Prologue

“You could have had her life, you do know that, right?” He said, looking at Alonzo, who looked away from him. “You could have killed her and you would have been done with this. However, it seems to me that it is very obvious why you did not want it to do it.”

“I couldn't have killed her as easily without getting caught. You know for a fact that Diablo is not going to allow anyone to be around her, not without him being there. And I do believe that you of all people should know that your daughter is not an easy person to see, kill or even be around. She fights back.” Alonzo said, looking at the man who smirked at him, already reading his expression before he could voice out a word. Refused to admit it, but he knew that what the man was saying was real.

Nikolay Ivanov, the father of the strongest woman of them all, Sienna Duraturo. The wife of Diablo Duraturo. The two strongest of all lovers.

“And that is what you like about her, that she fights back, that she is not going to allow you to stand over her, nor is she going to allow you to stop her from doing what she believes in. Isn't that why you refuse to kill her? Isn't that why you chose not to push that trigger when you could?” Nikolay asked. He was taunting Alonzo. That was something that he knew. However, Alonzo was smarter than to respond to the man he knew not to trigger him and not to have him against him. At this point, he needed as many allies as he could get, and only then would he be able to show his true motives, even to Nikolay.

“Your daughter has a husband and I do not look at married women, nor do I bother with sparing them a second glance. I prefer my women to have their attention on me and not on other men.” Alonzo said, and Nikolay laughed.

“However, killing Diablo to have her as your own is something that you would not mind doing. Your anger rises day and night when you hear of their love, when you hear of them having a second or third child, the potential of them having a fourth is one that you do not want to think about.” Nikolay said, smirking at the man.

Alonzo was quiet as he tried to suppress his anger and pain and anger that he did not want the man to see, a jealousy that rose in him whenever he heard their name. It was one that he could not deny. However, he would not voice it in front of a man like Nikolay. A man who wanted to see him as weak. Weaker than him, at least.

“Regardless, I do not mind. As long as she is not with Diablo, I do not mind. When we are done with this, you can spare her life and claim her as your own. I do believe that she would be willing to do so, especially if you offer to take care of the children. You know there is no mother who would not give her life for her children is even if it means that she would be give up her own self just to keep them safe. And a man like you would be willing to keep her safe. To say the least, it says something about you.” Nikolay said, clearly letting me know that he was amused by what he was seeing. My reaction was one that amused him, but he was going to learn the hard way that it was not someone that he should enjoy.

He walked out of the room, leaving me alone and I could hold the breath that I released. A breath that I did not realize that I was holding. I pulled out my father's picture from my pocket and shook my head as I recalled the oath that I made the night that I saw him dying.

“I am going to avenge you in a way that they all pay for.” I said, running my finger over his face before pulling out a picture of Sienna, a secret that I kept in my heart. “As for you, I am going to do my best to claim you as my own. Even if it means telling your beloved husband right in front of your eyes…”