Page 128 of Savage Enemy

Thank God I landed on the flat side of the knife’s blade.

So close to him now, with him standing directly above me, I noticed the bit of white powder under his nose, and how his pupils eclipsed his light blue irises.

Aris couldn’t control his temper while sober. There would be no stopping him while he was high.

I had to outlast him, bide my time, take the beating. Then, when he passed out, I could strike. Anything else, and he would kill me and go after Enzo.

He sneered while putting his foot on my neck.

“This is where you belong. Under my boot.”

I said nothing. Didn’t move. I only waited for the rest of his abuse and for him to then fall asleep afterward.

“Say something, cunt.”

Spittle flew from his mouth.

“That’s what I thought, you pathetic whore.”

Loud, hollow booms went off outside the window.

Aris jerked his head in that direction.

Gunshots.

I thought for a second he might leave me and go.

He didn’t. He took his foot off my neck, backed up, and swung his leg, kicking me over and over and over.

I choked and cried out and begged him to stop.

He drew his gun and pointed it at my face.

“What the fuck did you do, sister?”

CHAPTER 26

STEFANO

I thought about the text message from Marco Moscatelli. He hadn’t been warning me out of some goddamn courtesy.

His message meant more than what he’d said. The words urged me to dig deep and pull an ace out of my sleeve. They pleaded with me to come to Chicago and fight for Val before the Russians showed up for her in the morning.

The man cared about his sister.

And he was afraid of Klimov.

Klimov had a reputation for double-crossing his allies and business partners. He took their money, their women, their territories, broke contracts, all before savagely killing them.

Marco knew this.

He also understood my reputation just as well. My word was my word. I prioritized the bottom line. I gave fair treatment to the men who honored their word.

Had I ever killed my business partners? Of course. I had a strict, zero tolerance policy for those playing games behind my back or touching what belonged to me.

Fuck around and find out.

“Is this the correct property entrance, boss?” Bruce asked.

---