by CR Robertson
“Papa, my home is in Cuba with Nicklas.” Her voice was soft, but her words echoed around every corner of this room.
Lucas flinched as if she’d hit him in the solar plexus. He took a staggered breath. “Looks like I’m going to have to invest in property in Cuba. I am not having a grandbaby half a world away from me.”
The conversation fell into planning for tomorrow night. Catarina and Lucrezia arrived along with a woman with blonde hair that Jordan watched intently. God help that poor woman, because that psychopath would be the type to tie you up and keep you hidden from the world until you submitted to him.
While studying the schematics of the building being used tomorrow night, Sofia reached into my pocket to retrieve my phone. She opened it and began to show her sisters the photos from Cuba and our wedding.
“Do you not have important information on that phone?” Xavier nodded in Sofia’s direction.
“Nothing more important than my wife’s safety,” I replied.
Lucas chuckled somewhere to my left. “That’s a good answer, or your balls could have been on display on my mantlepiece.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline, but I suppressed the shudder that wanted to ripple down my back. There was no doubt in my mind that Lucas would happily carry out that threat, considering that I’d stolen his favourite daughter from under his nose.
Sometimes the prize was worth the risk.
***
Chapter Thirty-Two
Sofia
Maybe I was biased, but my husband was the most handsome man in the world.
“Can we not stay at home under the duvet,” I coaxed, snaking my hands around Nicklas’ neck. “I promise to behave.”
His lips twitched because I’d promised the same thing last night when he told me I wasn’t allowed to scream during sex since Papa was in the house. I lied. Orgasms tended to do that, especially the ones where Nicklas’ head was between my legs and that tongue of his worked its magic.
“One last threat to take care of, Princess, and then you and I are going back to lounge in the sun, while you grow into a huge pumpkin.” He pressed a kiss to the end of my nose.
That birth control shot was only effective for three months when I Googled it. I had my last one a few months before jumping on that plane to Cuba. In the past I often got it late because I forgot, but in fairness, I hadn’t been having sex multiple times a day back then.
Catarina had worked her magic on me, and yet again I wished she’d been there for my wedding day to beautify me. I wouldn’t change any other aspect of it since it was just the two of us before God. Catarina was already planning a blessing ceremony and looking at dresses.
“I don’t want to go tonight.” I knew that I was being a cry baby, but the dread that curled deep in my stomach and pulsed against the bottom of my spine wouldn’t go away. It started this morning after convincing Nicklas to go through with this plan yesterday.
His arms wound around me until I was cradled against his strength. “I know, Sofia, and if there was any other way, we would be on a plane out of here and already on our way home.” He sighed and leaned his forehead to mine. “He’s heavily guarded when he’s holed up in his mansion like the rat he is.”
“I have such a bad feeling,” I confessed. “My stomach was in knots like this on the day they tried to abduct me.”
He squeezed me a bit and nuzzled my neck. “Yeah, but that brought you straight to me.”
“Hmmm. Don’t you dare mess with my hair and make-up.”
His grin made my stomach tighten and moisture gather deep in my core. “That red lipstick definitely belongs around my dick.”
“Paula at university says that blowjobs are a facility to get what you want from a man.” I arched my eyebrow and held my ring up. “Too late, Buddy, I got what I wanted.”
Nicklas threw his head back and laughed, shaking his head at me, tightening his hold until my ribs protested.
I retrieved the ridiculous shoes Catarina had left in my room. My preference was for the flip-flops I left back in Cuba. My red velvet dress hugged my curves, and the balcony bra presented my breasts to bulge over the top. I was trying to pull the dress up in the mirror when Nicklas stilled my hands and returned it to where it should be. His fingertips traced the fleshy orbs.
“I love your curves, Sofia. You don’t need to hide them.”
I’d always been self-conscious beside my sisters. It was engrained deep inside me. My hair hung in loose waves around my face and shoulders. Catarina had made my eyes deep and mysterious and my lips cherry red.
