Page 28 of Point Proven
“Or because he believes in you as much as your boyfriend does,” Thorne countered, his shoulders rising with indifference. “It would be a crazy concept to,maybe, believe in your boyfriend’s love and admiration for you for once.”
“I do… I know he loves me, more than I think I deserve, but… but it also hurts physically.” Tugging at my shirt, the wadded fabric released as I uncurled my fingers. “I just… just want him back, and I want Stefandead.”
“And wewillget him back, Simon. That is not just a promise. But a fucking vow.”
Jaw feathering, I nodded. It wouldn’t suit me to wallow when Liam needed me, needed us, and God, I would do fuckinganythingto bring him back home.
“I believe you,” I whispered, glancing between him and Oren. “I trust you both.”
“Good. Kinda weird if the man reattaching your leg wasn’t someone you trusted,” Oren blurted. “But… I have a question.”
“For… For me?”
He shook his head, jerking his thumb to his fiancé. “Nope. For the cute, big guy.”
Thorne helped me back into the chair I’d occupied minutes before. “Yes, dove?”
“Who exactly is this Stefan? I know we talked about it a little at that, uh,fundinner, but why Liam? Why the fixation?”
Thorne sighed heavily, running a hand down his face. “Stefan runs a lot of the bigger operations within the black market, as well as a handful of trafficking rings. He purchases children at a young age and works to train them into weapons to do his bidding. Liam was once that for him, until Stefan became even more twisted and began using Liam for his own… means.”
My hands clenched against my thighs as Oren slapped the liner onto my skin, massaging it gently before handing me my sock. Fitting it over the limb, I tugged upward, covering the silicone, and an immense ache settled in my chest. Liam always did it for me, but this… this time he wasn’t here either.
“That’s fucking disgusting,” Oren spat, adjusting the hemline of the fabric.
“Since three,” I muttered under my breath. “He… He’s suffered since the age of three, and now he’s back in that man’s clutches.”
Running his tongue across his teeth, Thorne shook his head. “The things he did to Liam… I can’t even get myself to repeat. The abuse, the sexual trauma, the manipulation… It is indescribable.”
Nausea bubbled in my gut, but I shoved it down as I inserted my limb into the prosthetic socket. Continuing until I couldn’t, I locked it, tightening the strap on the side to fit snugly. It was uncomfortable, but it allowed me the freedom of walking, something I thought I might never do again.
“And this monster worked with my father behind the scenes, right?”
Thorne nodded. “Yes. He was also playing another hand with the Mafia, with his now ex-best friend, who found out about the depth of his apathy and vileness just after Andrew Valens passed.”
“The…” Oren snapped, tongue sticking out as he glanced at the ceiling. “Lebanese was his name?”
Huffing out a chuckle, his other half shook his head. “Levander, dove. His name isLevander.”
“Oh, gotcha. Lavender.”
“Oh, Christ, you’re going to get yourself killed when you meet him.”
“What?” Oren laughed, raising his shoulders in a casual shrug. “My bad.”
Stifling the chuckle that threatened to spill from my lips, I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my thighs. “So, this is the man you mentioned at the diner? The… Mafia connection?”
“Yes, Levander Vescari. He’s the head of the entire Italian Mafia… including overseas operations.”
I choked on my saliva. “TheentireItalian Mafia?”
He merely nodded.
“So heisfamiliar with Lebanese,” Oren added, tapping his chin with his pointer finger.
Audibly facepalming, Thorne groaned. “I would recommend you lose the Lavender and Lebanese jokes, unless you really wish to lose your head.”
“I’m cordial. I’ll be completely fine.”
