Page 30 of And Twice as Twisted (Agostino Crime Family #4)

“Your tiny balls smacking against my ass are nothing compared to the ones in my designer panties.” It was raining harder now. “Fuck. You.”And I pulled the trigger.

His blood sprayed in the air, mixing with the rain and pouring down over me like a hailstorm of carnage and brain matter.

I could taste it in my mouth and was overcome by the sudden urge to dry heave.

His large body dropped onto mine, and an agonized cry expelled from somewhere so deep within me that my throat burned as I extinguished it.

All the pain, anger, sadness, and guilt transformed the scream into a crescendo of despair.

I did it. I fucking killed him. I didn’t know what I expected to feel after pulling the trigger, but this wasn’t it. I was numb. A huge part of me died along with him, and there was no coming back from it.

“Look what you made me fucking do!” I hissed into the air, the numbness fading as a fresh wave of guilt tore at the shattered remnants of my heart.

I needed to leave. To go far away. From my family and their city before it was too late.

There was already nothing good left of me and seeing their hatred would only make me hate myself worse. I knew if I stayed, I’d never survive.

Not after what I’d done.

Headlights pulled up behind the car and heavy footfalls echoed in the distance.

Charging towards me. “Sienna!” my brother shouted as I struggled to shift the body off me.

“Sienna! Fuck! What did you do? How could… Sienna!” he grunted my name.

Bella sounded from behind us, and the realization had me choking on air.

“No! Bella, baby, stay back!” Lucky helped roll the dead weight to the side, pulling me to my feet and wrapping his suit jacket around me.

“No…” Bella whispered, and my gaze snapped to hers.

The look she gave me added to the torment I’d already inflicted on myself.

There would be no reparations for our relationship.

I’d ruined my family. “What did you do?” Tears filled her mismatched eyes as she tried charging forward, but my brother pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as she broke.

“I can’t believe you fucking did this.” Lucky sounded distant, a radio static filled my head, and I barely felt the harsh bite of the pavement as my body slammed into it.

It wasn’t all that long ago that I had begged this man to give me everything I wanted, everything I thought I deserved.

I thought he’d be my savior in a world built by men and against women.

I wanted to be the queen on the arm of the mad king.

Instead, he broke me beyond repair—something I thought I already was, but quickly realized I wasn’t. Not even close.

Until now.

I rolled onto my side, pulling my knees to my chest, and stared at his motionless body. I did it. I killed him. I thought I’d feel better. But his lifeless eyes stared back at me, forever cemented in my brain. Left to haunt me.

They were the last thing I saw before everything went black. That one thought playing over and over in my mind.

I killed him. I killed... Gio Moretti.

“Where is she?” Apollo exited the second car and charged forward. “Sienna!”

I swayed on the spot. Just hearing his voice had me wanting to break my promises of leaving.

But one glance at Bella crying over her brother’s lifeless corpse, and I knew I had to go.

I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, seeing all of this from a million miles above.

I’d killed before, but never someone I’d known so personally .

“Are you okay?” Apollo asked, holding me at arm’s length. “No…” That one word was spoken so harshly as he stared at my legs.

I looked down and realized what he was focused on. Bella and Lucky followed his line of sight, looking at my shredded skirt and bleeding thighs. I tried covering myself, clinging to my brother’s jacket, but Apollo ripped it from me. I glanced at Lucky, who was glaring at Gio’s body in disgust.

“Did…” Apollo coughed. “Did he…?”

My head dropped and I gave the smallest nod.

Bella was caressing her belly as her tears turned angry. She stared at me, her eyes a picture of pity and sadness. I didn’t want it.

This too shall pass , I thought. Eventually…

“It’s going to be okay.” Apollo wrapped his arms around me, hugging me tight. “I’ve got you.”

As much as I didn’t want to, I pushed out of his hold. My body began trembling as realization settled in, the adrenaline fully depleted. I heard voices but they sounded distant, a radio static filling my head. I barely felt the pavement as my body slammed forward.

“Not until her attorney is present.” Apollo’s tone stirred me from a miserable sleep. “She won’t waive her right to counsel, John.”

“Wh-at? Where am I?” I covered my eyes with my hands, the bright light assaulting my already-pounding head.

“The hospital,” Alexei said, suddenly at my side and shutting off the overhead light.

“I need a statement.” It was John, the FBI agent.

“Later.”

I hated how I wanted to seek shelter in Apollo’s embrace as he controlled the room.

“Miss Agostino, I need a few moments—”

John was cut off by Alexei rushing around the bed. The three of them started shoving each other and arguing before a horde of security and nurses stormed inside. I closed my eyes, swallowing past the nausea that had settled in my belly.

“Enough.” My father pushed through the door, looking between the three of them before clearing the room. “Don’t scare me like that again,” he said, once everyone was out of earshot.

“Sorry.” I had no idea why I was apologizing. It was my name and the allegiance to my family that had gotten me…

Oh…

I stared at my father as tears filled my eyes and more nausea coated my stomach, threatening to haul out of my throat.

Gio… He… I… I was…

I couldn’t even think the word. Four letters had never held so much power over me before.

“Sienna, don’t cry. Please.” The pain in my father’s voice was messing with my spastic emotions and I couldn’t handle it. “I’m sorry for everything. I swear I won’t fail this family anymore.”

His sincerity gave me pause. I blinked past the tears to take in the shattered man before me.

My father was gone and a shell of the powerful man was left in his wake.

All his past sins had come to haunt him, wreaking terror on his children, wearing on his shoulders, and embedding shrapnel into his soul.

