Bren might think this was the cartel but I had a feeling this was my brother’s doing. It was the type of thing he was very good at.
Finding a weak link and exploiting it.
I had just disposed of the empty bottle in the bin next to my bed and crouched back next to Bren when he strode into my room.
The horror from my childhood, my brother.
Antonio “Tonio” Salvatore - the monster who destroyed my childhood and who was hell bent on destroying what was left of my life.
“Ah, there she is, my lovely little sister.”
I glared at him over my shoulder, not turning around. Not yet.
“What the hell are you doing here, Antonio?” I gritted out as I pressed the towel to Bren’s chest.
Under my hands I could feel his chest moving, he was still breathing, thank heavens.
“You know what I’m doing here, Guiliana. I’m here to take you home where you will be marrying Claudio. He’s been waiting a long time for you and let me tell you he’s highly pissed you ran from him.” He smirked at the woman standing silently beside him.
My eyes fastened on the bitch.
“What is Carmella doing here with you? Isn’t she Lucky Boudreaux’s woman?”
Tonio’s head snapped to the woman.
“You know my sister?” He asked sharply.
The bitch shrugged.
“Didn’t know she was your sister, thought she was just another whore at the club. One they gave a job at their tattoo studio.”
My brother stiffened as she called me a club whore who had been given a job at the studio. He was about to bitch at her when her next words stopped him in his tracks.
She tilted her head to the side, looking me over from head to toe where I was crouched over Bren, my back to them.
“I’m more interested in finding out who her baby’s father is.” The bitch said with absolute calculation in her voice.
“HER WHAT?”
He shouted, then stormed over, grabbed my arm and jerked me up and away from Bren. It put Ryder front and centre. He stared at him with his mouth hanging open in shock.
“What the fuck have you done, Guiliana?” He gritted through clenched teeth. “This is going to cause so much shit when I get you home. Father’s going to have a fucking aneurysm for sure.”
He let go of my arm and swiped a hand through his hair before shaking his head.
“We don’t have time for this, we need to get out of here. You and I will have a talk once we get to where we’re going. And believe me, sister dear, you do not want to lie to me.” He threatened as he once again grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the door.
“What about him?” Carmella asked as she kicked Bren in the side.
He didn’t make a sound, just rolled with the kick then settled back down, his arms falling lifelessly to the sides of his body.
“Leave him, he’ll be dead by the time anyone gets here.” My stupid brother growled as he dragged me out of the room.
I threw a last desperate look at Bren and clapped my hand over my mouth when I saw the way he laid there. I didn’t have to force the tears. They overflowed and of course that made my sicko of a brother laugh.
At the bottom of the stairs a guy I had seen a few times around the studio waited. He looked scared but tried to hide it behind bravado.
“I see you got the whore. Where to now?” He asked, giving Ry a disgusted look.