Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89772 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
I stood up, kicking him one more time. Unable to resist it. He doubled over, coughing up blood.
“Who’s the bitch now, motherfucker?” I spit on him.
Another shot fired in our direction, this time it nicked my right arm. I turned around and locked eyes with Sienna, who knew why I reacted in the first place. If I caught him looking at my wife again, I’d end him.
“I won’t beat a man within an inch of his life for coming onto you in my presence, Sienna. I’ll put a bullet in between his fucking eyes. You’re mine. Even if I have to kill to prove it to anyone who doesn’t realize you’re my wife. Your last name is your protection and if someone wants to disrespect the sanctity of that, then I’m going to make them meet their fucking maker.”
My words from two nights ago displayed across her beautiful gaze as if I was saying them in this moment. She frowned when she realized I knew what she was thinking.
Remembering our evening together.
I silently prayed I’d get to hold her in my arms again, except if God heard my prayers, I’d make love to her this time. In my own way.
Slow.
All night long.
She was the first to break our connection, looking at the ground, reacting to and feeling what I was.
My complete devotion to her.
The piece of shit stood, digging his gun in my back again.
“Vitale,” Michael declared. “You need to go.
“Naw.” He shook his head, shoving me back into the center of the room in front of Michael. “I don’t like being told what to do, so I’ll stay. Besides, I want to see how this all turns out. If you don’t kill him, I sure as fuck will.”
Adriana bowed her head, defenseless. She couldn’t meet any of our eyes. I never wanted to know what my sister was thinking more than I did in that instant.
“You’re right, Michael,” Papá intervened, bringing our attention back to him. “This is between me and you. Leave my kids out of this. You want me? You have me. Let them go.”
I stated the truth, “I’m not leaving without you. Michael, you said you wanted me.” His eyes locked with mine. “Well, I’m right fucking here. Standing before you. Let them go, including my father.”
“Crucifixio—”
Michael cut him off, “That’s not how this works. Now shut the fuck up and let me finish what I haven’t even started.” He aimed his gun at my forehead. “Get on your knees.”
With my hands in the air, I did as I was told.
Michael proceeded, “After all these years, all this time, you still think you’re untouchable, Martinez! If only they knew who you were. Who you truly are. They’d fucking hate you as much as I do! But you know what? It’s time they find out the truth, and I’m going to be the one who tells them. It’s time they realize who El Diablo really is.” He lowered his weapon, shifting the barrel to my sister’s head.
“I’m going to tell you about your precious Daddy.”
“Michael—”
“Martinez, if you don’t shut the fuck up, I’m going to gag you! They deserve to know the truth about their father.”
“It doesn’t matter what you say,” I explained. “I will always have loyalty to the man who brought me into this world. You’re wasting your time if you think you’re going to change my love for him.”
Michael tilted his head to the side. “I’m going to try anyway. Your daddy’s first love wasn’t your mommy. He actually loved her mommy first. Sofia. Did he ever tell you about her?”
“She killed herself. My mother told us.”
“Sofia wasn’t always broken. She was full of life. Light. Your father did that. He broke her. Then when she killed herself because of him, he fucked her daughter. Your mother.”
“That’s not how it happened, and you know it,” Papá informed. “You broke her.”
“I loved your sister. She was the love of my life and you fucking killed her too.”
“That was not my intention,” my father replied.
“Right…how about your daddy? Was he not your intention either?”
“What?” I chimed in, caught off guard.
“Oh, you didn’t know about that?” Michael roused. “He killed his father because his mother was a lying, cheating, whore. And your grandpa put a hit out on her. You see, Martinez blood is fucking demon spun. Their answer to everything is murder.”
“I gave you four years to come clean. Four fucking years to tell Amari the truth,” Papá bit. “She deserved to know how much of a piece of shit you were. You never loved her. I knew that since day one. Amari was blind, she got pregnant with Daisy to fucking trap you. That is how desperate she was to keep you around. That is how much she loved you. I loved my sister more than anything in this world, and not a day has gone by, where I haven’t thought about her. Every day I find a new way to beat myself up over taking her life.”