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With a gurgle, he fell forward, gripping his stomach. “You bitch.”
The door to the house opened.
Ivan took in the scene and crossed his arms. “Finish him.”
“You said we could spill Abandonato blood!” The guy rasped. “You lied.”
Ivan grinned. “I said Abandonato blood would be spilled—not because you spilled it, but because she’ll be the one spilling it herself—after she’s made, you’ll be her second kill.”
I almost dropped the knife. “Ivan—”
“Bella, this is your birthright. You won fair and square. You want your revenge or do you want to let him go, he would have killed you, what will you do in this impossible situation? What choice will you make about your worth against his? Have you measured yet?”
Kill or be killed.
He was teaching me a lesson. Unbelievable! I could have died! It wasn’t always an easy choice to make, kill or be killed. I thought back to Junior, to that night, and I knew, in my soul, it wasn’t what it seemed. Kill or be killed, know your worth. He always knew Junior’s worth, but not more than he knew his own.
Ivan’s worth, in his opinion, wasn’t high enough for boss, or to replace Junior, but if he was asked to prove that, I know without a doubt, he would even if it broke his heart, he would.
Seeing my hesitation, the guy lunged for Ivan, but I swiped my dagger across his throat before he could get closer.
He fell to the ground in a heap.
Shaking, I dropped my knife to the ground.
First blood. Second.
Made.
Ivan pulled a clean knife from his pocket, opened it and sliced it across his palm, then across mine, blood trickled down with the sting. Numb, I watched like it was an out-of-body experience as he pressed our palms together, our blood mixing while he whispered. “Welcome to the De Lange Family.”
Holy shit.
I’d just gotten made by a De Lange.
By a De Lange.
My breath came out in a muffled gasp. I wasn’t under Abandonato rules anymore, my only loyalty was to Ivan now, being his wife was one thing.
Being made by the boss.
Meant my dad couldn’t kill him for touching me and couldn’t say anything, it meant I was the one thing my dad would have never wanted me to be.
A foot soldier for the Family he tried to cleanse.
And partners with its boss.
He dropped my hand. “You did well.”
“I killed two people.” How was my own voice not shaking?
“You had no choice, and I wasn’t going to do it for you,” he said softly. “Besides, it was the only way to get them to agree, they thought you were weak, but I knew—you’ve always been strong.”
He checked his watch. “Clean up should be here soon. Once I get the text from the dum-dum, we’ll get going. Plus, he has a tail.”
“Who?” I asked.
Ivan shrugged. “Believe me when I say I’m not that much of a mastermind, but I know others who are.”
