Page 53 of Dark Alliance
She’s a knight. A queen. Someone who does what she needs to, however she needs to.
Brilliant and determined, even if she’s not appreciated for her skills.
I see Brody and Trinity in my mind’s eye. Maeve and Kellin.
My siblings fell for their enemies, and they’re both happier than they’ve ever been.
And Cat…
Could she be someone like that for me? Someone to fall for?
My lungs constrict in my chest, my head spinning with the mere thought. Cat’s exhausted and probably still dehydrated. I could slip away without her noticing.
That’s what I should do so I can think.
But I don’t.
Instead, I stand, grab the chain binding her wrists, and hoist her up. After I unshackle her, she rubs the reddened skin while regarding me warily as I wind the chain around my hands. “I killed my first man at twelve.”
Cat freezes, her eyes widening.
I jerk my head toward the exit. “Come on. You have two minutes to wash your face and wipe sauce off your clothes. I want to show you something.”
Chapter 16
Caterina
I’m shaking, my emotions running haywire, adrenaline still coursing through my veins from my ruined orgasm and the exhaustive truth-telling.
I’ve never shared what happened to my brother with anyone before. Not even my father knows, because when I approached Nino, he begged me not to say a thing. Having failed him in the past, I sure wasn’t going to go against his wishes.
It took telling Connor my deepest secret to truly pinpoint when the Nino I grew up with started to change. That’s when his behavior toward me became angrier and meaner.
By admitting that I knew about the abuse, I severed our relationship. The fracture had less to do with what I did and more to do with how he must think I see him now.
In hindsight, I wonder what my point was.
Who did that confession help? Was I trying to assuage my own guilt? In doing so, had I created a permanent wedge between my brother and me?
It’s incredible how selfish humans are, how we’re wired for self-preservation. Now I understand that this was the switch that flipped the lights off on our kinship. It’s why Nino wants meout. He can’t stand that I know his darkest truth. Or the sight of my face.
I’m a reminder of the worst time in his life.
The thoughts swirl in my mind, my limbs tingling. I follow Connor into the inky recesses of this warehouse, hoping he’ll lead me to some sort of salvation.
One of his hands cups mine as we walk, the other wrapped carefully around a handgun.
Connor guides me into a dark, crowded space.
Beneath a bright fluorescent light, Verone and Danny sit chained to chairs.
My stomach drops straight down to my toes.
After the shock settles—thank God Danny’s alive—I cross my arms over my breasts, keenly aware of my attire. The scent of urine soaks the air. I’m sure these men didn’t get scheduled bathroom breaks like I did.
Connor withdraws a second handgun from the waistband of his pants and presses the grip into my palm.
Then he strolls over to Danny.
