NICO POV
Watching the fear spread across her face her eyes widening as she tried to process what I just revealed was one of those moments I would wrap with a bow of gold and safely place in a drawer at the back of my mind, cherishing it forever.
This would be one of many moments I'd remember in ten, twenty, or even thirty years' time, thinking of how fucking great it felt to exact my revenge.
People say revenge doesn't cure, that justice doesn't heal, but I beg to differ. It's only been a day, and I can already feel my blackened soul starting to rise out of the ashes as I witness the dread of the unknown wrack through Lila Falcone body.
Sunshine.
The devil woman standing before me will burn in hell once I'm done with her that's if there's anything left to burn. She and every goddamn Falcone will suffer my wrath. None of them will come out of this unharmed or unscathed.
They will all pay.
They killed no, murdered my brother in cold blood because they thought they were better than us. Because their little innocent princess needed a "better" man to warm her bed and spread her legs.
She might not have pulled the trigger, but by inviting my brother to her bed, she lured him to his death.
I stepped back and leaned against the wall across from her.
"What's wrong, my pet? Cat got your tongue?"
Bittersweet tears rolled down her cheeks bitter for her, but so goddamn sweet for me.
"Why are you doing this?" Her voice trembled, and the sound made my soul come alive.
I shrugged. "I told you you killed my brother."
"I didn't kill him!" she shouted between sobs, wiping her tears harshly with the back of her hand. "I told you I didn't kill him! I didn't even fucking know he was dead. I thought he left me. All this time, I truly believed he left me."
"Let me warn you again, Miss Falcone your lies will only make this harder."
"I'm not lying!" She fell to her knees, wailing like a banshee about to meet her own death. It was fucking music to my ears. "I'm not lying! You have to believe me!"
I crossed my arms over my chest, completely unaffected by her display of despair.
"Now, now, Miss Falcone. Don't waste your energy putting up this charade. You'll need it for what I have in store for you."
"You got it all wrong," she continued, rocking back and forth as she clutched her stomach. "I loved him, and I"
"Shut the fuck up!" I pushed off the wall and stormed toward her.
She scurried back on her hands and knees until her back hit the wall. Hearing her say she loved my brother fed the monster inside me letting it growl, claw, and slam against the gates I tried so desperately to keep it behind.
I glared down at her. "You Falcone know nothing of love or loyalty. All you know is how to steal, lie, and take what doesn't belong to you."
"That's not true," she hissed.
"You think daddy dearest makes his millions trading oil legitimately? Think again, naïve little girl. No one gets that kind of power and wealth by following the rules."
"You would know, I suppose."
"Watch your mouth, little mouse. Or it might be your finger I'll be sending to your dad next."
Straightening the lapels of my suit jacket, I pinned her with my stare.
"If you'd like to survive as long as possible, I suggest you never say those words again."
Lila lifted her chin, focusing her gaze on me.
"What words? That I loved your brother?"
I stiffened, my blood scalding in my veins. I was too busy trying to control my anger to even think of what to say. If I let go if I freed my rage she wouldn't live to see another day.
She got up from the floor, her eyes no longer sad. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you can't stop me from saying that I cared for your brother... because it's the truth."
"The truth?" I stepped closer, noticing she didn't back away this time. "Tell me, Miss Lila, if you're so convinced about the truth why do you think my brother lied to you about who he was?"
She glanced down, then back up. I saw the ripples of doubt swirling in her eyes but there was something else too. A fire.
"I don't know. I don't know why he would've lied to me." She stepped closer, her newfound courage twisting my stomach as desire shot up my spine. What the fuck?
"But now that I've met his twin brother, I think he was protecting me."
I stepped closer until our faces were a breath apart. "Protecting you from what?"
She lifted her chin. "From you."
I continued to stare at her. When she bit her bottom lip, my gaze dropped to her mouth. Whether it was her boldness or the fact that she thought she needed protection from me, my cock swelled, pressing hard against my zipper.
God, what I wouldn't do to tie her to that bed and show her exactly how much protection she needed from me. The Falcone blood in her was too weak to handle the darkness I'd unleash on her body.
But that wasn't part of the plan. I needed to focus.
"Well then," I said quietly, "I'd say my brother was one smart man."
