NICO POV

What in the ever.loving fuck was that?

I couldn't completely process what had just happened. I stood there, staring at the damn door, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.

At first, I thought for sure she was playing games, trying to trick me. It made sense. Being a Falcone, one of the most powerful families in New York, her father would have prepped her on these things, taught her how to handle herself when things got tough.

But now? I wasn't so sure. The way she reacted the expression on her face when I told her Nikolai was dead one couldn't fake that. Either she was telling the truth, or she was one hell of an actress.

Our families had never crossed paths until Nikolai's death. They knew nothing of the outfit and clearly underestimated us by thinking they could get away with murdering one of our own. They had no clue what it meant to be a powerful Mafia family. It wasn't just about ruling and throwing weight around. It wasn't a motherfucking gang dabbling in drugs or gambling, where your stupid, trigger happy entourage could save your ass.

Being Mafia was first and foremost about family, loyalty, protecting your own, obeying rules, and carrying consequences if you didn't. We didn't ruin and rule for fun or a power trip. We fought, conquered, and earned every luxury our lifestyle offered. Nothing came easy. Our wealth and power didn't fall out of thin air. We earned it.

The streets of Manhattan had been ours for years. Everyone knew not to fuck with the Moretti. Apparently, the Falcones didn't get the memo. Falcone thought because he owned Falcone Resources, he could go around killing whoever he wanted. Now, because of their ignorance, she had to pay the price. Why her? Because it all started with her.

If she hadn't clawed her way into my brother's life, he'd still be here. My father would still be here. And I wouldn't be stuck with a responsibility that was never meant for me.

I straightened my suit jacket and turned to Damon, who had been watching everything on the monitor.

"She's lying," he stated firmly.

"I know."

"Romano," Damon scoffed. "Fucking lying slut. Does she really think we'll fall for her bullshit? There's no way she didn't know who he really was. He was a Moretti, for Christ's sake."

"Maybe that's it. Maybe they figured out who he was, felt threatened by our family, and decided to take him out."

"They'd be right to feel threatened. But now all they did was sign every member of their family's death warrant."

I let out a breath. "Calm down, Damon. I told you earlier you need to keep your temper intact...and vanity," I added in a whisper, which Damon didn't hear.

"I know. Sorry. But the fact that she's underestimating us with her bullshit just riles me up." He turned back to the monitor. "Look at her with her fake fucking tears. She's one hell of an actress, I'll give her that. That was an Oscar-winning performance."

I pulled my palm down my face, frustration pulsing through my veins, making my muscles twitch.

Damon sighed. "I just can't believe Nikolai, of all people, didn't realize what her family was capable of."

I snapped my gaze up at him. "The Falcones are one of the most powerful families in the US, if not the world, Damon."

"Exactly. So how could Nikolai have been so stupid as to underestimate them? Did he really think he could fuck the rich American girl and not carry the consequences?"

"Enough!" My voice boomed through the room, slamming against the walls.

Damon stared at me with widened eyes. I took a deep breath, struggling to keep my rage contained. "We don't know what happened. All we know is the Falcones had Nikolai murdered."

I rounded the table and walked up behind Damon, staring at the monitor. "But I'll get to the truth. I'll crack her wide open and extract every goddamn secret she has," I vowed while watching the blonde woman cry into her palms.

As she cried, her entire body was shaking. Did I care? No. She deserved all the panic and fear she was experiencing. In fact, she deserved more than that. She deserved pain too which, in time, she would get...by my hand.

"You left the box in there, man," Damon said, looking back at me.

I smiled. "I know."

Just then, she lifted her head and spotted the plain brown box I had placed on the bed earlier. My intention was to make her open it while I was still in the room. Unfortunately, her lies forced me to leave, because I was on the verge of choking those lies along with her last breath.

Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I continued to watch, knowing that sooner or later her curiosity would get the better of her. Right now, she was staring at the box like it was a trap. But the human mind is a wonderful place. Recklessness always accompanies curiosity hence the saying: curiosity killed the cat. Now this cat was one I couldn't wait to kill.

"How long do you think it's going to take for her to budge?" Damon tapped a finger on the table, barely containing his frustration.

"Relax, brother. Just watch."

While she wiped her face with the old rag she was wearing, she settled a little, crossing her legs beneath her while continuing to stare at the box. When Damon brought her in almost twenty-four hours ago, she looked like every other spoiled, rich girl expensive designer blouse, jeans, heels.

Besides being unconscious, she looked worth more than she really was. That's why I instructed Doc to strip her of wealth she didn't deserve, dressing her in two-dollar fabric that was old and tattered.

