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“I understand.”

“Did our friendship mean nothing to you?” she asked. Tears rimmed her angry eyes. And I ached to cup her face and wipe them away. But I needed her pissed. To hate me if she must.

“Of course it does, but you never listen, do you? You can’t save me. This…” I lowered my voice and threw my arm behind me. “Is my world. This is the sickness that runs in it. You deserve better and it can never be me. Now, do you see why?”

“But you should have tried harder instead of showing me everything to the contrary. You should have showed me what a sick bastard you are. The type to go along and let me marry Gian.”

“What would you have me do? Turn everything red? Kill everyone to save you?”

“You could have convinced him to let us go, but your fiancée had to open her big mouth.”

“I killed the man who shot your brother. He had every right to shoot Renz.” We reviewed the security footage and Bianca’s brother overpowered the Rossi goon and knocked him out. “Lucky for us, he wasn’t a made man, or Gian would have me removed from the scene. Where would that leave you?”

“Apparently, the same place I am right now. But I wish you could have convinced them to drop Renz off at the hospital.”

I crossed my arms because she still couldn’t see my dilemma. My worlds were colliding. Protect the Rossi organization andprotect Bianca. I didn’t know how to do both. Wait, I did. I knew who I would save first, but I needed a plan.

“You overestimate my importance. I’m forever the bastard son of Carmelo Rossi whose only purpose to the Rossi crime family is its assassin.”

“Even me? If they tell you to kill me, would you do it? Because I hate your family with all my heart. And if I could burn this place down with everyone in it, including you, it would make me very happy.”

“Bianca.” Regret roughened the way I said her name. Not because she wanted to kill me, but because I never wanted her to experience such hatred. She had only known love and was spoiled by her family. Seeing her now in bloodied clothes made me want to wage war against my family, but I had to play it smart. Even if it meant Bianca ended up despising me. Maybe that was the only way she would let go of her obsession with me. Maybe she already had.

“Would you kill me if they asked you?” she asked.

How could she say that? This time I couldn’t help myself. I erased the distance between us and cupped her cheek. Her multifaceted brown eyes were now dimmed into a brown as dark as mine. “My bullets, my blades, and my fists are meant for everyone else. Neveryou. I wouldneverhurt you. I would slit my throat first.”

She didn’t say anything.

“I’d do it now to prove it to you, but I won’t. Right now is when you need me the most.”

She stepped back, effectively dislodging my hand from her cheek. I let my arm fall back to my side, yet my fingers itched to touch her.

She held my gaze for a few seconds longer before she walked back to Renz. “I don’t need you anymore, Sandro. I needed you hours ago.”

She sat in a chair, elbows propped on the mattress, staring at her brother. “You chose them over me.” She shrugged. “I always believed there was hope for you. I was wrong.”

Her words should’ve set me free. Whatever bond we shared broke. Or it had already broken.

She saw the monsters in my family and knew I was one of them.

Chapter

Four

Bianca

A beautiful creation of lace and exquisite tulle enrobed a body form. A seamstress came in yesterday to take my measurements. I had two days to gird myself for the impending nuptials, but a spiky ball of anxiety was my constant companion. The acid in my gut pushed up my throat. Breathing became a chore. Sand scratched my eyes, and a headache tattooed itself on my skull despite giving in to one of Renz’s pain meds.

“This should fit you,” a voice said behind me. I turned to Griselda, who couldn’t hide how gleeful she was at my predicament. Her whole demeanor screamed,I win. Sandro was going to end up with her, after all. But I was in my didn’t-give-a-shit-about-Sandro era.

She moved closer and said in a conspiratorial tone, “At least I didn’t remind Gian that you are not a virgin.”

Once upon a time, if I had known Sandro had reconciled with Griselda, I would have raised hell because she was the reason I lost my virginity in an unsavory manner.

“You’re still a bitch.” I pushed out the derogatory word that rarely passed my lips, but these past forty-eight hours seemed like an exception. Everyone around Renz and me were assholes or fuckers or bitches. Talking was a chore in itself because the only person I wanted to listen to was Renz. I resisted getting into my head too much, concentrating on my brother and his unconscious state. After I said my vows to Gian today, Renz would be free.

I tried not to dwell on the upcoming wedding night, although calling this a wedding was a stretch. Another of my girlish dreams ruined because of my obsession with one man. My future was uncertain. Surely, I could file for divorce from Gian after this sham of a marriage. Unless they were going to make me sign some kind of prenuptial agreement. I wouldn’t put it past the Rossis.