Damian. I probably dreamed Hope calling herself pigheaded, but it made me smile all the same. And every time I opened my eyes, there she was, sitting by my side. At first, she still had blood on her. My blood. Then she looked like she had showered and changed. I saw Roman too, but she was my constant. She had remembered what I had said. What I had promised her. I vaguely recalled her voice, telling me I hadn’t yet kept the promise to give her the life she wanted. I had changed rooms. I knew it from the way the light came in the window. I wasn’t sure how long I had been in the hospital until finally, I opened my eyes, feeling a little less groggy, and the things around me didn’t seem so like a mirage. Was it a mirage? Was Hope a mirage? “Hey.” I looked up at her beautiful, smiling face. She still sat in the same place, holding my hand, watching me. “Hey.” It felt strange to speak. “How do you feel?” “Like I have been run over by a truck.” “Do you remember what happened?” My
Hope. Damian moved into a bedroom downstairs while he recovered. I slept beside him, taking care not to touch the still tender spot the bullet had ripped into. I knew he felt pain, but he insisted on less and less medication, saying he could manage it. Within a day of being home, he could walk on his own to the bathroom, although it wore him out. “I hate this,” he grumbled a week later after one of his visits to the bathroom. “I hate being weak.” I tucked the blanket up to his waist. “You are getting stronger every day.” “Not fast enough.” “You hate having someone else take care of you. You are so used to taking care of everyone and everything and being in charge of it all but can’t stand to be in a position where you need others yourself.” He studied me, then looked beyond me to the waning light outside the window. “Let’s sit outside.” “I’ll get your wheelchair.” I had already stood to unfold it. He hadn’t used it except for the time they had rolled him in here in it. “No.”
Damian. I kept my promise to Hope. Roman came to the house the following morning and handed me the initial contract she and I had signed. I set it aside and had him draw up another one. This one forgave any and all debt any DeMarco owed any spears , real or perceived, and the two families were no longer bound in any way. And it could not be overturned at any time in the future. I signed it and had a copy sent to Isabella. I would deliver a copy to my father personally. This insane vendetta was finished. I ended it as one of the two things I did during my hours long rule over the spears family before I gave everything the reign, the rule, the power over to Roman. It was another week before I could move back upstairs to my own bedroom and another month before I was fully healed. All that time, Hope stayed with me, caring for me like I didn’t remember ever being cared for by anyone apart from my mother. I also saw Naya and Kyle. She came to give me the news she too was moving away, a
79. Mia glanced at her phone when it chimed to let her know she had a new text message. She was unsurprised to see her father’s number listed. As she started to delete it without reading, she saw part of the message: Must see you now. Urg… Devoid of a flicker of guilt, she removed it without reading past the preview. He’d been texting and calling for several days, and he would eventually realize she wanted nothing to do with him. Slipping the phone back into her purse, she considered changing her number before discarding the idea. He’d be able to find it again if she did. Her father had a number of dubious contacts living in his shadow world that could easily find a new number, so what was the point? He would eventually go away. Vadim Kasilli had no trouble forgetting he had a daughter most of the time, so whatever his purpose for trying to reach her, he’d surely give up soon. Entering the restaurant where she worked the evening shift as a server, Mia left her things in the break
80. The gun prodded her lower back. “Then do so, miss, before Mr. O’Mara grows too impatient.” The fear in the goon’s voice fed her own. Mia forced her feet to move as she walked between the two thugs. The beauty of the marble steps didn’t impress her any more than the ornate ivory columns. She was too busy dreading her meeting with the mysterious Mr. O’Mara to be impressed by the architecture of his palatial home. The entryway and halls passed in a blur of elegant wallpaper and gleaming marble floors her flats tapped against briskly as the goons hurried her along. When they finally reached the end of a long hallway, her heart was racing from a combination of fear and exertion, since she’d had to take two steps for their one. “Knock, Wallace.” Knowing the brunette’s name didn’t put her at ease. She clenched her hands into fists as he knocked before opening the door. Mia glared at Bruno when he herded her inside roughly. She was several steps into the room before she st
81. Mia’s stomach curled with dread, and something less tangible, when he grasped a strand of her hair to let it spill between his fingers. “You aren’t doing anything to me. I don’t care what crooked deal you have with my father.” His eyes narrowed. “Make no mistake, Mia. I will go to war if I have to. I will destroy your family and burn down the city to have you.” She shivered at the threat, but shrugged. “I don’t give a damn what you do to Vadim.” “And your stepbrother?” Mia couldn’t hide her distaste. “I’d love to watch you rip him apart.” Shane blinked, clearly not expecting that. “I see. Let me try a different approach then.” With the suddenness of a striking snake, he jerked her against him. “You are mine. You won’t be leaving until I release you. I’m going to fuck you a thousand ways, starting tonight.” She had been frozen with fear for a second, but the paralysis broke when he said fuck. Mia flinched and tried to struggle free of his grip. It tightened painfull
82. “There are certain considerations, O’Mara. She has obligations.” Shane had firmed his mouth. “Too bad. You have obligations too, Mr. Kasilli. I’m sure we can find another way to settle our debt, if you wish to protect your little girl. Perhaps a cut of your profits?” He’d had no interest in the money, but he’d seen the greed in Kasilli’s eyes and had known money was the old fool’s weak spot. After a long hesitation, Kasilli had nodded and waved his hand, as though it meant nothing. “Take the girl.” “Have her come to you.” Kasilli had lifted a shoulder, again seeming unbothered by handing over his daughter when compared to losing part of his fortune. “Very well. I shall arrange for her to come here, and then you can transport her wherever you intend to hold her.” Shane remembered feeling nonplussed at the other man’s apathy. He hadn’t seemed to care what Shane’s intentions were toward Mia. Kasilli’s callousness had fallen in with his plans, but he’d still felt a hint
83. Shane was on her in seconds, pushing her onto all fours and pulling off her panties. His hands were rough in her hair when he yanked free the pins, spilling the dark mass around both of them. Mia tried to push it out of her way, but he had her pressed so tightly against the marble floor that she couldn’t move. She gritted her teeth, ignoring the dark thrill his dominance sent through her. No, she was not enjoying this at all. Was she? She still tried to squirm away when he caressed her hip. “Stop that.” Her voice was weaker than she’d hoped it to be, but it soared to sharp?edged hysteria when he inserted his hand between her thighs to shove them open. “No, no, no.” “Yes, baby.” His fingers slipped into her tight flesh. “You need to learn who is in charge.” Despite his stern words, his fingers were gentle as they stroked her, circling her clit and making her slippery with arousal In an effort to flee her own reaction as much as what he was doing, Mia tried to crawl for