Page 59 of Stolen Bride
I nod to Adriano, so he goes inside and pounces on Otero, knocking him out cold. I enter behind him and stare at Rodriguez. “Hiding secrets.”
“I don’t consider them family and haven’t for two decades, and this is what they consider family—taking mine.” We spent the next three hours taking down one house after another until we found the one that had Rodriguez’s family.
“Miguel… Come out, come out, wherever you are,” I greet the bastard, wanting a confrontation, craving it.
“You think you’re slick, Valentino, but your men easily turn on you.” He comes out of the shadows with Rodriguez’s wife in his arms, her neck bleeding, but she’s alive. “You aren’t the top dog anymore. I am.”
“Bullshit. So I had a couple of pussies out of thousands. One who wanted revenge, and two looking for handouts. They got what they deserved.”
“What? Filo’s dead?”
“Yes. He shouldn’t have put his hands on my wife.”
“I’m going to enjoy fucking that bitch once you’re dead. She looked so damn good, and if that stupid Benz had done his job, she would have been in my grasp sooner, screaming my name on her knees.” I’ve had enough. He thinks he’s hitting a nerve, and truthfully and he is, but I’m deadly and so much more.
“She’d never. She’d slice your balls off first, and you’d be crying her name, begging to be saved.”
“We’ll see.” He shoves Rodriguez’s wife and lifts a gun, but he’s too fucking slow. I shoot him between the eyes. He falls back but manages to get a shot off, hitting me in the arm. I’ve been hit before, so I brush it off because I need to get Rodriguez’s family to him before some of Otero’s allies come looking for revenge.
The little kids are petrified, but we work quickly to get them out of here and to safety before wreaking havoc on the rest of the family.
It isn’t until the next morning that I’m able to return home and see my wife after destroying over half the Otero Family. There is more to do than kill all the heads and anyone who opposes my takeover, but I have an angel to look after.
The doc bandages me up, and then I head up to the only place I want to be. Opening my bedroom door with my father and Gabe following behind, we find all three of our ladies curled up on the bed together, clearly having kept each other company all night.
“Come on, sleeping beauties. It’s time to wake up and go home,” my father says.
Yawns rip through the room and it’s actually adorable, but I want them the fuck out of my room so I can hold my sweet kitten. My father scoops up my mother, and Gabe does the same with Gracie. They all leave, and I strip down to my boxers to cuddle my wife.
“I love you, Angel.”
“I love you, my dark prince.”
Epilogue
Stella
“Stella, what do you think of this color?” My mother-in-law shows me a swatch with three colors, pointing to the middle. I love it, but I’m still not sure. Damiano has given me way too much control in the house, something I’ve never had before, and it’s overwhelming. Tears fill my eyes, and I leave the room.
I rush to our bedroom and close the door, hating my reaction because I’ve just embarrassed myself. The quick movement of my husband’s expensive shoes across the hall and into our bedroom startles me. He sits on the bed and reaches over to tip my chin. “Angel, look at me.”
“Damiano, I can’t.” With my stepfather, I never had any choices in a single thing. After three months with my husband, there isn’t a thing he doesn’t allow me to do when it comes to the house. The chef comes to me about meals, any possible changes, and so does the housekeeping staff. It’s crazy how much power I’ve been given. Even my new cell phone has every bit of capability as anyone else’s. Not that I know what to do with most of it. Reading and texting Gracie and Damiano are my biggest uses of the device.
“Is my face hideous now? I mean, I can’t do this. I’m not good at this much responsibility.” I’m so overwhelmed.
“Wife, enough.” I’m on his lap with a gasp. “Don’t doubt yourself. You’re fantastic at everything you’ve tried so far. You’re only picking colors for the baby’s room.”
“But this is the third time I’ve changed my mind, and I’m probably driving your mother insane.”
He chuckles, “Sweet angel, the only thing she cares about is that you’re healthy, and that little one coming out so she can spoil him.”
“But the painters…”
He presses his hand to my lips. “Can do whatever the fuck I tell them to do. They work for us, and if they’ve said something to you, you better tell me and I’ll take care of it.”
“They didn’t, but…”
“No more buts. Although this one is very nice,” he growls, rubbing my ass on his growing length. “Enough. I have some matters to deal with, so you can just relax, or you can go back and play with all the pretty palates and eat. I don’t want you going without lunch.”