Page 15 of Savage Enemy

Only brutal, raw depravity.

And amusement.

Now that Aris had found my son, he held the most precious thing in my world on the palm of his hand, and he would end my boy’s life for no other reason than because he could.

He would do it simply to devastate me.

Even just the threat of it carved out a hollow space in my soul, crushed my heart, and made me shake uncontrollably.

Witnessing my agony had always entertained my brother.

Our father had never allowed him to kill me because I had been a useful commodity for trade.

I shifted my eyes for a quick side-glance at our father.

Yes, even now it was true.

Even after I’d run away and had a son. I didn’t know what had happened to his original deal with the Russians, but if it fell through, he definitely made another deal with them, and I was still the honeypot.

For Enzo, on the other hand, the bastard son of one of his rivals, he would have no real use. So if Aris chose to kill Enzo just to make me suffer, my father wouldn’t stop him.

He wouldn’t order it, but he wouldn’t stop it either.

Saul Moscatelli wouldn’t pretend to show respect for the Vignali family. My father had been acquainted with Stefano’s father and still with a few of the older Vignali made men, but he had no patience for young bosses like Stefano.

Men like Stefano could command loyalty more effectively than the previous generation of dons had ever done. That pissed off my father, and for that reason alone, he would risk a multi-family, multi-city war rather than spare Stefano’s son.

I had to find a way to save my son.

I straightened my spine and forced my tremors to stop.

“Why are you here, Father?” I asked.

I needed time to come up with a plan. There had to be a play here, a move I could make that might not save me from Aris, but would give Enzo a chance to survive.

Stefano wouldn’t let me walk out of here without a fight.

This meant I had to maneuver both men to save my son.

Aris answered my question for our father.

“We’re here to collect you, dear sister. Your fiancé already married someone else, but the deal still stands… you’re alive, and we’re obligated to deliver you to the Russians. I’m sure they’ll find some use for you. Kitchen maid. Whore. Target practice. I hear they prefer live targets for knife throwing.”

“My mama isn’t going with you,” Enzo screamed.

He tried to get off the bed, but Aris dug his fingers deeper into my baby’s shoulder, pinning him down.

Enzo winced without making a sound, quickly schooling his expression better than any nine-year-old should be able to.

Aris laughed. “Feisty one, isn’t he?”

As if he were bored, my father looked down at his watch.

Feigning courage, I stood my ground by releasing a heavy breath and forcing out a threat against my brother.

“I think you mean he’s strong. You should meet his father. Stefano built what’s now one of the strongest families in the country. Commission members are courting him to save their own asses. Speaking of the Commission, you know you can’t be here in New York. The families won’t stand for it.”

Aris laughed, motioning with his gun for me to continue.

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