Page 88 of Power

If he were angry or humiliated, we would deal with it, but I wasn’t about to apologize for killing these bastards.

“Leon, I—” I stopped looking for any sign of rage.

Instead, I found love.

I found tenderness.

He wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me close to his chest as he took a deep breath and let out a long, slow exhale.

“You nearly gave me a fucking heart attack, Calista,” he murmured into my hair.

I leaned back to look at him.

“Why?” I replied, winking at him. “It seems I just saved your life, actually.”

A silence engulfed the crowd after my remark, and I scanned their faces, realizing they were waiting for me to say or do something to help them shake off the shock of what they had just seen.

They had been invited to a wedding and attended a bloody, violent slaughter. Not that it was something any of them hadn’t seen before. Our guest list comprised the syndicate heads of our allies and our family members. They were all powerful and well-versed in the ways of mafia families.

Of course, I knew the storm I had unleashed with Dominic and his men. The whispers would begin immediately, spreading like wildfire through the streets and taverns—how Calista Vitalis, a bride adorned in white, had taken the life of Dominic Lucianos in front of a stunned audience, a scene that would etch itself into the annals of our families’ stories.

That was our legacy, and moments like these were passed down as cherished family heirlooms.

And I was determined to craft a tale worth telling.

I raised my chin high, my gaze sweeping over the crowd, radiating the confidence that commanded attention. I felt the weight of their stares, each one a testament to my power, as I prepared to utter words that would echo for generations to come.

“Make no mistake,” I declared, my voice rising above themurmur, each word accentuated and distinct. “The Vitalis sisters are here to stay.”

Avra and Laya came to stand beside me, the three of us claiming our place, once and for all.

The message we sent was clear.

Do not fuck with us.

Just in case, I spelled it out even more.

“We will not hesitate to protect ourselves or those we love. We have no fear of consequences. We will always seek vengeance on those who harm us. If anyone else is considering the foolish move of crossing us, consider yourselves warned that you will face the consequences of your actions.”

The guests murmured to themselves, shaking their heads as they watched the three of us fearlessly face everyone down.

We were strong.

We were unstoppable.

We were the Vitalis.

And we would never, ever, let anyone fuck with us again.

Twenty

LEON

I rubbed the heavy gold ring on my finger, a tangible and comforting reminder of my new status as Cali’s husband. I couldn’t help but enjoy the feeling, which blended triumph and relief. I tilted my head back in my patio chair and took a deep, calming breath.

Cali and I had just returned from our delayed honeymoon and stopped by to visit Avra. When we arrived, we saw Laya and Nikolas, which meant I might have lost my wife to her sisters for the next week or so.

I couldn’t believe how much unfolded on our wedding day. It was definitely a day to remember. Aside from the shooting,we experienced a second burst of chaos at the very end, but it was worth it.

---