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Denying one’s nature was living a lie.
My monstrous side had come out to play but the revelry had only just begun.
“Remember your promise, Dima.” “I do. And the first oath I ever made was to protect you.”
“No coincidence, no. She’s his daughter.”
“Some things are worth risking everything for,”
“Cake before lunch? What kind of anarchy is this?” I asked, sinking down on one of the empty chairs between Fabiano and Savio. “Nevio’s wish. Anarchy is his middle name,” Fina said, rolling her eyes. “My wish too,” Greta said softly. Fina gave her daughter a patient smile. “Yours too, but we both know you always say yes to Nevio’s wishes.” “Not always,” Greta said even quieter. “Too often, mia cara,” Remo said, kissing her temple.
“No thanks, I’ve had enough of Remo’s mind games.” “He’s not the only one at fault. Whenever you’re here, you’re looking for a topic to fight over.” “I don’t have to look. Remo and I disagree on many things.” “He and I do too, but you only focus on your disagreements and try to ignore the good. Remo loves you and always does what he thinks is best for you.”
“Adamo’s not the hero in this story. Nor are you or my father. I’ll be the hero in my story.”
“Vodka is starting to grow on me. Maybe I have a thing for Russian delicacies.” I tilted my head toward him. “They are the best.” “I need proof.” Adamo cupped my neck, startling me and pressed his lips to mine. My first reaction was to shove him away, even as my body screamed for more. My fingers curled around his strong shoulders for the shove but instead I dug my nails in and leaned even closer.
“You’re trying to be a good girl so people hurt you less?” I frowned then nodded. “Don’t,” he said firmly.
“Don’t ever try to be good to people who hurt you. They don’t deserve it.”
“Nothing can break you unless you allow it.
“A look I usually only see in Remo’s eyes. The hunger for blood and violence. The need for death and destruction. As a baby and younger child, you looked exactly like Remo. And on occasion a similar temper would shine through.”
Wanting to be better than my brothers? Than my nature? Impossible.
I’d avoided torture and killings for a reason. I enjoyed them too much.
No matter how much I wanted to be different from Remo, I sometimes thought I was more like him than any of my brothers.
“And you know he’d do almost anything for you, Adamo.” I sighed. “Yeah, I know.”
Remo was a family man. He’d lay his life down for any of us.
“I wonder when you’ll decide I’m not worth the trouble?” “Oh, I have a feeling you’re worth every trouble you might put me through.”
Usually this was a topic that felt too personal, but Adamo and I had reached a point in our…relationship where I wanted to share more of myself. It was a surprising and terrifying realization.
“Because it’s my past. It’s my right to know the truth. No one else’s.”
“I don’t see someone broken when I look at you. And if you think you are, then you should try to fix yourself because no one else can.”
“We’ll figure out a way for you to move past this shit. Together.” I nodded. “Together.”
It was ironic that I’d spent most of my life trying to be better than Remo.
“Girls whose nights will forever be haunted by nightmares.”
He begged me with his eyes, pretended to be a victim, when he was a monster who’d ruined my childhood to satisfy his own needs.
Over a decade ago, nobody had cared about what I wanted, about my begging. No mercy.
“I don’t need you to kill them, but I need your support, your encouragement. When you are close, I just feel better, more secure in who I am.”
He pressed a kiss to my forehead and I closed my eyes, feeling safe.
“And bleed they will, Dinara. Their screams will drive away the ghosts their actions left in your soul.”
“I’ll go every step of the way with you. I’ll give you the justice you deserve, even if it takes my last breath.”
“You can blame them or my father but you are the true monster, Eden. They at least didn’t know me. You should have loved me.”
“I like your kind of baggage and your messed-up brain. I want you, and no one else.”

