Chapter 22
Amanda threw her head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the warehouse walls. My stomach churned as she raised her gun, ignoring Ethan’s desperate pleas.
“Emma, please, I-”
The gunshot rang out. I flinched as crimson sprayed across the concrete.
Ethan’s body slumped forward, lifeless eyes staring at nothing.
Amanda turned to me, lips curled in a predatory smile. “Poor Emma. Did you really think this was a game?” She swung the gun toward Nolan. “That I’d actually let you choose?”
“No!” I lunged forward but the men held me back. Nolan remained silent, those warm green eyes fixed on mine. Not a trace of fear showed on his bloodied face.
“Stop.”
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The voice cut through the warehouse like a blade. My heart stopped. I knew that voice would know it anywhere, even after nine years.
Adam stood in the doorway, backlit by the dim warehouse lights, his presence commanding the entire room.
I watched as Adam’s presence sent ripples of unease through the room. The men shifted nervously, their grips on their weapons tightening.
Amanda jumped up from her seat, her gun now trained on my brother. “Well, well. The infamous Adam Thorne graces us with his presence.”
A cold smile played across Adam’s lips. “Amanda. Still playing with guns you can barely handle?”
“Shut up.” Her hand trembled slightly. “Get him. On his knees. Next to DeLuca.”
The men exchanged uncertain glances. before approaching Adam. They grabbed
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his arms with obvious reluctance, their movements careful as they guided him down.
“Careful with the suit, boys,” Adam said, dropping to his knees with casual grace. “It’s Armani.”
My mind raced, trying to process what I was seeing. The men – hardened criminals. by the look of them – treated him like he was made of glass.
“You’re not so tough now, are you?” Amanda’s confidence seemed to grow with.
each step she took toward him.
Adam’s smile never wavered. “You really should have done your homework, sweetheart.”
“I said shut up!” She pressed the gun to his temple.
“Emma.” Adam’s eyes found mine. “Close your eyes.”
“What’s happening?” My voice came out
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Chapter 22
barely above a whisper. “Adam, what-”
“Trust me, little sister. Like you used to. Close your eyes.”
Amanda laughed. “How sweet. A family reunion.” She glanced at her men. “Make sure she watches everything.”
The hands on my shoulders tightened. Beside Adam, Nolan remained silent, but I caught the slight nod he gave my brother.
“Last chance, Amanda.” Adam’s voice dropped dangerously low. “Walk away.”
Amanda’s laughter echoed through the warehouse, cold and bitter. “Walk away? Oh no, Adam. I waited too long for this moment.” She paced in front of us, her heels clicking against the concrete. “You remember that night, don’t you? When I offered you everything my family’s connections, my devotion, my love.”
Her voice cracked on the last word. “But
the mighty Adam Thorne was too good for me. Rejected me like I was nothing.”
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I stared at my brother, pieces clicking into place. The way the men treated him, Amanda’s vendetta – there was so much I didn’t know about Adam’s life.
“And now?” Amanda’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “I’m going to tear everything you built to the ground. Your empire, your family…” She pressed the gun harder against his temple. “Everything.”
Adam’s smile never wavered, but something shifted in the air around him. The temperature seemed to drop several degrees. Even the men holding me took an instinctive step back.
“You know what your problem is, Amanda?” His voice was soft, almost gentle, but it made my skin crawl. “You always thought this was a game. That I was playing hard to get. That my rejection was part of some dance.”
He lifted his gaze to meet hers, and I watched Amanda’s confident smile falter.
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“But I wasn’t playing. And neither am I now.” The darkness in his voice made me shiver. “I’m going to count to three. And you’re going to learn exactly why they call me the Mafia King.”
“You’re bluffing.” But Amanda’s hand shook as she gripped the gun.
“One.”
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