“I promise. I am going to get down on my knees and make peace with God. I will move heaven and hell to right all my wrongs for you and Octavia.”

“We don’t need your prayers to save our souls. Just find her.” I gripped his hand.

“Sienna, I need you to go to Philly.” My jaw dropped as he continued to urge, “I mean it, Sienna. Leave. Pick Romano.”

“What the hell does Romano have to do with this?” I winced, shifting in the bed as my abdomen pinched with pain.

He glanced at my hand on my stomach, the truth coming to the surface. “Did… Did Gio?” He couldn’t speak the words either, yet he expected me to show strength by admitting the truth.

“The wicked won’t ever rest, not with the taste of blood still lingering on their lips. There’s nothing sweeter…”

And now I sounded like Apollo, with my pretty words and hidden meanings.

“Sienna, Romano is a good man. Leave New York and live a life where you can be happy.”

I stared into the eyes that matched my own, except his were devoid of everything.

“I’ve been brokering a deal for your protection.” Life. Extinguished.

“Let’s not pretend like this isn’t the end.” Sienna Agostino was gone and someone more powerful would rise in her place. “Another city. Another made man. Another travesty against me. Let me go, Daddy.”

“Romano will take—” He started but I cut him off.

“It’s my choice!” I hadn’t realized I was shouting until my brother stormed into the room, watching us both closely.

“Sienna, calm down,” Lucky chastised me, and his blatant disrespect did me in.

“Calm down? You… You want me to calm down?” I licked my lips, enjoying how their expressions twisted with shock. “ Your brother-in-law raped me and you want me to calm down?” I laughed harder.

“We’re a family, Sienna. We will get through this together.” Lucky lifted his palms, approaching me like I was a wounded animal.

“Octavia is missing and doesn’t want to come home. Gio. Gio hurt me. And you think we’ll get through this together ?” I laughed until I was gasping for air, drawing the attention of a group of nurses. “I vote we set fire to this family tree because we’re all fucked.”

The doctor pushed into the room, with several nurses, and ushered my family out. One of the nurses came to my side, whispering that someone needed to speak with me alone—a young woman. I was scared she meant Bella, but I swallowed back my panic and nodded.

Once the hallway was clear, the door opened, and a blonde pixie stepped inside. “Hi.” Persephone smiled and I was in awe of what I saw.

She was beautiful. No one could deny that.

But gone was the wild, vacant eyes and crazy mannerisms. She was calm, seemingly at peace.

She’d been locked away to heal, but I didn’t anticipate this level of tranquility.

She smiled down at me like she could read my thoughts before reaching for my chart.

“Why would they have you on so many antibiotics...” She dropped the paperwork, her mouth open but nothing coming out.

“Yeah,” I muttered, my chin quivering as I attempted to school my features.

“Don’t. Don’t you fucking dare,” she scolded. “This is on him . You do not feel sorry for yourself.”

It took a moment for me to calm down and listen to what she was saying. She didn’t give me the details but the shared experience seemed to bond us. When I looked into her clear-blue eyes, I saw the truth. I would survive this.

“You look good,” I said honestly.

“Thanks. Mental health is a bitch when you aren’t taking care of it,” she scoffed. “I wanted to tell you that you don’t have to worry about being charged. John is protecting you. Your name won’t be tied to his anymore, not even in death.”

“Thanks.”

She squeezed my hand. “No, thank you, Sienna. You took away all the things that went bump in the night for me.” Her sad smile nearly broke me. “Just wish I’d gotten to him before he touched you.”

“I’m sorry too. I should’ve ended the game earlier.”

She shook her head at me, wiping away a tear. “Listen. I think I know where your sister is. Innocents don’t deserve to be hurt in someone else’s game. Once I know who we are dealing with for sure, I’ll tell your brother.”

“Tell me first,” I spit out quickly. “I’m leaving. Disappearing. But when you find her, I’ll bring in reinforcements.”

She nodded after a moment before asking, “How is Apollo?”

As if he could hear us, he stood on the other side of the glass, his spine straightening just as Dom Moretti walked up. I took a deep breath, causing Persephone to glance over her shoulder.

“Don’t worry. He’s happy he’s gone. We each have our own scars from Gio Moretti, his brother included.”

Dom gave her a panty-dropping grin, beckoning her to his side.

Apollo was staring at me, ignoring everyone else in the room.

I had an image of the old Apollo, the one who was clothed in an expensive suit and watched me with a feral, yet calm intensity.

After everything, our two biggest moments were born from our biggest setbacks—his swim in the Hudson and my rape.

The doctor walked in again, and Persephone smiled and patted my hand. “Once I confirm the details, I’ll give you first dibs.”

I continued to stare at Apollo on the other side of the glass, the only thing separating us. The bile rising in my throat belonged to him. I was so tired of being here. My whole life I’d been held back by irrational love and a false perception of what if.

I hated him.

Something caught my attention and I turned back to the doctor. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

I was tired. Spent. Exhausted.

I didn’t think this night could get any worse.

Life seemed to have a way of fucking me, but it couldn’t get me off.

The doctor loomed over me for a few more minutes before I pretended to fall asleep while ignoring Apollo wandering to my side.

I had nothing to say and didn’t want to hear his bullshit.

It was too late and too many things had broken us. The decision had already been made for me to go, but now it was cemented in place. No one could protect me from him… only me.

And that meant leaving. As soon as the doctors released me, I was escaping this hell and following my exit plan.

Disappearing.