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Chapter Thirty-Nine

Rafael

I watch in horror as Lux raises the gun, pointing it squarely at my forehead.

A million thoughts rush through me, doubt entangled with rage and fear, as she cocks the gun. I know she’s never handled a weapon before, and I can only pray this goes off without a hitch—otherwise, I’m a dead man.

She was staring at my hand earlier, trying to figure out what I was communicating to her.

I tried to stall for as long as possible, listening to Vince’s deranged story of how he’s going to run the city when I’m dead. She must have finally understood—that, or she’s really about to kill me and end this all.

Either way, if this is the last thing I see before I die, I’ll be a happy man.

My gaze roves across her face—those delicate cheekbones, thick lashes framing two deep pools of blue, her rosy lips.

I commit it all to memory, hoping I can bring it to the afterlife with me, if there is one. The worst thing in the world would be to die and never relive the way Lux made me feel.

“I love you, sunshine,” I whisper, trying to gauge her response. I think about her shower spiders and the turkey she saved from the cruel farmer. She can’t even step on ants. This woman isn’t going to shoot me.

Unless she accidentally does because she’s never held a fucking gun in her life.

“Do it already,” Vince screams, his face distorted with anger. A vein throbs in his forehead, making him look completely unhinged. He’s not going to hold on much longer without snapping.

“She won’t do it,” I egg him on, smirking casually, even though my heart is racing like a runaway train careening off the tracks.

“You,” he whips around to glare at me. “You think we call you The Wolf because you’re so big and bad? Think again, you piece of shit.”

He’s practically foaming at the mouth. I smile a little, noticing that his anger is clouding his judgment.

His gun has slipped from Lux’s temple to rest on her shoulder, and his eyes dart around my face wildly as the vein in his forehead throbs. My fingers grip the knife in my pocket firmly, ready to strike.

“Oh yeah? I always thought you called me that because you’re terrified of how quickly I can destroy you.” I laugh darkly. I pull the knife subtly from my pocket, my eyes sliding to Lux, begging her to notice. Her gaze slips to my hand and her eyes widen in understanding.

“It’s because you’re nothing but a glorified dog,” Vince roars, leaning closer to me. He’s getting in my face, trying to intimidate me, all the while not knowing that he’s falling into my trap.

“A fucking mutt,” he repeats, spitting at me. It lands on my shoulder but I ignore it. “Begging for attention from your dead mother, surviving on scraps from your father. Isn’t that how it’s always been?”

“That’s pretty twisted, Vince, even for you,” I muse. Lux is watching me intently, her finger resting lightly on the trigger. She’s ready, I can tell, so I make the move. “Of course, I’m not surprised. It’s something I’d expect from someone who killed his entire family.”

“What did you say?” he roars, getting closer to me. His arm is outstretched behind him, pointed at Lux’s chest now, but he’s not paying attention. I smirk, and it brings him closer, close enough for me to slide a knife in his chest with one quick movement.

“You killed your mommy and daddy when you were just a kid, didn’t you, Vince?” I taunt him. The vein in his forehead is about to explode, hopefully killing him so I won’t have to. “Hid their bodies. Strangled your sister, too.”

Hate radiates off him like heat. He glowers at me, ready to launch at me, needing to destroy me. But he’s trapped. He can’t take his gun off Lux. I have him right where I want him, but maybe one more jab to really sink the mental knife in?

“Did you enjoy your time in the mental institution after you forced your senile, rich grandparents to pay off the cops and the judge?”

“Shoot the dog, waitress,” he screams, glaring into my eyes. “NOW!”

Chaos ensues. Lux squeezes her eyes shut and points the gun at me.

“NOW!” Vince screams.

“No,” she whimpers.

“Open your damn eyes!” I yelp in panic.

She pulls the trigger, moving the gun at the last possible second.

My life flashes before my eyes, but I don’t stop to dwell on how she almost accidentally killed me. Instead, I use the distraction to slip the knife from my pocket and jam it into Vince’s chest. He goes down kicking and pulls me with him.

Lux springs into action, stomping on his wrist to release his grip on his gun. When he does, she kicks it down the hallway, wild-eyed and terrified.

My vision blurs as Vince’s fingers curl and tighten around my throat. I may be younger and stronger, but I’m also dazed and injured.

“I can’t do it, Rafael,” she cries, her gun hanging limply from her fingers. “I can’t shoot him.”

I swing my arm back and punch him as hard as I can. His grip loosens and I pull the knife from his chest.

“Don’t worry,” I manage to choke out as she bursts into tears. “I got it.”

I plunge it into his throat this time and it sends up a spray of blood across the white walls. Lux screams, collapsing onto the floor. I mumble a silent apology to her for what she’s about to witness and plunge the knife into his throat again.

His fingers go limp, releasing their grip on my throat entirely, and I growl as I pull the knife out and plunge it in again.

The entryway is soaked in blood now. I know he’s dead, but I can’t help myself. I repeat the action again and again until Lux screams my name.

“Stop, Rafael, stop!” she begs, sobbing on the floor. “He’s dead. It’s done. He’s dead.”

I sit back on my haunches, staring at the pale, lifeless face of the man who killed my father and tried to kill my woman. I’ve never been prouder of myself than I am now.

“You deserved it, you bastard,” I hiss, letting the knife clatter to the ground. When I finally force myself to stand, Lux cowers on the floor, sobbing.

“It’s over, Luxy, it’s over now,” I assure her. Plopping down beside her, I gather her trembling body into my arms. I stroke her back and soothe her as Vince bleeds out onto the marble floors.

We’re definitely moving now.

It feels like hours pass this way, but it must have only been a few minutes when the elevator dings. I panic, reaching for the gun in my jacket but stop when Lux gasps.

“Enzo?” she whispers.

“Enzo?” I spin around to face the elevator. Enzo strides out, flanked by my uncles. They stop in their tracks to take in the scene: Vince lifeless on the floor, Lux and I covered in blood, embracing on the floor of my entryway.

“Guess we missed the party?” Enzo quips, cracking a grin. “Boss, why don’t you ever answer when I call?”

Joe shakes his head, stepping around the kid to check out Vince. Rocco joins him as they double-check his pulse and confirm he’s dead.

“Enzo, not now,” I groan, sinking my face into Lux’s hair to block him out.

“I thought we were buddies,” he continues. “But you only call me when you need something from me. I’m starting to think you’re using me or something.”

“I swear to God…” I snap, but instantly stop when I hear a snot-filled giggle escape from Lux’s mouth. She’s laughing. Enzo made her laugh even though she’s covered in Vince’s blood. Enzo deserves the world. “You’re getting a raise.”

“All I ever wanted was friendship,” he says wistfully, stepping over the blood to extend his hand to Lux. She grabs it and he hauls her up. “But you keep throwing money and cars at me.”

“All right kids, all right, let’s take care of business, shall we?” Rocco asks, brushing Enzo aside. I stand to join them, watching Lux wrap her arms around herself as we all survey the scene.

The laughter from seconds ago is gone again, replaced by a haunted, empty look in her eyes.

“Take care of this?” I ask, nodding at Vince. “I need to take care of something much more important.”

I pull Lux into my arms and practically drag her into the elevator.

“This is the last time you’ll step foot in this place,” I whisper in her ear as the doors shut.