Page 31 of Bittersweet Endings (Agostino Crime Family #6)

I’d watched Apollo for as long as I could remember him. The way his brain worked. How he tried to adapt to the world around him, but it was a constant battle to stand on the line between his natural psychotic inhibitions and adhering to societal norms.

But with Peiro… It was no longer so easy for him to bury it. His insanity was dripping through his every pore. Crazed. That was the best way to explain it. It wasn’t fake. He really believed I belonged to him.

“Enough, Octavia. You’ve done it. Okay?” He stepped closer, and I stood my ground. “You want to show everyone how strong you are. We get it. It’s over now. Let’s go.” He waved me over.

Without thought, I stepped towards Carmine, who quickly placed a reassuring hand on my waist. I didn’t have to see it to know this gave him the slightest hint of a smile. With the way Peiro’s head throttled backwards, I knew he saw it too.

“You fucking bitch,” he seethed. “Him? The asshole who kidnapped you? Guess you’re not that strong. You’re weak. So fucking weak.” Peiro shook his head. “Just remember you did this. This is all your fault.” His gun turned towards me .

“I’ll take him over you, asshole.” Moving fast, I snatched Carmine’s gun and pulled the trigger.

The bullet went a little wide, but it was enough to graze Peiro and throw him back. His men rushed forward and the restaurant doors flung open. Lucky. Apollo. Matteo. Lorenzo. And various soldatos .

They stood around the room, a silent force of one fucked-up alliance. If I wasn’t so angry, my heart might be warming to their concern. Except, once again, I was the last one to know this was all part of their plan.

Lucky forced Peiro to his knees, a barrel pressed to the back of the bastard’s head. My brother leaned forward and growled into Peiro’s ear. But he heard none of it. He was too laser-focused on me.

As I approached, he smirked. “You’ll never be rid of me.” Peiro glanced at the scars on my stomach, my skirt still unzipped.

I pressed the gun between Peiro’s eyes. “You’re already gone.

Carmine erased every part of you. All these scars will remind me of is that I am a hell of a lot stronger than anyone gives me credit for.

” I glanced at my brother. “And that I’m not a fucking traitor. I’m the one who protected this family.”

“You’re a fucking traitor for choosing that motherfucker.” Peiro spit at my feet. “Doesn’t matter if you pull that trigger, Octavia. I am stuck in here.” He tapped his temple. “I’ll never. Never. Be gone from there.”

Carmine slipped behind me, his hand ensnaring my wrist. “Let me do this for you.” He tucked a loose curl behind my ear and pressed a finger to my lips when I tried to respond.

“Shut up. I know you’re strong enough to do this on your own.

But I want to do this for you. End your last goddamn nightmare. ”

“I sleep just fine these days,” I muttered, my cheeks burning red from all the attention on me .

“Even without me?” Carmine’s finger stroked my cheek, chuckling when I slapped him away and looked at the ground. “Any last words, motherfucker?”

“Wait.” My brother stepped forward, his men moving closer. “Who else is working with you?”

Peiro sneered at him. “My dad was right. You’re fuckin’ weak. All that shit you confided in me. Pathetic. I took what I wanted. You don’t have the balls to do the same, you mother?—”

A shot rang out, and I jumped. Peiro gripped his thigh, howling in pain as a red pool bloomed across his skin. Lucky smirked over his shoulder, Apollo’s gun smoking at the end of his hand.

My brother laughed. “I don’t enjoy sending my men into a battle without proper preparation.” He paused. “Like you just did.”

“I took what I wanted. I wasn’t a fuckin’ coward.” Peiro’s eyes softened on me until he saw Carmine’s hand still on my waist. “And now I’ll take something precious from all of you.” Peiro rolled to his side and attempted to pull another gun from his back.

Carmine moved fast, tossing Peiro onto his back, and I pressed the gun to his forehead again.

My chest heaved as the pain from all those terrible memories started to resurface.

“You haunted me. Little did I know that behind your fake smiles was a true brutality buried deep. Why didn’t you show me the real you sooner? ”

“Because my fath—” Peiro paused, showing his cards.

“Because daddy was playing a bigger game. You wanted me. Daddy wanted an empire.” I laughed, squatting to meet him at eye level. “You were the patsy in a bigger game and he didn’t care if you lived or died. Was the sex worth it?”

“Every. Fucking. Second. ”

“Shame.” I paused. “Besides the sharp jab, it was unremarkable for me. And I mean from the knife, not your little cock.”

The men around me sniggered.

“Do you know your daddy cried in the end? When I put that knife to his throat, he bawled like a baby.” I pressed the barrel harder against Peiro’s head.

“You’re going to regret this. That beast will take and take until there’s nothing left.” He leaned into the gun. “Kill me, but I’ll never leave you. And now you’ll be trapped with him, you weak little bitch. At least that pussy was tight.”

Carmine growled from behind me, and I could feel him step closer. The entire room seemed to let out a heavy exhale and move in. But it was too late. A loud explosion at the door forced all of us to stumble. Carmine rushed forward, throwing me aside and landing on top of my body.

The restaurant erupted into chaos. Smoke billowed, thick and suffocating.

Men were screaming, and chairs scraped against the floor as bodies rushed in no particular direction.

But all I could see was Carmine, his broad back a wall in front of me, shielding me from whatever hell had just been unleashed.

“Shit.” I started to get up when I spotted Peiro trying to flee.

Carmine whipped his head towards me, his eyes sharp even in the dim haze. “Stay down.”

I scowled, hating the way my body listened even as my pride screamed in protest. My ass hit the floor, my fingers clenched tight around the gun like it was my lifeline.

Carmine stepped around the table, his focus locked on the threat. I should stay put. I should let him handle it. But then I saw it. Figures darting through the smoke, slipping into the kitchen door like shadows disappearing into the abyss. And at the center of them… Peiro.

The gun in my grip suddenly felt heavier. I could let Carmine deal with him. I could stay right here like a good girl. Or I could follow. I could end this myself.

My breath was shallow, my heart slamming against my ribs as the choice tore through me.

Stay. Or go.