"You better move fast, because they've probably already changed their address again," he hisses at me, but I don't pay attention.
I say nothing more. I leave Darius' office in silence and go straight to my car. I'll take the plane to Carlisle and find Beatrice. I already know her address. It wasn't hard to find when you already have a spy inside a book club.
I won't let Darius hurt her. I'll kill Raphael and bring his head straight to my brother. I'll tell him not to touch Beatrice or I'll kill him. He'll be angry at first, but he'll deal with it.
I know Beatrice will never forgive me, but at least she will be alive.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BEATRICE
"Run!" Raphael yells at me, piercing with a frightened look. For the first time, I’m seeing my brother scared of something. And I know he isn't terrified about his own life; all he wants is for me to save my own.
I am stuck in place, frozen as if glued, unable to move or even breathe, completely helpless.
Leonardo, the man I love, my mate and the only person I've ever desired, is standing next to my brother, holding a silver knife to his neck.
"Move an inch, and I'll cut your throat, spreading the paralyzing poison all over your body," Leonardo threatens my brother. If he paralyzes Raphael with poison, it won't take him long to insert that silver blade into my brother's heart. And that means...death.
I feel a lump in my throat turning into a giant ball.
I can't breathe. I literally can't take a breath. I could've never imagined that this man would be cruel enough to kill my brother.
"Do it," Raphael urges him, looking deeply into Leo's eyes. "And we're done. I'm sick of running. But leave my sister out of it; she had nothing to do with your father's death."
"I would never hurt Beatrice," Leonardo says sternly, and Raphael's face changes in a second.
My brother's eyes turn to me, and he hisses, "Have you met him already?"
I want to answer, to explain that this man is my mate, that we belong together and we have to marry, but words are stuck in my throat, and I'm unable to say anything.
"I have to take your head to my brother; that's the only way he will leave Beatrice alone," Leonardo says as if it's that easy: killing my brother to save me.
"No," I finally whisper, clearing my throat. "No, I won't let you do this."
I look into Leo's eyes, and for the first time since he broke into our house, I see a look of regret.
He doesn't want to do this. It was just as painful for him to make this decision as it is for me to look at him right now.
"If you kill him, I'll never become yours," I threaten as our gazes meet. The shiver covers my whole body; the ache for this man increases, urging me to come closer.
"I know," he says quietly with a low voice, without breaking our eye contact, but still holding a knife tightly to my brother's throat, "but I have no other choice. I can't let Darius kill you."
"Is this bastard a man you've been crying about when you came home?" Raphael asks angrily, looking at me with disgust.
I know he disrespects me now: for lying to him, for being so stupid to go straight to his enemies' home, but primarily for falling in love with a man who wants to kill him.
"I didn't know, I swear," I cry out as tears fall down my face, and I don't even try to wipe them off. "I didn't know who he was; I just felt that we belonged together, and only after we talked, Leonardo figured everything out and told me to run. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry we didn't leave this place in time."
I sob. My eyes are blurry, and I fall to my knees in despair, hiding my face in my hands.
"I didn't know, I swear, I didn't know, you've never told me..." I keep sobbing, unable to realize that it's all happening.
"It's not your fault," Leonardo says strictly through his clenched teeth. "It's his fault."
I look up again. Leonardo and Raphael's gazes meet, expressing fury mixed with fear.
"He didn't tell you because he was ashamed to admit what he did, how he made my parents suffer..."