Nicklas was dressed in a black suit, black dress shirt, and black tie. The only colour on him were the silver cufflinks I attached earlier, and his ring that matched mine. I was going to have to start scratching eyes out of women when they ogled him tonight.
“What’s that expression for?” Nicklas asked, smoothing the wrinkles between my eyebrows with his thumb.
“Women will be eye-fucking you tonight.” I pouted.
His naughty grin made me frown deeper. “Sofia, have you looked at yourself in the mirror?” He spun me around to face my full-length nemesis in the corner. His hands landed on my hips to tug me against him. “Lucas has forbidden me from taking my gun tonight, or I would have to shoot a lot of men who will be having sex with my wife in their heads.”
I chewed the inside of my mouth. He traced my hourglass figure, his lips skimming my throat. “Only I get inside this perfect body.”
His ability to melt my heart was the reason I fell in love with Nicklas. He didn’t bullshit or say things just to make me feel better. His words transformed me because they were the truth. From the beginning, our relationship had been based on that.
I nodded and took a deep breath as he released me. Spinning slowly, I held my arms up. “Will I do?”
Nicklas tipped my chin up with two fingers. “You look gorgeous.” His kiss barely touched my lips.
The others waited downstairs. Catarina, Lucrezia, and Xavier’s wife Cassandra were all under house arrest. Megan stood beside Jordan, her blonde curls in a messy bun that made her look elegant and sexy. She was stunning, and I knew by the expression on Jordan’s face that he was captivated by her.
Papa sat in the front lounge. He rose when he saw us descend the staircase. “You are so grown up. My babies were to stay little forever.”
He’d been my best friend and confidante as I grew up. My life was changing, and that role now belonged to Nicklas. Papa opened his arms, and I flew into them, burrowing myself deep. He stroked my hair as he’d done thousands of times over the years.
“Everyone, keep your eyes open,” Nicklas said behind me. “Some of my men are already in place.”
“You got your men here in time?” Xavier queried.
“I told them Sofia needed them. Kris is running the operation with his eyes and ears already in the venue.” He slipped an earpiece into his ear and creaked his neck.
“They came for me?” His guys had always been in the background, with only the higher-ranking ones talking to me.
He rolled his eyes. “Of course they did, baby. We protect what is ours, it’s part of the Vendetta Brotherhood code.”
One of Papa’s limousines sat in the driveway, the engine a low hum in the still night. Dread tightened like it was trying to strangle my stomach. My hand grasped Nicklas’ as if it was an anchor to cling to.
“Relax, baby,” he said into my ear in the back of the car. “You’re safe.”
It wasn’t me I was worried about. Nicklas would risk his life to ensure I survived. That was not something I wanted to contemplate.
The massive mansion was lit up in the darkness of the surrounding countryside. Trees had different coloured lights illuminating them. The huge circle at the front of the mansion had a constant stream of cars dropping people off.
“Looks a bit like Midnight Manor,” Ash muttered, staring out the window.
“What’s Midnight Manor?” I asked.
“Nowhere you
ever need to visit,” Papa snapped, and Nicklas’ eyebrows shot up at his tone.
Xavier’s subsequent chuckle and grin intrigued me. I looked to Nicklas, but he just winked and shook his head. It was a topic I’d ask him about later.
“Ready?” Papa stared around the people inside the car before he emerged first as head of our family.
Nicklas’ hand stayed firmly in mine as the men kept Megan and me in the middle of them. Jordan and Ash stood on one side of Megan, Nicklas and Xavier on the outside of me, while Papa led the way.
The entrance hallway had people milling around with waiters carrying trays of champagne. Nicklas lifted two glasses, swallowing half of one before handing it to me with a wink. It allowed me the illusion of drinking by carrying half of a glass. My hand curved through his arm, my fingers digging in.
