Page 27 of Love & Violence

Tears fall from my mate’s eyes, wetting her face and breaking my heart. My father might be a prick, but he would never speak to Rylee the way this asshole just spoke to his daughter. My temper is barely leashed, and my panther is begging me to allow him to take vengeance for our mate. But I see the anger Dom is feeling at his father’s words. This is his family, and I will allow him to deal with the problem.

For now.

“The moment your brother releases me, there will be nowhere on earth for you to hide. I will carve that bastard child from your womb and leave you to bleed out while your so-called mate watches!” he yells.

“And that’s exactly why you will never get the chance.”

Domenico’s voice is calm as he slips the blade across his father’s throat. Blood pours from the wound, soaking his dress shirt before dripping down to what I assume is an expensive carpet. The three of us watch in silence as the life leaves him, and he breathes his final breath.

“You need to stay here,” Domenico addresses his sister before turning to me. “We need to see your father and find out if there’s any way there can be peace between our families.”

****

Aryanna

I stand and stare as the blood slowly leaves my father’s body, and I hear his last breath. I feel numb, but deep down, I also feel relieved that we won’t ever have to look over our shoulders. That we are truly free to be together.

Should I feel more?

This man had loved me, and I had loved him not so long ago, but hatred is a poison, and it changed my father into a monster that would kill his grandchild. All because of hate from what happened years ago.

I hope someday I’ll know the whole truth. I know my father wasn’t telling us everything. Even though I was terrified, it would change my and my mate’s world. I needed to know. Taking a deep breath, I decided to feel no guilt because the world was a better place without my father in it.

My mate moves behind me and wraps an arm around my waist. I feel his lips on the side of my head.

“Are you pregnant, Baby?”

I look over my shoulder and smile. “Yes. We will have a baby in thirty-nine weeks. I don’t know yet if it will be a female or male.”

“That doesn’t matter. As long as you’re both healthy.”

Domenico interrupts and talks about a meeting with my mate’s father. My brother wants peace between the families, and I couldn’t agree more.

My brother looks at me. “You need to stay here.”

At first, I want to disagree, but the baby inside me keeps me from doing something rash that might hurt it.

Draven wraps his arms around me. “He’s right, little mate. We can’t take a chance you might get hurt.”

“I understand.”

“Go find Isabel. She was worried about you,” Domenico says.

I nod. “I will.”

My brother walks out of the office, barking orders. He orders a few of his men to dispose of our father’s corpse. I wonder if any of the men will cause problems. After all, they were loyal to our father but decided to let my brother deal with it since he is now the head of the family.

Draven kisses me. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

I nod and wave as he joins my brother. I hear several vehicles leave. It was only when a few guys came in to remove my father that I finally got moving.

I go to Isabel’s room and see she isn’t there. It takes me ten minutes to find her out back in the gardens.

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you,” I say.

Isabel gasps before running to me. We hug as we both burst into tears. The day had been rough on everyone.

“God, I was so afraid you were going to die,” Isabel sobs.

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