Page 189 of Unchained

“You’re an idiot,” I say with a grin.

His eyebrow arches. “How am I an idiot?”

I peel the gun from his fingers. “Give me a second, polpetto. I have a family matter to conclude,” I whisper.

He steps back, biting his lip with a hunger in his eyes. “Go get ‘em, sweetheart.”

And I do. I stride over to my struggling uncle, dragging himself through his own blood, past the bodies of his brothers. A feeble attempt to escape.

I stop beside him and slam my boot down on his back, keeping him from moving any further. “Would you like your bodies mailed to Tatiana directly? Do you have a mailing address for her? I’d like her to know exactly what happens when you fuck with Gianna Sterling, or anyone working with Enzo.”

He shakes his head. “Gianna, please. You’re my niece. You don’t have to keep killing your family,” he pleads.

I scoff. “The people I’ve killed might be related to me by blood, but none of you are my family. Except Dom.”

I aim the gun at his head.

“The Milano name has been dying for a long time. I tried to save it, Uncle. I really did. But it’s over now. I’m going to tear down every last building we own and let Dom rebuild it however he wants. I’m going to remove every last trace of the Milano empire. And I’m going to make sure Enzo kills that bitch who thinks she can come after us,” I spit.

“Don’t kill our name, Gianna. Please,” he begs.

And I laugh. I tip my head back and let it out.

“Too late. This is Sterling territory now. Goodbye, Uncle,” I mutter, and pull the trigger.

The gun falls from my fingers as I stagger backward. There is only one place I want to be. I turn and sprint to Colten, jumping into his arms. My legs around his waist, his hands on me.

He doesn’t say a word. He kisses me. And everything is right in the world again. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I am Gianna fucking Sterling, and today is the last day I ever let anyone lay their hands on me.

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED

Colten

She kisses me like she needs my lips on hers to stay alive. And I ain’t arguing with that. I feel the same way. There is no one that could ever come close to Gianna. Not in my life and certainly not in my heart.

She pulls back, catching her breath, her dark eyes landing on mine. She presses the finger with the broken nail against my lips. “When I thought I was going to die, I only had one regret,” she tells me.

I swallow, nodding slowly.

“I love you, Colten Sterling. I love you with everything I have in me. I love the version of me that you helped me find. I love who I am when I’m beside you. And I love everything there is to possibly love about you,” she chokes on the words, but recomposes herself. “Forcing you to marry me was the best decision of my life, and I don’t want to go another day without you.”

My eyes burn as I fight back the tears.

“I don’t want to run LA. I want to give it to Dom. This place was always my prison, and you helped me escape. What I wanted before you, that doesn’t even factor in now. I want to live out the rest of my days beside you, on that ranch, with all our animals. I want to be a part of your crazy family.”

She removes her finger from my lips, and I smile.

“Are you going to say anything?” she asks with a wariness in her tone.

“I wasn’t sure if your speech was done, viper,” I say, my voice low.

She slaps my arm, and I hold her tight to me with one arm, cupping her face with my other hand.

“Gianna, I am deliriously in love with you. I love you more than I’ve loved anything. Your smile, your heart, that devastating quick wit. I don’t just want you beside me for the rest of my life. I want to worship you until I take my last breath. I want to be worthy to stand beside you, G. I want to love you, ‘til death do us part.”

Her eyes brim with tears, and I wipe them as they begin to spill down her cheeks.