Third Comes Vengeance (Promised in Blood, #3)

by Lilith Vincent

“Other way around, Acid. Of the two of us, you’re the one who always needs saving.” I

I grab some joggers and one of my favorite big T-shirts. It’s not until I pass Lorenzo that I realize it’s one of his T-shirts, and he snatches it out of my hands. “That’s not for other girls. Get her a different one.”

edge of the mattress. “You all right in there, princess?” Lorenzo calls through the door almost immediately. “Just unstrapping all the guns and knives from Nicole’s body.” “What?” “I’m kidding.” “Now is not the time for jokes,” he mutters.

Suddenly he breaks off and growls, “Cassius, is that my sofa? Is your bare fucking ass on my sofa?” Cassius grins. “And my balls. My balls are all over your sofa, Scava.” “I’m going to throw up.” “Chiara’s beautiful ass is all over your sofa, too.” “Chiara’s beautiful ass should be all over my face. Home in ten.” He hangs up.

“Of course he did. Cassius’ sweet angel. Now you’re Lorenzo’s dirty bitch, aren’t you?” He moves his hips back and forth in a hard, relentless rhythm. “Yes, oh God, I am.”

“Well, well, well, look who’s learned to kiss after all these years. I always knew you were a big fucking softie.” Lorenzo reaches for Salvatore. “You want one too?” Salvatore grins and shoves him away. “Fuck off.

She sits forward to talk to Lorenzo. “Thank you for protecting me this past week. I’m grateful for what you’ve done. You and Chiara.” “Yeah, well. It’s good you’re in one piece. Try and stay that way.”

“I’m glad she’s home with her mom,” he mutters at the road ahead. “I know you are. That’s why I love you.” Lorenzo whips his head around and stares at me. “What?”

We sail through a stop sign and a car horn blares. Lorenzo swears and swerves around the truck he’s about to T-bone. “Why did you say that? Has Vinicius been blabbing to you or some shit?” “What do you mean?” He keeps shooting glances at me as we drive. It’s not until we get on the freeway and merge into traffic that he asks, “You’re saying that why?” I smile at him. “Lorenzo, did you tell Vinicius that you love me?” He adjusts the rearview mirror and scowls at the road ahead. We drive in silence, and then I feel Lorenzo’s hand creep into my lap and take hold of mine. “No one’s ever said that to me before. I didn’t grow up in a house where people just said that shit to each other.” “Well, I mean it. I love you, Lorenzo.” He squeezes my hand tighter but his throat seems locked up tight. I don’t need him to say anything back. I just need him to believe me. “Do you think you might get a taste for hearing me say that?” I ask. “Don’t know. I would chuck away another knife for you, but I haven’t got any more knives.” I draw his hand up to my mouth and kiss his fingers. “I felt it when you did that. Love. You don’t need to say it.” “Have any of the others said that they love you?” “Why?” “A man likes to know.” I laugh and squeeze his fingers. “It doesn’t matter what I’ve said to the others or what they’ve said to me. What’s happening in this car is about you and me.” A smile drifts over his lips. “Just you and me, huh? Thank you, princess.”

He reaches out and squeezes my shoulder. “There’s never a dull moment lately, is there?” I can’t help but laugh. “And I thought having the Coldlake Syndicate as my boyfriends would be a life of peace and tranquility.” “Oh, yeah. Like a fucking beach holiday.”

Students find ways of blowing off steam.” “Did you play pranks with the corpses?” He gives a humorless laugh. “Me, princess? Monday to Friday I was cutting up corpses. On the weekend I was making them. I didn’t need pranks to blow off steam.”

“Get your raging baby hormones in check and get in the fucking car,” Lorenzo says as he heads for his Mercedes. “We’ve got work to do.” “Me?” I squeak. “Not you. Uncle Sal.”

Vinicius is kneeling down beside me and is slipping my bare feet into red high heels. “Perfect, Vinicius,” Cassius says appreciatively. Vinicius leans over and gives me a kiss. “If you’re going to be fucked on the hood of my car, kitten, let’s make this as lurid as we can.” His gleaming gaze wanders over me. “That’s so hot. Everyone has to see this.” He digs out his phone. I hear the sound of a call going through and then Lorenzo asks, “What’s up? I’m driving.” “Nothing. Just saying hi,” Vinicius says, positioning himself so that Cassius and I are in the background of his video call. Cassius has his hands holding my waist and he’s intent on fucking me. Salvatore has answered as well, and he sounds distracted as he says, “Vinicius, what do you—wait, what’s happening behind you?” “Holy shit,” Lorenzo says, in a very different tone. “Is everyone watching?” Cassius asks, not letting up on his pounding rhythm. “Oh, they can see,” Vinicius tells him, pointing the camera so it travels down my body. “I’m going to crash my fucking car,” Lorenzo says. Remembering how he drove through a stop sign when I said I love you, I call out, “Please be careful, Lorenzo.”

