Reign of a Billionaire : A Dark Mafia Enemies-to-Lovers Romance

His eyes darted over my face before they came to linger on my throat. “On the nape of your neck, there’s a tattoo I gave you.” I reached my hand back to feel for it, tracing it like he had. “It was our secret. Nobody else knew about it, not even Liana.”

A memory probed at my skull. “The angel wings?”

“Yes, sunshine. It always fascinated you.”

“The wings of your guardian angel,” I whispered, remembering why he got the tattoo. “So they can always protect you.”

He wiped at the tears clinging to my eyelashes. “You always represented my guardian angel, sunshine.”

My heart clung to it, beating for him, and for the first time in years, I felt whole. If not for one missing piece: my twin.

“Mother has taken so much from us,” I rasped.

His fingers brushed over my jawline, down to my collarbone, then to the back of my neck. I imagined he was probably tracing the tattoo just like I was tracing his.

“We’ll get it back,” he said with conviction, his voice serene. “And then we’ll make her pay.”

I took his hand into mine and squeezed. “On one condition.”

The corners of his lips twitched. “Name it.”

“I get to kill her.” He stiffened, but before he could protest, I continued. “You protected me for so many years. You’ve killed again and again to keep me and Liana safe.” I brought his palm to my mouth and kissed it. “Your hands are drenched in blood. It’s my turn to keep you safe.”

“No.” His eyes burned into me.

“Kingston,” I sighed out. “My hands aren’t clean anymore.” His eyes darted to my palms, and I watched him clenching and unclenching his fists. “I’ve killed more than once.”

“You were protecting innocent, vulnerable women. I’m not innoc⁠—”

“Don’t you say it,” I warned. The ache in my chest grew at the knowledge that it was my mother who’d made him believe he was less than. “Nobody in this fucking world is innocent. The only way we can make this”—I gestured between us with my fisted hand—“work is by protecting each other. I’ve seen the teeth, and I still don’t give a shit how many men you’ve killed. They deserved it.”

“It was my job to protect you, and I failed,” he hissed.

I shook my head. “It was our parents’ job to protect us, and they failed, Kingston. That’s not on us. We did our best and we survived.”

His body tensed, the muscles of his shoulders rigid, but then he shook his head. “You’re right, sunshine.” Kingston’s mouth tilted up. “I have to get used to this new fierce and strong Lou.”

I swallowed, my pulse thundering. “I know it’s different… I’m different from that girl you fell in love with⁠—”

He silenced me with a kiss. “We’re both different.” His lips molded to mine. “I’ll love any version of you, in every lifetime, in every death, in every universe.”

And then he kissed me like the world was coming to an end.

Wearing a casual black T-shirt, jeans, and combat boots, Kingston walked next to me, holding my hand as we made our way through the compound that was built by Lykos Costello for victims of human trafficking.

“We’re gonna be one of those couples who dress the same?” I mused, squeezing his hand gently as his gaze roved over me in the same outfit. He towered over most people, including me, but tucked into his side, I’d never felt safer.

“We share a heart,” he whispered into my ear as he led us through the hallways. “It seemed appropriate.”

I caught a few curious glances thrown our way, nurses and women alike, probably recognizing danger. When you grew up around people like Ivan and Sofia, it was impossible not to carry some of it everywhere you went.

“Maybe when all this is over, we can go on a date,” I teased. “I’ve never been on one.”

I sensed his amusement as he glanced at me. “What a coincidence… Neither have I. You think there’ll be sex on our first date, or should we wait for the second?”

My face heated. We were quite the pair, both of us missing out on so many normal events in our lives.

“Let’s do it on the first date,” I said, grinning. “Since we kind of live together already.”

Kingston raised his brows at that. “Kind of?” He pressed his lips to the top of my earlobe. “Sunshine, that ship has sailed.”

A little smile tugged at my lips. “Where should we go for our first date?”

“A restaurant?” he suggested.

“Maybe we can go wild and see a concert.”

He chuckled. “A concert, huh?”

“Have you ever been to one?” He shook his head and I smiled. “Me neither. We have some catching up to do.”

But before we could iron out the details, I felt his body snap to attention, and I followed his line of sight right to Lykos Costello. At least my mother’s teachings proved to be handy in some aspects.

“Handgun?”

“Yes.” I watched Kingston’s entire posture switch to a predatory mode. “Do we not trust Costello?”

“We trust nobody in the underworld.”

I nodded, and we remained silent as we closed the distance.

“Mr. Costello,” I greeted him, extending my hand. “Thank you again for letting the women stay here.”

His dark eyes studied me, his face half covered by stubble. “Miss…”

He waited for me to give him my full name, but that wasn’t happening.