It hasn't even been twenty four hours yet, and already she looked like she'd been through Hell. She looked pathetic, poor, and broken. I hadn't even begun to exact my revenge, and already she seemed close to crumbling. But I wasn't surprised. Nikolai liked women modest and reserved a woman who lacked a voice and a spine.

A woman who was born and bred to submit, and be nothing more than a pretty face to complement the man's image. I, on the other hand, preferred the more complex kind the type of woman who would get my blood boiling and my adrenaline pumping.

I watched patiently as Lila still stared at the box. Finally, she reached out, but then pulled back. I almost laughed at her cowardly behavior. Not something I expected from a Falcone.

"She's too scared, man," Damon muttered, pulling his hands through his hair. "She's not going to fucking open it."

"You need to work on your patience, little brother. Patience is a virtue."

"Oh God, you know I hate it when you say shit like that."

I lifted a brow. "Shit like what?"

He glanced my way. "Shit like, 'patience is a virtue.' You act like a fucking fifty-year-old with all the smart shit you like to say."

I snorted. "Smart shit? It's idioms, Damon."

"I don't give a fuck what it is. It's stupid."

I scoffed at him, ignoring the fact that my little brother was trying to act all cool with his slang, his ridiculous walk, and that god-awful handshake with his buddies. It was embarrassing.

Lila moved, and I glanced at the monitor. When she reached out and finally picked up the box, adrenaline surged through my veins. I leaned on the table next to Damon, fully focused. I wanted to see her face when she opened it, realizing this wasn't a dream, but a goddamn nightmare.

"Open it, sunshine." I gripped the edges of the table, feeling thrill and frustration burn inside me.

Damon snorted. "Devil woman? Nice. Suits this bitch perfectly."

I ignored him, willing Lila to open the box.

Slowly, she pulled the white string. As it fell to the sides, she leaned back, staring at the box like something might jump out.

"Open it," I muttered, leaning closer to the monitor, fighting the urge to force her hand with my gun.

She bit her thumbnail. Thoughts raced through her mind-some telling her to leave it alone, others urging her to open it.

Finally, curiosity won.

As she opened the box, my spine tingled with expectation. God, it felt like I was seconds away from a fucking hard-on.

She looked down. I knew exactly when she noticed. Her face turned ghostly pale just before she screamed and scrambled off the bed, falling against the wall.

"Oh my God," I heard her voice through the speakers. "Jesus Christ! What the fuck is this?" she screamed between tears.

It was beautiful. Poetic, almost watching her crack, seeing her mind spin in a thousand directions. Finally, after all these months of planning and plotting, the time had come. The time to exact revenge I vowed against the Falcone. She had taken from me what I could never get back. The only way I'd be free of this burden was spilling blood...her blood.

Damon glanced at me. "Game on, brother."

I smiled, tasting victory on my tongue. "Game on."

LILA POV

"Oh my God."

I rocked back and forth, clutching my knees against my chest, my face buried in my arms. I didn't want to look up. I couldn't. What the fuck was happening? Who were these people? And why the fuck was there a severed finger in that motherfucking box?

Better yet, whose finger was that?

No, I didn't want to know. I just wanted to wake up and realize this was a nightmare. But the longer I sat there, the more I realized it was real. I'd been kidnapped. Nikolai was dead. And his twin brother had just left me a human finger in a box.

How could the Nikolai I knew be part of this family?

The Nikolai I knew... Did I really know him? Was he pretending to be someone he wasn't? Judging by what Nico had told me, it seemed so. I didn't even know his real surname, let alone his family.

Tears streamed down my face as my mind spun in a thousand directions. What did they plan to do to me? Kill me? Torture me? Hurt me? Did my family even know I was missing yet?

Thinking of my mom, dad, and brother had me shaking. For the first time since leaving home for Manhattan, I regretted it. If I had stayed home like my dad wanted, they would have known I'd been kidnapped. But because I tried to survive on my own, I might never see my family again. I might be dead by the time they realized I was missing.

My body ached, my lungs pleading for air while my tears choked every breath. I hated crying. I cried for weeks after thinking Nikolai had left me. I couldn't believe I was heartbroken over a guy I didn't even know for two months. We only had sex a few times. But I was in love. He didn't care who my family was, which was rare. Guys swarmed me for my surname, for our wealth and yachts. But Nikolai... he didn't give a fuck. And that's why I gave him my heart.

Nikolai was gone one day, whispering sweet words, then gone the next. I thought he had moved on. I never understood what happened. Now I did. Nico made it clear: Nikolai was dead... and he thought I had something to do with it. Absurd.

