Page 15 of And Twice as Twisted (Agostino Crime Family #4)

APOLLO DELUCA

“ D on’t be afraid of your feelings , Alvin. Speak your mind,” I snapped.

We’d had a moment of peace between us but that didn’t absolve me of his anger. My hands shook as I gripped the wheel. My shoulder throbbed from Bella’s fastidious prodding, but I was far more plagued by her words.

“Do you really feel nothing for her?” His tone gave me pause.

“Fuck.” A deep, cathartic sigh rattled my breaths and my endorphins rapidly increased as the stress of my thoughts weighed heavily on my chest. I left the car and was transported back to that moment.

“I love you.”Sienna’s choked words stalled my movements, forcing me to meet her gaze.

My eyes clenched as pain throttled my system. Grabbing my chest, I pounded my fist into it—over and over—needing the pain to dissipate. And then it clicked as I stared back at her, the gravity of the situation dawning on me.

“Oh. My. God. It took until this moment for you to get it!” Cassandra started laughing, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Sienna. “Love, Apollo. You fucking love her.”

“No!” The knife imbedded in her torso. The initial strike wasn’t likely to kill her but it wouldn’t take long for her to bleed out.

My body was on autopilot, unable to hesitate even if I wanted to.

There was only one way out of this. To fucking end them all.

He’d just pulled his knife out of Sienna’s body when I collided with him.

I quickly got the upper hand, his small frame doing little to subdue me.

My hands were coated in blood as I tried to rip him apart.

One minute, I felt nothing. The next, red-hot impulses shot through my every nerve ending. Blood poured from my wounds, while the rapid pulsing of my heart forced me to my knees. I collapsed onto my stomach, staring at Sienna from the concrete.

“Si-Sienna.” I couldn’t lift my head but I needed to speak. “I-I do. I…”

“Oh fuck. Oh shit!” Cassandra cried, dropping the gun onto the ground.

For years, I ignored the niggling feeling that drifted through me when she was near.

I ignored the smiles that tugged at my lips when she was antagonizing me.

I refused to acknowledge the erection her perfume gave or the ache in my balls when she smiled.

One taste, that was all I needed to become addicted.

And now it was too late.

The excessive blood loss and pain were making my mind blank. I was resolute to the fact that this was the end and I felt a strong desire to go back in time to eliminate her anguish. To stop fighting my urges to be close to her. To claim her.

Sienna screamed from a distance as the older one pulled my head back. “Here’s a treat for the fishes.” He smirked as he glided the blade across my throat, then shoved me off the rocks. Silencing my voice as the current swept me away.

Far too many images and scenes were replaying.

There were so many moments that I had the urge to take what she was so willing to offer.

But I didn’t. When I finally caved and allowed myself to enjoy something that was so far above my station in life, it was stolen from me.

I was going to die while dreaming for one last taste.

The waves rocked me into a false sense of security, my mind pretending I was in a warm bed with my face buried between Sienna’s thighs. If by some miracle I made it out of this, I would enact my revenge. I wouldn’t stop until the city was painted red. I was going to fucking kill them all.

And Sienna would be free to live her life… away from me. Away from the danger and peril I caused. See, I’d always been as clever as the devil, but if I made it out of this… I’d be twice as twisted.

“Apollo! Fuck!” Al’s shout startled me back into the present, but it was too late.

My car jumped the curb, and my rims screeched as I fought to regain control.

We clipped the corner of a building and the vehicle came to an aggressive halt.

“Goddamn it.” The impact folded his door around him, pinning Al to his seat

“What happened?” I rubbed my eyes, shaking off the haze of my mental fog.

“You started fucking yelling and let go of the fucking wheel. You douchebag!” He twisted but it was no use. He was stuck. “Can you get me the fuck out of here?”

“She haunts me. Every second. The moment I close my eyes, all I see is her. All I see is the knife entering her ribs. All I hear are her screams—” I stared through the broken windshield. “I was the reason she almost died.”

“You think that matters to her? She just wants you… Against everyone’s better judgement.

” The silence stretched for a moment before he huffed at me.

“You’re killing her, a little bit more with each day you ignore her.

She thought you died, and when you came back, your silence was another wound to her chest.”

“She was hurt because of my past. Mine.” I cracked my neck from side to side.

