Beautiful Vows (Angels and Sinners #3)

1. Lia

Chapter 1

Lia

I stare down the barrel of his gun as my father's ominous warning to stay away from these people echoes in my ears. A shiver skitters down my spine as I silently chastise myself for my foolishness.

I loathe that I’ll never finish my mission to avenge my mother’s death, or keep these babies inside me safe.

I should have listened to him.

As I anxiously await my demise, Antonio lowers his gun to my chest. I gasp on a hitched breath, expecting pain—but nothing comes.

“I asked you to come inside.” With a flick of his wrist, he beckons me inside his office.

My light steps counter his heavier ones as I step toward the door.

My heart thrums against my breastbone as I enter the room, racing harder when the door closes behind me with the quietest of clicks.

I glance ahead. My foot falters in the air as an icy chill runs down my spine when I realize I’m locked inside this room with Antonio Conti and—

Fuck!

My stomach drops, and I swallow a thick lump of dread as I struggle to keep my composure.

What the hell is he doing here?

My stepfather, Dominic de Luca, stands at the floor to ceiling window. Luxurious white velvet curtains framing either side of his black clad form.

Despite the shroud of darkness enveloping him, I can feel his piercing gaze.

My eyes roam over the gun in front of him. His aim is at my chest. I swallow back the bile that bound up my throat.

“Don’t take your eye off the target,” I hear Jove’s voice inside my head.

And I could crumble, fall to the ground and weep, but if I’m going to die here, I refuse for these men to see me as weak.

Pushing back my shoulders, I step forward, and hope they don’t notice my rapid breathing or my heart pounding in my chest like it’s trying to escape.

“You thought you could come here and kill me, Aurelia?” Antonio’s voice breaks the silence, a cold undertone cutting through the tension.

He knows too much.

His words hang in the air, and I realize the gravity of my miscalculation.

How did it all go so wrong?

The plans, the preparations—they all seemed foolproof. But now, the tables have turned as I find myself at the mercy of the very men I intended to kill.

I try to steady my labored breathing, but the room feels suffocating, the air thick with hostility as my dire situation bears down on me.

There’s no way I’m getting out of here alive.

Dominic remains silent, his eyes locked on mine. But I’m sure I see a touch of pity in his eyes, probably wondering how he’ll deal with the aftermath of my sisters’ grieving.

But they haven’t killed me yet. That gives me a dash of hope that they want to talk first, and I can make a plan.

Suddenly, my mind races, scrambling to remember the house plans, mentally bringing up the images to work out an escape route.

But as I’m trapped with these two men within the confines of this opulent office, first I’ll have to bide my time. Then I’ll seize the opportunity that will hopefully present itself.

“Keep walking.” Antonio’s voice is gravelly as he beckons me forward.

My eyes roam around the room as I continue to make small strides in the large office.

Despite its size, the room feels like a cell, reminding me of the magnitude of my failure. Maybe it’s the loaded bookshelves around the room, making it feel claustrophobic, but the walls seem to close in on me with every step I make deeper into the lion's den.

“You expected to rid the world of us tonight?” Antonio laughs. “Though, I dare say, I’m impressed with your gall.” His voice doesn’t have one ounce of disdain—it's more like he’s disappointed.

He knew I was coming tonight... but how?

I clench my fists, my knuckles turning white as anger and frustration bubble within me. How dare he belittle my purpose, my determination? I’m no pawn in his game. I’m the person equipped to outlay justice, the one who will bring retribution to those who killed my mother.

“But you let your guard down, Aurelia. You became too hungry... too desperate for this to end.” He continues. I flinch when he presses his gun on my back to move me forward.

I want to reply to him, but I’ll hold my secrets inside and let him do the talking.

Dominic takes a step in front of me, his gun pointed at my body. I don’t flinch.

He doesn’t speak, but his eyes gleam with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

“You see, Aurelia, I knew this day would come. You came for revenge, but you let down your guard and lost your focus. You should have learned more first.”

My mind races, desperately seeking a glimmer of hope, as I try to reclaim control of this desperate situation. But as I stand here, staring at the gun pointing at my head, I realize the harsh truth— I failed.

Jove would say the same thing right now. “ You lost your focus!”

And I did.

