Page 87 of Power

We would never let them rule over us.

Together, my sisters and I would die before we allowed that to happen to any of us ever again. And Dominic Lucianos, of all fucking people?

What a goddamned joke this man was. Fury and rage bubbled up inside me, leaving me shaking and trembling with indignation. I was done. I was over it all. This was my fucking wedding, for fuck’s sake, and he dared to interrupt it as if he had a right to do so?

The ego it must have taken to jump to such an entitled conclusion astonished me. It infuriated me that he was that stupid.

And now, it was time for him to learn a valuable lesson that was long overdue.

Fuck Dominic Lucianos. It was time to end this shit. Now.

I glanced at Leon’s back, noticing the bulge in his jacket—the distinct outline of his extra gun concealed in his waistband. It was just like Leon to be so prepared.

But, as far as I was concerned, he was taking too long to deal with this asshole. Why wait any longer?

A slow smile spread across my face as I reached for his weapon. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, but I relished the fact that this time, I didn’t freeze up.

Not at all.

I would never do that again, and in that moment, I was absolutely sure of it. Despite all the emotions swirling within me—anger, irritation, a sense of justice—none of them came remotely close to feeling like fear.

I’d banished fear from my heart a long fucking time ago.

Not knowing this fact was Dominic’s first mistake. Coming here and fucking up my wedding while threatening to make me a widow would be his very last.

I slid my hand beneath Leon’s tuxedo jacket and swiftly pulled out the gun. Leon looked back at me in alarm.

“Cali!” he warned.

I ignored him, ducking under his arm, and fired off three quick shots.

The first one took out the guard on Dominic’s left, the bullet piercing his forehead. His body collapsed in a limp heap on the ground.

The second shot sank into the chest of the second guard, causing him to fall on his back, staring up at the sky, lifeless.

The third shot—my favorite—landed deliciously right between Dominic’s eyes.

I watched with glee as he fell to the ground with a deeply satisfying thump.

And then, just for good measure, I ran over to him, sending another bullet straight into his groin. Standing over him, I watched the blood pool around his head, his ugly, lifeless face staring up at me.

I sighed, letting my arm fall to my side. Now that the three of them were eliminated, time started back up, chaos ensued again, and I blinked hard as the guests emerged from their hiding spots and crowded around us. As soon as they realized I was the one who shot the three men, they started shouting my name.

“Cali! Cali! Cali!”

I scanned the crowd, finally landing on my sisters. Laya and Avra stood close, watching me with a mix of concern and amusement.

I smiled at Laya, and she winked, nodding approvingly.

Avra pulled me into her arms, whispering in my ear, “Good fucking shot, sis.”

My head spun.

Without a second thought, I’d managed to kill three men in mere seconds. Their bodies bled out at my feet. I stood there, amazed by the strength and power it required for me to do that.

A touch on my arm pulled me from the fog, and I lifted my head to meet my husband’s gaze, desperate to ensure he wasn’t angry with me for defying him.

I’d ignored every command he’d given me. A lesser man might have felt humiliated to be publicly disregarded that way. But I hadn’t stopped to think. I’d just seen a problem, found the solution, and acted. I’d done it for him. I’d done it for us. For our future…

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