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“My father wasn’t a loving man. He hasn’t changed much either. I learned early on that I was nothing in his mind but a soldier, but he thought me weak and decided to test my skills. I’d assured him several times I was ready to become a soldier. To become a man.”

“So what?”

I laughed. “So, one night he made good on his promise. It was dark, stormy, and I was in bed with the lights off. I was attacked in the middle of the night, certain my father’s house was under siege. The fuckers were strong and pinned me down, but I refused to allow them to destroy my family.”

“What happened?” he asked after a full minute had passed.

“I secured the advantage. I’d hidden weapons in my room and slept with a gun under my pillow. The three soldiers hadn’t been prepared to face a young man with everything to prove. I shot them dead, all three of them.”

He turned his head toward me. “Good for you.”

“Yes, good for me. My father was surprised. He’d underestimated me and made the mistake of sending three of his best hitmen into my room. On that day I became a man. Thatwas also the day I sold my soul to the devil and there’s a no return policy. Is that what you really want?”

“That’s what’s required. I will be like my father.”

I took a deep breath. I’d never been forced to counsel anyone, especially a young man determined to ruin his life. It was all I’d ever wanted and during the last two days, I’d begun to question my choice. “Be careful how you choose to honor him, Marco. Right now, your sisters need your support.”

He snorted. “I guess you have that covered.”

“I’m not going to hurt either one of them, Marco. That much I will promise you.”

“But you can’t promise you can keep her alive. Can you?”

The way he’d turned to confront me at least provided an understanding he still cared about Genevieve, even if he did a pissy job of showing it. “That’s not a promise I’m willing to make and break. But I will do my best.”

“That’s not good enough. If she’s marrying you then you die to protect her. That’s what decent men would do.”

He should know by my reputation alone that I wasn’t a decent man.

Marco walked closer, shoring his shoulders. “Let me make this clear, Lord Torres. You will never become like a brother to me.” He walked away from me and I closed my eyes.

“Marco. If you’re determined to become a soldier, I will help you. But you’ll need to follow my orders.”

He stopped long enough to let me know he was thinking about it. “Yeah, we’ll see.”

As he stormed away, I shifted to watch him leaving, only to find Genevieve leaning against the front wall with her arms crossed.

Staring at me with eyes full of hate and hope.

She shook her head and waited as Marco pushed past her. The bright sun picked up the few auburn highlights in her long hair as the breeze danced it delicately around her shoulders. But she didn’t look anything like the sweet angel I’d called her. More like the goddess of vengeance, Nemesis.

“Keep something in mind, Jago. It doesn’t matter how successful we are or how powerful we become. I will always hate you.”

CHAPTER 22

Genevieve

Hatred was fed with caviar and lobster by forcing a woman who not only didn’t believe in love but hated the man she was required to marry to shop in a bridal store.

I gritted my teeth, making horrible faces at myself. The yellow bruise on my cheek hadn’t been completely covered by makeup. Just another reminder there were venomous snakes everywhere.

How many times had I demanded a decent answer from myself about why I’d agreed to the alliance and the marriage? Too many to count.

“You look beautiful.” Bella was swooning, her eyes full of mindless drivel regarding romance. I’d finally realized she’d been reading romances in her spare time.

I’d been the one to read to her as a young child, filling her head full of thoughts of princes coming to the rescue of their princesses. I was to blame for her insistence there could be a happy ever after.

Vomiting a little in my mouth at the thought wasn’t nearly strong enough.