Page 3 of Savage Empire

Yordan isn’t swayed. His eyes go dark as he asks, “Says who?”

Bang.

The shot that rings out is fast and final. A smirk spreads across my lips, something akin to pride rushing through me. Yordan killed without remorse, using lethal force to protect his sister just as I would—just as any Moretti would, really.

Cassio and I release the dead weight, blood beginning to seep into the dark water as the corpse floats away slowly. Yordan blinks, reaching out in an attempt to return my weapon. Only, it doesn’t feel like mine any longer.

“You keep it,” I say, nodding back to shore and beginning to guide him out of the ocean. “Let it serve as a reminder of what made men do to those who hurt their family.”

“Might need it,” hemuses, smiling with a wince. “Just killed one of Abramo Giuliani’s men with the help of two Morettis. He’ll try to have my head before I can even start to defend myself.”

Not going to happen.

A familiar sort of protectiveness rises in my chest. “You let me handle Abramo,” I tell him darkly. “You won’t be going back there.”

Wading through the last of the heavy water, his steps falter.

“We won’t?”

“No, you’re coming home with us.”

I say the proclamation before I’ve even thought it over. And still, I don’t regret it. I’m not sending these two anywhere but on a plane back to Outfit territory. I’ve helped plenty of women in need before, this shouldn’t be any different.

“We are?” Yordan gapes, feet finally hitting the dry, black beach sand.

I open my mouth to reply, only to be silenced by shock.

“How dare you?” Rayna demands storming up to us with wild green eyes and a sneer on her pink lips. “He’s just a boy, he has no business killing people! You’ve just given him a death sentence.”

Did she just shout at me?

Disbelief and amusement hit me all at once.

Has a woman ever yelled at me before?

I don’t know that anyone has ever dared to raise their voice toward me, especially after knowing who I am and what I’m capable of.

Huh.

I don’t know whether I should be upset or not. Instead, I find that I’m utterly baffled, and I have no idea how to address it.

“Tell your sister to pack her things,” I instruct Yordan, looking at the pair of siblings. “We’re staying in the west building tonight, I’ll make sure you have a room there. We leave on the jet tomorrow morning, nine sharp.”

“What are you talking about?” Rayna’s head rears back in shock and outrage. “We aren’t going anywhere with you. We don’t even know you.”

There she goes again with that tone. Was this woman born with this level of audacity or has she simply adopted it over time? “I wasn’t asking for your input. If you want to be free of Abramo’s wrath, you’ll come with us.”

She folds her arms, looking like steam might start to burst from her ears. “So, what? You can give me a price for that freedom that I could never dream of repaying? Fat chance! I amnottrading one jailer for another.”

“I’m sure you’ll find I don’t have much taste for holding hostages.”Certainly not insolent ones with attitudes, either.

“There will be no payment,” Cassio informs her, his voice going soft in an attempt to reassure the raging woman. “Morettis take care of women, no questions asked, no compensation required. You want to protect your brother, don’t you? You’ll be safe with our family.”

Rayna shrinks in on herself, likely recognizing that we’re not the enemies she seems to think we are. I find that I don’t like the look of embarrassment that seems to cross her face. She was all outrage and brusque seconds ago, and it wasn’t exactly unfounded. Two men she doesn’t know just helped her little brother commit a first degree felony in front of her eyes.

All that fire fades at the prospect of safety?

Perhaps Federico shouldn’t have been given such a swift death.