Faked A Dark Mafia Romance - Vanessa Waltz Page 0,69

a life, and that feeling hasn’t changed.”

“James was not a soldier!”

“No, he was a predator.”

“You think you’re judge, jury, and executioner?” she screamed, and I flinched. “You can’t kill people for making a—”

“Don’t you call it a fucking mistake.”

“I didn’t want him to die. I might’ve hated him, but I’d never ask you to do that.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and broke down.

A deep pain in my chest twisted and turned.

“Liana, it wasn’t you,” I said hoarsely. “It was all me.”

“You’ve made me feel like I’ve killed someone!”

I palmed her shoulder.

She cringed as though I’d struck her. “If I had said nothing, he’d still be alive.”

“Yes, he would,” I deadpanned, shrugging. “I caught him sprinkling powder in a girl’s drink, just like he probably did yours. I won’t apologize for what I did. That asshole deserved to die. Look me in the eye, and tell me your friend isn’t better off.”

Liana wiped her eyes, trembling. “It wasn't for me. You didn't kill him for the safety of other women. You were such in a hurry to defend my honor that you didn't consider my feelings.”

“Li, I never would’ve put that burden on you.”

“You don’t get it,” she moaned. “It's a betrayal. You killed someone after I confided in you.”

My first instinct to argue smoldered as that sunk in, adding fuel to the fiery gnawing. She was right.

I’d shot him because I’d despised the bastard.

My innocent wife gave me the perfect excuse. I'd traded her trust for my pride. She'd never look at me the same if she looked at me at all. And I couldn't promise I wouldn't do it again.

My cheeks burned as I grasped her hands, a violent battle wrestling in my heart. An apology hung on my lips. Then a pink-and-white piece of jewelry reminded me why I couldn’t let her go.

I took her face and kissed her.

She shoved my chest. Her groans faded to whimpers as I crushed her mouth in a bruising kiss. I dragged her to the floor and made her forget how much she loathed me. Then I carried her to bed and did it again, and I would've kept going if not for her gentle breaths warming my neck.

Halfway through the night, she slipped out of my arms and tiptoed into the walk-in closet. Her frantic packing pitted my stomach with bitterness. I didn’t stop her, even though it killed me.

Don’t go. Please.

Liana paused, lugging a duffel bag. She seemed to look in my direction, where I pretended to sleep.

Then she ran out the door.

Twenty-Six

Liana

“Hey. Can I crash here for a few days?”

Carmela’s pretty face registered shock. The strap dug into my muscle, and the bag hit the ground after I staggered into the house.

Michael was out on a business trip, which was why I'd headed straight for their place. I didn’t want to field a million questions about my relationship with Vinn to my overprotective brother.

Carmela gave me a searching look. “Does Michael know you’re here?”

“Let's not tell him. You know how he gets.”

Carmela bit her pink lip. “I won’t mention it until he's back.”

I shuffled defeatedly in Michael’s mansion dominated by steel-blues and earthy browns. It was the opposite of Vinn’s stark white and black apartment. As I stepped into Michael’s bright kitchen, longing wrenched at my gut.

They were a perfect family.

Carmela fed Baby Luke in a high chair, mopping the applesauce that rolled down his chin. Mariette and Matteo ate their waffles. The children screamed a greeting before I lugged the bag to a guestroom.

When I returned, Carmela busied herself in the kitchen, grabbing plates as I limped to the table.

“Eggs?”

My stomach turned. “No thanks.”

I had no appetite.

My guts clenched when I imagined Vinn at home, alone.

I wished I hated him.

I soul-searched as I sat there, digesting his terrible crime. I’d always known he was capable of murder. Michael had hinted at it plenty of times, but I hadn’t expected him to kill a man who’d wronged me. Though a small part of me agreed with Vinn.

Queenie was better off.

A second later, I loathed myself.

Vinn tried to do good, in his own twisted way. Wasn’t that better than the monstrous version I’d led myself to believe?

Vinn’s motivations were the same as mine. Family first.

He just took that to extreme lengths.

You’re making excuses.

Doubt plagued my conscience. I loved Vinn, but he scared me. He’d already compromised my soul, and now he’d added murder to the list.

Regret hit me hard after another day of being stuck in Michael’s home, awaiting