Page 11 of And Twice as Twisted (Agostino Crime Family #4)

Within a second, the image of my loving father was replaced by the formidable Mario Agostino. He brushed my hair away from my shoulders and stared at my neck, his glare sending shivers down my spine. He glanced between Lucky and Al in silent conversation.

“Garden,” Lucky growled, turning on his heel, and we all followed in his wake.

My dad held on to my hand and tugged me along with him.

I wanted to go almost as much as I didn’t.

I wanted to run to Apollo and protect him from my family’s wrath almost as much as I wanted to unleash my own.

Even more so, I wanted to stand in front of him and see if he had a semblance of concern for what he’d done to me. But both parts were equally terrifying.

“Apollo, I am not shooting you.” Bella’s agitated words echoed amongst the vegetation in the garden.

“Do it, Bella. Please.” My heart ached at the defeat in his voice. “I’ve lost control. I keep fighting to maintain it, but it’s gone! I. Almost. Killed. Her.”

“But you didn’t. Sienna is okay. We just need to get you help.” Bella’s tone didn’t soften. She was downright pissed. “I won’t kill you. Shoot you in the shoulder or something? Maybe.”

As we came around the corner, our steps faltered at the scene playing out in front of us. Apollo was on his knees, Bella standing over him with his nine in her hand, which was aimed at his shoulder. They both turned at our approach.

“Mario… I…” Apollo’s eyes bounced from one figure to another, skipping over me completely.

“After all I’ve taught you, after all the lessons on harnessing your rage, you almost killed my daughter.” Dad’s arms were still wrapped around my shoulders, but his muscles tensed and shook. “I’ve killed for far less, Deluca.”

Apollo slowly rose to his feet, his face blank as he stared at my dad in return. He removed his jacket, withdrawing the second gun at his back and handing it to Lucky. He opened his arms wide and closed his eyes, waiting for my father to react.

No one moved as time seemed to quicken, matching my racing heart. I’d cried, fucking bawled my eyes out over this man, and now I had nothing more to give.

My dad released me before reaching into the back of his waistband, and I knew what was coming. As I looked to Bella, my brother and best friend, I hated the expressions of pity they gave me.

Fuck. This. And. Fuck. Him.

I snatched Apollo’s gun from Lucky’s hand, and before anyone had time to stop me, I fired a single shot.

Apollo jerked back, his eyes filling with surprise when he realized it was me on the other end of the barrel.

Blood started pouring from the wound in his shoulder as he reached up a hand to cover it.

And I smiled as the red liquid seeped through his fingers.

The only thing I could think of was how strange it felt to be so calm . The tears had dried; my heart was existing in mere pieces, but I was done being pathetic.

“I’ve spent countless hours begging for you to see me as more than Lucky’s sister.

I’ve stitched you up, cleaned blood from your hands, and loved you unconditionally.

All while knowing you couldn’t return the affection.

But then you gave me something, a small part of you.

” I stepped closer, keeping the gun aimed at his torso.

“You were given a second chance, Apollo. Fuck you for taking mine from me.”

He glanced behind me, at each member of my family ready to rip him apart. I stepped into his space, pressing the barrel to his heart. I was proud that as upset as I was, my grip remained steady.

“You don’t deserve me. I’m done ,” I growled, clicking the safety in place before dropping the gun at his feet.

“ We are far from done,” my father countered as I walked past without a backwards glance.

He deserved my hate, not my heart. The stupid part of my brain said that if he worked hard enough, I’d let him back in. But fuck that bitch. He didn’t deserve a single thing from me anymore.

I was Sienna-fucking-Agostino and I didn’t forgive anyone. Instead, I fucking made you regret ever fucking hurting me in the first place.

Two dozen red roses were perched in a gorgeous black designer vase atop my desk. I was a sucker for the classics, especially when it came to flowers. My heart skipped a beat, telling me that maybe there was a chance they were from him .

But I knew it was Bella’s brother sending a message, an indelible one at that.

Our conversation when I visited Gio in jail was one that I’d replayed repeatedly in my mind.

He wanted me to be his queen, to rule beside him in the kingdom he’d built on a foundation of pain and misery.

Evidently, he still had no plans on leaving me behind.

Just what I needed, more complications, in my already complicated life. It was time to end this once and for all.

