Chapter 7
My brother’s eyes found mine, a flicker of regret crossing his features. “I’m sorry you had to see that, Emma. But I won’t tolerate even a grain of disrespect toward my sister. Not from anyone.”
The words caught in my throat as I stared at the pristine floor where moments ago a man had bled out. The cleanup crew had worked with frightening efficiency – not a trace remained of what had happened.
“Who…” My voice cracked. I swallowed hard and tried again. “Who are you? What is all this, Adam?”
A quiet chuckle came from behind me. I turned to find Nolan leaning against the bannister, arms crossed. His earlier deadly demeanor had melted away, replaced by that easy charm.
“Your brother?” His green eyes glinted with amusement. “He’s only the most powerful
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mafia king in the country. No one crosses Adam Thorne and lives to tell about it.”
The room spun. I gripped the railing to steady myself, my knuckles white against the polished wood. The brother who used to read me bedtime stories, who taught me to ride a bike – he was a mafia king?
Adam shot Nolan a sharp look, but didn’t deny it. The silence stretched between us, heavy with nine years of secrets.
I stared at my brother, trying to reconcile this powerful figure with the teenage boy I’d left behind. The silence hung thick between us until he broke it with a heavy sigh.
“After you left…” Adam’s jaw clenched. “Dad got worse. The drinking, the violence – it escalated. I stuck it out for two more years, thinking I could handle it. I couldn’t.”
He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a jagged scar that ran from his wrist to his elbow. My breath caught.
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“That was the last night I spent in that house. I packed a bag and hit the streets. Had nothing but the clothes on my back and about forty bucks to my name.”
Adam paced the room, his shoulders tense. “Started small picking pockets, breaking into cars. Whatever it took to eat. Then one night, I tried to rob the wrong guy.” A bitter laugh escaped him. “Or maybe the right one, depending how you look at it. Instead of calling the cops, he offered me a job.”
“The mafia,” I whispered.
“Yeah. Turned out I had a talent for this
life. Worked my way up from nothing, learned the business inside and out. When the old boss died five years ago…” He spread his arms, gesturing to the opulent room around us. “I took his place.”
The weight of his words settled over me. My brother, the mafia king. The protector who’d shielded me from our father’s rage had transformed into something else
entirely – something dangerous and
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powerful.
“But isn’t this wrong?” I wrapped my arms around myself, the chill of revelation seeping into my bones. “All of this – the violence, the crime…”
Adam’s expression softened. “Life isn’t black and white, Emma. Sometimes the darkest paths lead to the brightest futures.” He crossed the room to me, his footsteps. echoing against the marble. “Our parents. taught us that family means pain and fear. I chose to redefine it. Here, family means protection, loyalty, strength.”
His hand settled on my shoulder, warm and steady. “You don’t need to worry anymore. No one will ever hurt you again, I’ll make sure of it.”
“You are in good hands,” Nolan pushed off from the wall, that easy smile playing across his features. “The Thorne family takes care of their own.”
Adam nodded. “Speaking of which let me
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properly introduce you to Nolan DeLuca.” He gestured to the man who’d shown such deadly efficiency minutes ago. “My right hand, second in command, and most trusted ally. Whatever you need, he’ll make it happen.”
Nolan’s green eyes met mine, something unreadable flickering in their depths. He extended his hand, and I took it hesitantly. His grip was firm, warm, sending an unexpected spark through my fingers.
“At your service, Miss Thorne.” The corner of his mouth quirked up.
Emma nodded, her eyes scanning his handsome features.
Little did I know about the mess that was
about to happen.
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