Page 123 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

We both knew what would have to happen next. It would never be safe for the two of us if he was still alive, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. To admit out loud, my own father had to die so I could be free. So I could have Ari by my side without fearing for her life.

“We’ll always have to live in fear if I don’t do it… and I can’t deal with that right now. It’s too much. I’m too angry with him. Too filled with rage and I can’t do it.”

She tightened her hold on me. I needed it. I was breaking apart and the only thing holding me together was her.

“You shouldn’t have to carry that burden,” she murmured against my back. “You should never have to make that choice, Zayn.”

“We both know there is no other choice I can make.”

“I hate it.”

I bowed my head.

“I do too.”

For a long while, we sat in silence. Her embrace kept me afloat as my anger and frustration bled out of me. She only let go when I let out a sigh. Climbing off the bed, Ari came to stand in front of me. She’d changed for bed and was only wearing one of my t-shirts. Her braids were loose around her shoulders. There was no doubt my Tinkerbell was a stunning woman.

“Will you let me undress you?”

I nodded and sat up straighter. Ari was gentle as she undid the buttons of my shirt and slid it off my shoulders. She encouraged me to stand as she continued to undress me until I was just in boxers. My sweet little fairy led me into the bathroom, readying my toothbrush and her own. We stood by the sink, finishing our nightly routine together. Something about the simplicity of it helped me stay sane.

Ari pulled back the covers when we moved back into the bedroom and made me get in. Then she left to make sure the house was locked up. When she returned, she turned out the lights and got in bed with me, wrapping herself around my body as I pulled the covers over the two of us.

“It’ll be okay, daddy,” she whispered as I closed my eyes. “I know it doesn’t feel like that right now, but it’s like you said… all that matters is we have each other.”

Those words helped me fall asleep with my girl holding me close. If I had her, I could do anything… I hoped.

Forty One

Arianna

Zayn had been subdued for the past week after the disaster that was his family dinner at Gennaro’s house. He didn’t let me go anywhere without him or Arlo. I wasn’t expecting anything else when the threat of his father was very real. It was us or him at this point. It made me sick knowing Zayn carried so many burdens on his shoulders. He had to make the worst sort of choice and execute his own father. I understood why he felt like he couldn’t. Killing his father in anger would go against his principles. I didn’t want Zayn to suffer with that decision.

Zayn helped me out of the car, his hand tightly clasped around mine. It was the first time we’d been anywhere other than Desecration since the dinner. He hadn’t told me where we were going nor why, but he seemed less troubled today. Something I could only be glad of. I worried about him and his state of mind. He might be more open with me now, but it didn’t mean Zayn had changed completely. He was still the calm, collected mafia prince I’d always known him to be. Gennaro may have rattled him, but Zayn wasn’t the type of man to let anyone keep him down for long.

He led me into a building that had huge windows. In the lobby, a man was waiting with a bright smile on his face. He came forward and shook Zayn’s hand.

“Mr Villetti, it’s nice to see you again. Shall we?”

Zayn didn’t introduce the man to me, merely gave him a nod. The man took us over to the two lifts at the other end and we walked into the open one. He pressed the button for the second floor. I tried to keep my mouth shut and not ask questions despite my curiosity.

We stepped out into a huge open-plan space with exposed brick walls on either end. The bank of windows let a ton of natural light in. My head swivelled around, taking it all in as the man waved at us to look around. It would make a great location for photos. A place you could change the space to suit your needs depending on the project.

I let go of Zayn’s hand to wander over to the windows. Staring out at the street below, I felt more than a little confused about what this place was and why we were here. I turned back, finding Zayn watching me with an expectant look in his eyes.

“What is this for?” I asked, stepping closer to him.

He cocked his head to the side.

“Do you like it?”

I frowned.

“Why?”

“Answer the question, Ari.”

I knew better than to push him.

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