Page 95 of Beautiful Sinner

But I don’t get that chance because Dante pulls up next to us at that very moment. “Get in!”

Viktor withdraws his gun. “Don’t. Nobody fucking move.”

“You’re going to shoot your own sister?” Matteo asks.

“Of course not. But I will shoot you.” He turns to Dante. “And I will definitely shoot you.”

“Let me explain,” I say to Viktor. “I love you. Please. I never betrayed you. I love Matteo.”

His eyes widen. “You did betray me. Inessa told me that you told Matteo about my plans. Connor told me the same thing. So, did you? Tell Matteo about my plans so he could thwart them?”

I hesitate then nod. “Yes. I did tell Matteo things.”

He looks like I just punched him as he stumbles back. “So, you really did betray me.”

“But I only told him things to protect you. And to protect me. And to protect him.”

He scoffs. “You never wanted to protect me or yourself. Now you’re aligned with the fucking enemy, Julia! Matteo will hurt you. Men like him only know violence.”

“And what about you?” Matteo asks. “Do you think you’re not the same?”

“I know that I’ve never kidnapped a woman. Let my sister go.”

“She doesn’t want to go with you.”

“Stop talking like I’m not here,” I snap, making both men look at me. “I’m married to Matteo now. And I love him. It might not be what you want to hear but it’s the truth. So accept it please. And of course I want to return home with you. I want to be in your life still. But you’re not going to let me be with Matteo and so for that reason, I can’t go with you. Now, if you’re not going to shoot me, I’m going to get in that car so I can actually enjoy the evening with my husband.”

I motion for Matteo to get in. Slowly, he does. He knows that Viktor won’t shoot me.

“I’m sorry,” I tell Viktor. It’s the most I can give him right now. His eyes tighten. I know he’s in pain and there’s no way I can change that. Because if I go with him and heal his pain, I’ll only be causing myself immense pain and for once, I want to be selfish in life.

“You’re really choosing this?”

“I’m choosing Matteo.”

“Answer me this before you go. Was Matteo the one who hurt you?” He nods at my bandaged arm. “Or was it Connor?”

“The fact you’re asking tells me you already know who really did this to me. But to answer, it was Connor.”

Viktor doesn’t look surprised. Only dejected.

I get into the car and Dante quickly drives away before Viktor can do anything else. I keep my eyes on my brother for as long as I can until Dante turns the corner and Viktor is gone from my sight.

“What the fuck were you two thinking?” Dante scolds us like me and Matteo are two small children in the backseat.

“We didn’t ask for Connor to show up and start a shootout at the hospital,” Matteo grumbles. “I only wanted to save Julia’s life.”

“I killed the priest and I have Aiden on top of it taking care of the police report. He’ll make sure that Connor’s shooting does not come back onto you.”

Matteo rubs the back of his neck. “Well, you might need Aiden to deal with the shootout at the hospital too.”

Dante only sighs. “Tell me Connor is dead at least.”

“I didn’t kill him.”

“God damn it.”

“Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of the officers at the hospital right now will kill him.”