Kris was out there somewhere watching us. I’d seen his room filled with monitors. He was probably talking to Nicklas right now. The ballroom had thousands of tiny lights illuminating the paintings across the ceiling. The columns around the room had strings of lights wrapped around them. Huge bouquets of white roses sat in jardinieres on top of smaller white columns. The room looked like something I’d expect for a wedding reception, not a charity event.
Xavier ran interference, politely keeping guests away from us.
“Is it wrong that I could kill for a mojito right now?” I whispered.
Nicklas shot me an amused look. “No. I hate champagne and have to drink two glasses of it. I swear they make it from horse piss.”
No one needed to tell me that Silas had entered the room. Nicklas’ body emitted tension in waves, and Xavier and Ash both appeared beside me. In my mind, he was a huge man with red eyes and fangs. The reality was disappointing. He stood around five foot nine, with shoulder length black hair that had been dyed. No man of that age had not a grey hair in sight. Nicklas was half his age and some grey hairs were already showing at his temples. Silas had cold eyes that were a dark grey that bordered on black.
“Lucas, I heard from a little birdie that you would be here tonight.” His accent was posh English with undertones of living abroad for a period of time.
“Silas, what a pleasure. I haven’t seen you in ages. This country is so cold this time of year, I rarely leave Tuscany.”
“Then what brings you to our shores?” His gaze moved until he stared directly at me. Coldness seeped into my soul and sent a tremor of fear down my spine.
Papa laughed as if nothing was wrong when my heartbeat was so fast, I thought it was going to explode. “My daughter is graduating soon from university, so I decided I could check on my business first and make one trip instead of two.”
He deliberately drew attention to me, even though Silas stared directly at me. “And which daughter is this?” His smile made my skin crawl.
“Sofia is my eldest daughter. She is the picture of her mother.” There was a story here that no one had told me. Papa’s remarks and the way that man looked at me revealed the truth more than any words would.
“She is just like Isabella at that age. What were you studying at university?”
My fingers tightened on Nicklas’ arm. “Architecture. I share Papa’s love of old buildings.”
His dark gaze moved around our group. “One woman surrounded by so many men. You’re either very valuable or very beautiful.”
“I think every man in this room can see Sofia is incredibly beautiful.” Nicklas deliberately lifted my left hand to his mouth and kissed my wedding ring. “My wife is invaluable.”
Silas’ jaw tightened and his eyes hardened. “That is to be expected. I hadn’t heard that you had allowed one of your daughters to marry, Lucas.”
“Who am I to deny the course of true love? Her mother and I eloped after all.”
I never knew that. In my head they’d had a lavish wedding filled with guests. History had repeated itself without me ever knowing.
“I remember,” Silas replied tightly before his face transformed into a smile. “Well, I have people I need to speak to. Enjoy your evening.” He bowed slightly before leaving us.
“Maybe that’s the end of it,” I said quietly.
“No, my angel. Silas loved your mother and pursued her shamelessly. Her father had agreed to their marriage when we ran away.” Holy hell! That part had not been in my childhood version. “The way he watched you was the same way he did with Isabella.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Nicklas snapped. “I’m getting Sofia out of here right now. I’m not risking her any further. If you want him taken out, I’ll assemble my team to do it.”
“She is safe in a crowd,” Papa replied, lifting another glass of champagne.
“That psychopath infiltrated your security. Nowhere is safe right now except where I can protect her with my men.” Nicklas’ arm engulfed me as he held me against his hard body.
Tingling to the side of my head made me turn slightly to find Silas watching me with a terrifying grin on his face.
“I want to leave,” I said to Nicklas.
“We’re going right now, Princess. We’ll be on the next flight to Cuba.”
“I’ll summon the car,” Papa grumbled, lifting his hand to call a waiter.
That dark feeling intensified until it consumed me, my insides trembling as an all-encompassing terror rose inside. I gripped Nicklas as if my will alone could keep him safe and alive. There was chatting around me, but it sounded like white noise that left me disorientated.
