King of the Empire ✓| #2 |

29 - One week

His previous words resurfaced, making me shiver.

And you'd be alive to your family.

Until you'll give him what he wants.

I started to shake my head as I began to imagine the various possibilities of what that meant.

"It's been years in the making. Morphing the Cosa Nostra and the Bratva could result in huge power for the Usoro. Just imagine the possibilities if you gave him a grandchild," I could feel my stomach twist.

"I'm not sure who you think you are but I think we both know I won't give up that easily." He chuckled before looking away from me.

"You didn't even fight that night." I frowned again.

That night.

The night.

The bullet.

The pain.

Liam's tears.

My family's screams.

I died. Or had died then. That's why I was dead to them. I had died in front of them. But they had no clue I was alive.

"It was painful to see you in his arms, bella." It had been years since I'd heard him call me that. "He got to see you before you closed your eyes for the last time. He got to hear your last breath. He was your last everything."

"Is this what this is all about? Jealousy?" He shook his head before his head dipped down.

"I work for Vlad now. I was there because I worked for him. Not because I was jealous of you and him."

"But you betrayed me out of spite?" I questioned him, getting complete and utter silence from him. But that was what I had expected.

"I'm glad you've awoken."

"I was shot in the heart. Right?" He shook his head no.

"A little lower than that. You should be glad. That's why you had a really faint pulse." He stood up before turning around to face me. "I'm truly sorry this has come to this, Cel. I really am."

"Don't you dare think that you have the right to call me by my name. I'm Miss Rossi to you." He just grinned.

"I loved the feistiness, you know. It was the best sight to see," he admitted. "But after you covered your hands with his filth, I can't even begin to describe how suffocating it is to be around you." I frowned, disbelief set in my mind.

"Then leave?" That came out almost like a question. "I'm not the one who has bound you to this bed in order to watch me."

"You're right. It's Vlad who did," a light knock on the door, made us both glance in its direction. Tyler looked back at me for one last time. "Behave if you want to come out alive," he said and walked towards the door. After he'd opened it, a woman walked inside. He watched her walk over to the opposite nightstand and place a tray with food on top of it. He took in a deep breath before leaving the room and shutting the door on his way out.

I looked at the woman who was bow pouring some hot beverage from an expensive and old looking china teapot.

My eyes skimmed around her figure but they stopped at her face. I cocked my head to the side as something started to flood my mind.

As if I had been graced with the answer to how to solve world hunger, my eyes widened before I gasped. The woman with her dark blond hair put up in a low ponytail looked over at me, worry shown on her face.

"Everything alright, miss?" I could hear the Italian accent.

"Valentina?" I couldn't believe it was her I was seeing. She almost dropped the teapot. She hadn't thought I'd recognise her.