"He was," she replied, not backing down an inch. "Smart enough not to tell anyone about his supposed twin brother. Why do you think that is, Nico? What reason would your brother have to hide you from me?"
I couldn't answer that. She was trying to rattle me to fuck with my head but I wouldn't allow it. I'd been preparing for this war for too long.
Deciding to postpone the battle, I stepped back. "Are you hungry, sunshine?"
She didn't answer, but the way she licked her lips told me she was.
"Bring it in," I ordered over my shoulder.
Damon appeared in the doorway with a tray. Lila's glare moved from me to him, and the fire in her eyes vanished, replaced by fear.
She was afraid of him and I didn't blame her. Damon looked like one mean motherfucker with his broad shoulders and long black hair tied back.
Damon set the tray on the bed and stepped beside me, eyeing Lila like prey.
"Lila, this is my little brother, Damon. Damon, this is our guest Miss Falcone."
Damon held out his hand, but Lila stepped back, pressing against the wall.
Damon snorted. "Don't be afraid, Miss Falcone. I won't hurt you... much."
I kept my gaze on her. "Don't be rude. Shake his hand, Lila."
She didn't move.
"I said, don't be rude!" I raised my voice, causing her to flinch but still, she didn't move.
Without warning, Damon lunged forward, grabbing her by the throat and pulling her close.
"I knew you were a cunt without a spine," he hissed. He tightened his grip, and she groaned, closing her eyes as tears streamed down her face.
"Tonight, when you pray, you'd better thank God that Nico's the one in charge of you. If it were me, you'd be battered and bruised within an inch of your life." He leaned close, his cheek brushing hers. "And you'd be utterly used..." He licked up the side of her face. "...and completely fucked."
Lila sobbed, and Damon pressed her head harder against the wall.
If I were a good man, I would've stopped him torn him away from her, maybe knocked his teeth out. But I'm not a good man. I loved seeing the fear in her eyes.
I straightened my jacket. "Damon, that's enough. You'll make the poor woman piss herself."
Damon released her, and we watched as she fell to her knees, coughing and gagging.
"Leave," I ordered.
"What?"
"I said leave."
"Are you fucking kidding me? I was just starting to enjoy it."
"I don't give a fuck. Leave. Now."
Damon glowered, his eyes full of silent curses. "You won't have all the fun with this one, brother."
"This isn't about fun. If you think it is, think again. Leave before I make you."
He straightened his shoulders. "Fine." He turned to Lila. "But before this is over, I want my piece of her. He was my brother too."
I didn't respond, but nodded once.
"Promise me," he pressed.
"I promise. You'll get your revenge."
He smirked. "Thank you, brother." Then he left.
I looked down at the sobbing girl. "For God's sake, get up, Lila."
She didn't move.
I crouched down, grabbed her arm, and yanked her to her feet. "I said get up!"
"Please don't do this," she whispered, her eyes bloodshot and hair clinging to her damp face.
"It's already done, little mouse. Your fate was sealed the day you pushed your filthy claws into my brother."
"Please"
I grabbed her other arm and pulled her against my chest. "If you knew how much I enjoy it when a woman begs, you wouldn't be saying please so much, little mouse."
She whimpered, tears streaking her cheeks.
"Now, eat." I shoved her toward the bed where the tray waited an old loaf of stale bread and a glass of water.
This wasn't a five-star hotel. All she deserved was scraps.
"Eat your food. You'll need your strength for what's ahead."
She looked up at me. "What are you going to do to me?"
"That's for me to know and for you to find out, little pet. Now, eat."
She grabbed the glass and took a sip, only to spit it out in disgust.
I smiled.
"What's the matter? You don't like it?"
The glass slipped from her hand. "It's water and vinegar."
"I know. And now you've spilled it wasting the only hydration you had."
"Nico, please"
I crouched again, locking eyes with her.
"Let's get one thing straight. You will not address me by my name. You'll call me sir, and nothing else. You're nothing here no one. From this moment, you're stripped of every basic human right. You belong to me. You're my puppet, and I'll do with you as I please."
I straightened. "If I return and that loaf isn't gone, there'll be hell to pay."
Lila glanced at the bread, then back at me. For a brief second, I saw a flicker of fight in her eyes and that's when I realized I was going to enjoy every goddamn minute of breaking her.