The pain stabbed through my chest, causing more tears and sobs.

Fuck!

I didn't even know if Nico was telling the truth. But he looked like he believed I was responsible. Nikolai... dead.

The thought cracked my chest open from the inside. My body slid down the wall. I landed on my side, crying into my arms. Shaking and cold, I couldn't stop the grief.

I had no idea how long I lay there, thinking about the horrors ahead. Nico and his family held me responsible for Nikolai's death why, I didn't know but fear pulsed through me. I shivered like it was minus twenty degrees.

I wasn't naïve. I read the news, knew the world was cruel. Girls got kidnapped, sold, raped, murdered... I just never thought I'd be one of them.

For the first time, I felt thankful for my father's wealth and power. It meant a better chance they could find me. But how long before they realized I was gone?

An image flashed in my mind. I lifted my head, staring at the bed. The box was still there, but the finger had rolled off. There was something on it something familiar.

I pushed myself up, wiped the tears, and stared at the bed. Dear Lord, please don't let it be what I think it is.

"Get a grip, Lila," I muttered, pulling my tangled, dirty hair. I bent my knees, steadying my feet, palms flush against the wall. My heart pounded. My blood rushed. Even my ears rang.

I lifted my feet, inching closer to see. I couldn't bear a full view yet.

A few steps more, hands on the mattress, neck stretched... I saw it. A finger.

A fucking finger!

My stomach twisted. Not because it was severed, but because of the object on it a ring. Platinum with a gold F in a black square. Every man in the Falcone family wore one.

"No." I shook my head, pinching my eyes shut. "No. Please God, no," I cried, pressing my face into the sheets.

"Recognize the ring?"

I jerked up, looking at the wall where the voice came from.

"Does it look familiar?"

I recognized the voice.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked, my voice shaky.

"I bet that tiny little mind of yours is spinning trying to figure out whose finger is laying on the floor."

I stepped backward toward the wall, scanning the room.

"You recognize the ring, don't you?"

I glanced up. "What kind of twisted game are you playing?"

"It's a game called cat and mouse."

"And you think I'm the mouse?"

"By the way your body is shivering against that wall, your fear vibrating through every bone...yes, you are."

I closed my eyes, cursing my weakness.

"So tell me, little mouse, do you recognize the ring?"

Gathering courage, I pushed off the wall. "Yes. I recognize the ring, you fucking psycho!"

"Good."

A hiss of air from the wall made me lurch back. I regretted insulting him.

The door opened. It was the same man I met earlier. My heart ached, my body trembled. He looked so much like him Nikolai...

Nico stepped in, bold and debonair in a black suit. Midnight hair perfectly styled, chiseled jaw with a short beard. Sophistication, power...hate in his dark eyes.

He straightened his shirt sleeves. "Did you like my gift, Miss Falcone?"

I stared into the black depths, noticing the scar above his right eye.

"You already seem pissed off to me," I whispered.

He smirked wickedly. "Believe me, Miss Falcone, you haven't seen me pissed off...yet."

He stepped back, letting me breathe.

"Why did you put that finger in a box for me?" I asked.

"It's a warning."

"A warning for what?"

"The better question: a warning to whom."

I studied his face. I wouldn't fall for his coaxing.

"That ring, Miss Falcone, belonged to the man your father hired to kill my brother."

I gasped softly.

"You seem surprised."

"My father didn't hire anyone."

"Are you sure? How much do you know about your father's business? How he runs his empire?"

I didn't answer. I knew nothing. All I wanted was art, drawing, and my imagination.

He smiled. "As I suspected. You don't know a thing. Let me enlighten you." He paced, rubbing his chin. "Your father has a legion of men. He sits on his throne while others do his dirty work. In this case, killing my brother. The hired murderer got a paycheck...and a ring."

I shook my head. "Why would my father want Nikolai dead?"

"That, little mouse, is for you to answer."

"There's just no motive," I muttered.

His gaze moved over me. "I see plenty of motive right here in front of me."

"My dad never met Nikolai. So why would he want him dead?"

"You really don't know why, do you?"

"I swear, Nico. I have no idea. You have it all wrong. My father didn't have Nikolai killed. There's no motive."

"That you know of."

Silence enveloped us. My heart pounded.

"You said the finger was a warning for someone. I take it that someone is me?" I asked softly.

"Oh no, Miss Falcone. Having you trapped here is warning enough for now."

"For now?"

He only smiled, darkness in his eyes.

"The warning is for your father, Lila."

"Then why give it to me?"

