Page 72 of Of Vows and Betrayal

He seems to ponder that for a second. “I don’t work for Synco… I am Synco.”

“Ah.” I nod; the guy is a billionaire—of course he is.

“I need to go home.”

“You don’t have a home anymore.”

“No, you’re right, I’m a traitor—because you made me that way.” I’m the reason my father is dead.

“Stay here.”

“With you?” I can’t help but laugh when he nods. “I will go home whether you want me to or not, and if they shoot me, so be it.”

“You’ll take death over me?”

“I’ll take death over everything you represent.”

“I made a deal with the devil to save you,” he confesses, the weight of his words hanging heavily between us.

Lucchese, The Reaper—the only man who makes my family think twice when they do things.

“You shouldn’t have. I don’t want to be saved by you. I’m going home.”

“It’s not your home anymore. They don’t want you there.”

I can’t help but grimace, but I stand my ground. “No offense if I don’t take your word for it. If they don’t want me, they need to tell me themselves.”

He purses his lips before letting out a huff. “Fine, let me change, and I’ll?—”

“I’m not going anywhere with you. Have you lost your mind, or did you miss the part where I said I’ll choose death over you?”

“Carmine killed your father. Not me.”

“You didn’t pull the trigger, but you handed him the ammunition.”

Javier’s face pales, and he looks away. “I never wanted this for you. I wanted justice for Paloma, but not like this.”

“Justice?” I scoff. “You think this is justice? Destroying lives, manipulating people, lying?”

He steps closer again, his eyes desperate. “I never lied about my feelings for you.”

I laugh bitterly, shaking my head. “Please don’t bother. You slept with me to satisfy your vendetta. God, I’ve been so stupid!”

“I told you!” He grits his teeth, running his hand through his hair. “I told you, if we got together, things would get messy and complicated.”

“I— What?” I step back in disbelief. “You can’t be serious! I thought it was because you were a bodyguard and I was a Mafia daughter, not because you were set to destroy my father and my life!” I shake my head, exasperated. “I’m done with this conversation.” I turn to leave, but he blocks my way.

“I can’t let you go by yourself,” he says firmly. “You may be ready to die, but I’m not going to let you.”

“Let me?” I point at my chest. “Bold of you to assume I will listen to you. Keep me locked here, but I swear I’ll find a way out.”

“I wonder, where was this fire when your family treated you like a pretty little doll?”

My hand moves before I even think, and the loud slap echoes in the room. My palm burns from the impact on his cheek. I slapped him! I slapped him with all my strength.And a part of me wants to do it again and again.

He turns back toward me, his cheek slightly red despite his tan. “I deserved that.”

“You deserve this and so much more.” I raise my hand to slap him again, but he catches my wrist firmly. “I probably do, but now is not the time.”

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