Until Her - Ami Van Page 0,77
tall trying to use her small advantage to intimidate. It doesn’t work. She almost laughed when Stella kills the distance and stands face to face with Isabella. She’s never seen another woman do that before. Mostly because Isabella made sure she had weaklings in her squad to ensure she’ll always be top bitch.
“Ah,” Stella replies without an ounce of fear. “I’m a chef by trade. I love playing with fire. It’s my favorite game. And you have no fucking clue what kind of heat you’re playing with. Speaking of lane, you should have stayed in yours. Keep reaching for your crown, Queen. I’m a fucking King.”
When Isabella makes a move as if to get physical, she moves quickly and plants herself right next to Stella. Their unity causes both Isabella and Cristian to shrink back a step. It empowers her even more and fulfills a longing inside of her if for only a brief moment.
Stella takes her hand in a firm grip, giving her the support she needs not to falter in front of these two monsters.
“WE are Kings!” Stella says, going head to head with Isabella like she’s never seen anyone do before. “You so much as blink in Derrick’s direction again and I’ll make sure your house of cards tumbles to the ground and burns in the fire you stoked,” Stella hisses out. No threats but promises. Real promises.
“Grow a spine?” Cristian asks with his eyebrow raised.
“Did you? Are you finished hiding behind your sister’s sleazy skirt?” she asks right back and watches Cristian wince at the fierce tone of her voice. Coward.
“Run along, bitch,” Stella taunts Isabella. “You’ll burn alive here and no one can or will stop me.”
“Your husband didn’t have the will to stop the other night either,” Isabella tries to burn back.
It’s a low blow but no surprise coming from Isabella.
“Let’s be cordial until we know for sure there are no remnants of his seed growing inside me before we start to get too far ahead of ourselves, shall we? Can you imagine that? Baby Romano-King. Sounds joyful already,” Isabella forges on.
If Stella didn’t give her hand a hard squeeze, her legs might have stopped functioning. She might have crumbled right there in front of everyone. But her friend holds on to her hand, tapping her knuckles, pulling her back from that brink. Meanwhile, Stella hums of anger and confidence.
Stella’s near maniacal laughter draws the attention of several unsavory characters. She sees movement but doesn’t check to see who it might be. It’s unimportant right now anyway. What’s important is unity. Isabella and Cristian always stuck together against her. Now she has Stella at her side and Kings. Now her tormentors are outnumbered.
“You really shouldn’t go broadcasting that,” Stella tells Isabella with disgust. “It won’t save you.”
“Oh, Ariana. Do you think someone in her position can help you? She can’t even keep her husband in line. Come, Ari. Come home with us. We have exactly what you need at home. Fresh needles. Promise,” Isabella says with that disgusting giggle.
“Is that the best you can do?” she asks steadfastly and looks Isabella dead in the eyes for the first time. “Consider my debt paid. I’ll never set foot there again!”
“Ariana is home,” Adam says in support. Her heart nearly somersaults down to her stomach. “She’s exactly where she belongs.”
This, she thinks to herself. This is what a family is truly about. No matter what’s going on within, the Kings all stand unmovable like a fortress. Together.
“A deal is a deal,” Cristian says as he pulls Isabella back. “The Kings and the Romanos have an arrangement. One that’s being overseen by forces you can’t even imagine, Ari. And your debt? You’re not even close to repaying in full.”
With that, her two former tormenters walk away as if they’ve won some major battle. Maybe they did. She isn’t sure.
Cristian does speak the truth, undeniably.
The Kings and the Romanos have an arrangement.
Chapter Thirty-Three
“Boss,” Mason calls out to Derrick. “We have a problem.”
Damn it! They have many problems right now and the sound of Mason’s voice doesn’t bold well.
Derrick, in his drunken stupor, doesn’t bother saying anything. His brother doesn’t even look like he cares anymore. His condition worsened after the night of the gala when Stella refused to return home with him.
His prayers were answered as well but nothing more. He’d begged to be able to see and feel Ariana just one more time. That’s exactly what he got because Ariana left with Stella as soon as the