Page 128 of Shattered Diamonds

“In business, no. I am just as ruthless, if not more.” He stands before him, looking down on him, relaxed. “When it comes to women and children, I am. They’re off-limits. It’s a rule most follow. You never got the memo.” He kicks his leg to wake him, the loss of blood has him losing consciousness from Thor’s bites. “Your death is for her.” He points to the ceiling. “His death is for Haven.” He jerks his chin at Nikolai. “You took advantage of her father, a sick man. You should have tucked your tail and taken your losses. If you had, you would have been able to see the sun rise tomorrow.”

“Heart!” My father jerks in Antonio’s arms, fighting for freedom when Mr. Heart turns towards me.

“Demetri?” he questions, giving me the respect of asking how we are going to end them since they are my blood.

“Not in here. The holding room.” I turn to Haven. “Luca and Joseph are going to walk you upstairs and stay with you.”

“No!” She shakes her head. “I want to stay here with you.”

“Haven. Do not fight me on this.” I step up to her and hold her face in my hands. “Now is one of those times you need to listen to my orders.”

“Demetri… Please.”

“Now, Haven. I promise you, firefly. I won’t be long.”

She reluctantly pulls away from me and walks to Luca. With Joseph at their backs, I watch them walk from the room. Just after crossing the threshold, I see her slide her arm around his waist and lay her head on his shoulder. She needs comfort, security. Luca respectfully places his hand on the middle of her back. That’s the moment I realized I fucked up. I look at the two men on the floor of my dungeon, and I silently chaise myself. They can wait. My wife, the woman I have fallen madly and dangerously in love with, needs me. I will do anything to make sure she is okay and that her needs are met. In this bloodthirsty moment, I forgot that because of my lifelong need for vengeance on my mother’s behalf.

I turn back and address the room. “I need a few minutes alone with my wife. I’ll meet you in the holding room.” Then I stride out of the room and call for Luca to stop. They are already halfway down the hallway to the steps that lead upstairs.

I watch Haven’s shoulders release the tension. She runs to me, plastering herself against my sweat-soaked chest. Instinctively I squeeze her and start walking up the stairs to our home.

“Put your head on my chest.” I tuck her into my body further. She doesn’t need to see the carnage Thor left behind. Luca and Joseph followed us up here. I turn to them before entering the hallway. “Clear this place twice over. Make sure no one is hanging around. Call the cleanup crew. Then change the security codes. When you’re done, wait for me downstairs.”

ChapterForty-Eight

DEMETRI

I carryHaven through the bedroom and straight to the shower after toeing off my shoes. Stepping inside, I turn the water on and inhale the fear she is releasing. With each second that passes, she melts further into my arms now that she knows she is safe. The need to wash her body clean from any trace of his touch burns me. I failed to protect her. She was put in harm’s way right under all of our noses. That’s a hard pill to swallow for a man like me. My wife may hate me in the future with the added bodyguards I will place on her, but her safety is my first concern.

I cradle her body under the spray and let the warm water rush over her body. She clings to me in a way that isn’t fear anymore, but comfort as I hold her in my arms.

“I’m okay,” she whispers, her head leaning against my bare chest.

“I’m not.” I set her down and remove my shirt from her body. When I get to the last button and slide the shirt over her shoulders, I repeat, “I’m not.”

She stands there, her interest only on my face as she lets me manipulate her. I tilt her head back and let the spray saturate her hair. Instead of her soap, I grab for mine. The need to have my sent all over her becomes a burning need. My movements, although not harsh, are rushed. I force myself to slow down. My wife has just been through something traumatic, and the sad part, I think she is handling it better than I am.

She grabs for my hands and stills them, holding them in place until I give her my full attention.

“Demetri. I’m okay.” She leans in.

“I failed you.”

“You could never.” She leans in further and places a kiss on the corner of my lips.

“He took you from your homeland. Flew you across the world and brought you to our home. Do you know… Fuck, Haven, what he could have done to you in that span of time. I swear I almost killed the pilot for not flying fast enough.”

“He took me to our home because he wanted to show you he could take what was yours, in your own space. You got to me before he did anything too serious. It means you didn’t fail me,” she breathes. “You got to me in time, Demetri. What he planned to do in front of you is…”

I release a deep agonizing growl. It’s unbearable for me to think about what he planned to do to her with me present. My need to slaughter him only deepens. The satisfaction of watching him take his last breath will be utterly satisfying.

I wash her entire body from head to toe. The scent of my soap almost too much, but the man in me needed to mark her with my scent.

She leans in closer. I know what she wants. But when I make sorrowful love to my wife, apologizing to her with my body, I will only do it after my brother’s death.

With that thought, I rinse her off, shut off the water, remove my wet pants and socks, shove them to the side, and place a towel around my wife's beautiful body.

It’s time to end my mother’s biggest mistakes: her lover and her first born.

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