Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87880 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 439(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
But it wasn’t, because of Danil.
“Does it matter anymore? Casso is the real threat. He and his whole family need to be destroyed, and you can help me do it. If we work together, Olivia, we can bring down the Bruno Famiglia and free Phoenix from their tyranny. Help me do this and I swear I’ll make sure you never have to spend another moment with a husband you don’t want in a family that sees you as nothing more than a pawn in their game.”
“That would’ve been tempting at one point, but not anymore.” I step back now, keeping my eyes on him. I keep backing away, slowly, slowly. “You lied to me from the start. You wanted me to think the Bruno family killed my brother, but you’re the one that planted the bomb. You pushed me and pulled me and fucked with my head, and I’m not doing anything with you, you piece of shit. You disgust me, everything about you sickens me, and my husband is twice the man you’ll ever be.” I bump into the car parked in the very last space and duck down as if I’m about to tie my shoes.
Hidden behind the bumper, attached in an easy spot, is a little button. It clicks when I push it, and nothing happens.
I practiced this part all morning with Casso. Bend over, hit the button. Bend over, hit the button. Don’t panic, just push and wait, that’s all you have to do. Get him close and hit the button. It’s a big risk assuming I’d have the chance to pull off this maneuver, but it was the best option we came up with. As I slowly stand, Danil’s closing on me with pure rage in his eyes, his lips pulled back to show his teeth.
“You killed my brother,” I shout at him, half screaming now, tears splattering down my face. Everything is in motion now and all pretext can fall away. “You murdered him, you bastard, and I hope you rot with your filthy, worthless father.”
Danil roars in utter rage, a mindless, wordless shout, and a car’s engine screams as tires rip into the concrete half a floor lower. Headlights appear around the corner and Danil pauses, throwing his hands up in shock as the truck roars down toward us. I throw myself away, running toward the back of the parked car, and Danil’s shout turns to a scream as he dives to the ground, barely managing to avoid getting run over as the truck skids to a halt.
Casso jumps out the door. Nico comes out the back with Gavino and another armed guard I don’t know. Casso runs to me, ignoring Danil, and grabs me into his arms, pulling me close as he levels his gun at Danil’s prone form. The Russian is shaking, a weapon halfway drawn from the back of his waistband, staring up at multiple guns in his face, and he looks shocked.
“How?” he croaks. “How? How?”
Casso kisses me gently. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” I say and he wipes my cheek, clearing the tears away. “What did you hear?”
“Just the shouting.” He sighs and kisses my cheek. “I told you not to do this. I begged you not to engage, just hit the button as soon as you saw him.”
“I couldn’t help myself.” I smile at the way his concern washes over me.
“How!” Danil screams, spittle flying. “How!”
Casso sighs, kisses me, and turns to Danil. He walks over and kicks the Russian hard once, twice, three times. Danil groans and stops screaming as he curls up on himself, clutching his ribs and his stomach while Casso stands above him, looming.
“We killed your guards,” he says simply. “This whole thing was a trap, you stupid, desperate little shit. As soon as they got into position, we cut their throats and left their bodies to bleed. And now it’s your turn.”
“I hate you,” Danil says, struggling to sit up. “I hate you, sick fucks, I hate you all so much for what you’ve done. Olivia should’ve been mine, you bastard, she should’ve been mine and you swooped in and stole her. You don’t deserve a woman like her, not after what you did.”
“You’re right,” Casso says, raising his gun and pointing it at Danil’s face. “I don’t deserve her. But I’ll work every day to earn her anyway.”
He pulls the trigger and Danil’s face explodes into a shower of blood and gore and brain and bone.
I take a few steps back, horrified and elated, my hands at my mouth. The men stand around staring at Danil’s corpse as the ear-splitting burst of Casso’s gun slowly dissipates and fades away, the echoes getting softer, but the sound will never disappear from my memory as long as I live. His last words, his final screams, are burned into my memory, alongside all the memories of Manuel.