Page 131 of Nico

“Yes, Cara Mia?”

“If we don’t make it,” she muttered.

“We will,” I assured her. “I brought in reinforcements.”

She pressed herself tighter against me. “I love you, Nico.” The bullets stopped, gunfire ceased, and the dust cleared. It ended as quickly as it started. But still my ears buzzed from her words. I lifted off her slightly, searching her face. “I do. It doesn’t make any sense and knowing that Benito is my biological father-”

I smashed my mouth against hers to stop any more words. Her lips molded into mine, and I swallowed her moan.

Shit, I would have to tell her everything. About the pill, my scheming. But she loved me. I knew we’d overcome it all. She’d make me grovel, but I’d gladly do it. For her. Only for her.

“There you are, lovebirds,” Luca drawled. I pressed another kiss to her lips, and she returned it. Luca just wouldn’t let go, though. “I have to tell you both; this is neither the time nor the place to get frisky.”

I flipped him a middle finger over my head. Bianca did the same.

“Awwww, sister, you hurt my feelings!” Luca purred.

Bianca peeked over my shoulder. “You knew?”

“Of course,” Cassio stepped in. “Nico, stop humping my sister.”

Exhausted, I rolled over and flipped him two middle fingers. Standing up, I pulled Bianca safely into my arms.

“Don’t ever scare me like this again,” I muttered against her forehead, pressing a kiss there.

She pushed away from me, and I gave her the distance she needed. For now. Her eyes frantically searched around.

“My mom,” she glanced up, to where her mother’s body hung earlier. Her face was a mess of tears and dust, her dark hair tangled.

Her eyes frantically searched for her mother’s body, and the moment she spotted it, she rushed to it on her wobbly legs.

“Cara Mia, you shouldn’t-”

“Bianca, it’s not a pretty sight,” Cassio warned her.

“I don’t care.” She fell onto her knees. The look on her face was gut wrenching and tears streamed down her face. Wrapping her arms around her mom, she brought the body against her chest. Her grief hit me right into my chest.

“I’m so sorry,” she murmured, her body rocking back and forth with her mother’s limp body in her arms. Bianca’s pain felt like my own, the painful memories of my own flooding back. Three years ago, it was me that held my sister that way. “It’s all my fault, Mom.”

“Bianca, love.” I lowered myself to my knees, next to her. “It’s not your fault. Your mom knew that.”

She shook her head, the side of her face a bloody mess from the blood and dirt. I had to make sure she had no injuries, that she was alright.

“It’s all my fault,” she murmured crying, her body in constant back and forth motion, like she tried to rock her mother to sleep.

“No, it’s not,” I rasped. “It’s Benito’s.”

She stilled at his name, glanced up, her eyes shimmering like wet diamonds. “Is he dead?”

I flicked my eyes to Cassio, to see him look towards the door. I followed his gaze to see Vladimir emerging through the door, holding Benito by his throat and Alexei on the other side of Benito. Just in case he got away.

“You!” Her voice was rough, her eyes full of fury. She gently laid her mother’s body down, as if she was sleeping, then stood up. “You monster!” She launched herself at Benito, her fist connecting with his chest. “You did this to her!”

I came right behind her to ensure no harm came to her. If she wanted to beat Benito black and blue, I wouldn’t stop her. Hell, I’d assist her. The bastard deserved a long and painful death.

Benito scoffed. “No, she did it,” he drawled. “She should have never kept my daughter from me.”

“I’m not your daughter!” she screamed hysterically. “You are a monster.”