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I didn’t realize a tear had escaped until Rome brushed it away. “You’ll live. Because if you don’t, you’ll die.”
“My father was too proud to raise a girl who lied, Rome.” She said the words barely above a whisper and looked down as she tucked herself deeper into that sweater. Without another word, she pushed off the wall to go back to her room. Something twisted in my gut, snarled in anger, and unleashed in my soul.
Her long nails, painted some dark color, waved at me as I caught up to her. “Don’t follow me, then. I don’t mind walking alone.” “I don’t mind you walking alone either. In daylight,” I spat back.
“If you’re hurting, if you’re about to break, break me instead. I can handle it.”
His dark eyes pulled me into their depths and held me hostage there. His voice rumbled out soft and low. “No man but me should ever be touching you. You’re driving me insane just living with him, Katalina. It’s driving me fucking insane.”
The idea heated my blood, tightened the muscles in me that I used to kill, and my hand itched to grab a weapon. He may have been family, but Katie was, or had just become, my untouchable.
You’re only as strong as your right-hand man, and if I’m going to be that for you, well, you don’t fuck with what’s mine.” “Meaning Katie is yours?” I sucked on my teeth. “I’m not sure yet.” “Be sure, Rome. She sleeps under the same roof as me. She’s either untouchable or not.” “She’s untouchable in one way or another.”
He moved his fingers faster. “You beg me and only me, Katalina. This part of you belongs to me.”
“If I buy the other dress, what do I get out of it?” “A happy monster for the night? That not good enough for you?” he said without looking up.
He twirled me to face him. “Yes, yours. I’m your whatever the fuck you want me to be. I have been since the moment you walked in with Jimmy. Shit, probably since the moment I stood in your room staring at you wearing that necklace.” I clutched it to my chest. “I’m not asking you to be anything to me.” “And yet I’m yours and you’re mine.”
“Choose me, Katalina,” he whispered. “Let me consume you. Pick our destruction, not his safe haven.”
“It is. I’m the monster. I protect us. I save the family before I save anyone else.” I sighed. “We’re aiming toward the same goal.” “Yeah, but when I’m with you, the monster quiets. I’m starting to think his loyalties are different to mine.”
“You couldn’t fake with me if you tried. I’m the detonator to your bomb, woman. You ignite every single time, and I love watching you explode in beautiful chaos around me.”
“You used to write me.” “And you never wrote back. I only ever got one letter from you.” My heart, the one I never felt when I took a man’s life, seemed to stir and then drop to the pit of my stomach at the sound of her voice shaking with her explanation.
“Is that why you’ve been circling me for years instead of giving in to us?” He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe I’m scared of what the monster will do to you . . . or what the monster in me will do for you.” “The monster in you saved me,” I murmured,
“I’m starting to think my monster loves you.” I held my breath at his words. “And I’m scared at some point I won’t be able to control it.” “Then I guess our end will definitely be catastrophic.” The words were ominous, but I smiled at him because I’d lay down destruction at this point to be with him.
His hand flew off the steering wheel and went straight to my neck. He yanked me forward so I was just inches from his lips, feeling his hot breath on my cheek as he said, “There’s no arguing your place. Your blood is mine. We bleed together, woman. Always. Remember that.”
“You’re fucking beautiful. And one day—not today, but one day soon—I might have to tell you I love you and watch the chaos that ensues.” “Why does it have to be chaos?” “Because I’m the protector of the mob. I can’t have distractions.” “I’m a distraction then?” she asked, head tilted with pain in her eyes. “You’re the biggest distraction because I may put you before everything, even the family.”
We respected Bastian as the king of the family. But we loved Katalina.
