Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

A booming laugh erupted, and all our eyes landed on the group where Luciano stood with his wife. They were with Vasili Nikolaev and his wife, Luca DiMauro, and Raphael Santos. The latter killed Santiago Tijuana Junior.

I stiffened, unable to fight the onslaught of memories from eight years ago. It might as well have been yesterday as fresh as the memories were.

The agonizing screams caused me more pain than all the torture I endured. They continued for seconds, minutes, hours until deathly silence followed.

I forced my eyes wide open and my brain to focus. Dread filled my veins like concrete. My mind was sluggish, and my eyes unable to focus. I blinked blood off my eyelashes, my gaze darting around, looking for the familiar golden strands.

Except she wasn’t here. She was gone. The only thing that was left behind was the bloodstained floor and my hollow heart.

The door opened, but I was too broken to flinch. I knew more pain was coming, but I no longer cared. I’d barely hung on to my consciousness, eager to meet death.

Men entered, moving slowly. I heard whispers but couldn’t make out the words.

“Kingston.” A face with pale blue eyes swept down my mangled body. “We’re getting you out.” My lips opened. They moved. My vocal cords burned. “What?”

“Get—” Her. I prayed he heard me, understood me.

He looked around. “Who?”

Her, my Lou, I tried to say.

“We can’t tend to his wounds here,” someone said. “Grab him and let’s get out of here.”

Voices carried on around me, and my body shifted. The pain was excruciating, making my teeth rattle. I passed out and didn’t wake up until it was too late.

I sought the end from that day forward, but it refused to come.

“Did you hear about Sofia Volkov?” Dante Leone’s voice penetrated my memories, capturing my attention. The unhinged bastard looked like he was ready to go on a killing spree. “She has a daughter. Marchetti sent the news. We need to get that kid⁠—”

“You won’t fucking touch her.” The threat escaped me, calm and deadly. Dante’s eyes narrowed. “Or I swear to whatever God you believe in, I’ll end you.”

The air stilled around me. A thick tension filled it, too many criminals with weapons in one spot. My sister appeared out of thin air, stepping between me and Dante, while Alexei attempted to yank her back from the crossfire. Aurora, being who she was, refused to budge.

“You want to tell me why you’re defending that bitch’s daughter?” Dante scoffed. Aurora shifted on her heels, and I nudged her gently in her husband’s direction and out of the line of fire.

“You knew she had a daughter?” Alexei asked, amplifying the tension involuntarily. It was probably what everyone had been wondering.

Shrugging my shoulders, I let the anxiety roll off me and taint the sunny afternoon. It was so quiet, the nearby waves the only sound breaking the silence.

Without a flicker of emotion, I looked at my watch before making my announcement loud and clear.

“Anyone touches Sofia Volkov’s daughter and I’ll have their teeth decorating my mantel.”

“You know we’re on your side?” my brother-in-law stated in an even monotone.

My sister and brother-in-law must have decided a conversation was needed after the incident at their party. They’d changed, probably expecting a long night discussing something that was none of their business. Alexei was in his signature black cargo pants and black dress T-shirt while Aurora wore a modest quarter-sleeved dress that came down to her knees.

I pulled the door open to let them enter.

“Did you lose your kid?” I asked as they walked in.

“He’s with Vasili and Isabella,” Alexei answered as he sized up my latest real estate acquisition. Aside from his wife, there was nobody he trusted more than his half brother and half sister.