Page 71 of Breaking Rosalind
“No,” she says, her voice soft. “No, thank you. But Samson’s still alive and he needs medical attention.”
My nostrils flare. “What?”
“Leroi shot him in the stomach. He’s bleeding out.”
“And?”
“You need to save his life.”
“The fuck I do.” I turn to the door. “Where is he? If Leroi can’t kill that bastard, then I’ll finish him off.”
The girl appears in front of me in an instant and holds her scalpel to my throat. I glare down into her ferocious little scowl.
In the blink of an eye, I could overpower this little waif, disarm her, and make her howl loudly enough to rouse Leroi from his sedation. But she belongs to my cousin, the hero who murdered the entire Capello family and found vital evidence to get Roman released from death row.
I can’t repay Leroi by hurting his woman, even if she’s starting the fight.
“Are you really trying to make me heal Samson Capello at knifepoint?” I ask.
She nods.
A laugh escapes my lips. It’s bitter, brittle, and brimming with bile. “When I was young, that cold-hearted bastard and his psycho twin killed my pets and presented me with their dead bodies. They made it look like I was the psychopath.”
“Then why do you want him to die so quickly?” she asks, her words flat.
My eyes narrow. Is this sweet-looking girl a kindred spirit? Based on the scalpel pointed to my throat, I’d say she isn’t trying to protect Samson.
“Wait,” I say, keeping my voice steady. “You want Sam to be healed so you can torture him slowly?”
She nods again.
My shoulders sag with relief. “Why didn’t you tell me that before, love?”
“I thought that was obvious,” she says.
“How about we make a deal? You put down the scalpel and let me operate on Samson. You can even watch and I’ll teach you a few things about human anatomy. In exchange, I swear to help him survive long enough for you to get your revenge.”
“How do I know you won’t double-cross me and kill Samson?” she asks.
“Because his family was responsible for the downfall of mine,” I say. “Because Samson and his brother murdered my pet. Because Samson stole my brother’s fiancée and left him with a stick up his ass. Because Samson ordered a hit on a woman staying under our roof. Because after everything we all suffered, keeping Samson alive so he can endure more torture is my chance to get a measure of revenge.”
She studies me for several moments before withdrawing the scalpel. “Alright then, but if you try to kill Samson?—”
“Then you have my permission to stab me wherever the fuck you want. I won’t even fight back.”
The corners of her lips twitch. “Seraphine.”
“What’s that, love?”
“My name. It’s Seraphine.”
I offer her my widest smile. Not the polite one I show the outside world, but the true one reserved for those who share my darkest desires. “Seraphine, my girl, that’s a fitting name for a dark angel.”
She grins, revealing pearly white teeth, the expression sunny and sweet and savage. I can’t help but wonder if cousin Leroi knows he’s attracted a woman even more sinister than an assassin. But then again, he’s a hitman.
Maybe his preferences veer toward femme fatales and lethal little ladies.
TWENTY-EIGHT