Embrace the Darkness (The Maura Quinn Series Book 1) - Ashley N. Rostek Page 0,116

car and shot him in the back of his head.”

“I’m sorry.” I truly was. I understood what it was like to lose a parent and grow up not really knowing who they were. “Did the family or Stefan…I know he wasn’t the head of the family at the time, but did we get back at them?”

“Stefan took out the enforcer and mailed him back to Giovanni piece by piece.” Jamie smiled a little. “If you ever wondered where you get your sick sense of justice, look no further.”

Remembering how I had threatened Stefan to do the same to Angela had me fighting back my own small smile. That explained why he'd looked proud instead of mad. “I’m surprised he didn’t go after Giovanni.”

Jamie’s tiny smile fell. “At the time Giovanni was too protected. Then you were born, Stefan lost his wife, and he took over the family. It was one thing after another that prevented him from going after Giovanni and over time, things settled down. With you still being a child, despite his best efforts to keep you hidden and protected, Stefan didn’t want to risk another war between the two families. It was when I came to live with you he passed the revenge torch to me. As long as it didn’t lead back to the family, Stefan would train me and teach me everything I needed to know to go after Giovanni.”

“And did you—wait…” Giovanni had been killed just before I'd left for Trinity. “I asked you if Stefan had anything to do with Giovanni’s death and you told me no.”

“Stefan didn’t kill Giovanni. I did,” he said. “I left zero evidence that would lead back to the family.”

I shook my head. “They still suspected us. We lost men. There was even talk of marrying me off to the De Lucas to broker peace. Jesus, Jamie, I’m happy you got your revenge but shit!” I would have killed myself if Stefan hadn’t given me his word he wouldn’t go through with it.

“Stefan shot that idea down the moment it was brought to the table. Hell, he threatened to shoot the next person to ever suggest it again.”

I went back to rubbing my temples. That time of my life had been a huge cluster fuck and it hurt my head just thinking about it. “Is there a point? Why are you telling me all of this?”

“When Dean called me yesterday and said you were in De Luca’s club, I was so fucking scared I wasn’t going to get to you in time. Then I get there and find that not only are you naked, but you just got done giving the enemy a lap dance.” Nostrils flaring, he took in a deep calming breath.

“I didn’t have a choice. I was posing as a waitress. De Luca took one look at me and knew I wasn’t supposed to be there. Then I was requested for a dance. At first, I thought it was Mark who requested me because we were headed towards the same room. It wasn’t until I got there that I realized it was De Luca who requested me and by that point I didn’t have the option of leaving. He had a guard at the door. I was outnumbered and unarmed. I hated every minute of it, and it killed me knowing it was going to hurt you.”

With a furrowed brow, he nodded curtly. “I know. If it had been someone else, I still would have been pissed, but…the way he looked at you. He wanted you. He had touched you and I couldn’t handle it.”

“You were jealous, and it set you off even more because it was De Luca?” I asked, clarifying.

He gave me another curt nod.

“You called me a whore,” I seethed, making him wince.

I dropped my eyes to the floor. What was I supposed to do with this information? Forgive and forget? Just because he hated De Luca didn’t excuse how fucking badly he'd made me feel. How was he going to react when he found out I had a date with the don? Was he going to lose his shit again and we’d be right back where we started? Not to mention what had happened today with Angela. Should I believe there was nothing going on between them? Then why had he touched her? Kissed her? This whole situation was fucked.

My eyes bored into the carpet, feeling hopeless. Feet stepped into my line of sight and Jamie knelt before me. His hands