Page 33 of Deadly Intentions

“Seriously?” Alex glared at him. “My fucking job is in the balance because I didn’t follow protocol. I am going to lose everything because I went against what I stand for—for what? For a mobster. Because that’s what you are, right?”

“Yes. That’s what we are.” Massimo jerked Alex by his shirt, getting in his face. “And right now, my sister is in the hands of a man trying to use who we are as leverage. Now you can sit here and place blame on us, for what or who we are, or you can put aside your disgust and help me save my sister. My sister, who is one third of the light in the darkness of our family, is currently at the hands of a monster.”

Massimo pushed him away and turned around. I closed my eyes and tried to calm the bubbling lava rising inside. “Are you in or out?” I growled through clenched teeth. “You may hate what we stand for, but you cared for Catarina—even if it was new.”

“Fuck.” Alex straightened his shirt. “Let me show you what I have.”

We spent the next hour going over the information Alex had managed to keep regarding the case. I could see how torn he was about helping us. A man like him, one who’d given his life to fighting the very thing the Anastasis stood for. What I stood for. And a part of me understood, but he didn’t know us. Not really. Sure, we broke the law and committed crimes that kept the family safe. But beneath the dark fabric of what we stood for, was heart. We were a family. And family came first—no matter the cost, we would protect our own.

“How far away is this warehouse from here?” Vincenzo paced the small kitchen.

“Twenty minutes.” Alex folded up the documents and shoved them into the folder. “I assume you’re armed?” He quirked a brow at Massimo.

“Yes.”

“Are we going or what?” My temper exploded. “Catarina is trapped with a monster having God knows what done to her. Standing here comparing the size of our dicks and guns is not helping.”

“Yeah. We’re going.” Massimo started toward the door. “Alex, I appreciate the information.”

“Whoa. You aren’t going without me.” He grabbed his jacket and started toward the open door. “I’ve gotten this far into the mess; I’m going to see it through.”

“This isn’t going to end with Javier or the doctor in cuffs. If you think your career is over now, it will be if you get in the car with us.”

“I’m coming.” Alex pushed around him and climbed into the backseat of Massimo’s awaiting SUV.

“Guess we’ll be bringing him home with us, too.” Vincenzo walked to the vehicle.

Looked like we were gaining more people inside our fold. Harley, and most likely Alex, would be coming back to Vegas for good. I knew Harley would fit in; I’d seen the loyalty in our brief time around each other. But Alex… I wasn’t so sure.

nineteen

CATARINA

Even through theswelling of my eyes, I could see Javier enter the building. My arms were stretched tight across the metal surface above my head. They were strapped at an awkward angle, sending jolts of pain down my sides. My butt was at the edge of one end, my legs were bent and spread open with my ankles strapped to the table.

“I see you followed my request.” Javier leaned over my paralyzed frame.

My skin flinched beneath the feel of his fingers exploring my bare skin. The top I wore was in shambles laying at my sides. I’d always been happy to have ample breasts until this moment. Because Javier was obviously pleased, they were exposed for his taking.

“Your skin is beautiful, even covered in ink.” He moved across my sternum, following the lines of the tattoos that covered me. “But these.” He squeezed my boob. “Are spectacular.”

Tears leaked out through the slits of my eyes, streaking the bruises and blood in salty emotion. The sensation of Javier touching my legs had me whimpering in fear. I knew what was coming. He was going to make sure I knew he was in charge. Men like him used sex and violence to keep women in their place. I was no different. The tip of his blade nicked my flesh, making me jerk against the restraints.

“Be still. I don’t want to cut you.” He chuckled as he drew the sharp edge up the leg of my pants, cutting through the elastic at my waist. Javier repeated the process on the opposite side, easily pulling the fabric off. “Beautiful.”

I fought against the binds holding me in place, my body flailing against the top of the table. It didn’t stop him—if anything, it spurred him along faster. I closed my eyes and pictured my family—Donny. Anything to not picture what was happening. In my head I made believe the man touching me was the one who held my heart. I winced when his fingers entered me. He was enjoying defiling me, humiliating me to teach me a lesson. My body rejected him, refusing to give him the pleasure he was hoping to win.

“Your pussy is going to feel nice, la puta. Stanley, come over here and watch as I fuck this bitch into submission. When she goes back to her family, I want her broken.”

“Javier. Is this necessary?” I heard him say.

“Yes. Now get over here or I’ll put a bullet in your head.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as Dr. Brooks moved to stand on the opposite side of me. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t part of the torture. He was just as guilty, and I prayed my brothers made him pay as much as they did Javier. The moment I felt him rip my underwear, I knew the last barrier of protection was gone.

Maybe this was my punishment for being selfish. God’s way of teaching me to honor what I have. My selfish needs had put me right into the path of true evil. All this time I had convinced myself being an Anastasi would poison a normal life. But the minute I felt him enter me, I knew I had been wrong. This monster was taking more than my dignity. He was taking any chance of happiness I had left and burning it to the ground.

With every thrust, the table shuddered and a little more of me broke. My lip quivered as the tears spilled onto the silver surface beneath me. As fast as it started, Javier was pulling away from me. He fixed his zipper and leaned down to my ear.

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