Fighting With Light (The Coldwell Brothers #2)

53. Liam

53

Liam

I don’t think I act. Throwing all my weight into Marco Costa’s center, I slam his body onto the floor, away from Aelia and her mother.

I should tie him up and bring him within an inch of his life as many times as possible. This piece of shit deserves all the pain I can creatively serve to him. But we don’t have that time.

Before he can put together what’s happening, I pull my pistol out and hold it to his temple.

“Do you know who you’re pointing a gun at, boy?” he roars.

Marco tries to jerk out of my hold, and I peer up at Aelia. She has her mother behind her, and she’s looking between me and her father with wide eyes.

I want to pull the trigger.

“Dad, can you please just—” Romeo Costa freezes his steps and takes in the scene. He has a nice Italian suit on, something I would wear, and Emerson’s rifle is trained on him. Romeo doesn’t speak, he just stares at his father.

“Romeo! Shoot him!” Marco yells.

I hold him still as he struggles.

The situation is a powder keg. Someone has to make the first move.

So it will be me.

I squeeze the trigger, putting a hole through Marco Costa’s head. Blood spatters on my face and my chest, and no one makes a sound. Aelia and Mia don’t cry, they just stare.

I get to my feet and look at Romeo. He holds up his hands in surrender, still staring at his father. Emerson’s gun aims at his temple, ready to get rid of him, too. He takes a step back into the hall, Emerson still in position, ready to fire .

Romeo lifts his hand in a stop motion. “Don’t take another step,” he says down the hall, likely to the men under the Costa’s employ.

I look between Aelia and her brother, and she shakes her head subtly.

The words burst from my lips before I have a chance to swallow them because now is hardly the time. But Aelia and I have never had the right time.

We are now or never.

We are forever or dead.

I look her in the eye, with her father’s blood all over my face, and say, “Marry me.”

She gasps, and her mom places her hand on her chest.

“Wha-what?” Aelia says.

I take a step closer and get on my knee.

“Will you marry me, princess?”

A beautiful, wide smile sparkles back at me, and she nods.

“Yes,” she says, stooping down to touch my cheek. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” Her eyes water with unshed tears as our lips crash roughly, and I hug her.

I pull back, and there’s blood smeared on her face, but she doesn’t seem to notice. “I need you to promise me something.”

“Okay,” she rasps.

“Promise me you’ll live well beyond your years so I don’t have to survive another day without you.”

“You are my forever, Liam,” she says.

“I love you,” I tell her and kiss her forehead.

Romeo clears his throat and drops his hands to his sides. “I will not stop you, neither will the men,” he says and steps forward. Emerson makes a move to respond.

“Don’t,” she says to Emerson.

He glances at me.

Then Romeo catches me in utter shock, holding out his hand. “Thank you for saving my sister. You don’t need my blessing, but you have it,” he says.

I look down at his hand, almost as calloused as mine, and Emerson lowers his gun. My hand clasps his in a succinct shake, and our hands drop .

“So that’s it?” I ask him.

He shrugs, runs a hand through his hair, and glances at his father’s body.

“It was only a matter of time before someone did that. It seems fitting that it was a Coldwell.”

I glance at Aelia and she shrugs.

“You’re the head of the family now. What does that mean for our fathers’ agreement?” I ask Romeo.

He slides his hands into his pockets. “I never liked your father, nor did I like how mine did business with him. Now that I have the chance to do some restructuring, we will change things, and that includes working with your father. No offense, but your father is a dick.”

I chuckle. “None taken, it’s the truth. But Romeo, he’ll be pissed.”

Romeo chuckles darkly. “I don’t give a shit about his tantrum. Our business is finished with him. We’re shutting down all the human trafficking, too. It’s too risky, and it’s a nasty business. I never liked that my father was doing it, but he loved the money. I will find other outlets for shipping and distribution.”

“So you’re keeping the drugs and guns, then?” I ask.

Romeo shrugs. “Liam, I don’t know you well, but you are clearly not an idiot. This is the business, you know that, and my product is guns and drugs.”

“I can respect it, but I don’t have to like it,” I say.

“No, you don’t. I don’t have to like it, either. When you are born into this world, you also die in it. I’m sure you can understand how that feels.”

If only he knew. I nod and look at Aelia.

“Let’s go, princess.”

She takes her mother to a chair and kneels in front of her. We watch her hold Mia’s hands and look up at the woman. “Mama, I’d like for you to come with us, please?” she asks.

Mia squeezes her hands within Aelia’s and shakes her head.

“Aelia, she will be well cared for, that’s a promise. All of us will do better,” Romeo says to her.

“Please?” she begs .

“Stellina,” she says, cupping Aelia’s non bruised cheek. “This is my home, your brothers are here. You are free now. I want you to live life like never before,” she says and glances up at me.

I smile despite the blood on my face. This isn’t how I wanted to meet the parents, but it’s hardly surprising. We are talking about me and Aelia here.

“Lo ami, cuore mia?” Do you love him, she asks Aelia in Italian.

I don’t know what she asked, but I caught the word love.

“Sì, mamma, lo faccio.” Yes, Mama, I do , she says, nodding and kissing her mother’s hand.

“Then go be happy, I’ll be here,” she says and drops Aelia’s hand.

Aelia hugs her frail mother and kisses her cheek. “Ti voglio bene, mamma,” I love you so much Mama, she says.

Her mother gives her a small smile, and Aelia looks up at me, taking my outstretched hand.

“Let’s go home.”