A love like ours ✔️

♚46.Kinslayer

Rafael

Blood.

I want to bathe in Mario's blood, to see how life slowly drains from his eyes. I was planning on dealing with him for his betrayal, but the best kjnd of revenge takes patience. I would have slowly destroyed him, stripping away his power and everything he holds dear. I'd have made him taste the ruin and utter despair. And then, when nothing was left, I'd have finally claimed his life. When you hurt what's mine you don't get to live, no matter your blood ties.

But now he dares come here, challenging my wife's authority and pointing a gun at her, threatening to kill her.

I will end him!

Before I get a chance to do more than shoving Star behind me, Nyx has already sank her fangs into the wrist that holds the weapon. He paniks, struggling to break free, and pulls the trigger even though his aim is blind, the boom made by the gun as the bullet is discharged echoing around us before he drops it out of reach.

Then, as if the world has been on pause an someone hit the play button, the room errupts in motion.

Valeria grabs the gun, her arms steady as she aims it in her father's way.

"What are you doing, child? Help me." He orders, his voice strained with pain and the struggle of trying to keep the big predator at bay. "Shoot this fucking beast and get it off me."

"Of course." She responds, the tone of her voice cold enough to freeze a pot of boiljng water.

"No!" Star lounges in her direction at the same time Enzo does, but before they can reach her she has already pulled the trigger, letting another bullet fly.

Enzo grabs her and takes the wreapon away, restraining her hands behind her back, while Star looks down. I follow her gaze and see that the panther is unharmed. Instead, there's a hole in Mario's chest.

"Come here, Nyx. Let him go." She says, shuddering with relief. The big feline obeys, licking her muzzle that's stained with red seeming very pleased with herself.

I wrap a hand around my wife's waist, diging my fingers into the soft material of her dress as I pull her into my side as we watch the quiet exchange between the father-daughter duo. The man's eyes are wide with disbelief. Not only has Valeria disobeyed his direct order but-

"You shot me!" He tries to yell, but instead it comes out as a wheeze, a rivulet of blood dripping down from the corner of his mouth to his chin.

"You thought me to be merciless when slaughtering my monsters. I am what you made me father." She spits the last word with disdain. "But dying at my hands it's a mercy. Just think of the kind of torture uncle Damiano would have subjected you to when he found out you were the one who told the late Navarro Lord how to kill his wife."

At that Star gasps softly, before Damiano booms while his brother falls to his knees.

"You did what!?"

"He wanted Gloria gone, knowing that she's your weakness. He expected you to be so destroyed that you'd have handed him over the Morelli Mafia so you can retreat in your grief. He didn't expect you to keep going for revenge and for your wife's 'bastard child' as he used to call Soraya, even though he didn't have any proof at the time."

"Shut up!" Mario grits out, his eyes wide with the aprehension that not only his secrets are out, but his end is near. Still, he seems to be hanging on to a thread of hope that he might get his way.

"He made my mom commit suicide because of his abuse, and then I became the outlet for his violence. He tried to beat me into submission." She holds his gaze, while continuing her rant. "He has no loyalty or love for anybody else but himself. He took advantage of the promise uncle made to grandfather while he was dying. The old man wanted to see his sons mend the gap created by the fact that Gloria became Damiano and not Mario's wife, even though father wanted her for himself. Alas, Melody running away with Oscar Cortèz and breaking the engagement contract signed in her behalf ever since she and uncle were children made her twin sister the scapegoat. "