“Baby, you’re ass-up in red heels over the hood of a Lamborghini. You think I’m missing this opportunity? Now hold still while I knock you up.”

“Doctor, I’ve been so stressed. Is there something you could do about that?” I watch her with narrowed eyes, saying nothing. “You see, there’s this gorgeous man who hasn’t touched me for more than a week and it’s driving me crazy. My muscles feel tense. I can’t sleep at night.” “Tense where?” I ask, fitting the stethoscope in my ears and pressing the bell over her chest. Her heartbeat suddenly fills my ears, steady and strong. “Um, you know. Places.” I fight to keep a straight face. “Miss Romano, please. You can tell me. I’m a doctor.” Her face suddenly flames pink. I’ve done all kinds of deviant things to her and a little roleplay has her flustered. “This temperature you’ve been having. Is this another one of your problems?” I press the backs of my fingers against her hot cheeks. “Sometimes. When he’s teasing me.” “Have you ever felt like things are out of your control? Restlessness? Mood swings?” She nods, gazing up at me with big eyes.

“Mm-hmm. I see. Is everything all right at home?” “Well, yes and no. I have four beautiful boyfriends, but I still haven’t had…enough.” My eyebrows raise in surprise. “Four? That must be exhausting. Unless they’re all weak and impotent. Is that it?” “No, they’re all very strong, virile men, it’s just…” She flicks her gaze up at me. “One of them hasn’t touched me in so long, and everything feels wrong.” I gaze down at her with total seriousness. “I see. It’s an emergency.” Chiara bursts out laughing again. “I’m so sorry. I’m not laughing at you. I’ve never done roleplay before but isn’t this a bit cutesy for you?” I give her a faint smile. I’m not offended in the slightest, and she won’t be laughing in a minute. “Miss Romano, have I said something funny?” I pull on a pair of black latex gloves, then reach into a drawer for a bottle of KY Jelly. She watches me with rapt attention, her eyes growing wider. “Maybe I’m getting hysterical because of my, you know, problems.” “This is more serious than I thought. Take off your clothes from the waist down and turn around.”

I hunt through the freezer and find a frozen pizza with a cartoon of an Italian chef on the box. “Oh, Cassius would hate you,” I tell the pizza with a smile as I open the box and pre-heat the oven.

“Now we’ve dealt with that, how would you like a cup of coffee, you bad-tempered fuck?” “Grazie,” Cassius murmurs. His hands slide down to my ass and he squeezes me. Then he frowns as he feels the edge of the bandage. “Are you hurt? How did you get hurt?” I dart a look at Lorenzo and look away again quickly. Somehow, I don’t think Cassius will take Lorenzo cutting me with a scalpel in his stride right now. “It’s nothing. Never mind.” “Why are you blushing?” “I’m not.” “Honestly, princess, could you look more guilty?” Lorenzo says as he adds coffee grounds to the machine. “Do you know what’s going on here, Scava?” Cassius asks him. “Of course.”

I call out, “Stop shouting, it’s not good for the baby.” Both of them shut up mid-sentence and turn to stare at me. “It’s me. I’m the baby.”

“Fine. If it will make you happy, Chiara, I will call him Lorenzo,” Cassius mutters, his accented voice stiff and awkward. “Thank you. Maybe it’s silly, but it does matter to me.” I press a kiss to his cheek, and his face softens. Lorenzo watches us in silence for a moment, and then he folds his arms, the need to gloat filling his eyes. “You fucking pushover. So much for being Cassius ‘women should know their place’ Ferragamo. She just twisted you right around her little finger.” Oh, my God. Cassius’ spine straightens in outrage and he roars, “Scava, I will wring your fucking neck!” “Lorenzo, I will wring your fucking neck,” Lorenzo corrects. “Thanks for the show, princess. I’ll watch you bring this obstinate old bull to his knees any day of the week.”

“Knock, knock,” I call, sauntering into the room. “Lorenzo, I hurt myself too. Is it my turn?” He tosses me the white tube with a lazy grin. “Knock yourself out.”

“Can I tell you the truth?” “You better tell me nothing but the fucking truth every day of your life, princess.” “I don’t feel happy,” I confess in a whisper. “That makes me a horrible person, doesn’t it? The moment I laid eyes on the tests all lined up in a row as I waited for the results, I started to panic.” “Do you want the baby?” “Yes, I do. But…” Lorenzo braces his hands on either side of me against the table and gives me a severe glare. “Hey. You know all my gruesome thoughts. You’re not going to shock me. Say what you’re really thinking.”

“Be grateful you’re not dead,” I seethe. “Lock your doors and don’t walk alone at night. I might return and finish the job.”

Acid’s gaze moves from Chiara to me and back again, as curious as a cat. “Sure. Anything for you, your highness.” “I’d like to speak to Thane, too. If he’s around.” Acid takes his phone from his pocket and makes a call. “Thane, her highness is here. Come downstairs like a good boy and pay your respects.”

