Page 84 of Pay the Piper

He gestures again to the awful picture in front of me, a dead body so mangled you can barely tell it was a man.

“You don’t know who that man was, and you can’t see his face since it’s been blown off with over twenty bullets, but that’s my father. And I can’t take credit for the gore. No, that belongs to one man alone. Your pa.”

I finally vomit, unable to withstand another second of looking at the mangled corpse. Conor’s laughter rings throughout the office, seemingly unbothered by me ruining his carpet.

“You’re a liar,” I spit with the last of the vomit in my mouth. “My dad is the sweetest man in the world, and he’s a carpenter—”

“He’s a goddamn mobster!” Conor screams, voice echoing off the wood paneling on the walls. “He was the leader of our biggest rivals. He killed my father, so I did the one thing worse than killing him in retaliation. I took you.”

He paces back and forth frantically, less tethered to reality by the second, and I think for the first time that the Conor who seemed uninterested in me might have just been another act. He might have been calm because he plans to kill me…I can see the headline now. One bad relapse, a bad batch of coke, and she overdosed…What a tragic rich girl…

“I thought about killing him. It would have been easier, after all the shit you’ve put me through over the years. But I gave him a choice. I told him I was taking one of his women to use, degrade, and defile. It was either you or your ma. And since we’re coming up on our tenth anniversary, you know who he chose.”

“I still don’t believe you.”

The next binder is full of documents. Records of my father’s Mafia history, details of his murder of Conor’s dad, texts discussing my dad’s choice of my mother over me, Conor detailing exactly what he planned to use me for while negotiating my dowry…

“Your ma always thought your dad proved you can do what we do and still be a good man at heart. She was so easy to charm although you know it’s no challenge for me. I’m sure it broke her heart when I told her that you wanted nothing to do with them—”

“Misha’s a good man. And the Santoris are, too. You’re wrong.”

Conor makes a show of dramatically looking around the room, checking behind a plant in the corner and peeking under his desk.

“Where are they, then? You thought you could spread your legs for him, and he’d love you, but he’s nowhere to be found. I guarantee you that he knows exactly where you are. So where are they? Nowhere. Just like your pa let me take you all those years ago. Nobody is coming for you, Niamh. Nobody loves you.”

Lies.

Conor can say anything he’d like. He can do anything he wants to me, and history tells me that he absolutely fucking will. But the one thing in this world he can’t take away from me is Misha’s love.

Staring my demon straight in the face, defiantly refusing to bow before his pathetic game, I show him my raw hatred and refuse to believe his lies. He snaps, grabbing the pill and prying my mouth open to force it down my throat.

“You can’t make anything easy, bitch. But you’ll do what the fuck I want, just like always.”

With my last few moments of consciousness, I imagine the cozy couch in Misha’s condo, and being curled up against his warm chest. His heat and his scent soothe me as he scratches my scalp, and I slowly fall asleep.

Chapter 33

The Santoris knew about the Fitzpatrick threat long before they told us. Did Nikki know the whole time?

Mila’s orders not to do anything rash can go to hell. I’ve obeyed her to a T my entire life, but I don’t give a fuck about starting a war between the Taranovs and the Santoris. She and Teddy can pick up the pieces, or they can be at war forever for all I care. All of my rationality went out the window the second I found out Abby was gone, and my closest target is Nikki Santori.

It’s his betrayal that started this anyway. Come what may, my retaliation is only the consequence for sending my woman away. My woman. Mine.

I don’t give a fuck about some lousy legal document in another country. Abby Reid belongs to me. Or I guess she can go by Niamh if she wants. I’ll call her whatever she wants. I don’t care about her past, and I don’t care what her intentions were when we met. I know she didn’t go through with her mission.

It all makes sense now. She was so skittish at first. There’s no telling what my poor girl has endured for the past ten years. Conor Fitzpatrick is a monster. And Nikki fucking Santori sent my perfect angel back to him.

Rage like nothing I’ve felt before floods my veins as I pull into the family garage at the Santori compound. I’ve had top clearance here since our families joined, but I have a feeling that’s going to change after tonight.

Tossing my helmet onto my bike, I make my way to the door that leads directly into the house. The left leads to the family areas, and as mad as I am at Nikki, I don’t wish ill will toward the ladies of the house. Right leads to the offices, and anyone who might be in my way there will fall victim to my wrath.

Fortunately, the halls are quiet tonight, so no additional casualties are necessary as I make my way to Nikki’s office. The light is on and the door is cracked, but it would make no difference. No barrier would stand a chance of keeping me from my prey.

“Misha, there you are! I was starting to worry when you didn’t return my—”

Crunch.

Nikki grabs at his bloody nose, “What the f—”