Darkest Sins (Perfectly Imperfect #9)

“How dare you hire someone without consulting with the capos first?” Armando.

“I won’t tolerate an outsider!” That one is Tiziano.

“No one can get away with killing a member of the Family without suffering the consequences!” Brio again.

My attention is only on him—Kai. I watch as he reaches inside his jacket. The air stirs, and my eyes catch a blur of movement. In the next instant, a sizable black knife is embedded in the middle of the table, right in front of Brio, who has been the loudest. Silence descends once again, and, this time, it envelops the room.

“I can hire anyone I want,” I say. “And I don’t need your approval to choose my own security.”

I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m not completely sure if my demon is serious about sticking around or for how long, but I can’t let anyone in the room come to that conclusion. A few mumbled words ring out, but no one contradicts me.

“And as far as Ernesto is concerned—” I continue, but Kai’s deep voice from across the conference table interrupts.

“Ernesto,” he says in that husky voice I love so much, “is an example of what will happen to anyone who is entrusted with Mrs. Leone’s safety, but fails to do his job properly.”

The capos’ eyes bounce between the knife lodged in the center of the conference table and Kai.

“Nera”—Salvo leans toward me—“I don’t think this is—”

“We’re done for today,” I cut him off. “You’re all free to leave.”

Chairs scrape on the polished wooden floor as the men rise and file out one by one. I know they won’t let this go so easily, but that problem will have to wait for another day. Salvo is the last to walk away from the table, and as he reaches the door, he stops and gives me a pointed look.

Massimo won’t like this, his look says.

He closes the door after he exits, leaving me alone with the man who broke my heart. Shattered it so completely, that I’m fairly certain I’ll never be able to piece it back together.

“I thought you left.”

Each word from Nera’s lips pierces my chest like a dagger. I know she’s referring to last night, but it still takes me back to that time on the rooftop when she screamed into the brewing storm.

“I didn’t,” I say.

“So, you just decided to barge in, interrupt my meeting, and slaughter my head of security?”

“Correct. And I’ll do the same to anyone who’s a danger to you. Whether directly, or because of their incompetence.”

“I don’t want you here . . . Kai.”

Another strike to my chest, this one cutting deeper than the previous one. I hate my name, but I love how she says it. “It doesn’t make a difference, tiger cub. I’m staying until I’m convinced you’re safe.”

“It’s not your job to keep me safe.”

“Maybe not. I’m still going to do it.”

“And then, you’ll leave for good?”

“Yes,” I lie. As long as I live, I’m never leaving her again. “You’ve changed. What happened?”

“Life.” She buries her hands into her hair and looks down at the black wood surface in front of her. “Life happened.”

“Any guesses on who might have ordered your assassination?”

“Likely one of the capos.”

“I’ll dispose of them tonight.”

Nera’s head snaps up, her eyes finding mine. “You’re not disposing of anyone else without my permission.”