Page 282 of Merciless Desires

“Amorina,” he sighed, entirely defeated.

We were going to lose. Not only the war around us…but our lives, too.

“I’m not going to kill you, Cortese. She is.”

I felt the cold handle of Dominov’s gun as he pressed it into my palm and raised my hand, his covering mine. He forced my finger on the trigger and angled the gun higher.

Matteo took a step forward and let the barrel of the gun rest against his forehead. A garbled sob ripped from my throat; Dominov’s grip kept me from shaking.

“I have a clear shot!” someone yelled across the room.

“Do not shoot!” Matteo commanded, refusing to break his gaze from mine. “It is too dangerous. Marcella could get shot. She…she can’t get hurt…” His words trailed off, and his jaw set.

“Please…” I begged.

I had spent hours begging for my life, but now I was begging for Matteo’s.

Dominov laughed behind me. “No, malishka. He will die, and so will his papà. I’ll save you for last.”

“Amorina…”

“While you’re still alive…was it you, Cortese, that killed my brother, or will your papà cover for you?”

“I’d love to take credit for taking your brother’s life, but I wasn’t the one who killed him.”

Dominov exhaled slowly. “I would kill your papà first, but really…I should thank him. He brought all of us together.”

Matteo watched Dominov, trying to determine his next move, but as the Russian behind me chuckled, a grim expression crossed my fiancé’s face.

“This has all been so fun, I don’t want it to end. But do you want to know my favorite part?” Dominov leaned closer, not giving Matteo the chance to respond. “Watching that little girl… Annabella…find an eyeball in her own backyard.”

I sucked in a jagged gasp that was overshadowed by Dominov’s laughter.

“You didn’t tell her? I’m not surprised. You’re all so weak.” Dominov forced my shaky grip to press the gun harder against Matteo’s temple.

Annabella had found…an eyeball? In our backyard? When? Why had no one told me? Not even Papà? Was she alright?

Matteo’s face twisted with guilt. “I’m sorry…”

“Too little, too late, Cortese.”

I stared at Matteo through my tears, gazing at the man who was now going to die because of me. The man who wanted me. I was stupid to believe otherwise, because he had spent every second of our time together showing me just that.

Matteo Cortese wanted me. He had wanted me…

“I love you, amorina.”

“Oh, God,” I sobbed and hung my head, not wanting to look at him as Dominov pulled the trigger.

I couldn’t kill the man who loved me.

I couldn’t kill the man I loved.

Matteo’s shoes slipped out of view, and in a split second, a gun was fired, but not the one in my hand. I was dragged down by Dominov, my knees smashing against the concrete before he yanked me back against his chest.

A jagged exhale left Dominov, and his grip on me laxed, knife flicked across the room as his hand flopped to the side.

“Amorina!” Matteo called.

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