But it doesn't stop the flicker of defiance igniting within me.

“I’m not defeated.” My voice is steady despite the turmoil raging within. “You can kill me, but it won’t prevent you from being hunted.”

“Is that right?” Antonio chuckles, a sound devoid of any genuine mirth. “You always were a stubborn one, Aurelia. But stubbornness alone won’t save you now. What are you going to do now?”

He walks around me and stands beside Dominic.

I narrow my eyes at his assumption.

My father says I’m stubborn, and maybe I am—but he can’t say it.

“You don’t know me.” My voice is harsh as I hold his gaze, refusing to show any signs of weakness. He glances at my face as I grimace because the pain in my leg throbs relentlessly.

I try to hold it back, but he notices.

“Only someone stubborn would try to kill me in my home when she is still getting over being shot herself.”

My shoulders sag, I try not to look crushed, but deep down I know he has me cornered, for now. Hopefully, once he stops waving the gun in front of me, I’ll see my way out of here.

Unless they kill you.

I need to find a way to turn the tables once again.

Dominic laughs and the fire within me burns brighter than ever, fueling my desire to dismantle the Syndicate. Kill every man for what they did to my mother.

You have two guns pointing at your face—you failed.

And as I stare down the barrel of Antonio’s gun, I know I need to do something different, otherwise this will soon be over.

“Did you send an assassin to kill me or was it only Eduardo?” I ask Antonio as I press my fingers over my throbbing thigh.

His jaw clenches before he grunts, “No.”

I turn to my stepfather. If it’s true and Dante was betrothed to another, he has the reason to send someone to kill me.

Dominic shakes his head before I get the chance to ask him. “My assassin wouldn’t have hit your thigh.”

“How long have you known about me?” This time, I direct the question to Dominic. “Before you married my stepmother?”

“Yes.”

I nod lightly. A glimmer of hope dances in my eyes, as I reason that they still see value in keeping me alive. I try not to show a flicker of relief. But it makes sense. They’ve had the opportunity and have never taken it.

Hopefully, today won’t be that day.

Antonio’s gaze remains steady as he speaks, his voice calm and measured. “Sit down,” he insists, his eyes fixed on my injured leg. “I can see you’re in pain.” The malice in his tone has all but disappeared.

“I’m fine standing.” My stubbornness refuses to yield despite my discomfort.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts before confronting Antonio. “How long have you known about me?”

“Always,” Antonio admits.

My rib cage constricts painfully around my lungs at the sound of that word, the final straw that pushes me into a state of desperate panic.

My breath hitches as I turn to Dominic, seeking his confirmation. He confirms Antonio’s statement with a solemn nod.

My mind races with a barrage of questions, each clamoring for answers. “So you purely married Helena to get to me?” I ask Dominic, my voice laced with skepticism.

Dominic’s response is swift. “I married Helena to protect you,” he states, and I’m surprised by the sincerity in his words.

Confusion courses through me. “Protect me?” I repeat, my voice trembling with disbelief. “How does bringing me into this world protect me?”

Dominic takes a seat in the corner but leans forward. His eyes lock with mine before he speaks. “Once the others realize your true identity, they won’t dare touch you without my permission,” he explains.

His words catch me off guard, intensifying the whirlwind of emotions within me.

“Who?” I murmur.

“Anybody.”

Are these two men protecting me when tonight I was supposed to end their lives?

My mouth opens on a gasp before I recover quickly as a flicker of anger flares within me, causing my voice to rise slightly. “Does that mean you’re going to lower your guns?” I challenge, my eyes searching his face. “Considering you’re both protecting me!”

Dominic’s gaze meets mine, the weight hanging heavy in the air, and for a moment, time seems to freeze as I search his face for answers, desperate to understand his intentions.

Has he always known who I am?

They have.

Silence fills the room, each passing second stretching into eternity. The tension between us is palpable, the unspoken words swirling in the air.

Dominic stands and steps forward, his voice filled with remorse. “Aurelia, I never wanted for you to be outed.”

I hiss, “You married my stepmother.”

He sighs. “I had to. You made your way into this world. And decisions were made to protect you. Regardless of what you think. In the end, it was always about protecting you.”

