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Giancarlo’s expression is unreadable. “I know. And you have to stay here.”

“You’re fucked in the head if you think I’m going to hang out in the bedroom while Gio’s hurt.”

I may be small, but I’m also fast and agile. I slip out of his grasp and dash for the door. I make it halfway down the hall before he’s yoked me up.

“HELP!” I scream, praying the house staff will overhear. “HELP ME!”

No one responds. Not even Fozzi. And where is Fozzi, anyway? He’s supposed to be posted outside my door at all times when he’s tasked with guarding me. But as Giancarlo carries me back to Gio’s bedroom, Fozzi’s nowhere to be found.

Giancarlo slams shut the door. I claw at his face. My nails sink into his cheek and tear the skin. He growls and swings me around, flinging me to the ground. The air’s knocked out of me at the brutal contact. I clutch my stomach and grapple to get up, but he doesn’t give me the chance. His fingers dig into my curls and yanks my head back. Pain prickles across my scalp.

“Are you going to behave yourself?” he hisses.

“Let me go!” I swing a fist at the only part of him within reach that might do some damage. My fist connects with his crotch area. Another howl rumbles from his chest as he lets go of my hair.

I roll away, launching myself toward the bedside table. The brass lamp is heavy in my hands, but I swing the fixture like a baseball bat.

“Stay the fuck away from me!”

I swing again, almost landing a hit. He jumps back in time. I swing again.

“Let me leave right now!”

“Falynn,” he warns in a low growl, “Put the fucking lamp down.”

The weight of the brass makes my wrists ache, but I hold the lamp up by its neck and wind up for another swing. “Don’t come any closer. I’ll knock your head off your shoulders!”

He pauses for a split second. “Do you really think you can?”

“I’ll find a way!” I shriek. My breathing is out of control. No air fills my lungs. Instead, a woozy sense of lightheadedness rolls over me. “Step aside and let me leave.”

What the hell is going on? Why is he even here? Where is Fozzi? Is Gio okay? Is he even alive?

My heart pangs at the mere thought. I push it away and focus on the anger burning me up. HowdareGiancarlo show up and try to force me to do anything? How dare he keep me from Gio?

I swing my hardest yet. The muscles in my wrists and arms burn as the heavy brass slices through the air. Giancarlo is lined up right in its trajectory.

He throws up his arm and blocks the blow. The brass connects with his forearm, and though I’m certain it must hurt like a bitch, he gives no reaction. He’s too fast, disarming me instead as he reaches out with his other hand and twists my wrist back. Sharp pain shoots to my joints, and I yelp. He squeezes harder until he’s forced me to release my grip on the lamp.

It drops from my hold and clatters onto the ground. At the same time, he spins me around, my back to his front, and locks me into some kind of choker hold. He doesn’t apply pressure, doesn’t even try to cut off my air supply. The move’s not to hurt me. Just restrain.

His voice is as monotonous as ever, like his brother isn’t in mortal danger at this moment.

“I have a lot of things on my to-do list today. Roughing up my brother’s girlfriend isn’t one of them. Your choice.”

The fight fades from me. I’m caught up in his powerful grip, and my limbs ache. He’s twice my size, and I have no weapon and no other means of escape. And Gio is out there, probably seriously injured, or worse…

Tears burst free. I gasp for air, limp against him. “Please,” I beg, “please just let me make sure he’s okay. You’re his brother…how do you not care?”

“If I let you go, you are going to sit on the bed and obey.”

When I don’t say anything, he releases me anyway. I plop onto the bed, tears streaming down my face. He bends forward and takes hold of my shoulders. For a split second I think he’s about to shake me and demand I stop the tearful hysterics. Instead, he peers into my eyes with his dark, almost lifeless ones.

“Listen to me very carefully,” he says slowly, tone cold, “Giovanni and everyone else on that boat is dead. He’s never coming back.”


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