We were close to the entrance hall when the room went dark. A few people screamed, others laughed, but I knew that the darkness heralded evil prowling among us. A hand grabbed my arm, and I dragged myself free.
Everything erupted around me with the darkness obscuring our assailants. Nicklas pushed me behind him, shouting to Papa. My hands gripped the back of his suit. His body kept moving as he deflected an attack, stumbling back to crash into me. A grunt sounded to my left and panic flared in my chest.
“You should learn to keep your filthy hands off what doesn’t belong to you.” A voice sounded in the darkness.
I knew that voice, even though I’d only heard it once. Terror gripped my throat in the same way a hand would, choking me. Instinct took over, and I swung around in front of Nicklas. Pain erupted in my back and my mouth opened in a silent scream.
The lights flashed back on and the only sight in front of me was Nicklas’ horrified stare. My hands clung to his shirt even as my legs collapsed under me.
“I need an ambulance here. ASAP!” I tried to focus on his face and his voice.
My mouth opened and closed, but no noise emerged.
“Stay with me, baby.”
Someone pressed against my back as Nicklas cradled me in his arms. The world swam in and out of focus. Lights blinded me overhead. Voices shouted in my ear. I was placed on my stomach and someone ripped my beautiful dress. The entire time, Nicklas’ hand gripped mine.
“We need to take her into theatre now, Mr. Stewart.”
“I’ll be right here, baby. I love you so much.” He kissed my forehead, and the darkness swallowed me.
***
Chapter Thirty-Three
Nicklas
Murderous rage pulsed through my veins while I watched them wheeling my wife into the theatre. There was no doubt in my mind that the dagger was meant for me. The angle and the height would have hit my heart, only she stepped in front of me.
I lifted my phone to my ear.
“What do you need?” Kris said from the other side.
“This ends tonight. That bastard needs to be gone by morning.” I wanted Silas dead before, but now I needed to preserve the precious air on this planet from his foul breath.
“Give me twenty and I’ll have everything we need.”
My suit was soaked in her blood and they were worried about the baby as her blood pressure dropped dangerously low. What was scarier than an ambulance with blue flashing lights and a siren was an ambulance that slowed down because they were wor
king on the person in the back.
“I’m on my phone. Call me if there’s any news.” They’d already told me she was going to be in there for a few hours.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Lucas said from where he sat with his elbows on his knees.
Right now, I needed to punch something, and he was high up on that list. “I didn’t fucking want to take her there, but you insisted, you arrogant prick. You thought because you are the great Lucas Black that she would be safe. If anything happens to her, I’m holding you personally responsible.”
I didn’t look back because I was about to break into a million pieces.
“Where are we going?” Jordan stood beside me.
“We?”
“People are going to die tonight, and if I’m good at anything, it’s dispatching people. That girl is the closest thing I have to a sister. I need to kill something, and you have the vibe that you’re going to spill blood.”
A car pulled up in front of the hospital with Kris behind the wheel. “Lucky you had me hire that ambulance earlier today,” he said when we got in.
I glared out the window without replying. A lifetime ago, I stood beside a mound of ground and swore vengeance in the name of two people I loved. Now I vowed it for Sofia as well. Silas’ life was numbered in minutes.
The safe house had half a dozen of my best men in it, already dressed in black and ready to go. I tore my suit off and tugged on combat trousers and a long-sleeved black T-shirt. Jordan did the same.
When we left, every one of us was a walking armoury.
“You got eyes on him?” I asked Kris.
“Yeah, Dean put a tracker in his pocket before the lights went out.”
I looked around at my men. “This is a kill mission. No one survives tonight. I don’t care who the fuck is in that house, they will not see tomorrow.”
“Fuck, yeah,” Jordan muttered beside me.
Our vehicles rolled out in silence. Hatred burned in my chest and all I could see was Sofia staring into my eyes as if I alone could save her from that wound. I’d never felt so powerless in my life.