Book two of 'The Vengeance Duology'
Five years ago, the lads and I made the biggest mistake of our lives-a reckless decision that shattered everything.
We destroyed what mattered most, but my deepest regret is how much I hurt her.
Every moment of pa...
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"Why do your brothers carry guns?" Tom asks, his voice cutting through the comfortable silence.
I turn over to look at him, the soft glow of the city lights casting shadows across his face. His hand instinctively goes to my waist, holding me closer as we lie in my bed.
"What do you mean?" I ask, playing it off casually.
"Well," he starts, his eyes drifting upward as if recalling a memory. "The other day, I saw them at the bar, and I caught a glimpse of one of their guns. Nicco, I think."
My heart skips a beat, but I keep my face neutral. "Did they threaten you?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant, though I already know the answer.
Tom chuckles, brushing it off like it was nothing. "Just said if I hurt you, they'd kill me. But they were joking."
I stifle the urge to roll my eyes.
They were definitely not joking.
Knowing my brothers well enough to be sure of it. They may have a dark sense of humor, but when it comes to protecting me, they don't play around, even after all these years
"They're just... overprotective," I say, hoping that's enough of an explanation for now. The less Tom knows about my family's dealings, the better. I'm already walking a thin line keeping him out of the darker parts of my life.
"I figured," he says, pulling me closer. "But I don't need to worry, right? You wouldn't let them come after me."
I laugh softly, but it's hollow. "No, Tom. You've got nothing to worry about."
"What's the reason you didn't speak to any of them for five years?" Tom asks.
I freeze for a moment. I'd told him early on that we just grew apart, a lie I've kept going for as long as we've been together. But he's smarter than I give him credit for sometimes.
"They betrayed me," I finally say, the words slipping out.
"All of them?" he asks, his brow furrowed in confusion.
I nod, feeling the weight of the truth settle between us. "Yep. Theo, Lucas, Nicco, Gio..." I pause, the name catching in my throat, "and Alessio."
"What was it like before it happened?" Tom presses gently, his hand still resting on my waist as if to keep me grounded.
I breathe out slowly, memories flickering to life like a flame that refuses to die. "Well, I didn't know Nicco and Gio were my brothers until I was nineteen. I knew them for about six months before I found out. We were all... family. Me, Alessio, Theo, Lucas, Nicco, Gio, Jacques... and sometimes Camille, until everything changed."
"Camille?" Tom asks, the name clearly unfamiliar to him. "What happened with her? I've never heard you mention her."
"She died," I say bluntly, watching the way his eyes widen in shock.
