Page 90 of Dark Breaker

What the hell? Where is she?

She has to be here, somewhere. There’s simply nowhere to go. Unless…

I go back to the private rooftop and peer over the railing, worried that she might have thrown herself off. The pavement below is empty, quiet. That’s when I notice the cord tied between the railing and the fire escape below. Normally, the escape is too far to reach from here—the rooftop was never really intended to be part of my suite, but I had the terrace built here anyway, going against the building code. I didn’t bother to connect it to the fire escape.

But Rosa had taken the cord I use to plug my electric guitar into the amp, and turned it into a rope, joining the balcony to the fire escape. I’m not really sure how it held under her weight, but it did, thankfully.

And now she’s gone.

Fuck.

She’s going to tell her brothers what I did.

We reallyaregoing to war.

I’m not sure what’s worse. The fact that I now have to face a potential war on three fronts.

Or that I’m never going to see her again.

15

Rosa

I’m at the villa I used to share with my brothers on the island of Ustica. I’m in the kitchen, digging into a bowl of chocolate mousse. I’m also cooking an apple pie in the oven. Next to me, I have a bag of sweets from thepasticceriarequiring my attention as well. Oh and, Luciano promised to pick up pizza and ice cream on his way home. Yes, comfort foods. I need more comfort foods.

My phone buzzes yet again in my pocket. It’s either a text or a phone call from Fabio. I don’t want to check it. I’m through with his lying ass. Having my brother put into jail, and then trying to lock me up in his penthouse suite? I don’t think so.

Still, curiosity gets the better of me and I grab my phone. It’s a text this time. I read it quickly.

Look, I can get your brother released from prison. Just call me so we can fix this.

I swipe left and delete it. That feels immensely good. Almost as good as a spoonful of mousse on my tongue. Speaking of which, I scoop up another big glob from the bowl and shove it into my mouth.

It feels great to be the one in control for once. The one in power. Fabio is begging to have me back.

But I know he’s only doing it because of his stupid alliance. He doesn’t really care about me, other than for the sex, maybe. And that’s not good enough. Still, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss him.

My phone buzzes again. It’s the exact same message.

“Him again?” Massimo asks.

I show the text to Massimo.

He nods. “Fabio doesn’t understand. There’s no going back now. You can’t mess with the Morettis like that without repercussions. You don’t stab your allies in the back and expect them to be all friendly with you again when you remove the knife and patch them up. The damage is done.”

Massimo’s phone buzzes in his pocket. He checks the number and hits silence. Fabio is trying to call him again as well, no doubt.

I study Massimo. “You think I made a mistake?”

“What do you mean?” my brother asks.

“Leaving him,” I explain. “After all, I married him so your lives wouldn’t be endangered. And now we’re going to war with the D’Alimontes anyway. It was all for nothing. I could call him, patch things up. If you think it’s the right thing to do. I don’t want Roberto stuck in jail. Or for anyone else to get hurt.”

Massimo shakes his head violently. “We have our own contacts among the guards. We’ll have Roberto out of jail before noon. We don’t need that traitor on our side any more, and you don’t need him in your bed.”

I lower my gaze.

I actually do need him in my bed.