Where Stray Falcons Come to Die

Hurt her?

When Nico disposed of traitors, he didn't even blink. The bloodier the scene, the more excited he became.

“Nico, you’re acting strange.”

In the past, we had gone to “negotiations” together. A gun was pointed at my head, and Nico detonated the bomb without hesitation.

If I had moved my head 0.01 seconds slower, that bullet would have gone through my head, not my shoulder.

“Isabella.”

“If you die, I won’t live alone.”

“I’ll tie your body to mine and jump into Lake Michigan. No one will ever separate us.”

He took out my kidnappers in a few moves and we escaped, the car rocketing to 110 mph, his heartbeat louder than the wind, his eyes wild with madness.

The only thing I had never seen was him like this, his eyes only for Ava, so careful, so full of pain.

That day, we stumbled back to the Falcone estate, covered in blood. As we collapsed on the steps, he took a long, deep breath and stared at me with burning intensity.

“We both made it. When you’re better, we’ll get married.”

“Isabella Falcone, marry me.”

Now…

Nico struggled to contain his anger, holding Ava and sighing at me.

“Isabella, I’m moving Ava to another hospital.”

“This is the Falcone family’s hospital. You will go with her. You’re a doctor, Ava needs you to take care of her.”

“You hurt her. You have to compensate her somehow.”

I fumbled for the object in my hand and smiled.

“Alright.”

Nico froze, not expecting me to agree so readily.

“You and Ava will move into the Rose Courtyard. I’ll have people protect you. You don’t need to worry about family business.”

“Ava, she…”

With Maria’s help, I got into a wheelchair and moved toward them, step by step. When I was close enough, the scalpel in my hand was at Ava’s artery.

“Say one more word, and I’ll sever it.”

“Let’s see. Is your gun faster, or is my blade?”

Ava was terrified, tears streaming like broken pearls, staring blankly at Nico.

“Nico… Nico…”

Even the sharp blade didn’t seem to capture her attention. She only looked at Nico.

Just like me, at eighteen…

The first time Nico proposed, I didn’t say yes.

Not until our enemies came for us. A car explosion, and my mother—the former Godmother of the Falcone family—died on the spot.

The sky was ablaze that day. Nico, barely holding on, came to find me. His finger was blown off, his legs were mangled, and he used every last ounce of strength to pull me from the burning wreckage.

“Crawl out of here. You definitely won’t die.”

“If I don’t die this time, will you marry me?”

“It’s the only good thing about me. I’m hard to kill.”

“I’ll take that bet.”

I didn't understand why he was so determined to marry me, but it was his only wish, so I agreed.

If he lived, I would marry him.

And now.

Nico drew his gun and pointed it at me, the cold muzzle pressed against my forehead.

“Isabella Falcone, I regret it.”

“I married a psycho like you just to climb the ladder. You’d even harm your own child and an innocent person.”

“This is the last time. I won’t indulge you anymore.”

The scalpel was knocked to the floor. When he heard Ava’s weak cries to go home, his expression softened instantly.

“Ava, don’t be afraid. I’m taking you home.”

“Let’s go. We’re going home.”