“That was so fucking hot. You handled them beautifully, princess.” She smiles and kisses me back. “Thank you.” “I don’t know how you do it. They get so far under my skin I can’t think straight.” “You do realize that Acid thrives on pissing you off? Pissing everyone off, come to think of it. If you let it roll off your back he’ll stop trying.” “I was letting it roll off my back! For the last few years, I’ve barely threatened to punch any of them or even thought about it. Then you came along and they’re looking at you and smirking at you and undressing you with their eyes. And they fucking kidnapped—” She kisses me again. I huff angrily. “You’re ours. We don’t share. I should just fucking tell them that.” I turn toward the bar and she grabs me, laughing.

“I have to wear underwear or people stare.” Cassius nudges the outline of his semi through his pants. “Yeah, yeah, we know you could stop traffic with that monster,” Salvatore says, shrugging out of his shirt. “Now quit talking about your cock and make yourself useful with it.”

“I work down at Strife. Mr. Scava requested a woman tonight as Mr. Ferragamo can’t accompany you everywhere, like the ladies’ room.” She smiles wider. “But you probably don’t need me. I heard you can handle yourself.” “Are you a bounty hunter? I’ve always been curious about Strife’s bounty hunters. It sounds like such a cool job.” She laughs. “Excuse me, I heard you pulled a gun out of a designer purse and shot dead the leader of the Geaks. What’s cooler than that? Also, you’ve got Acid calling you your highness and bragging about how you personally saved his life. Twice.” I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling. “That sounds like Acid.” “Oh, yes. Acid loves to talk about himself.”

There’s a voice from over by the doorway. “Did someone say torture?” Acid prowls into the room. “I’d be happy to oblige, your highness.”

Lorenzo rips the Velcro open on the blood pressure cuff. “Perfect blood pressure. Welcome to week thirty, day one. This little one is the size of a cabbage. Their eyes can focus. They weigh about three pounds. Mama looks fucking gorgeous.” I cup my considerable belly in my hands. So far we don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl and I want it to be a surprise. From how big I feel, I’m starting to wonder if it’s a baby elephant. Lorenzo has kept up with his research and he knows more about the baby’s progress than I do. I think it’s his way of feeling in control of an uncontrollable situation.

Salvatore: I’m out here being tough on the mean streets and you’re going to make me cry. Vinicius: I could listen to that sound all day. Cassius: That’s my bambino. Good and strong.

“And what do you want?” I ask. “I want the baby to have the loudest cry, and the strongest kick, and the brightest eyes it can have. And for you to get through this and be smiling on the other side. That’s all that matters to me.”

“No problem, princess. As long as you’re where I can see you, I’ll bear with it. But if I see your blood pressure going up, I’m changing my passwords and you can sit and knit.” I smile up at him. “Thank you for taking good care of me and the little bean.”

“Princess, look at me.” “I should have known something was wrong with Mom. I didn’t see it until my birthday. I could have—” “Hey. Stop that. Cassius and I are going to get you and the baby out of here safely, but I need you to take a few deep breaths. Nothing that piece of shit said is worth the oxygen he fucking steals to say it.” I take her face in my hands. “Okay?” More tears trickle down her face and she whispers thickly, “I’m so sorry I brought you here.” I shake my head. “I needed to find this place, and you found it for me, princess.” Chiara takes a deep breath, and then another. “Good girl. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“How about we take care of this ourselves? A little more vengeance after all we’ve been through could really take the edge off.” I don’t care what anyone says about revenge not being satisfying. Murdering De Luca with my own hands was exactly what I needed. I’ll happily shoot Mayor Romano full of bullets or stab him in the throat. Whatever Chiara wants. “Dad has a campaign rally next week,” Chiara tells us. “What do you all think of some public vengeance?” I give her a broad smile. “Baby, tell me more.”

“It’s not too late for me to go back and shoot him in the face,” Lorenzo says as he drives. That was the first plan that was floated, but murdering my father never felt like enough. I don’t want him dead. I wanted him exposed. I shake my head. “Thank you, Lorenzo, but this is better. Everyone in Coldlake hates him now. This is his worst nightmare.” Let him live his nightmare, as he made me live mine.

“A little nervous, but I’m all right.” I glance at the other two. “You’d better get here quickly.” “Why? What’s wrong?” demands Lorenzo. From the way his screen is jumping around it seems like he’s broken into a run. “Oh, I’m fine. But Salvatore and Cassius could use some emotional support.”

Lorenzo is down by my legs and watching the midwife like a hawk. He’s read every book about babies and delivery he can get his hands on and was insistent he would deliver the baby himself. I put my foot down and told him I was having an experienced professional and that was the end of the discussion. “The next baby, then,” he conceded. “This one, I’ll just watch. We’re practicing this first time around, princess.”

A few minutes later, Vinicius collapses into the chair next to me. “I don’t know about you, kitten, but I’m exhausted.” “Oh, you poor thing,” I tell him with a grin. “How does it feel to be a father?” He reaches out and takes my hand, and his golden eyes are glowing. “Absolutely wonderful.”