He stepped closer, scent overwhelming. "Who do you think will receive the rest of that hand?"

"My father," I whispered.

Nico laughed, maniacally.

"You think he's coming now? That he knows I have you?" He traced my jaw. "I wanted time with you. That hand won't be sent for seventy-two hours."

My heart stopped. My lungs froze.

"What do you think I'm capable of in seventy-two hours, Lila?"

It wasn't a question. It was a threat.

Abruptly, he stepped back. "Now, let's start with a few rules. This" he waved "is your new home. Live it, breathe it, get used to it. The sooner, the better."

I crossed my arms. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?"

A wicked grin. "Oh, Miss Falcone, until they carry you out...in a body bag."

NICO POV

Watching the fear spread across her face her eyes widening as she tried to process what I just revealed was one of those moments I would wrap with a bow of gold and safely place in a drawer at the back of my mind, cherishing it forever.

This would be one of many moments I'd remember in ten, twenty, or even thirty years' time, thinking of how fucking great it felt to exact my revenge.

People say revenge doesn't cure, that justice doesn't heal, but I beg to differ. It's only been a day, and I can already feel my blackened soul starting to rise out of the ashes as I witness the dread of the unknown wrack through Lila Falcone body.

Sunshine.

The devil woman standing before me will burn in hell once I'm done with her that's if there's anything left to burn. She and every goddamn Falcone will suffer my wrath. None of them will come out of this unharmed or unscathed.

They will all pay.

They killed no, murdered my brother in cold blood because they thought they were better than us. Because their little innocent princess needed a "better" man to warm her bed and spread her legs.

She might not have pulled the trigger, but by inviting my brother to her bed, she lured him to his death.

I stepped back and leaned against the wall across from her.

"What's wrong, my pet? Cat got your tongue?"

Bittersweet tears rolled down her cheeks bitter for her, but so goddamn sweet for me.

"Why are you doing this?" Her voice trembled, and the sound made my soul come alive.

I shrugged. "I told you you killed my brother."

"I didn't kill him!" she shouted between sobs, wiping her tears harshly with the back of her hand. "I told you I didn't kill him! I didn't even fucking know he was dead. I thought he left me. All this time, I truly believed he left me."

"Let me warn you again, Miss Falcone your lies will only make this harder."

"I'm not lying!" She fell to her knees, wailing like a banshee about to meet her own death. It was fucking music to my ears. "I'm not lying! You have to believe me!"

I crossed my arms over my chest, completely unaffected by her display of despair.

"Now, now, Miss Falcone. Don't waste your energy putting up this charade. You'll need it for what I have in store for you."

"You got it all wrong," she continued, rocking back and forth as she clutched her stomach. "I loved him, and I"

"Shut the fuck up!" I pushed off the wall and stormed toward her.

She scurried back on her hands and knees until her back hit the wall. Hearing her say she loved my brother fed the monster inside me letting it growl, claw, and slam against the gates I tried so desperately to keep it behind.

I glared down at her. "You Falcone know nothing of love or loyalty. All you know is how to steal, lie, and take what doesn't belong to you."

"That's not true," she hissed.

"You think daddy dearest makes his millions trading oil legitimately? Think again, naïve little girl. No one gets that kind of power and wealth by following the rules."

"You would know, I suppose."

"Watch your mouth, little mouse. Or it might be your finger I'll be sending to your dad next."

Straightening the lapels of my suit jacket, I pinned her with my stare.

"If you'd like to survive as long as possible, I suggest you never say those words again."

Lila lifted her chin, focusing her gaze on me.

"What words? That I loved your brother?"

I stiffened, my blood scalding in my veins. I was too busy trying to control my anger to even think of what to say. If I let go if I freed my rage she wouldn't live to see another day.

She got up from the floor, her eyes no longer sad. "I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you can't stop me from saying that I cared for your brother... because it's the truth."

"The truth?" I stepped closer, noticing she didn't back away this time. "Tell me, Miss Lila, if you're so convinced about the truth why do you think my brother lied to you about who he was?"

She glanced down, then back up. I saw the ripples of doubt swirling in her eyes but there was something else too. A fire.

"I don't know. I don't know why he would've lied to me." She stepped closer, her newfound courage twisting my stomach as desire shot up my spine. What the fuck?

"But now that I've met his twin brother, I think he was protecting me."

I stepped closer until our faces were a breath apart. "Protecting you from what?"

She lifted her chin. "From you."

I continued to stare at her. When she bit her bottom lip, my gaze dropped to her mouth. Whether it was her boldness or the fact that she thought she needed protection from me, my cock swelled, pressing hard against my zipper.