“If it isn’t your enemy coming at her, it’s Lucky’s. Or Mario’s. Fuck, or even her own. You can’t protect her from it all. She’s strong enough to stand at your side.” He twisted in his seat. “She was stabbed seven fucking times and woke up a day later, wanting to find you. Avenge you.”

“It’s not the same. Darkness follows me. It always has. It’s why I am who I am for this family.” The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. “She’s my weakness. They’ll come for her.”

“Oh, get the fuck over yourself. Your enemies aren’t her only threats.” He shifted in his seat. “Now will you help me get the fuck out of here.”

“Your elephantine condition is not my concern.” I climbed out of the car, closing the door and muffling his rant.

“Don’t you leave me, you motherfucker!” Al shouted, but I was already walking away.

This was my mess, a debilitating wrong I’d right on my own. As I was always meant to do.

The children didn’t deserve to be punished for their father’s grievances.

But there was the apple and all that… I’d made an immense tactical error in not immediately eliminating the threats, as I had done with their predecessor.

But that was an indiscretion of my youth.

I’d learned since then. And I wouldn’t make that mistake again.

I climbed the fire escape of the old building, using my knife to pry open the window. My hands were still and precise—the promise of death calmed me. As I stepped inside, I could hear voices coming from the other room, mixtures of anger and fear. One loud, one soft.

“Shut the fuck up! No, he didn’t.” A mumbled response. “I said shut up!”

I stepped farther into the room, closer to the voices.

“Believe whatever you want about your daddy. Those are facts, in black and white.” Papers were fluttering in the air as I peered around the corner and into the hallway.

No, not papers, photos. “You should’ve thanked him for ending that sick son of a bitch, not condemn him!

” Sienna stood in front of the sons, a nine in her hand aimed strong and true.

My blood traveled vigorously south, my dick coming alive at the sight before me.

She didn’t notice me, her sole focus on the two men bleeding at her feet.

They were beaten and battered; a crescendo of blood spray had erupted across the white wall.

The bruising showed signs of age, meaning more than likely someone else had gotten to them first.

“Look, please. We-we just wanted to… we didn’t know.” It was the one who’d cut my throat. He was pleading with her now.

She squatted to meet him at eye level, staring at him for a moment. “You knew, didn’t you? There was no way you would track down his killer without first learning the why.” His silence was her answer. “You’re just like him, aren’t you? Another sick fuck.”

Her words seemed to sink in as the older brother looked to the kid in disgust, but instead of responding, the younger one reached into his waistband. I stepped into the room, slapping the back of his head with the butt of my gun.

“I’d advise against that.” I enjoyed their haunted expressions. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” I deadpanned.

“What’re you doing here?” Sienna didn’t look at me; her focus remained glued to her targets. “They’re mine, Apollo. Mine.” She rolled her shoulders and braced, a clear indication she was ready to pull the trigger.

“You are sorely mistaken, Sienna.” Her face was a shield of determination. “They hurt you because of me .” My speech was shortened as one twitched, attempting to rise. “So they’re mine. ”

The elder brother barely straightened his legs before her gun discharged. The bullet penetrated is frontal bone, tissue and brain matter spraying into the air. The sound bounced between the walls but seemed hushed over the loud thoughts in my brain.

The younger one was shouting at her, demanding she pull the trigger. Her smile was cold, venomous, filled with promise. “You took everything from me.” It came out as a whisper, the sound irreparably broken.

“We thrive in the fire and cannot be burned.” I ran a finger along the raised tissue that spanned the full width of my throat. “Your incompetence shows. The carotid artery runs along both sides of the neck. And yet, you missed.” I, however, wouldn’t make the same mistake.

Sienna watched me draw my blade. “Unlike my family, I don’t care for games,” she hissed. Her gun discharged again. And again. He took two bullets in the lower chest cavity that would ensure a slow, painful death. Then she flicked her knife out, intending to step forward but I caught her wrist.

“I know you were taught to share.”

Her pulse was beating assuredly against my thumb as she stared at me with those empty eyes, closing herself off.

The deep-red, sanguine fluid of our enemies coated her skin, further eliciting my erection.

Her tanned flesh against the crimson color gave her a haunted glow.

My palms itched to touch her, to feel her underneath me.

“Eye for an eye, fica .” I made a precise incision to rupture his carotid, dragging it slowly across his throat.