Page 103 of The Freedom in Captivity

“Goodbye, De Falco.”

Before I think about it, I break away from Flynn and right into the path of the gun’s barrel.

“Wait.”

Flynn

When Rozelyn leaps in front of Nico’s gun, a nightmare is born. A vision I never want to see again. An emotion lodges itself in my heart, and it’s one I’ve felt so infrequently in my life. The latest time also involving her; when I found her passed out in my shower.

Fear.

“Wait.”

“Rozelyn—”

“I want to speak with him,” she cuts Nico off, reaching up to lay her hand over the barrel and slowly lowers his gun. “You all got a chance to say what you needed to.”

“You think to tryanything—”

“Relax.”

The two end up in a standoff until Nico backs down with a tilt of his head. He lowers his gun, but not all the way, remaining at the ready to attack if he needs to. If for any reason, Rozelyn decides to switch sides, they won’t make it far anyway, based on De Falco’s injuries.

His next location will be a grave.

Rozelyn faces her father and the energy in the room alters. No longer angry or vengeful, but rather, a discerning sensation. Every Corsetti waits and watches to see what the captive will do to her own father.

Even through the pain, De Falco smiles cruelly. His teeth are red from the blood that’s dripped into his mouth and the entire thing looks sickeningly wrong. “Fucking bitch.”

She shows no sign of hearing him and instead demands, “Did you ever love Mom?”

“Of course I did. It wasn’t in the cards, certainly. Losing her was the worst pain I’ve ever felt.”

“Did you love Della and Ariella’s mother?”

“Never.”

It might not be her mother he’s speaking about, but Rozelyn flinches regardless, proving to us all that she’s not heartless.

“Where’s Yasmine?”

“Safe.”

I glance at Nico because amidst everything, I’d nearly forgotten about the final De Falco somewhere in this world. Rozelyn believes her sister is innocent.

“In B.C.,” she presumes. “Is she truly safe with the people who handed you in?”

“They promised me she would be.”

“You always loved her most.”

“She’s my only daughter.”

Rafael sucks in a sharp breath, sharing a wide-eyed look with me. Rozelyn, though, shows no sign of his words having an effect, except she does to anyone who truly knows her. Right in the base of her eye, a single tear forms.

“I’m from there, therefore so is she. She’s amongst her own people again,” he explains. “She always belonged there.”

“She has Mom’s blood too,” Rozelyn counters. “Therefore, my blood. She’s more mine than theirs. I’ll find her and bring her home.”

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