Chapter 105: Chapter Fifty

Andrei

For once in my life, the vodka didn’t do anything except remind me of Alice. I had sent a text to Ax to make sure she made it safely to wherever he was taking her.

He had yet to respond.

I trusted him with my life, but he was still Italian.

Then again, so was I.

Shit.

“No offense, but you look like hell.” Chase sat down next to me while more laughter erupted from the corner where Louis and Tex were talking.

Most of the families had fled.

As long as they didn’t come back, they wouldn’t be killed.

But we didn’t want to leave any stone unturned.

And I had no choice in the matter.

If the Sinacore Family was to take its rightful place, there had to be no question that another family would challenge.

And the De Langes were stupid enough to do just that.

Sergio cursed and jerked his head at us. “Vic said a group of De Lange men just left one of the known locations downtown, heavily armed and headed this way.”

“Good.” I could taste blood on my tongue. “I need to kill something.”

Next to me, Chase chuckled. “Knew that you wanted in, it’s probably why you look like shit, unless something’s happening with that wife of yours?”

Wife.

My stomach sank like a rock as I kept my face indifferent. “She left.”

Chase’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not how marriage works typically. You get that, right? Why the hell did she leave?”

“This isn’t the life for her.” I looked away.

“I’m calling bullshit.” Chase grabbed a bottle of water from behind the bar and sat back on the stool. “When you find someone you don’t just let them go to protect them.

It was strange that I was having this conversation with Chase of all people, with De Langes pissed off and headed our direction.

With the taste of another De Lange still on my tongue.

The universe was clearly out to kill me today.

I was about to say exactly that when the room fell silent.

I knew it was her before I craned my neck toward the door, I could smell her, feel her. Rage took complete control of my body as I slowly stood.

She couldn’t be that stupid.

Ax was on one side of her, Nikolai the other.

What the hell kind of game were they playing?

“Nik,” I narrowed my eyes as he casually crossed his arms like sunshine was sprouting out my ass. His smile wasn’t welcome. Not now. “What’s going on?”

“Missed you.” He snorted. “Found this one hanging out by my jet and asking for a ride.”

“Your jet.” I clenched my teeth so hard that I could have sworn I heard a molar shift. “Ax just happened to be at your jet? With Alice?”

Ax leveled me with a cool stare. “I figured it was wise to give her a choice.”

“You disobeyed direct orders.” I pulled out my gun and pointed it at his head. “I told you exactly what to do.”

“That’s just the thing.” Ax didn’t even flinch.

“You told me what to do, you told her what to do, you were doing so much telling that I figured you needed time to pull your head out of your ass and think about it.

“I will cheerfully end your life,” I roared. “How’s that?”

Ax opened his mouth.

But Nixon silenced him. “I can’t save you from this one, Ax. He’s the new Sinacore boss, tread carefully.”

Alice jerked her head in Nixon’s direction then glanced back at me, tears in her eyes.

I’d chosen her.

But she was looking at me like I had betrayed her.

Like I’d pulled the trigger.

Like I was the reason for her pain when I was the reason she wouldn’t have to experience any.

“Well.” Ax sighed. “Didn’t see that coming.”

“No shit,” Dante said from his spot near the bar.

Chase moved to stand next to me. “Ax go stand guard, we have De Lange associates on their way. I’m sure Andrei will deal with you when he stops breathing fire.”

A few men chuckled.

The Sinacore men watched with rapt fascination like we were some sort of sick crime drama.

“Alice…” Chase stepped forward. “I have a… quandary…”

Fuck.

I moved but Phoenix was suddenly at my side, pulling me back while I helplessly watched Chase circle her like he was going to devour her whole and then use her as target practice.

Nikolai stepped away.

She was alone.

Completely alone.

I locked eyes with her. I tried to tell her to run.

But she just fucking stood there and looked at me like the hero I wasn’t. Didn’t she get it? Didn’t she see? Monsters didn’t save the day.

No, monsters started the war.

