Monster: Made & Broken (A Mafia Bad Boy Romance) (22 page)

And I had let him go without a fight.

I'd been too scared of the hurt from his rejection to stop and question him on his sudden change of heart, too consumed in my own pain to stand my ground and demand an explanation.

Was Mira right? Was this some idiotic attempt at protecting me?

I didn't know, but as I stared at the envelope he'd prepared for me, I knew that I could never be sure until I'd talked to him and demanded that he explain what had happened to make him change his mind.

Could I really live with the knowledge that I'd given up on a man who would go to these lengths for me, without trying my damnedest first?

No. No, I could not.

A refreshing wave of resolve burned through the numb grief, and I got to my feet. Even if he no longer felt anything for me, if this truly was just a parting gift, then I was going to make him look me in the eye and explain everything, and not just ship me off because it was easier that way.

I rented out a safety box in the airport, leaving most of the contents of the envelope minus some money for a cab behind, and then went out to the taxi ramp.

Marcus Steel might think he was done with me, but I wasn't done with him. Not yet.

* * *

The solitary house on the country road outside of one of London’s poshest suburbs was a looming block of quietude. There wasn't a single car parked up by the house as far as I could tell, and I frowned as I slipped the cab driver his payment and got out of the car.

Was tonight the big strike against Brigs?

Worry for Marcus fluttered in my belly as I began walking up the driveway. Surely Mira and Aidan would be inside, still guarded by Rob as Blaine had demanded. She would know when they would be back.

It was probably because of the darkness and the large, evergreen bushes lining the driveway that the twenty or more dark figures sneaking around from the back of the house in a hunched-over run didn't spot me as they made their way to the front door.

I stopped dead in my tracks, adrenaline snaking its way up my spine even before my brain managed to put two and two together.

Someone was trying to break into the Steel mansion while everyone was away. A lot of someones.

A sharp shock of panic lanced through the raw adrenaline.

Not everyone was away—Mira and Rob were inside, with the baby.

Rob might be a big, scary-looking mobster, but no way he could take on that many at a time.

My heart hammered in my chest, forcing me into action. I dove behind one of the bushes and dug out my phone, frantically scrolling through the contacts until I found Blaine's number.

I pressed “call”, praying he would pick up.

The phone rang three times, and I feared my heart would leap out of my throat as the quiet buzz seemed to permeate the silent evening. If whoever was breaking in heard me and came looking, I was done for.

But if I didn't call, Mira and Aidan would be dead.

When the call connected, I didn't wait for Blaine to answer.

"Blaine, it's Evelyn. Someone's breaking into your dad's house. There's at least twenty of them. Come back quick," I whispered as loudly as I dared.

An inventive curse hissed back at me from the other end.

"God dammit, I knew it was a fucking trap,"
Blaine's voice crackled through my phone. "
Get out of there now, we're coming."

"But Mira and Aidan are in there, I have to get to them," I protested, even though I had no idea how on Earth I was going to take on a group of probably-armed criminals. "Is there a backdoor, or—"

"Evelyn, listen to me, get out of there now. Mira and Aidan are safe, they're not there, and if those men catch you—”

I didn't hear what else he said, because just then someone clamped their hand around my mouth from behind, pulling me backwards through the bush. I shrieked and flailed wildly, but the sound was absorbed by the meaty hand pressing painfully tight against my lips. A hard slap against my hand sent my phone flying into the dirt.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a harsh voice growled into my ear. "A filthy Steel spy, hiding in the begonias?"

I bit down, hard, on my attacker’s palm and kicked backwards, aiming for his shins.

The man cursed and released his grip on my mouth long enough for me to suck in a lungful of air.

"Marcus!"

My scream rang through the night, but I didn't have time to ponder why it was the name of my ex-lover and not his brother I cried out for before a sharp blow to my temple made pain explode in my head and the world flicker as it went blank.

* * * *

Chapter 24

Marcus

I had never experienced the kind of sick fear that crept up through my chest and wrapped an icy cold hand around my throat as Blaine cussed into the phone moments after calling Evelyn's name.

"Blaine," I said, clutching at the steering wheel of the car I'd been driving—up until it became obvious who Blaine was talking to. "Where is she?"

"Dad's house," he said, hanging up on the call before he quickly pressed in another number and held the device back up to his ear. "This whole fucking mission is a trap. Hello?" The last word he spoke into the phone, his attention leaving me, but I didn't care. I'd heard enough.

Tires squealing, I set the car back into gear and ripped it around, stepping on the speeder until my foot touched the floor.

Brigs has Evelyn.

Flashes of what I'd done to his nephew made me grit my teeth to keep from crying out with terror. If his lackey had known what she meant to me, Brigs did too—and he wouldn't hesitate to hurt her to get back at me.

Oh God, Evelyn, why did you come back?

Beside me, Blaine was shouting instructions into his phone, but my focus was purely on the road ahead. I didn't care what they were planning, nor what consequences tonight would have. All I knew was that Evelyn needed me and I had to get to her before it was too late.

When we pulled up in front of the house it was still cloaked in darkness, but I could make out shapes moving inside the windows, watching. We were expected.

"Marcus, wait. If you go in without backup, he'll kill you," Blaine said, putting a hand on my arm as I unclipped the seatbelt.

"I don't care if he kills me," I hissed, climbing out of the car before Blaine could stop me.

The passenger side door opened, and he crawled out. "Marcus, for fuck's sake, you crazy bastard, you won't help her by committing suicide! Just wait for five fucking minu—”

I shoved past him and walked up the driveway with long strides, hands lifted above my head. Hopefully she was still alive. Hopefully Brigs would be satisfied with me instead of her.

