Page 26 of Thorns of Blood

Romeo stepped in behind me, his own weapon aimed at her.

“Tell your buddy there that I’ll have you on your ass before he ever has a chance to pull the trigger,” she threatened, jerking her chin at my brother.

The icy gleam in her eyes wasn’t something I was accustomed to seeing in the opposite sex. Usually they fell at my feet and flirted their way into my bed. But then Liana wasn’t just any female, was she?

“If you’re going to shoot,” I stated, cocking my head, “better make sure you kill us both. I have no qualms about killing a woman in self-defense.”

Her lip curled, baring her white teeth.

“Put the gun down,” Romeo snarled.

“I’d sooner die,” she screamed back. “Who in the fuck are you?”

The woman had balls. But there was also something in her eyes that unnerved me. Not exactly fear. More like… panic. Terror, even.

“I’m Giovanni Agosti. And this is my brother, Romeo. We don’t mean you any harm.”

“Right. Said no man ever,” she scoffed. “That’s why you attacked me. Kidnapped me.”

Romeo took a menacing step forward, and she leveled her aim at him. “One more step, and I’ll shoot.”

I threw Romeo a look that I hoped he interpreted asstand down, but all I got back from him was an eyeroll.

“What do you want from me?” she demanded.

“You.” It was the truth, for more reasons than one. “Your sister sent me.”

Her eyes darkened with shadows. “I don’t want to see her.”

“She’s your twin,” I reasoned, surprised to hear her response, even though it would play well into my plans.

Although, it left me wondering… Why wouldn’t Liana want to see her? Ever since I’d first met Louisa, her twin was all she cared about. Even when she thought her twin was dead, she was searching for answers.

Liana interrupted my pondering.

“I can offer you a lot of money if you’ll just let me go on my way.”

I laughed and threw my arms wide. “Does it look like I need your money?”

“Then what? Everyone wants something they can’t have.”

I ran my tongue across my teeth, so many ideas running through my mind. Although, I didn’t think she’d appreciate any of them.

“I hate repeating myself, but I’ll make an exception this one last time,” I deadpanned. “You.”

Let her interpret that one.

Her brows twitched as if she wanted to frown, but she quickly shook it off.

Then her eyes darted between the two of us and to the vast ocean surrounding us. Her brown eyes with their hazel specks narrowed, and I knew she was probably coming to the conclusion there was nowhere to run.

But her next move shocked me to the core.

She pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting Romeo’s arm before she pointed the gun at me again.

“Tell your captain to turn this boat around, or you’re next.”

“Now you’re starting to piss me off, wildflower,” I hissed as I rushed her, darting left to right to avoid any bullets she shot my way.