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CHAPTER 45
A SHOT RINGS OUT
Nico
Rage hemorrhages through my veins as I jerk my arm back and smash my fist into the face of the guard at the door of the Four Seas’ headquarters. The crack of bone against bone wakes the monster inside, and the need for violence rushes to the surface. I rip open the metal door with a resounding crash and barrel inside. Marco, Jimmy and Max flank me, each with guns cocked. My revolver is tucked into its holster for safekeeping because I’m about a second away from losing my shit and shooting up the entire Lower East Side.
That pezzo di merda Qian is going to die a slow and excruciating death for daring to touch Maisy. He thinks he can fuck with me and my girl? He’ll understand what a gross error he’s made when I gut him from spine to navel with my fingernails then dance on his entrails.
“Where the fuck are you, Qian?” I roar as I stalk through the dark warehouse.
That damned house music blasts in the background, grating on my last nerve.
“Come out here before I crush your entire empire, you sneaky piece of shit rat.”
“Relax, bro,” Marco whispers, and my hands curl into fists at my side.
“You relax. It’s taking all I have to keep it together right now, coglione.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get her back.” He slaps me on the back, and the tense set of my shoulder blades loosen a fraction.
“Damn right, we will.” I swallow hard and drag my hand through my newly cut hair. It feels strange, like I’m someone else, but then again, this entire day has been a shitshow.
Qian emerges from the shadows with Maisy at his side. A wave of navy surrounds him, each of his men with guns drawn. Qian’s arm snakes around her from behind, and he presses a blade to her throat.
“Let. Her. Go.” Icy calm laces my words despite the storm of emotions battling in my chest. I’ve never known fear like this, never tasted it so viscerally.
A dark bruise mottles my little fox’s cheek, and her eyes are red and puffy. My jaw ticks with barely restrained fury as I grind my teeth to keep from screaming.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you,” I mouth to Maisy.
Her head dips imperceptibly, and a mixture of rage and fear pummel it out in my gut. It’s my fault she’s in this mess. I was so concerned with Jasper I’d completely underestimated this Triad asshole.
“I’ll release your little whore once you agree to marry my sister.” Qian ticks his head and one of his hooded men appears from around a corridor, toting the attractive dark-haired woman I met weeks ago. Another male in a gray suit follows them, holding a few sheets of paper to his chest.
His sister looks about as happy about this as I do.
“Don’t you dare call Maisy that,” I growl once I have a minute to process the fact he called the woman I love a whore.
“My apologies, Mr. Rossi, what would you like me to call her? Your ex, perhaps?” A shit-eating grin curls his lips. “Because things are over between you.”
“You won’t be calling her anything when your body is decaying six feet underground for daring to touch what’s mine.”
He quirks a bemused brow. “Jia, come here,” Qian barks.
The woman’s ruby-stained lips press together, and she steps forward with the two men trailing her. Her arms are crossed tightly over her chest, and the fire brewing in her eyes nearly matches my own. She bites out something in Chinese, and her brother counters with a sneer.
“Zûfù has no say in this anymore, Jia. I’m in charge now.”
“Grandfather will always be in charge,” she hisses.
Ignoring his sister, the bastardo returns his attention to me. “This is how it’s going to go, Rossi. You’ll sign the marriage license, you and my sister will be officially bound, and I’ll let your precious girl free. It’s really for the best if you think about it. A high-society girl like Maisy Jordan Vanderbilt doesn’t belong in our dark world.”
“I don’t want to hear her name from your vile lips,” I hiss and take a step closer.
He shrugs nonchalantly then ticks his head at the man in the suit. “Is the paperwork ready?”
The man nods, a slight tremble to his hands as he holds out the papers.
