getting to Gabriel’s brother whose eyes had just slid closed.
“The time was right for the Moretti boys to pay for what they took away from me,” he hissed before clamping his fingers around her throat. “Adrianna was mine. Her old man wanted to merge with the Moretti family, sure, but once that asshole—” He nodded toward Stefano. “—served his purpose, it would have been me and her who ruled. It should have been easy! This should have been easy! But Gabe fucked shit up. Again!”
Fireworks exploded behind Eva’s eyes as she clawed desperately at his hand, trying not to pass out.
He watched her struggle then laughed, baring his teeth and snapping them close to her fading vision. “I should have taken them out when I hit the old man. Then I wouldn’t have had to run the show while toeing the lines that fuckin’ pussy drew in the sand all these years.” He shrugged and shook her. “When I’m fuckin’ you, I want you to call me ‘boss.’”
As darkness began to close in, Furio released her with a rough shove that left her gasping for oxygen.
He placed his gun on the table, the barrel facing her, and went for his belt while rubbing his obvious erection in a grotesque way. “Let’s get in a quick, hard one before Gabe gets here. I’ll give it to you good. Just like I did his other girlfriends. But I won’t kill you like I killed them.” He smiled when her eyes widened. “Yeah,” he drawled. “That was my work. Gabe thought Stefano killed them, Stef thought Gabe did—”
While he basked in his own glory, Eva threw a punch, aiming for his throat. It connected with a satisfying sound, but even as Furio choked and cursed, he proved he was used to fighting by shaking it off and backhanding her already-damaged cheek. Before she could recover from the explosion of stars that filled her head, she felt the weight of his body come down on her, along with a sharp pinch at her collarbone.
“Bitch. You’re gonna pay for that,” he rasped, slicing a blade through the front of her t-shirt.
She welcomed the ear-splitting crash that came from behind her like she’d have welcomed an Uzi and a thousand rounds.
TWENTY-SIX
“Furio! Get the fuck off of her!”
As Gabriel finally burst through the door and into the cabin, leaving the boys to finish up outside, he took in the scene with one sweeping glance.
Gun on the table, within reach.
Stefano, on the floor, unmoving in a pool of his own blood.
Alesio, unconscious with no visible signs of injury.
Eva…
Jesus Chriiist. He tried so hard to remain detached, knowing he had to keep his head in the game, but his efforts stalled when he saw her in Furio’s arms, a knife pressed to her throat. Her face was cut and bleeding, the skin of her slender neck marred by reddened welts.
The focus that descended then came from the soul, landing on the threat to his life—her—with a pin-point precision. Gabriel didn’t say another word as he turned his body just enough so he could palm the blade he’d hidden in his waistband. The power that flowed through his arm as he flung it was direct and swift, arrowing the weapon directly into Furio’s shoulder. Surprise flared on the cunt’s face when his arm jerked back and he lost the grip on his knife, and by that time, Gabriel was right there to see it up close and personal.
As he pushed Eva to safety on the sofa, Gabriel smashed his forehead into Furio’s nose. Next, he yanked the blade out, hoping for a steady blood flow to follow, and cracked his elbow into that shaved temple, causing Furio’s head to snap sideways.
Eva moved and he looked over to see her reaching for the gun. “Don’t touch it,” he barked as her hand closed over the metal. “Don’t!” His roar had her snatching her hand back and the gun fell to the floor as she met his eyes with a look of utter confusion. He would not let her have a man’s death on her conscience.
“Gabriel!” she screamed just before his distraction cost him a solid right to the jaw that had his brain sloshing against his skull.
“You know I’m gonna fuck her, Gabe,” Furio taunted as he bounced back on his heels. “She’s gonna lie in a pool of blood while I bury my cock inside her. Just like your other bitches.”
Rage screamed in his head as Gabriel lunged, slamming a