Page 86 of Unchained

“Gianna,” he croaks, glancing at his brother, Stefanos’ corpse beside him.

“Yes. Asshole. I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment,” I tell him, taking another step closer, my aim trained on him.

“Just shoot me. Get it over with.”

I laugh as the body I walk over twitches.

“How many bullets did that special ops guy you hired put in my brother, Nikos?” I ask through gritted teeth.

He shakes his head, his body vibrating. His hand slides up his thigh.

“Don’t,” I warn him. “I will shoot you in the dick if you even try.”

He holds both hands beside his head in surrender.

“Get on your knees and beg for your life, Nikos.”

A single tear streams down his cheek, and like a lapdog, he drops to the ground. Fucking pathetic.

He clasps his hands in front of his chest, his green eyes on me. “Please, Gianna. I’m begging you. Let me live. Chloe’s pregnant; I want to be a dad. I want to see my baby grow up. I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I put the hit on your brother. I’m sorry I tried to take over your territory. I promise, it’s over. We aren’t coming back to America.”

I tilt my head and my neck cracks. “God, I really need a massage,” I mutter.

He frowns.

“Please, Gianna. For my baby.”

I scoff. “And what about Max? He was on his way to propose to his girlfriend. He had a life, and you stripped him of that. Rules are rules; we all live by them, and we die by them.”

He swallows hard, sinking back onto his heels and dropping his head.

“Do you want to be this monster for the rest of your life, Gianna? A woman that⁠—”

I don’t let him finish the sentence. I pull the trigger, and his skull shatters as he slumps onto the ground.

A monster.

He thinks that’s all I am. All I want to be.

And maybe, he is right.

I tap the comms as I back away to the bar.

“Vodka, please,” I hiss at the bartender, who, with shaking hands, passes me the bottle.

Grabbing the last wad of cash from my bra, I toss it at him.

“Thank you,” I say, and make my way past the dead bodyguards and continue down the pier to the meet spot for Colten.

Flicking the lid off the vodka, I toss it back, letting it burn its way down my throat.

A monster.

I laugh. Maybe I am. But I got my revenge. Peering up at the stars in the sky, the moon shines so bright it lights up the end of the dock.

“This one is for you, Maxy. I miss you,” I whisper, letting the tears burn at the corner of my eyes.

CHAPTER FIFTY