God, what I wouldn't do to tie her to that bed and show her exactly how much protection she needed from me. The Falcone blood in her was too weak to handle the darkness I'd unleash on her body.

But that wasn't part of the plan. I needed to focus.

"Well then," I said quietly, "I'd say my brother was one smart man."

"He was," she replied, not backing down an inch. "Smart enough not to tell anyone about his supposed twin brother. Why do you think that is, Nico? What reason would your brother have to hide you from me?"

I couldn't answer that. She was trying to rattle me to fuck with my head but I wouldn't allow it. I'd been preparing for this war for too long.

Deciding to postpone the battle, I stepped back. "Are you hungry, sunshine?"

She didn't answer, but the way she licked her lips told me she was.

"Bring it in," I ordered over my shoulder.

Damon appeared in the doorway with a tray. Lila's glare moved from me to him, and the fire in her eyes vanished, replaced by fear.

She was afraid of him and I didn't blame her. Damon looked like one mean motherfucker with his broad shoulders and long black hair tied back.

Damon set the tray on the bed and stepped beside me, eyeing Lila like prey.

"Lila, this is my little brother, Damon. Damon, this is our guest Miss Falcone."

Damon held out his hand, but Lila stepped back, pressing against the wall.

Damon snorted. "Don't be afraid, Miss Falcone. I won't hurt you... much."

I kept my gaze on her. "Don't be rude. Shake his hand, Lila."

She didn't move.

"I said, don't be rude!" I raised my voice, causing her to flinch but still, she didn't move.

Without warning, Damon lunged forward, grabbing her by the throat and pulling her close.

"I knew you were a cunt without a spine," he hissed. He tightened his grip, and she groaned, closing her eyes as tears streamed down her face.

"Tonight, when you pray, you'd better thank God that Nico's the one in charge of you. If it were me, you'd be battered and bruised within an inch of your life." He leaned close, his cheek brushing hers. "And you'd be utterly used..." He licked up the side of her face. "...and completely fucked."

Lila sobbed, and Damon pressed her head harder against the wall.

If I were a good man, I would've stopped him torn him away from her, maybe knocked his teeth out. But I'm not a good man. I loved seeing the fear in her eyes.

I straightened my jacket. "Damon, that's enough. You'll make the poor woman piss herself."

Damon released her, and we watched as she fell to her knees, coughing and gagging.

"Leave," I ordered.

"What?"

"I said leave."

"Are you fucking kidding me? I was just starting to enjoy it."

"I don't give a fuck. Leave. Now."

Damon glowered, his eyes full of silent curses. "You won't have all the fun with this one, brother."

"This isn't about fun. If you think it is, think again. Leave before I make you."

He straightened his shoulders. "Fine." He turned to Lila. "But before this is over, I want my piece of her. He was my brother too."

I didn't respond, but nodded once.

"Promise me," he pressed.

"I promise. You'll get your revenge."

He smirked. "Thank you, brother." Then he left.

I looked down at the sobbing girl. "For God's sake, get up, Lila."

She didn't move.

I crouched down, grabbed her arm, and yanked her to her feet. "I said get up!"

"Please don't do this," she whispered, her eyes bloodshot and hair clinging to her damp face.

"It's already done, little mouse. Your fate was sealed the day you pushed your filthy claws into my brother."

"Please"

I grabbed her other arm and pulled her against my chest. "If you knew how much I enjoy it when a woman begs, you wouldn't be saying please so much, little mouse."

She whimpered, tears streaking her cheeks.

"Now, eat." I shoved her toward the bed where the tray waited an old loaf of stale bread and a glass of water.

This wasn't a five-star hotel. All she deserved was scraps.

"Eat your food. You'll need your strength for what's ahead."

She looked up at me. "What are you going to do to me?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, little pet. Now, eat."

She grabbed the glass and took a sip, only to spit it out in disgust.

I smiled.

"What's the matter? You don't like it?"

The glass slipped from her hand. "It's water and vinegar."

"I know. And now you've spilled it wasting the only hydration you had."

"Nico, please"

I crouched again, locking eyes with her.

"Let's get one thing straight. You will not address me by my name. You'll call me sir, and nothing else. You're nothing here no one. From this moment, you're stripped of every basic human right. You belong to me. You're my puppet, and I'll do with you as I please."

I straightened. "If I return and that loaf isn't gone, there'll be hell to pay."

Lila glanced at the bread, then back at me. For a brief second, I saw a flicker of fight in her eyes and that's when I realized I was going to enjoy every goddamn minute of breaking her.