Page 47 of Savage Ambition

Despite everything, the corner of my mouth lifted. “You’ve definitely made an impression.”

“I’d put up with damn near anything to be with you again,” Renato murmured in Italian. “Even that fucking creep. It’s worth it to make you mine.”

Thankfully, my adoptive father didn’t understand Italian, despite heading an Italian crime family. My fluency was one of the few secret advantages I had over him after he married into the organization.

Salvatore cleared his throat as he stood, adjusting himself. “I’ve seen enough to make my decision.”

Renato propped himself up on his elbows, meeting Salvatore’s gaze without fear. “When do I start?”

“Clean yourself up, then we’ll discuss the terms of your employment.”

Recognizing the dismissal, I got off the bed and tossed the used condom on the sheets for the staff to take care of after we left. I picked my robe off the floor and slid it on, feeling better for having it tied around me to shield my body from Salvatore. Before I could walk out of the room, his hand on my waist stopped me in my tracks.

I fought hard to remain expressionless, holding back a flinch when Salvatore’s large hand stroked my cheek almost lovingly. His thumb traced my bottom lip, still swollen from Renato’s kiss. “You have pleased me very much tonight, boy. I’ve trained you well.” His voice carried that familiar tone of paternal pride mixed with sexual predator that made my skin crawl.

The reminder of the training I had endured in that very room nauseated me, but I remained motionless. His fingers slid down to my throat, creating a stark contrast. Renato’s touch had ignited fire under my skin, but Salvatore’s left only corruption in its wake. I could smell his release on his hand, mingling with his expensive cologne.

“I’m particularly impressed with how you handled our new acquisition.” His fingers tightened, not enough to restrict breathing but enough to remind me he could. “You two have incredible chemistry.”

The way he lingered on the last word made acid churn in the pit of my stomach. I recognized the calculation in his eyes. Salvatore never gave compliments without purpose. If he approved of my interaction with Renato, it meant he saw profit or leverage in it. Possibly both.

“I’ll allow you to see Raphael tomorrow.”

I despised needing to show appreciation to my jailer for allowing me to see my brother. “Thank you, Father.” I kept my voice modulated, neither too eager nor too flat.

His hand moved from my throat to my shoulder, then slid down my arm in a proprietary caress. “Go clean up and get some rest.” He stepped aside to let me pass, but not quite far enough, forcing me to brush against him. “We’ll talk later.”

The promise in those words carried the weight of years of “talks” that left me bleeding, broken, or worse. Salvatore’s version of conversation had always involved pain disguised as lessons.

“Yes, Father.” I had a momentary concern for leaving Renato alone with a man as dangerous as Salvatore, but there was nothing I could do. Renato had made his choice to deal with the devil, so he would have to face those consequences himself.

Not sparing a look back, I left Salvatore’s office. It was a relief to retreat to the sanctuary of my private room, where Ishi waited to take care of me.

Shaw was the only other person who had ever made me forget myself in the brothel. I understood why he had slipped past my walls because of our personal relationship outside of Gennaro Corporation, but what was it about Renato that drew me to him?

Those were thoughts to ponder when I was alone and had time to puzzle through them. For now, I had to draw my Dragon persona around me even tighter to protect myself. As long as I worked at the brothel, being Dante around Shaw and Renato left me too vulnerable to Salvatore’s dangerous game of manipulation. Worst of all, it put them both at risk, which was unacceptable.

The smart move would be to cut them both off. To return to my careful isolation, my meticulous planning, my single-minded focus on freeing myself and Raphael.

But I couldn’t. Not when I wanted Shaw and Renato for such different reasons.

I traced my lips, still tender from Renato’s kiss, and made a decision that would either save us all or get us killed.

If Salvatore wanted to teach me about weakness, I’d teach him about wrath. If I had to burn the entire Gennaro family to the ground to do it, I would.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DANTE

When the private elevator doors opened to our apartment, Raphael was already waiting, his face breaking into a wide smile that made the week’s degradations worth enduring.

“Dante!” He crossed the foyer, giving me an enthusiastic hug. “I didn’t think you’d make it back from your business trip tonight.”

I returned his embrace, resting my chin on the top of his head. He was growing too fast, already reaching my shoulder at fifteen. His jaw was beginning to lose its childhood softness. If I succeeded, he would never know the price I paid for his innocence. “My meetings wrapped up early, so I caught the first flight back.”

Lies came easily after years of practice, but it hurt having to tell so many to my brother. He believed I worked at Salvatore’s legitimate businesses while attending college.

Raphael didn’t know the real reason I couldn’t see him last week. Commissioner O’Malley’s wife had discovered his brothel visits and forced him to choose between his marriage and his vices. Salvatore couldn’t afford to lose access to the man keeping the police blind to our family’s crimes. I paid the physical price for the lost revenue when O’Malley stopped coming.