Mia suddenly wanted to straddle him and rut like a wild animal.
Aldo slumped to the floor, moaning loudly, as Shane struggled to his feet. He swayed for a moment, looking like he wouldn’t achieve his goal of standing. Then his equilibrium stabilized and he loomed over his opponent.
As he lifted his foot, his intent to stomp Aldo’s face obvious, Mia called out, “Stop.”
Shane immediately froze but shot her a look full of confusion. “What? Why?”
“Don’t kill him.”
He groaned, frustration lacing the sound. “Fuck’s sake, Mia, now is not the time for pity or mercy. If I let this fucker live, he’ll keep coming after you.”
“I know.” Mia summoned strength she wasn’t sure she’d still had to get to her feet. Her lower back and left side throbbed painfully as soon as she stood, and she had to grip the back of the chair. “Help me, Shane.”
Still looking bewildered, he lowered his foot and walked toward her.
Sal was grumbling in the background. “It must be finished. To leave him like this is an unbearable humiliation.”
She ignored the don, as did her man. He curved his arm around her waist, and they shuffled together toward Aldo. They were both in such bad shape that Mia honestly didn’t know who was holding up whom.
When she stood over Aldo, cold satisfaction welled in her.
One of his eyes was swollen shut, but the other one locked on her. “Sweet sister, ever merciful.” His tone was somewhere between pleading and mocking.
“Do you remember what I told you, Aldo?”
He gingerly shook his head, clearly in pain. “What did you say, my love?”
She shuddered. “I’m not your love, your sister, or anything else. What I am is your killer.” Holding out her hand, she turned slightly to Shane. “Where’s your knife?”
He half-shrugged. “I lost it somewhere.”
A second later, Mia blinked and looked down at the elegant pearl-handled switchblade that appeared in her hand. Her fuzzy vision coalesced as she lifted her head to find Patrick Murphy standing near them. His providing the weapon she intended to use to kill Aldo probably wasn’t good for the truce with Peretti, but he didn’t seem to care.
Mia started to ease herself down to the floor, leaning heavily on Shane. They both collapsed to their knees in a less-than-dignified position, but she could now reach Aldo. Half-expecting Sal to protest or have his goons intercede, she pressed the button to extend the wickedly sharp blade, honed to a deadly edge.
“I told you I would kill you, Aldo.”
He stared at her, obviously trying to intimidate her, but the fear in his eyes interfered with his intentions. “You aren’t going to kill me. You don’t have it in you.”
“Ten years ago, I wouldn’t have had it in me.” Casting a small glance at Shane before returning her gaze to the blade, she said, “Even a month ago, I was still in denial of my own darker nature, Aldo, but not anymore.”
A bead of perspiration appeared on his brow, rolling down his temple to disappear into his dark hair. “You aren’t fooling anyone with your tough talk.” Anxiety showed through his bravado. “You aren’t going to let this happen, are you, Nonno?”
Sal’s silence was all the answer any of them needed.
“Do you want help?” Shane touched the hand holding the knife.
She shook her head. “Maybe some advice. I’ve never killed anyone before.” Her conscience didn’t try to persuade her not to do it, either. In fact, the bloodthirsty bitch was sitting in the corner with a tub of popcorn, waiting for the show to begin.
“Slashing the carotid artery is fast, and it’s easy tissue to penetrate.”
Aldo started to tremble as Mia lifted the knife, holding the handle curled in her fist and the blade protruding downward.
“Use a flicking motion, babe.”
Mia was beyond hearing his advice though. A primal urge overtook her as she held the knife poised above Aldo. Rage surged through her and she brought the blade down into his chest, stabbing forcefully. His scream was music to her ears, and she tugged the blade free to repeat the motion on another section of his chest.
Losing track of the time and the number of stabs, Mia moved her arm up and down in a repetitive motion, unaware she was cursing him and sobbing as she repeatedly gouged his flesh until her throat swelled shut and the moisture on her cheeks penetrated the red haze.