I stared at the rose in shock as what appeared to be blood slowly dripped from the soft petals and began to pool on my glass desktop.

I raised a challenging smirk at my assistant and stormed out of the office.

When the elevator opened, I flipped off my building security and darted out the door, flagging a taxi and disappearing into the city streets.

I wasn’t dumb. I was sure someone had eyes on me.

But I needed to feign anonymity. The drive came to an end when I pulled up to the high fence, the barbed wire catching my attention.

It was a spiraling mess of pointed pieces that promised to tear your flesh apart.

And yet, here I was, threatening to climb over them.

“No going back now,” I muttered to myself as they escorted me into the interrogation room.

Gio Moretti was handcuffed to the table, but he acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

His gaze seemed to penetrate me and I lifted my chin, prepared to hide my fear.

He licked his lips and a wicked smile spread across his mouth.

“There she is. My bleeding heart coated those roses in anticipation.” His face was so complacent. He was so goddamn sure of himself.

“You’re crazy, Gio. This ends here. I came here to tell you to stop.” I slammed my fist into the table.

“I say when it ends!” His cuffs echoed against the metal bracket, making me flinch. “You belong to me.”

Games. That’s all it was. I was the unattainable, the sister of his enemy. None of this had anything to do with me. He’d spent his entire life trying to emerge from his father’s weak shadow, wanting to one up Lucky.

“I’m not a chess piece you can move around the board to punish my brother. I won’t allow you to hurt me or my family.” I crossed my arms over my chest, his eyes hungrily following my lifted breasts.

“Oh, Sienna. Revenge against Lucky? Fuck your brother. I wanted your family to suffer, but it seems we share an enemy who plans to do that for me.”

A chill traveled down my spine. “What’re you talking about?” I leaned my elbows against the cold steel table, my face inching closer to his.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll protect you. I protect what’s mine.” His arrogance was stifling, filling the small room like a poisonous gas.

“I’m not yours!” I pushed to my feet, my chair toppling over beside me.

When a person was utterly insane, there was no part of them that saw reason. A man completely lost to his own god complex wasn’t someone you could bargain with. I had no idea why I came here. Calling Gio out wouldn’t stop this. If anything, the hunt… the chase was turning him on even more.

“Two choices. Willingly. Or beaten into submission.” He sat back, pleased with himself. “Either way. You’re. Still. Mine.”

He was a predator staring into the eyes of his prey.

The scent of my blood was drawing him closer and I knew there was nowhere for me to hide.

He was going to get out and I would be running for my life.

You can’t tempt a wild animal when you are at your weakest. It only spurs on their natural bloodthirst. He was hunting me and these chains were doing nothing to hold him back.

“Did you like the roses?” The inflection of his tone was unnerving. “Painted red for revenge. My men sent them a little message about touching what belongs to me.”

“You know who attacked me.” It wasn’t a question.

“You’re welcome.” He rose to his full height, fast as lightning.

His hand shot out and caught my shirt, tugging me forward so abruptly I lost my balance.

Our lips connected and my gasp gave him entrance to my mouth.

He had a tight grip on the material of my blouse, my hands pressed to his chest, and I still couldn’t break free.

Guards shouted in the background, but Gio only backed down when I bit him.

“That’s my fucking queen.” He howled with laughter, blood pouring out of his mouth.

The guards raised their batons, beating him back until he collapsed in his seat. And he continued to laugh throughout the entire ordeal. They were going to kill him, and he didn’t give a damn. I’d given him exactly what he wanted.

Me. This visit just handed me over to yet another unpredictable enemy.

“Soon, my queen!” Gio shouted.

I’d messed up .

Gio Moretti wasn’t going anywhere, and I needed to deal with him before someone else got hurt protecting me. He didn’t know it yet, but I was going to be the one who took him down. Just like Cassandra.

Fucking Cassandra and those two assholes took everything from me. I was glad the bitch was dead but prayed for God to somehow revive her. Just so I could kill her all over again.

I gripped the piece of paper Gio had shoved into my hand before I’d left, staring down at two names. There was nothing redeeming about the man. Even if he did just hand me my revenge on a silver platter. And now all I needed to do was kill them .

They took everything from me, and it was only polite to return the favor.