Page 129 of Impenitent Claim

“Your Russian cage fighter—the bear.”

“What does Ilya—I mean, Elijah have to do with anything?” I breathed.

“Ilyasaved me. He’s freeing us, both.” The smile that twisted Alonzo’s lips was anything but happy. “But I can never have you. It’s a hard price to pay for my life, don’t you think?”

Speech failed me. I sat hard, clasping my face with my hands. Ilya’s plan worked. We were done with the famiglia. Two of us would make it out alive, leaving behind the body of the third. The spikes of emotion overwhelmed me.

Before anything else could be said, there was the sound of a vehicle coming to a sudden halt outside.

Alonzo’s voice hardened. “Right on time. That will be the don.”

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

“Go to your room, get your things,” Alonzo instructed quietly. “My father and I are going to have a long, overdue chat.”

Dread slithered through me. But watching the boy rise from the steps, I had to admit that we’d all underestimated Alonzo. Because before me stood a man, bound and determined. He adjusted his shirt. I caught a glimpse of the weapon tucked inthe waistband of his pants. It was time for Alonzo to right the injustice done to him.

I rose too, wanting to help, but not knowing how.

Shit!The strega!

“Cece,” I hissed, darting into the foyer to the limp body.

Her chest rose and fell—which meant I wasn’t a murderer. Unfortunately. While the killing rage was gone, there wasn’t a bone in my body that wanted to save this woman. Her labored breathing gave reassurance that she wouldn’t rise anytime soon to interfere.

I gripped her bony chicken wing arms, dragging her easily into one of the many rooms off the hall. Once I was sure the damage wouldn’t be discovered, I peeped around the aperture to see Alonzo facing his father.

“You’re home.” Was that surprise in the don’s voice?

Alonzo studied his sire. “I am.”

“You look like shit. Couldn’t clean yourself up?” the don sneered. “We have a reputation to uphold, boy. Haven’t I told you that?”

I frowned. Aldo seemed so worried when we learned of the boys’ abduction by our enemies. For days, he’d been a general on the warpath to end the scourge taking out our men. He rallied the dwindling ranks and waged a vicious war on the Scorso Famiglia.

“Sorry, there wasn’t time to tidy up, seeing as I just escaped Cosimo’s clutches,” Alonzo spat.

Hold up.I gaped. Did I really hear that properly? My feet inched a few steps. I leaned forward to catch every syllable.

“Careful, boy,” the don growled, voice dropping several octaves as the don glanced through the still-open door at the soldiers standing guard.

“You think you can make a deal with the Fabrizi to remain don, so long as Cosimo is your heir? Where did that leave me, father? Hmm?” Alonzo’s voice was packed with hate.

The truth suddenly became very clear despite the lack of details.

“Let’s go into my office. You’re clearly suffering from the…strains of your ordeal,” Don Aldo quickly responded.

Alonzo didn’t fight him but followed his father inside.

Mind reeling, I sagged against the wall. The don and the underboss, my brother and Alonzo—pieces of the puzzle flipped and spun, trying to notch into one another as the picture formed in my mind.

A scuffle followed by a thud whispered through the open front door.

My heart jumped, only to patter wildly a moment later when a massive form filled the doorway, blocking out the light. The scruff on his jaws couldn’t distract from the haunted look in his eyes. The beast I always knew lurked inside him was in command. Despite the shadows crossing his face, and blood smeared across his skin, he wasn’t terrible. Not to me.

Ilya was every bit the predator his nickname suggested.

I ran to him.

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