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“Watch your tongue,” Maximo warns, his fingers digging into her arm. “You’re only here because we need information. But don’t think for a second that means we won’t make you suffer.”
“Go ahead,” Briana sneers. “It won’t change anything. You’ll never find Nunzio.”
“Never say never,” I interject, stepping out of the shadows. I can’t help but smile at the fleeting look of surprise that flickers across her face as she realizes my presence. “Now, let’s see how long that defiance lasts.”
My heart pounds in my chest as I approach Briana, her eyes locked on mine. She’s a cornered animal, but rebellion shimmers in her dark eyes, which only fuels my determination.
“Where is he?” I demand, my voice cold and uncompromising.
“Go to hell,” she spits back, and the venom in her voice sends a shudder down my spine. I have no doubt she’s been well trained by Nunzio himself, taught what to say in situations like these.
“Wrong answer.” I grab her jaw, forcing her to look me in the eye. “You’re going to tell me what I want to know, one way or another. And trust me, the more you resist, the more painful this will be for you.”
“Fuck you,” she snarls, but I can see the flicker of fear in her eyes. Good. She should be afraid.
“Let’s try this again.” I release her jaw and step back, adopting a calm demeanor that belies the storm raging inside me. “Tell me where Nunzio is. Now.”
“Or what?” she challenges, crossing her arms over her chest. “You’ll kill me? Torture me? Don’t bother. I’ve already accepted my fate. There’s nothing you can do to break me.”
Goddamn it, why does she have to be so stubborn? My patience is wearing thin, and I can feel my anger bubbling beneath the surface, ready to explode. But I need her to reveal Nunzio’s whereabouts, and losing control won’t help me achieve that goal.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “If you don’t talk willingly, we’ll do this the hard way.”
“Bring it on,” she taunts, her eyes glittering with defiance. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Maybe you should be,” I warn, my voice low and dangerous. “Because I won’t stop until I find Nunzio.”
Her lips curl into a cruel smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “You can try, but you’ll fail. Nunzio is always one step ahead of you. Ask your pretty little wife.” An arrogant grin appears on her face. “Nunzio knows your wife is pregnant.”
“I have no doubt he does.”
“He’s waiting,” she taunts.
“For what?”
“For you to do a paternity test.”
“He won’t be included in those tests.”
She shrugs. “If it’s not yours, it’s his.”
“Maybe my wife and I are in an open relationship, and there are ten other candidates.”
She tsks, shaking her head slowly. “If that baby is his—”
My tether snaps. I launch at her, my hand enclosing her throat, squeezing hard while forcing her back against the wall. She hisses, her lips parting as she struggles for breath.
“If that baby is his, he’ll what?” I challenge.
“Nunzio will…” She chokes as I tighten my grip. “He’ll…he will take…what is rightfully…his. His child…and her.”
Her choked-out words slam against my spine like a goddamn wrecking ball, and I’m trembling with fury as I grab my gun and press it against her temple so fucking hard I could squeeze the metal into her skull. “No one will take her from me again,” I spit out, anger raging through me, spurred by the muted sounds of her whimpers and gasps for air. My finger is on the trigger, heavy and cruel, my fingers around her neck on the verge of crushing her throat. The thought of him taking Mira from me again makes me see nothing but red. I would rather kill this woman in the most brutal way imaginable, go on a massacre through this entire goddamn city before I let that happen.
With a snarl, I squeeze down on the trigger, and Briana closes her eyes, waiting for her execution, when someone places a gentle hand on my back.
“Nicoli,” Mira murmurs behind me, and her voice is like salve on an open wound. “Breathe, my love.”
My hand holding the gun starts to shake, and I’m clenching my jaw, biting down so hard I’m sure my teeth will crack.
