit to work through, but we would get there. “Go see him.”

As Rocco climbed the steps, I took a look at Jag. His face was pale, and his eyes were bloodshot, but he was sitting up and alert.

“How are you?” I asked.

“I’ve been better, but I’ll survive,” he said.

“Brett is on his way,” Gio informed me. “We’re keeping him busy.”

“Why don’t you ask Rocco what he wants to do with the scumbag upstairs?”I sighed. “I don’t need him dying in here.”

“I’m sure he’ll bring his men in and they can figure out what to do. It sounds like Vincent might have to go to the hospital. I’ll advise them to say he was attacked elsewhere, and they took him right to the emergency room. No witnesses. That sort of thing.”

“I know you can handle it.” I looked at Jag again. “You did good.”

If he hadn’t seen Luciana get into Gio’s car and act as quickly as he did, we might not have known Lu was even missing until it was too late.

“It’s my job to protect Lu.” Jag smiled at her. “Next time, you should let me drive.”

“There won’t be a next time.” I squeezed Lu’s hand as I guided her through the family room, and out the patio door. “What the fuck were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t? I acted on instinct.”

“Your instincts fucking suck.” Her clothes were stained in blood. “Are you bleeding?” I frantically look over her white blood-stained shirt. Everything had been so crazy, I didn’t even ask how she was. “Are you hurt?”

“It’s not my blood. Well, not all of it.” She inspected her bloody hands. “It’s Vincent’s.”

“What happened?”

"I stabbed him with a kitchen knife, and I threw a vase at his head.”

“I knew you were a badass.”

“I’m a Bilotti.”

Her voice bursted with pride, and I couldn’t have been prouder of her.

“Yes, you are.” I tugged her close to me, wrapping my arms around her waist. “That’s why you can never do what you did today ever again. You walked right into a trap. This isn’t the first time that’s happened. You’re a target because you’re my wife.”

“I know.”

“I’m so glad you’re alive and he didn’t hurt you, but I’m furious with you.”

“How furious?”

“Furious enough to make you a prisoner. From now on, you don’t leave my side. And when I have to leave your side, you will be under lock and key with ten guards surrounding you.”

“I think that’s extreme.”

“I don’t care what you think.” I held her tight. “That’s not true. I care about your thoughts and your feelings. I care whether you are hurt. I don’t want to be the one who hurts you. I don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”

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