Page 118 of Sins of the Orchid

Renzo was at my back, holding his own gun pointed at Luigi’s guard.

“You knew,” I hissed. “You fucking knew!”

I called Lorenzo after Puccini left. He didn’t know the name. His father kept him in the dark. But he was certain Luigi knew and recommended I reach out to his brother. Except, Luigi fucking Bennetti had owed me that answer for months.

Question was how long did he know? It might decide how many fucking bullet holes he got from me.

“This is about that goddamn marriage contract?” Luigi’s jaw ticked. Blood dripped from his hand to the blacktop, a dark expression on his face.

Thegoddamncontract played on repeat in my mind, ridiculing all my plans and taking Amore from me. A burn traveled through every inch of me, demanding I make him pay. Make his father pay.

So, I hit him. It was better than shooting him again. Lucky bastard! Pain exploded through my cracked knuckles the second my fist connected with his jaw.

Savio finally made it outside, a dark expression on his face. He was furious. Good! He should taste a fraction of what I felt.

“What the fuck is going on here?” he shouted, his gaze flickering to me and then back to his eldest.

Luigi immediately stood up straighter. I didn’t need to; I towered over both men.

I stepped away from Luigi and faced Savio. His guard had a gun aimed at my head. I held mine by my side. I didn’t need to aim it at his head. Before his guard could even pull the trigger, I’d have both of them dead.

Killing them, as tempting as it sounded, would turn Amore against me. She loved both her brothers and her father. She wouldn’t forgive me for killing them. Just the notion of earning her hatred, sent a hollow, dull ache throughout my chest.

“That contract is null and void,” I gritted out.

Savio stepped closer, his jaw tightening and fury coloring his face. Well, fuck him. “You want to start a war, Russo?”

I ran my hand over my jaw with sardonic amusement. He would never win that war. I had more men, more territory, and a lot more funds to spend on fighting him.

My eyes darkened. “I don’t want to start a war,” I growled. “But I will. Amore ismine.”

Savio and I stared at each other. I had just laid my cards down; the old man knew his daughter meant something to me. She meanteverythingto me. I was keeping her. I loved her.

Jesus!

The greedy, selfish bastard in me loved Amore Bennetti. I refused to let her go, even for her own happiness. Or my brother’s. OnlyIwould make her happy. Only I would touch her.

“Russo, even if that contract was to be voided, she won’t be yours,” Savio hissed. “My last promise to her mother was that I’d keep our daughter out of the underworld. You are as deep in it as they come.”

One heartbeat. Two heartbeats.

“Has anyone asked Amore what she wants?” I gritted out.

It was a pointless question. He didn’t. He had never bothered asking her what she wanted.

“Keep away from my daughter,” he retorted angrily. “I intend to keep the promise to her mother, even if it kills me.”

If fucking might because I was more than tempted.

CHAPTER41

Santino

The sunrays sparked over the skyrise buildings, reflecting off the glass as I stared out the window. The skyline of my city stretched for miles, my empire suddenly looking gloomy, dark, and empty. Sickening as fuck.

I always knew Amore wasn’t meant for this life, but I hadn’t even dreamed that her father would make sure she wouldn’t remain in my world or give her to my brother.

A promise to keep.