Monsters finished it.

She’d officially tied my hands behind my back.

“Oh?” Her voice was strong. “What would you like to know?”

“Your name was wiped from all of Andrei’s records, and since we all know that you were supposedly one of the girls sold to him, then later apparently married to him, I just found it… interesting.”

She exhaled and lifted her chin. “Ask.”

“Ask what?” His smile was cruel.

The bitter part of Chase was making an appearance.

“Ask me what my name is.”

I jerked away from Phoenix and grabbed Alice by the arm. “Stop. Speaking.”

“Protecting her.” Chase inclined his head. “Interesting.”

“I protect what’s mine,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Sergio,” Chase barked. “How you doing on that marriage certificate search? Anything?”

“No.” Sergio’s voice was heavy like he was sad he couldn’t find anything. “No record of any marriage between Andrei Petrov and Alice…” He shrugged.

“Mmm.” Chase nodded. “Try De Lange.”

“Son of a bitch,” I muttered under my breath, then pulled Alice against my chest, whispering in her ear. “Why? Why would you do this? Why?”

I was panicking.

My throat all but closed up as I clung to her, my right arm wrapped around her body, my gun trained on her back.

I squeezed the trigger.

I couldn’t pull it.

I waited for her answer.

And then she whispered softly, “Kill me.”

It was Chase’s turn to curse, like he was surprised that she would ask me that when it was the deal all along, wasn’t it?

She didn’t run.

She didn’t listen.

I tortured myself with the feel of her skin for a few more minutes and then pulled away just as gun shots rang outside.

Ax ran in the club and dove behind a couch shouting. “Twelve! I got two, they have—”

More gunshots rang out.

And then silence.

“We know you have her!” A man yelled. “Just give us Alice and we’ll leave.”

My heart stuttered to a stop in my chest as I stared down at the woman I’d shoved to the floor to protect. Not a chance in hell.

“She’s my cousin,” a deep voice echoed from outside. “Let us take her and we’ll leave.”

“You’re like cockroaches,” Tex yelled. “You’ll just multiply.”

“So? We are no longer a threat. Give us our cousin.”

Alice started shaking beneath me, like the idea of going back to her own family was so terrifying that she’d rather die in gunfire.

“Let’s talk,” I yelled back holding both hands up, gun still in my right, my finger off the trigger.

Six men walked through the doors in similar fashion. Each of them looked like they’d drunk way too much over the past week and were in need of a shower.

The De Langes had never impressed me.

Even less so now.

I pulled Alice to her feet. “Is this what you want?”

The men’s eyes roamed over her body, my body, the body I’d kissed, loved, touched.

“Alice…” One of them licked his lips. “You’re looking good.”

She glared. “Go to hell.”

“Aw.” He put a hand on his heart. “They’ve turned you against us.”

She let out a humorless laugh.

“No, my brother turned me against my own family every time he touched me, my father every time he let my brother into my room, my family name when I was forced to hide for a full year wondering if the monsters were going to come.

“Funny.” He sneered. “Because the way I see it, they can’t let you live. Regardless of who you’ve been whoring yourself out to.”

Logical thought crashed through the window of my brain as I shoved her back against Chase and aimed for the guy who’d called her a whore.

I opened fire.

I didn’t stop.

I shot every single one of them in the head.

And then tossed my gun on the table as I let out a rough exhale. “Rot in Hell.”

My chest was heaving, my blood boiling as I stared at their dead bodies.

It was out of character.

I knew that.

The Italians knew that.

I didn’t just shoot.

I tortured.

I toyed.

I played.

And then I struck.

Not today. Not with them.

I’d shot without thinking.

In all my life, I’d taken special care in playing indifferent, not showing my tells, appearing unaffected by everyone and everything.

And when it mattered most.

I laid all my cards out on the table and pointed to my only weakness.

A De Lange.

Alice De Lange.

Six thirty-two.

My heart.

My soul.

I’d just damned her to Hell.