“Why?” I whisper. A surge of contradictory feelings floods my mind—frustration, sadness, and distrust.

My gaze locks with Dominic’s, and for a fleeting instant, I see trouble in his eyes.

He cautiously moves forward, speaking in a barely audible voice. “Believe me, I never wanted you to be caught in this world. Neither of us did.”

I’m taken aback by their sudden change in tone. Suspicion still lingers, but curiosity gets the better of me. Cautiously, I lean back to see both men.

“The two of you?” My eyes flicker between the two men as the room remains hushed.

The silence only broken when Antonio walks to his desk.

A surge of determination courses through me as I try to work out what this means. And as I gather my thoughts, I glance at my gun on the floor.

Taking a deep breath, I steel myself as I ask again, “Will you lower your guns?”

Antonio lowers his weapon, his hand trembling slightly as he places it in front of him on his desk. “Aurelia.” His eyes meet mine as he begins. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

I push my shoulders back and say, “Go on.”

My heart skips a beat as my eyes lock onto Dominic’s, his silent stare sending shivers down my spine as he reluctantly slides his weapon back into its holster.

He gives me a quick nod, and I turn back to Antonio’s gaze. “You may think we’ve ruined your agenda, but there’s something more at play here.” He opens his drawer and takes out a ring box.

My brow furrows in confusion. “I’m already married.”

He laughs. It’s hearty and surprises the heck out of me.

Then he takes a deep breath. “Aurelia, you could be the key to a new beginning. But there are forces at work that don’t want that.”

I gasp.

I feel a lump forming in my throat as I struggle to process his words.

My heart skips a beat, my hand instinctively moves to cradle my belly. I move it away as though it burned me.

His words echo through the chambers of my mind.

Antonio’s expression softens further, a hint of vulnerability seeping through his hardened facade. “You’re like your mother. You have the same strength within you. A determination that burns in your soul. It’s powerful.”

I don’t react despite the realization that everyone knows who I am, hitting me like a bolt of lightning.

Dominic and Antonio glance at each other as conflicting emotions swell within me, but I hold them back.

My father tried to warn me, tried to protect me with my training.

He hated the mafia, wanted me to stay away from these people. Whereas, Jove insisted I needed to eliminate the threat and exact revenge. But this is more than revenge, and for the first time since this started, I’m uncertain of my next move.

“How did you know I would come here?” I inquire, shuffling into my seat as I stare at his gun.

“Your tracker,” Antonio responds, his voice calm and collected.

My eyes widen in shock, and I gasp, struggling to process his revelation. “You know,” I murmur.

He nods, a ripple runs down his throat as a hint of shame flickers in his eyes. “I put it there.”

The knowledge hits me like a punch to the gut. “How? When?”

“The night you ventured into my mafia world. The same night you were nearly killed and one of our own needed to be eliminated instead of you.”

I swallow, knowing exactly the night in question.

Antonio’s gaze meets mine. “I know it’s hard to trust us after everything that has happened, but please, hear me out.”

“Trust you?”

I wait for him to speak again.

His expression softens, and a hint of remorse flickers in his eyes. “Yes. Lia, I know it’s not that simple,” he replies, his voice tinged with regret. “You’ll soon find out that nothing is as it first seems.”

“Isn’t it?” My words are laced with bitterness. “Did you kill my mother?”

“It is difficult to answer.”

“You either did or didn’t. It isn’t hard to answer.”

“Let me go to my safe. I have something for you.”

“No,” I insist, my voice firm. “Stay there.”

“I have a video for you,” Antonio says, his voice tinged with seriousness. “I don’t fear death. I never have, Lia, but I fear you will never see this. Before you kill me, let me play it.”

My gaze finds the gun lying on the table in front of him once more. “Okay.”

Like he knows what I’m thinking. He slides it away and places it in a drawer. His gaze meets mine, and for a moment, an unspoken understanding passes between us.

“We’ll talk about your reason for being here once you’ve watched the video. It’s a message…” He pauses for a moment, and I’m sure I see him turn away when tears spike his eyes. “For you.”

I swallow hard, my throat dry and constricted. Numbly, I nod, my curiosity mingling with dread. “For me?”

He turns back to me after a beat and says, “Yes. It’s from your mother.”