He continued to stare at me.
“I wasn’t even there, and I was scared of you.”
“You never have to be scared of me, Francesca. I may be intense and erratic and a bit melodramatic at times, but I’m harmless—at least to you.”
“I just realized in that moment the road I was on. Realized the terms and conditions of the contract I was about to verbally sign if I didn’t walk away. My brother said he’s never seen a guy move the way you do. You describe yourself as manic and psychotic. And then you said you would never let me go if I wanted to leave. I just…needed to take a step back.”
He continued to watch me, his eyes showing no signs of anger.
“I feel like this is the first time that I’m really seeing you.”
He was as still as a statue, just listening to me with a stoic expression, eyes piercing my face.
“That I understand what I’m getting myself into.” That I would be the woman of the most violent criminal kingpin I’d ever heard of. A man who’d worked for Cosa Nostra all his life before he’d joined us as a fuck-you to his previous employer. A man who was always ten steps ahead of his enemies. A man who described himself as crazy. “I can’t lie to you… It’s scary.”
He continued to stare at me.
“And that’s not even considering what will happen with my father.”
“He won’t be a problem.”
“Just because he likes you working for him doesn’t mean?—”
“He won’t be a problem,” he repeated.
“I know I’m thinking way into the future right now?—”
“Not at the rate we’re going.” He didn’t crack a smile. “I understand your concerns. If you stay with me, you’re going to be the woman of a man who your own brothersays is crazy. I’m wired differently from other men. I don’t feel fear or pain. I’m addicted to adrenaline, and the more I chase it, the harder it is to find. I’m restless when I try to sleep and utterly calm in a gunfight. I was the top lieutenant of Cosa Nostra because I was a fucking killing machine, and I have no doubt that I’ll reach that same position with your father in a very short amount of time. I’m not someone you want as your enemy. I’m smarter and stronger and faster than all of my opponents—and I fucking know it. So yes, this is the life you’ll know if you want to be with me.”
“Sounds dangerous…”
He gave a shrug. “Or completely safe—because I’m the last man anyone wants to cross.”
I stared at him across the table.
“Because everyone will know that if they look at you wrong, I’ll kill their entire fucking bloodline. Wives, kids, I don’t give a shit. And then once they’re all dead and he was the last one standing, I’d finally grant him mercy with death.”
“You—you kill women? And kids?”
“I’ve never killed or harmed a woman or a child, but if someone hurt you, nothing’s off the table.”
I studied him, seeing the deadly serious look in his eyes.
“I’m already crazy, right? So imagine how deranged I would be if someone left a single scratch on your beautiful skin? I’d go scorched earth on fucking everyone and everything.” He cocked his head. “How does that saying go? Sorry, not sorry? Yep, that’s it.”
“Well, I wouldn’t want that.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” he said without a hint of remorse.
I swallowed, kinda afraid of him again. “What if my father crossed the wrong man and that man killed me?”
“That would never happen. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
“But what if it did?”
“Would. Never. Happen.”
“Wolfe—”
