After a few moments, we leave Mira to rest, and Konstantin leads me to where Billy is. The walk to his room feels like it takes an eternity; the anticipation of what’s about to happen has me excited. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a fucker who touched a woman get what’s coming to him. Unresolved trauma and all that.
When we step into the room, Billy is sitting in a chair, five men with black masks surrounding him, guns in their holsters. His mask is gone, leaving nothing but an old, shriveled-up face who thought he could beat Mira without consequences.
“Konstantin…” He laughs nervously, trying to stand up, but the men push him back down, and his smile immediately vanishes.
Konstantin moves toward him, circling him slowly. “What did you think you’d accomplish by touching one of my employees, hmm?”
“Look, it-it’s a misunderstanding. She wasn’t listening, so I had to teach her a lesson. You know how it is.”
In an instant, Konstantin whips out his gun and smashes it into Billy’s jaw, blood exploding from his lip.
“Fuuuck!” His chest rattles as he wipes the blood away. “We don’t have to do this. I’ll never come back here, I promise.”
“Of course you won’t.” Konstantin’s laugh is cold and vicious. “That’s a given. You took advantage of your membership, hurt one of my people, and now you’re going to answer for it.”
Billy opens his mouth to speak, but before he can say anything, Konstantin moves with terrifying speed. He slams Billy’s face against the desk over and over, the sound of impact filling the room. Billy groans, his hands instinctively coming up to protect himself.
Konstantin doesn’t stop. He shoves Billy to the ground, driving his face into the floor with relentless force.
A normal woman would wince, or maybe even cover her eyes, but I’m not a normal woman. I’m enjoying this a bit too much.
“Your membership’s revoked.” Venom drips through every one of his words.
And as he pulls out his weapon, Billy raises his arms in the air, his face barely recognizable.
“Please, please, you don’t have to do this.”
Konstantin laughs. “But I do.”
A single bullet to his forehead, and it’s over. I’m supposed to feel something, but I feel nothing but relief.
He steps back, signaling for his men to take the body out of the room. “Make it look like a mugging gone wrong.”
One of them nods as the rest drag Billy away, leaving me alonewith my husband.
He stands tall, his back to me, body heaving. Wordlessly, I step forward, wrapping my arms around him from behind and holding him tight. He doesn’t pull away, instead clasping my hands in his fiercely, as if he’s afraid to let go. He brings my knuckles to his lips, kissing each one with a tenderness that clashes with the violence I’ve just witnessed.
And in this moment, as we stand here in the aftermath of everything that’s happened, I realize just how deep I’m falling for him. How far I’ve come from the woman who walked into his life wanting to destroy him to now praying he isn’t involved in my brother’s case.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
KONSTANTIN
The next day,I can’t stop thinking about how she wrapped her arms around me, like she was silently telling me she accepts who I am. Like she won’t walk away once the DeLuca business is finished.
I want to believe I don’t have to force her to stay, that she’ll want to, but I don’t know if we’re there yet.
When I step out of my car, the scent of earth and shit fills my lungs as I approach the pig farm, miles away from the house. The three men are already waiting, their bodies trembling, their knees in the dirt, my brothers and our men all waiting for me.
The hint of blood and metal clings to the air as I circle them, tied to the fence, arms bound tightly behind them, their faces pale in fear.
I grip the knife in my hand, its steel catching the faint light. The chainsaw rests on the ground beside them, gleaming with a deadly promise.
One of them starts to speak, his body shaking.
“I-I don’t know the n-name of the cop,” he stammers, eyes wide with terror. “Th-the boss doesn’t t-tell us any of that.”
I tsk under my breath, taking a step forward. “It’s in your best interest not to lie to me. You know what happens when I lose patience, right, my friend?”