I didn't stop until I was a few yards from the front door, hands still above my head.

"Gerald!" I shouted, clenching my fists above my head to keep myself from storming through the door. The snarling monster in my chest was roaring to be set free, but I knew that if I gave in, Brigs would kill Evelyn before I could ever get to her. So for the first time in my life, I kept control of the monster, even though everything in me begged to unleash it.

A short moment later the front door opened, and there he stood. Holding Evelyn in front of him like a shield, a gun pointed at her temple.

"Well, well. If it isn't the murderer himself," Brigs said, his voice as icy as ever. "And what can I do for you this fine evening? Let me guess: you're here for the little whore?"

"Don't speak about her," I snarled, unable to keep a hold of my fury at the blatant display of disrespect to the woman whimpering in his grasp.

"Oh, that's funny, you think you get to make demands?" he chuckled. "You murder my nephew, my heir, after this dumb cunt betrays me, and you try to tell me who I can speak about? No, son, that's not how this is going to play out. You see..." Brigs tapped Evelyn's temple lightly with the gun, making her cringe. "I was planning on ransacking your father's home for valuables before setting it on fire while you were all off dying in the trap I've so painstakingly laid out for you... and then who do I find in the flowerbeds, ruining all my hard work and carefully laid plans? My former employee! So I do hope you understand that I'm a little displeased with Miss Embry's performance these past few weeks, and a stern talking to is inevitable."

I gritted my teeth as my gaze swept over Evelyn, trying to determine the best way to make Brigs surrender her. I'd never been the diplomat in the Family, and right now every instinct in my body was screaming to throw myself at my enemy and save the woman who had claimed my heart.

"Take me instead," I said. "Do with me what you want. Just let her go."

"Oh, so my informants were right?" he said, that cold chuckle once more ringing through the driveway. "You did fall for the piece of arse I sent to ensnare you? Ah, you Steel boys, so bloody predictable. Play into your mummy issues, and you fall like dominoes. It would be pitiful, really, if it wasn't because you were all such a smug bunch of pricks. You get that from your father, of course. You've always been his spitting image, inside and out."

I bit the inside of my cheeks until i could taste blood, the urge to tear his flesh from his bones nearly insurmountable now.

"Please." It came out as a hoarse whisper. "My family will be here soon. I will make a better hostage."

"Will you, though?" Brigs said, tilting his head a little. "Do I bank on William Steel loving his most infamous son enough to watch in silence as I burn his empire to the ground and once and for all prove to the rest of the underworld that the Steels are done for? Or do I keep the girl and get you to plead my case and, if necessary, protect me from your own father and brothers? I think I might just like my chances better with dear Evelyn here as my trump card. Or what do you think, Evelyn? Does he love you enough to kill his own family if they attack us?"

"Go to hell," she hissed, murderous rage clear in her voice even as her defiance ended in a pained whimper when he yanked her hair backward.

"I think that's a yes," Brigs said, smiling with false cheerfulness as his gaze focused behind me. "I guess we're about to find out, huh, boy?"

I heard them behind me then, fast feet on the driveway and rustling in the evergreen bushes surrounding the lush gardens.

My Family had come.

“
What you you doing, Gerald?” my father’s voice came from somewhere behind me, sounding more conversational than angry at finding his long-time friend-turned-traitor on his doorstep. “You know we’ve got you outmanned and outgunned. This is folly.”

“
Do you, though? Marcus, perhaps you want to plead my case, hmm?” Brigs said. When I hesitated, he jabbed Evelyn with the gun once more, and I had to clutch my hands until the nails dug into my palms and drew blood to stop myself from attacking him.

“
Let him do what he wants,” I ground out, turning to my father. “He can have the fucking house, and whatever else he desires.”

“
Oh, for heaven’s sake!” My father said, looking crestfallen. “Is it the bloody girl? You want us to give up everything for some stray bitch you’ve dragged in off the street? And you,” he said, turning to Brigs. “I can only assume you think I’ve gone soft in my old days if you think this desperate ploy is going to work.”

“
Oh, I don’t know,” Brigs said, an unpleasant smile curving his lips. “Ask your son if he’s going to let you attack me. I do have his
beloved
, after all.”

My father sighed, an exasperated sound. “Gerald… for old time’s sake I’m giving you this
one
opportunity to tell your men to lay down their weapons before I order mine to kill every last one of you. I concede, what happened to your nephew was unfortunate, but you
did
try to steal information from my son.”

Brigs’ eyes narrowed. “No deal, old friend. Tonight, your reign ends.
Fred!”

I braced, ready for an attack, but at first, nothing happened. Then orange light lit up on the sky from the back of the house, a
whooshing
sound ripping through the night.

My father’s face contorted in anger when the flames licking at the roof became visible in the next moment. “You are going to regret this!”

“
Dad,
no!”
I saw his intention in his eyes before he vocalized it and rushed forward, a hand stretched out.
“
Don’t!
He’ll kill her!”

“
Get out of the way!” he sneered, and then raised his voice.
“
Attack!”

I didn’t pause to think. When his order cracked through the air I lunged, my desperation mixing with fury and carrying me forward. My fist impacted with his face before anyone could react, taking him to the ground as dirt and gravel flew around us.

“
She’s my fiancée!” I yelled as I tackled him. “I
love
her! But you don’t care, do you? You don’t fucking care about any of us! I hate you! I
hate
you!”