Page 128 of Red Retaliation

And I couldn’t despise myself any more than I already do.

I crack my knuckles, every muscle in my body screaming. I promised to protect Arianna. Promised her that she’d be safe with me and that no man, aside from me, would ever touch her again, yet I’ve let her down.

I’m pathetic.

Pathetic for not knowing what to do or where to go.

I glare at Del Carter’s corpse still lying on the floor. I will not let his body be moved. I want it rotting in here with me to serve as a reminder of what he has done and how he’s betrayed me; betrayed Arianna - betrayedallof us. Maybe then the ludicrous concept of guilt that he is dead is beaten from my brain.

All these years Del lied. All these years he worked against me, yet I was too stupid to see it. Now I’ve destroyed the only good thing is my life: the woman I love.

Snatching up a decanter, I launch it across the room, numbly watching as chunks of lead crystal scatter across the floor.

It’s only been two days since that vital connection with Arianna wasmade. Looking into her beautiful eyes as I possessed her body over and over, I saw through the windows of her soul that we both experienced the one thing we didn’t expect. Yet now it’s gone before it can be nurtured and allowed to grow to its full extent: a life with her in it, despite all the surrounding hostility.

I’ve received the punishment I craved by involving myself with her in the first place, but the delivered punishment isn’t anywhere near what I expected.

I don’t hear anyone else enter the casino until they’re upon me. I swing around, poised ready to strike.

“Whoa!” Liam holds his hands up. “It’s only us!”

I eye my brothers impatiently. “What do you want? Come to gloat?”

“We’re getting rid of the body.” Oscar strides past me and unfurls the roll of tarpaulin in his arms.

“Leave it!” I bark, sounding every bit like the crazed lunatic I feel. “I want it in here.” My vicious glare swivels across to rest on the traitor that I’d have gladly died for, should the requirement arise. Now, I want to stamp on what’s left of Del’s face, but he’s managed to take even that pleasure away from me.

“We’re taking it.” Liam stands between me and Oscar, who’s already rolling Del into the canvas.

“I said NO!” My hands shake with impotent rage.

Liam continues speaking as if I haven’t just issued an order. “What are the plans? Where are we heading for first?”

I blink, unsure whether I’m hearing things. “Why the hell are you asking me that, when Arianna not being here is what you’ve both angled for all along?” I turn my back, unwilling to let Liam and Oscar see the pain in my eyes.

“That was before I watched you the other day.Properlywatched you.”

Liam’s hand remains on my shoulder. I want to shake it off, but the mention of Arianna’s name renders me a statue.

“What’s between you two is real, isn’t it?”

My response sticks in my throat. Admitting the truth makes her absence further crucifyingly real. Instead, I manage a stilted nod, knowing without turning that my brothers exchange glances.

“Regardless of what we thought, we were wrong,” Liam says. “Arianna’s not working against us; we realize that now, therefore you have our word that we’ll help you get her back, whatever the cost.”

Forgetting my oath not to let anyone witness my inner destruction, Iswing around, spotting Cal Bennett also in the room.

“We’ll sort this, bruv, so go and have a shower. You look and smell like shit,” Liam grins. “Then we’ll work out a plan.”

I nod abruptly, a glimmer of hope sparking inside me, which in turn lights a flame of revenge. Just this once, I’ll take orders from Liam and get myself cleaned up. I no longer care if Oscar takes Del’s body. I no longer need that reminder.

What I need is Arianna. She is mine, and I will get her back.

If I have to destroy the fucking world and everyone in it to achieve that, then that’s exactly what I will do.

And that startsnow.