Page 22 of Psycho Saints

With a deep breath, I followed him back to the elevator, my heart pounding.

I wouldn't say it was trust right now. That boat had long since sailed.

11

SCARLET

Istepped into the elevator, my heart racing with unease. Cristian pulled out his phone, dialing quickly.

"Jules, Ty, come down. We're ready."

He held the door, his eyes never leaving me. The tension in the air was thick, making it hard to breathe in the confined space.

Moments later, Julian and Tyrone appeared from upstairs. Jules wore a casual navy button-down and dark jeans, looking effortlessly put-together. Ty, ever the businessman, sported his usual crisp gray suit.

Julian's warm hand found mine as he stepped into the elevator, giving it a gentle squeeze. The gesture should've been comforting, but it only amplified my unease. Tyrone acknowledged me with a curt nod, his face an unreadable mask.

The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, and we began our descent. The silence was deafening, broken only by the soft classical elevator music. My mind raced, trying to piece together what they could possibly have planned. What was it that they had been hoping to do with me to show me how important I was to them? It gnawed at me, quickening my heart with the frustration of the unknown.

"What's the plan?" I finally blurted out, unable to bear the suspense any longer.

Tyrone's dark eyes met mine, devoid of any hint as to what it may be. "You'll find out when we get there."

His cryptic response made me grit my teeth. I glanced at Julian, hoping for some clue, but he just squeezed my hand, his only way of easing the unease. I found it odd that Kenny was not joining us on whatever this outing was, which had me wondering how dangerous it was. Cristian stood unnaturally still, his earlier chaotic state of mind replaced by an eerie calm.

As the elevator continued its descent, I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever awaited me would change everything.

I found myself wedged between Cristian and Julian in the backseat of the car, driving through the familiar warehouse district where Angelo met his end. The silence in the vehicle was oppressive, each passing moment ratcheting up my anxiety. My mind raced, desperately trying to piece together what awaited me at our destination.

As we pulled up to the awfully familiar building, my heart hammered against my ribs. Julian squeezed my hand, the only comfort I'd had for the entire drive, along with Cristian's hand on my leg, although I'd chosen to focus on Julian.

"We're here," Julian stated as he released my hand.

I sucked in a breath, my chest tight. Time to find out what this was all about.

The brothers exited the car, and I followed, staring up at the warehouse, images of Angelo's body flickering through my mind. Tyrone's hand on the small of my back guided me forward, his touch both comforting and terrifying.

"This is for you, Scarlet," Julian murmured as we approached the entrance. "Your vengeance."

The words sent a chill down my spine. Vengeance? What could they possibly mean?

The warehouse door creaked open, and my breath caught in my throat. There, bound to a chair in the center of the room, was a face I never thought I'd see again. Ian. The monster who had violated me, who had snuffed out the life of my baby girl.

A tidal wave of emotions crashed over me – rage, fear, grief, all swirling together into a chaotic mess that threatened to spill over. I stumbled backward, only to find Julian's solid form behind me, steadying me.

Tyrone stepped forward, his voice cutting through the whirlwind in my mind. "Pregnancy or not, we want you with us, Scarlet. We will provide for you and any child you bear. You will never want for anything."

His dark eyes bored into mine as he continued, "But for us to have a woman we share, and will be faithful to, we want her to harbor the same darkness, to be willing to do what's needed for this family. As the family would also do for you."

The weight of his words settled over me like a shroud. I glanced at Ian, who stared back at me with wild, terrified eyes, his whimper muffled by his gag.

"Tonight, you have a choice to make," Tyrone declared. "Kill the man who murdered your child and become a part of this Silvestri family, or walk away and let us exact revenge for you. You will have your child if you’re pregnant, but you will leave it with us, and you will be released afterward, where you'll never see us again. If you’re not pregnant, well, then you’re free to leave and move on with your life."

The room spun around me as the gravity of the decision before me sank in, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my throat. My gaze darted between the three brothers – Tyrone's stoic expression, as unreadable as ever; Julian's encouraging nod, a glimmer of something akin to pride in his eyes; and Cristian's intense stare, burning with a fervor that both terrified and thrilled me.

Abandoning a child pained me just to think about, but these were my options now, as harsh as they were. The thought of never seeing the three of them again stung more than I would have thought, and I clenched my jaw, debating my choices.

Why were these my options? A part of me understood. They needed a woman who would kill to protect their family, that would do what needed to be done. Someone weak didn’t belong at their side.

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