“Kate!” I screamed, my fury echoing through the halls. “Kate! Where the fuck are you?”
Lorik came storming around the corner. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Where’s Kate?”
“Layla’s sister?”
I brushed past him, knocking against his shoulder. “Yes, Layla’s sister.”
“Oh, I saw her get into a car with Lucio.”
I stilled. “What?”
“Yeah. They left, like, two seconds ago.”
My heart, my brain, my lungs, everything inside me leaped into a fucking frenzy of fury.
I had been angered by many before. I had killed more men than I could count. But nothing—and I meant nothing—compared to the rage that pulsed through my body right at that very moment. The lethal mix of betrayal and wrath slithered along every bone.
“Fuck!” I screamed. I screamed so loud, I couldn’t even hear the bash of my fist against the wall.
“Jesus Christ, Dante.” Lorik stepped back, the shiner on his face practically begging him to get away from me. “What the fuck is going on?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. My mind couldn’t form one coherent thought because all I saw was red. Both Antonio and Lucio had betrayed me. A few minutes ago, I was in my father’s study with one of the most feared men in our world supporting me. Now it felt like I had nothing, like I stood alone.
Then that was what I had to do. Fight alone.
“Lorik.” I turned to face him. “I suggest you take my sister and get the fuck out of town.”
“Why? What the fuck is going on, Dante?”
I walked past him. “Civil war.”
“Holy shit,” I heard him mutter behind me. Lorik better heed my warning and get out of town with Karina before shit went down. Castello’s words were like a goddamn prophecy, a message from above to give me the motivation I needed. Nothing would stop me from getting my woman back.
When I got to my bedroom, I walked straight to the cabinet bolted shut with a huge motherfucking lock. I pulled out the key from my pants pocket and unlocked it. As I opened the doors, it was like the angels sang in the background as it revealed my own personal collection of daggers and guns.
“Dante.”
I didn’t turn around when I heard my dad behind me.
“I just got a call from Antonio.”
I stilled as I was about to reach for my .45 Magnum.
“You need to hear what he has to say.”
I grabbed the gun and placed it at my back. “I’m pretty sure I don’t give a fuck about what he has to say.”
The door clicked closed. “I think you do.”
“As I said earlier, my instincts are right. Layla is in trouble, and my brother just took her back to fucking lion’s den.”
“Yes. But you need to know why.”
I grabbed two daggers, slipping them up my sleeves. “I know why. He hates her. Always has.”
“It’s not that simple. Believe me, after you hear the truth, you’re going to wish it was.”