Trapped in his End Game (Series)

“He’s like a son to me. I don’t like it either, but you have to make sacrifices for the family.”

“He would do the same for me,” I say fiercely, to myself more than to him. “He would do anything for me. He’s already done so much. It’s my turn, now.”

Jack pulls me from his arms gently. “I’ll handle Vince. I’ll make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid while you’re-separated,” he adds finally.

The pain from inside me twists my face, hammering between my heart. “Can’t we just tell him?”

He shakes his head. “Limey fuck that he is, Tony’s right. Vince-he’d never stand for it. He would start a war we could never win.”

I know he’s right. Vince has to believe we’ve broken up, and he has to stay away for his own sake. I’ll have to hurt him badly enough so that he’ll want to stay away from me. It’ll be worth it in the end, right? If he’s alive? Even if he doesn’t forgive me for what I did to him, for what I’ll do with Carmine.

Anguished sobs burst from my mouth as I cover my face, already feeling the burn of shame. Jack’s heavy hand falls on my shoulder.

A car rolls up to the curb and the window rolls down, revealing Jamie’s face. “Hey, everything okay?”

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“Adriana, get inside.” Jack’s hand slides from my shoulder as he walks in front of me to hold the door open. I climb inside the leather interior and frantically wipe my eyes.

“Take her back to Vince’s.”

Oh God, what am I going to say when I get back? How will I be strong enough not to break down and tell him everything? I just have to act upset, that’s all. Christ, I have to think of an excuse for why I want to break up with him!

As I leave Jack’s car, his head sticks out the window. “Adriana, I’ll check in often to see how you’re doing. Maybe I can coordinate with Tony so that you’re not alone with him.”

A swell of gratitude fills my chest. Maybe he’s not a heartless bastard. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

He smiles and drives away, leaving me shivering in the street.

My heart thumps faster as I climb up the steps to the apartment building, my legs dragging like lead. Dread pounds a sickening beat in my chest as I enter the elevator. The numbers increase steadily.

I don’t want to do this.

They killed my fucking dad. They destroyed my family, and now they’re taking him away from me. Fuck them! Fuck them all!

You have to fucking do this, a vicious voice snarls inside my head. He would do anything for you-he already has. So quit whining, and suck it up!

I imagine what he’ll say, how furious he’ll be.

It’s in his best interest. He’ll thank me when it’s over-when he realizes I’ve saved his life.

Wishful thinking.

The elevator pings and I freeze as the doors open, and the dread drags me down again. I don’t know how, but I walk outside and head towards our apartment.

The door pushes open as I turn the lock, and I flinch as if I expect Vincent to pounce on me at any moment. The apartment is quiet, but I hear his footsteps. I see his dark silhouette at the end of the hallway. The glass behind him is filled with the gray skyscrapers, which lighten in the early hours of the morning.

I want to run into his arms. Instead, I drop my purse and duck into the bedroom, avoiding him altogether. Without even bothering to undress, I slide under the steel blue comforter and huddle on the side of my bed. I close my eyes, relishing the smell of him wrapping around me, but my eyes fly open when I hear him pause near the doorway.

Please think I’m upset.

“Where were you?” he says in a low voice.

I don’t answer, pretending to give him the cold shoulder. A stab of pain hurts my chest when I hear his frustrated sigh after a moment of silence.

I hate this shit. I hate doing this to him.

He gives up, tearing off his clothes with frustrated, violent movements. Then he slides into bed next to me, the bed jerks as he moves to his side, his back facing me. He makes no move to touch me. I turn around without being consciously aware of my movements.

He lays there, completely silent as his broad back expands with breaths. I want so badly to reach out and touch him, to wrap my arm around his waist and tell him that everything is okay between us, but I can’t. A dull ache pounds, the emptiness in my heart growing like the distance between us.

Before I can stifle it, a sob shakes from my throat and Vince turns around. His wide, black eyes see my tortured face before I can turn around and hide it.

Shit.

“It’ll be okay, Ade.”

He nestles close to me, pulling my head under his chin. My lips touch his chest and heat flares through his skin, into mine. I lift up my head and kiss his throat, which vibrates under my lips.

“Adriana?”

My head moves at its own accord and I kiss him. At first, his lips are firm against mine, as if he didn’t expect it, but then they crush against mine. His arms tighten around me as I shift my body over his, and melt into him. A desperate voice screams in the back of my head.

You’re supposed to break up with him! Remember?

It takes all of my resolve to push against his broad chest, ending the kiss. Fire blazes in Vince’s eyes, and darkness shrouds his eyes. A slow smile spreads across his face.

“You know how I feel about being teased, Adriana. I don’t like it.”

A shudder runs through me when his gritty voice hisses in my ears.

God, no.

Just don’t look at him.

His fingers dig into the back of my head painfully. “When you’re in my bed, you’re mine.” His growling voice makes my skin heat.

How can I hide from him how I feel?

Hot lips seek out my neck, plucking my flesh. His teeth bite down softly at first, and then hard enough to make me yelp. Low laughter washes over me as my palms push against his chest, weakened by his kisses.

“Do you want me to stop?”

It’s another one of his games. I’m supposed to say no. “Yes.”

My back arches as he plants another steaming kiss under my neck, and another over the swell of my breast. Against my will, a moan shudders from my lips.

Another low chuckle makes my face heat.

“I think you’re a liar.”

Yes, I am a liar. And I’m a terrible person. If I had one ounce of self-restraint. If I loved him at all, I would stop this. End it.

“Red.”

Vince stops. His hands fall away from my hair and his head moves back. The monster burns with anger and confusion. “Ade?” he says in a completely different voice.

I turn away from him, heart hammering. “Just leave me alone.”

Another angry breath leaves his throat. “Fucking Christ.”

The sounds of the sheets being ripped back, his heavy footsteps, and the slam of the door resonate through me. I hear them over and over again in my head, compensating for the gaping silence that seems to swallow me whole.