Ethan let out a sigh, and Fox shot him an irritated look.
“Anything. With or-or for any of you,” I said, nausea roiling in my guts at the implications.
“I don’t know how the kings do their negotiations, but I don’t fuck my hostages,” Enzo said, his dark gaze gliding over me. “Although, in another life, I may have taken you up on your offer. You really are so damn beautiful.”
“You’re married too.” It wasn’t a question. He also had a ring similar to Cole’s on his thumb.
He gave me a smile. “Something like that.”
“Then you know what it would feel like to have her taken from you. That’s what you’re doing to me.”
He reached out and swiped a tear off my cheek. “I know exactly what it’s like. I’ve lived that particular horror a few times already. I don’t much care for it.”
“The kings didn’t do what you think they did. Dominic didn’t order the shooting. It was Hail. Mikhail Ivanov. He’s the son of S-Sergio Ivanov, head of the Bratva. He pinned it on the kings so you’d take them out and clear the way for the Ivanovs. Hail is a monster. He did this!” I pleaded.
“The thing is, we’re all monsters,” Enzo said gently. “Unfortunately, when one monster attacks another, we fight to the death. Everyone is a liar. We don’t know who’s telling us the truth. Even if you’re being honest, De Santis is still a threat. Best to cut the head off the snake than risk it biting me when I’m not looking. We put our trust in family, and you, Bianca De Santis, are not our family. I hope you understand.”
“I’m not lying. I swear I’m not. What do you want me to do? Please. I’ll do it.” I let out a cry of anguish. “You don’t have to do this!”
Enzo stood and strode away from me.
“What we want you to do is watch and learn,” Cole said as Fox stepped forward and pressed the tape back over my mouth.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as my body shook from sobbing so hard.
Ethan said nothing, simply watching in silence, his body tense as his gaze raked over me with a haunted look.
“I sincerely hope you learn from this and take the second chance De Santis is going to give you to pick better men to fuck,” Cole continued.
Cole followed Fox back to the small room with Enzo.
Ethan approached me, a sad look on his face.
“Do you love him?” He nodded to Vincent. “We only plead and bargain for those we love.”
I nodded miserably, my face soaked with tears.
“That’s how it is with us. Our girl loves us four. We’ve been where you are. I would’ve died for her too. Take what Cole says and run. De Santis is going to die for you tonight. Don’t let his sacrifice be in vain.”
Bile burned my throat as more tears fell.
“For what it’s worth, I truly am sorry. If there was another way, we’d do it. This is hell, peach, and here there are no angels. Just us demons spurred on by revenge.”
He backed away from me with a sad look on his face. The rest of his crew came back out.
Vincent groaned in his chair, his eyelids cracking open. Cole reached out and yanked the tape from Vincent’s mouth, making him curse softly. I sobbed harder as Enzo reached out and fisted his hair, pulling his head back and putting a knife to his throat.
Vincent looked at me as he swallowed.
“One of you is going to die tonight. Pretty sure it’s going to be you,” Enzo said, pressing the blade harder into Vincent’s neck.
A bead of blood blossomed out. I rocked in my chair, hardly able to draw in a breath as I cried.
“Is that a fact?” Vincent rasped, wincing.
Enzo slid the knife across Vincent’s throat, marking him with a thin, red line that trickled blood but didn’t cut deep enough to cause much harm. Although, I was sure he’d sport a nasty scar from the attack.
Vincent’s head fell forward as Enzo released him.
I shook violently in my seat.
“We don’t need to make her watch,” Ethan said softly.
“How will she remember if she doesn’t get to see?” Cole asked with the air of someone simply discussing the weather.
I knew he was crazy.
“I agree with E. She shouldn’t see this,” Fox said tightly, shooting Cole an irritated look. “It’s bad enough you sent her the drink and drugged her.”
Guess that explains where the drink came from. Cole must have bought it and told the shot girl he was Dominic. What a dick.
Cole scoffed and gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry. I thought we figured this mess out. You don’t want to listen to us argue over killing him, do you?” He tore the tape off my lips as Vincent shouted for him to get away from me.
“Tell your lover boy goodbye before he passes out from the pain.”
“Vinny,” I choked out. “Vinny.”