Page 73 of Dark Consequences

Fair. But unlikely.

But I won’t tell Enzo that. He’s likely to put the damn boat on cruise control or something, hop off, and send my ass back to shore just for suggesting it.

Enzo pulls the boat up alongside the yacht’s swim deck in the back. The opposite side of where we last saw Raphael, Michael, and Xiao.

“Stay put, both of you.” Enzo points a finger at us both with a stern look.

“Okay.”

“Promise me, Lily.”

“I will not leave the boat. I swear.” He should have specified which boat.

Enzo eyes me with skepticism before he finally nods and hops off the boat. I wait until he disappears from sight before I start counting to ten. When I do, I set Mei down on the captain’s chair and wrap her in Enzo’s coat, tucking her in until she looks like a little puffy penguin.

“Mei, I need you to stay here.”

“But Enzo said—”

“I know what he said, but I need to go help them. Help Raphael. Okay?”

“Can I help?”

“Absolutely. You can help by staying here and guarding the boat. Can you do that?”

“Please don’t go, Mommy.”

I grab her head and kiss her forehead. “I don’t want to, princess, but I have to. And I’ll be back before you know it. I promise.”

I should listen to Enzo and stay, but I can’t. Something in me pulls me to the front of the yacht, pulling me to where I last saw Raphael. If I don’t listen, if I don’t go, I have this sinking feeling that something terrible is going to happen.

So many dead bodies litter the yacht. A gruesome sight for some, but all I see is proof of how hard Raphael and his brother fought to rescue Mei and me. And if they could do that, then I can ignore a bunch of dead Triad bastards.

I freeze just before coming around the corner when I hear voices.

“We found the warehouse, Xiao,” Raphael says. “It’s over.”

“You think I care?” Xiao asks before he snorts. “I have a dozen more.”

“So, you’re the one behind the human auctions in Miami?” I can hear the anger in Michael’s voice rise. “The one who sold Lily and Rose?”

“Maybe. There’s been so many over the years,” Xiao snorts. “They blend after a while, to be honest.”

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” Michael growls, his voice dripping with venom. “For Rose for Lily...for Dominic.”

Xiao laughs. “Oh yeah, sorry about your cousin, DiAngelo. But he was getting a little too close, and it was bad for business. You know how these things go. The boss wanted him dead, and I wanted to send you a message.”

“You’re fucking dead,” Michael threatens.

“You keep saying that, but do you really think this ends with me? This is a lot bigger than you realize, you fool. Cut my head off, and another two will grow in its place.”

“But at least you’ll be dead and will never hurt Lily or Mei again,” Raphael says. His words are as cold as ice that a shiver runs down even my spine.

“Ah, speaking of my daughter. I saw your man pull her and that whore of a mother from the water. Once I get rid of you, I’m going to sell that slut to the first offer. Hell, maybe I’ll sell the girl too. She's had her head filled with silly ideas for too long by that woman. I should have killed her years ago. She’s been more trouble than she’s worth.”

I ball my hands into fists, my body wound up and ready to explode around the corner. Hearing him talk about selling my daughter has me seeing red.

"Tell me, Raphael," Xiao continues. “Did you enjoy that old cunt of hers?”

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