Page 94 of Bound By Betrayal

“Let him go. I have your money. Please.”

But Gio wouldn’t let up. He was desperate, like he was trying to tell me something.

“What was that?” the man teased, straightening him with a harsh tug. “I can’t quite hear you.”

He ripped off the tape…

“Amalia! No! She…she did it!”

The words he shouted didn’t make sense… And then I felt it, hard steel pressed to my temple.

“Surprise, babe.” Holly chuckled and stepped back, putting enough distance between us where she felt comfortable that I wouldn’t disarm her.

I never knew what an ice bucket felt like, but I was pretty sure the chill racing through my body in painful waves was reality knocking me hard on my ass and blindsiding me in a way that I would have never seen coming.

Holly. My best friend. My sister. Had a gun pointed at my head.

“You goddamn bitch.” Kai took a step toward us, but she steadied her aim.

“If you think you can reach me before I put a bullet in that beautiful face of hers, I invite you to try.”

“I’m going to kill you,” he threatened, cracking his neck as he stared her down.

Holly scoffed. “I’m sure you are.”

“Holly…why?” My voice cracked, and I swallowed hard as feelings of nausea churned in my stomach.

“Oh, fuck. Here we go with the twenty-one questions.Why are you doing this? I thought we were sisters. Please, let us go.Blah, blah, blah.” Her tone was taunting as she paced back and forth, enjoying every second of this reveal—of her betrayal.

That was the moment that hit me hardest. It had been her this whole time—the highway, the meeting, the ambush…my wedding.

Not Rocco.

Gabi and my girls weren’t coming.

“I can see the light bulbs in your head going off like fucking Christmas lights. It’s hilarious.”

“What’s wrong with you? Why would you do this? After everything.”

“You’re so far up your ass that you can’t see anything beyond what you want to see.La reina,” she seethed, rolling her eyes. “I’ve hated you my whole fucking life. But I had to pretend because my mother shoved you down my throat. And, of course, the man I loved only had eyes for you, as that story always goes. Most importantly, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m just a damn psychopath who tortures men for a living. Did you expect any less? It’s that simple. I hate you. I have no emotions beyond that.”

“You sorry bitch. You’re too much of a pussy to confront me, so you orchestrate all of this.”

She shrugged and exaggerated a sigh. “I could have killed you so many times, but that would have been too easy, so I killed Tony instead.”

Blood rushed to my feet, and I reared back as if she’d sucker-punched me.

“No,” I whispered.

“Yes.”

Kai wrapped his arms around me, preventing me from lunging toward her. “I’m going to kill you.”

“Sure, babe. Like you killed Rocco?” She raised the gun toward Kai. “You know that saying, an eye for an eye?”

“No! Don’t you fucking do it.”

Holly’s eyes narrowed, her grin malicious as she winked. “Okay.”