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One of those things might be overlooked. Not two.
There was no fucking way they thought I was actually on their side. They were going along with me for the time being, letting me think I’d been made, but they would soon take the next step to demonstrate otherwise.
Or maybe they’d just sit back and let my own father order a hit on me. Perhaps that was how Vincente had heard of my doublecross in the first place—from the Andrettis themselves, hoping to keep their hands clean of the dirty work.
“Gio?”
I glanced up to see Carly at my side. I hadn’t even seen her approach. Or the others leave. I’d been lost in my own world, contemplating the almost certain death that was coming sooner than I’d thought.
My own.
But I wouldn’t let it happen that way. No way in hell would I get this close to Roberto Andretti and allow them to kill me before I’d accomplished my goal. If I was going to die, he was going down with me.
“Gio, look at me.”
I might be able to overlook her soft, concerned voice, but I couldn’t ignore the sensation of her cool, strong fingers curling around mine. Or her big blue eyes, willing me to meet her gaze.
I looked, because nothing else felt as real or as solid at that moment than her hand on mine.
“What is it? You can tell me.” Her throat moved as she glanced over her shoulder. “They’re gone now. I think they went to go see Slater. Fox is set on talking some sense into him.”
“Who’s Slater?” The name sounded familiar, but right now, my head was spinning too much for me to place it.
“Fox’s best friend. You might’ve seen him at Fox’s fights in the old days. He was his corner man. Oh, and at Mia’s fight last month. He also came to that dinner at our place, the one you were at also.” She made a face. “You know, the one where my sister kept trying to talk about my lovers to make a point to you.”
Oh, yes, I remembered that night. Quite well. I recalled seething over imagining Carly with another man, then deciding it wasn’t any of my business. She had the right to see whomever she wanted.
“What was that point? That you were sexually active?”
“Yeah, with guys that weren’t you. That’s my big sis. As delicate as a heart attack.” She snorted and shook her head. “Man, poor Slater. I never would’ve figured him for the type to fall for a psychopath, but he’s got a sweet heart.”
My gaze drifted back to the chair. “They don’t know for certain this was done by Olivia. They’re just assuming.”
“Well, it’s a reasonable assumption, don’t you think?”
I paced away. “There is nothing reasonable when it comes to Lorenzo Donato and anyone associated with him.”
She grew quiet, and I soon found out why. “Gio, you’re associated with him.”
It was my turn to become quiet.
“I’ve tried not to ask questions. I know you want my trust. But trust only goes so far. If they’ve threatened my sister—”
“Forget your sister. They threatened you. They harmed you.”
Her chin came up in that defiant gesture I both adored and hated. Adored because I admired every sign of her inner strength. Hated because her stubbornness often made a bad situation so much worse.
“If that truly mattered so much to you, you would walk away from them. No matter what was in your past, no matter what they have over your head.” She crossed the few feet between us and placed both hands on my chest. “Whatever they have on you, is it really worth selling your soul to them?”
A harsh laugh escaped me. “You think they have something on me? That they’re blackmailing me?”
“I don’t know what to think.” Her hands fell away. “I want to believe you’re a good man, but God, the more I hear, the more I wonder. How could you be good surrounded by so much filth? Filth you willingly continue to
spend time with?”
“You dance in that club,” I reminded her.
She nodded. “They pay my paycheck. They don’t own me, no matter what they think. Can you say the same?”
