I force everything inside of me not to react and shoot Dino a look.
Fix this, or I will.
If I’m expecting Dino to hesitate or be his old morally conflicted self, I’m dead wrong. Dino looks down and smirks. When he looks up he turns to his uncle, in the middle of the garden, surrounded by all his friends and family.
“I told you to forget to fucking about her,” he says, taking out his gun, shooting his uncle, calmly and cleanly, in the head. No warning. Nothing. The pistol has a silencer on it so the only sound is a sharp zip, and the big guy drops to the floor like old trash.
No one moves.
Dino looks at everyone staring. “What the fuck are you looking at? Go back to what you were doing, drinking my fucking expensive champagne and getting wasted.”
The effect is immediate, everyone and I mean everyone, resumes what they were talking about, going back to their drinks as if nothing happened. A couple of men hurry over and start dragging Dino’s uncle’s body away.
And then the music starts up and the party carries on.
I should be scared, but I’m not.
I’m intrigued.
Lorcan and Jude are entering the garden, brows furrowed. They’re probably wondering what the fuck just happened. I don’t have much time. I stalk over to Dino, link his arm in mine, and lean in enough to breathe in the citrus and cinnamon of his cologne. “Take me upstairs, now.”
Dino’s eyes tighten at the corners, but he nods.
I give the other boys a ‘stay here’ look as Dino escorts me out of the party.
Upstairs is just as grand and huge as the ground floor. Dino’s room is at the far end, a huge master with a connected bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. The furniture and decor are straight out of Country, Home & Living magazine, with dark wood, rustic beams, and a four-poster bed with vintage covers and rugs. There’s even a goddamn fireplace.
“Lola’s taste,” he says as I look around. He walks over to the bed, takes off his jacket, and places his gun on the side table, and something from his pocket—a pair of red dice.
He comes over to me then, eyes roving over every part of me. Mostly, he looks the same, he even sounds the same. But that’s not my Dino. I’ve seen all types of monsters, but I never expected to see one behind Dino’s eyes.
“I’m going to tie you to this bed, and fuck you until you bleed,” he promises.
I see the monster now.