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I recoiled at his words, remembering the day I became the eldest child. “Seriously, you’re such a garbage human being. Such is this life.” I mimicked my father’s words, knowing I’d taken my revenge and killed one of his uncles about a year later. If he’d ever told his father what he saw, Silvio sure didn’t act like it.Why would he protect me, though?“I’ll take the pruners as my weapon of choice. Get it over with.” My voice didn’t quiver when I spoke. Fear was something that was earned, not given freely.
Enzo leaned into me, his mouth against my ear. “Why aren’t you afraid? All Silvio would have to do is snap his fingers and I’d have to take care of you, Giovanna.” His warm breath blanketed my neck and made goosebumps rise on my skin.
Of course I was scared, but there was a certain amount of responsibility I had as a crime lord’s daughter. Part of that responsibility involved protecting our family’s secrets.
* * *
Enzo
Every toolimaginable was laid out in front of me as I ran my hand along the table. Tools that had caused immeasurable suffering to our enemies, up to and including death. My fingers hovered above the hammer before running over the loppers. I gauged her reaction—or lack thereof—as I coiled my hand around the tool’s cool plastic handle. With a smirk, I put the loppers down and picked up a sharp, curved knife. The blade reflected the light as I tapped it against the palm of my hand. My slow, methodical steps should have made her heart race, but if it did, she didn’t show it. She knew better.
“Fuck you,” she snarled.
I ran the blade along her clavicle as my gaze locked on her. The pent-up hatred I harbored for her family had spilled over onto her. She was a casualty of a war we didn’t start.
The fabric spread as I cut down the length of her shirt, exposing her bra. She bit her lip and shook her head, which only fueled me further. That hurt her more than any weapon I could use on her. My fingers hooked the waistband of her pants and lowered the soft fabric as slowly as I could, teasing myself as much as I was torturing her. I hungered for the flesh beneath her panties. How could I not? As much as I hated her, her body was near perfection. Lucky for her—but not so much for me—I chose to leave the panties on. For now.
“Are you really going to pretend you don’t know the answer?” I asked as I stepped behind her and pressed my crotch against her ass. I was certain she felt my excitement through my slacks as the curve of her ass fit perfectly against me. She had to know I would fuck her right there, that I would use her body like she ain’t ever been used before. The only way to take her down a few notches would be to carve one into my bedpost.
She closed her eyes as I unclipped her bra, trembling as I wrapped my arm around her chest and held the fabric against her skin—her last chance to confess and stop me before I got my hands on her. A tear balanced on her eyelashes as she turned her head away, trying to hide it from me. But I saw. I felt a pang of...something...over making her shed even one tear. Fuck if I knew why.
“Fine.” Her voice was so low that I almost didn’t hear her over the hum of the furnace beside us. “The Riccis got hold of my father and told him to meet them at the docks for an investment opportunity,” she said with a defeated breath.
I grazed the soft skin of her back as I clipped her bra again. A promise was a promise. “The Riccis? Are you sure?” I stepped in front of her, my head cocked.
“I’m positive.”
“We were in business with them...” I paced a tight circle. “No...could they really have set us up to start a war?”
“If they did, they did it successfully.”
I grabbed the knife and cut the fibrous ropes that held her wrists above her head. The rope frayed and spread, allowing her to pull her arms down. She rubbed her raw wrists, her lips pursed as she stared at me. Gia bent and pulled her pants up with a huff, and for a moment I worried she would go for one of the other weapons in the room. I hadn’t thought that through.
I know what kind of woman Giovanna is. The kind who would stab me and paint her face with my blood.
Her torn shirt slipped down her shoulders, and she ripped it off and covered her chest with the remnants. “Garbage human,” she said before bolting for the stairs.
I chased after her, but the moment she opened the door to the main floor, two of my men drew their pistols and aimed at her.
“Oh, fuck you too!” she yelled as she pushed them aside.
They cast confused looks at me before returning their attention to Gia, who refused to look back at any of us. The men gestured toward her with their barrels, expecting me to give the word to take the shot. I let the smirk fall from my face before lifting my hand and waving them off. They looked at each other and hesitated for a moment before dropping their pistols.
The sound of the slamming bedroom door ricocheted down the open hallway, vibrating the walls. I followed her path to the tall wooden door. Behind it, I heard her heavy breaths, as if she were finally letting herself feel her fear.
“Giovanna?” I taunted as my knuckle tapped on my side of the door.
“Leave me alone!” she yelled, an unusual shakiness in her words. She was always so confident, even when she wasn’t.
“You didn’t give me a chance to thank you for your information,” I said with a strong hint of flirtation. I knew she didn’t want it, but I enjoyed how much it pissed her off.
“Your appreciation is good enough, thanks.”
Her annoyed response caused the corners of my lips to rise. The gap of light between the bottom of the door and the floor went black as she turned off the lights. I opened my hand and slapped the door. Message received.
ChapterSix
Gia
