Chapter 27
M y father’s note is nothing more than a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.
I’ve read it over and over. More times than I can count.
A few days ago, I wasn’t certain if I could do it.
If I could be the one to send my father to hell.
Now, there’s no doubt. There will be no hesitation when the time comes.
I will smile when he takes his last breath.
I’ve tried not to think about what she’s going through, what they’re doing to her.
I’m hoping they haven’t changed their tactics.
That they’ll be waiting for me to show up before they do anything to her.
My father will want me to see it. It’s his way of punishing me for betraying him, for turning on the family.
She will be okay. Aurora is the toughest person I know. There is no way in hell they’re going to break her.
I look down at the scrunched-up paper again and straighten it out. My father’s scrawl taunting me with every second that passes, every second that separates us.
You want to see her alive again? You know where to find us. Come alone.
He didn’t sign it, not that I needed him to. I’d recognize his writing anywhere.
It took me an entire night and day to get off that fucking island.
I had to sail the yacht back to Sydney. From there, I managed to charter a private jet.
We’re now only hours from Dublin. I have no doubt that the entire Valentino family tree is out looking for her.
They won’t find her. There aren’t many people who know how to find my father’s house of horrors.
The Valentinos are a big organization, with a lot of reach.
But in Ireland, the O’Malleys rule over everything.
My father being at the top of that food chain.
I used an alias to fly in. I know both of our families will be watching the flight logs, and I wasn’t chancing Aurora’s family getting messed up in this.
She’d never forgive me or herself if something happened to one of them because they were trying to save her.
Could I use more help? More manpower? Sure, but if my father thinks I’m going to roll over and play dead like a defeated puppy, then he’s underestimating me.
He’s also underestimating the loyalty I’ve been building up in his organization.
I might be turning up alone, but I’m far from a one-man army.
As soon as I got to Sydney, I called Patty, who took the next available flight to Dublin. My father trusts my best friend. He’ll let him in, and I’m hoping Patty’s got eyes on Aurora by now. I’m hoping he can give her some kind of comfort, ignite her willingness to hold on. To wait for me.
I don’t care how many I have to kill or maim or torture.
I will get her out of that fucking house.
I know what my father’s planning. It’s the same shit every damn time.
He doesn’t have an original idea in his fucking head.
He’s going to wait until I’m there, then he’s going to force me to watch him break her.
He’s not going to be able to break us , though.
Aurora’s my wife, and I can’t fucking wait to see his face when I choose her over him.
I haven’t heard from Patty since I sent him to Dublin. I didn’t expect to. I know he’ll help in any way he can. I just hope it’s enough.
My hands clench, and I check the time again. Two hours. Fucking hell, two more hours before we touch down, before I’m closer to her. And all I can do is sit here and simmer in my rage.
I’ve pictured how I’m going to kill him, at least thirty different ways by now.
I’ve even pictured my mother’s face when she watches me take the only thing in this world that she cares about.
Power. She doesn’t love my father. She loves the power she gets from being his wife.
That all goes away the minute the old fuck’s heart stops beating.
I swear if he’s touched her, if anyone has fucking touched Aurora, I’m going to tear their fingers from their hands before I shove them up their asses. I’m going to cut their hearts out of their chests and deliver them to her on a silver platter.
I can see the bloody mess in my mind as clear as a Kodak picture. My father’s end isn’t just his ending. It’s also my beginning. I won’t be his heir once I take his place on the so-called throne. Something I’ve never wanted. I’ll be his successor.
I don’t see any other way out of this, though. He has to die. My father won’t stop until Aurora is dead and I’m either buried alongside her or on a leash behind him.
“We are an hour and a half out, sir.” The air hostess, who has been trying and failing to gain my attention for the last fifteen hours, bats her fake lashes at me.
I nod and go back to staring out the window. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her I’m married, but I don’t owe her a fucking explanation. I don’t know why women think they can be sleazy while they’re supposed to be doing a job. If the shoe were on the other foot, it’d be a problem, though.
I’m married. I smile. I have a wife. I know it’s not legally binding. We don’t need it to be. Our souls are bound. There’s no breaking that.
I need to focus on something, anything but the scenarios playing out in my head.
The things I fear she’s going through at the hands of my fucking family.
I’m driving myself more insane with the thoughts.
She’s not breakable. I have to keep reminding myself that Aurora’s not weak.
She will give them hell. That thought has my smile widening.
I know Aurora has her hang-ups about killing my parents.
I didn’t react the best after Kenny. I still haven’t fully forgiven her for that.
Logically, I know she wasn’t in her right mind.
I know she was drugged. But she knew better than to down some random drink.
I don’t blame her. Not really. I blame myself. I should have been there sooner.
Kenny was good. He had so much to live for, and out of all my shitty family members, he was the one I actually liked.
I wish like hell he were here. Then again, if he were here, he’d hate me.
I’ve betrayed him far worse than I could betray anyone else.
I married the girl who killed him. I might as well have driven the knife in his neck myself.
The thing is, I can’t not choose her. I tried that once.
It didn’t work out too well. The thought of anything happening to her has me dying bit by fucking bit.
I swear to God if I don’t make it in time, I’m joining her in whatever hell is waiting for us, because there is no fucking way I’m living in a world without her by my side.
I lean my head back against the seat. I haven’t slept in three fucking days. I’m exhausted, but every time I close my eyes, they spring back open. I can’t sleep. I can’t lose time. I need to run every possible scenario in my head. I need to plan. I need contingencies in place.
I considered loading up when we land. I should be strapped. But then I realized it didn’t matter. My father will have me searched and stripped the minute I step over the threshold. I don’t need weapons, though. I’ll kill him with his own gun if I have to.
That would be kind of poetic, I think.
Or maybe I’ll hand the gun to Aurora and let her pull the trigger. After all, he took her. He’s done God only knows what to her already…
Soon. I’ll be there soon. I’ll get her out of this mess.
I’ll find a way to get us both out of this mess.
I’m starting to think that maybe Romeo and Juliet’s ending wasn’t all that bad.
At least they didn’t have to spend their entire lives looking over their shoulders, wondering whose family was coming for them.
They got to experience that once-in-a-lifetime kind of love and then they died. Together.
Not that I want that. I want to watch Aurora grow old. I want to see her achieve the greatness I know she’s capable of. I want to have babies with her. I want the whole fucking world with her. And I’m going to have it. No one is going to keep her from me. Not even the devil himself.