AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I ignored the old bastard and walked out of the room with Arlo following close behind. With my hand on my back, I drew my handgun out and opened the basement door.
The temperature dropped drastically to the low cool setting of the room. Every step I took down the stairs, cheers, laughter, and conversations grew louder. Even from above, I couldn’t see her frame or hair through the large crowd of made-men that clustered in the corner.
After the last step, my tense muscles ached for release. With the echo of the door closing, a few of my men turned. They quickly moved away from the rowdy circle, and the closer I approached, the more others followed in the same direction with wide eyes.
My demon was loose. It was evident in my walk, aura, and gaze. No one would dare come in between.
Grunts and puffs grew louder under the fluorescent lights, and I couldn’t get close fast enough. But each soldier that moved from their spot, the other turned to see the cause, me.
It wasn’t until I was in the front row that everything fell silent.
I hid my shaking body and the hatred that gripped my hand from unloading my gun at everyone I faced. I buried the heat crawling behind my neck and the pounding that beat in anger, causing my breathing to race.
I wanted to watch and stare at the eyes of each man that had decided to stay as if this was a fucking show. As if there was a match between soldiers and a bet to be won.
But it wasmywoman who they watched. Who they deemed okay to receive filthy fists connecting to her golden skin.
And yet, I only saw her.
Drenched in sweat with black matching shorts and sports bra, Katia stood in the middle above a man. Hair strands escaped her ponytail and while some flew around her face, others stuck to her skin. Her chest bounced as she peered down, thirsty for sips of pain.
Katia was so lost in delivering and taking physical pain to ignore her internal distress that she didn’t notice the silence that flooded the room into stillness. The eyes that watched us, and the demon that filtered around.
I was now part of the show, but this show wouldn’t end well for anyone. Not until my hands checked her body for any hint of purple.
Blood was smeared over the mat, and as I scrutinized every inch of her body, I couldn’t find the source aside from the man on the floor who moaned. With the small amount of fabric that covered her body, there was no sign of bruising. At the vision of her adrenaline-crazed body so at peace with the chaos, I stood dumbfounded.
Katiawasused to fighting men. She was used to letting her wild rage free to punish even while others watched. This wasn’t the first time she’d fought against men in the Mafia. It couldn’t be, not while she seemed so accustomed to her surroundings. Attuned and ready for more.
The grip on my gun tightened, understanding the environment she’d been allowed and introduced to. It angered me that she sought physical pain to numb the one inside.
Katia’s head fell back taking a large breath, and as she straightened, her eyes opened to reality. Slowly, her face turned left, and our eyes met.
A fucking deadly dream.
A dangerous obsession.
Katia was my wild weakness.
She didn’t cower. Her eyes never wavered, and her stance never relaxed.
While I held her shining sage green eyes captive, my tone spoke with menace. “I will murder each and every one of you along with your whole family line if anyone so much as touches her fucking hair.” Katia’s gold brass knuckles tightened as her fists balled. “It’s not a threat.” My eyes released her and roamed around the sea of mafiosos. “It’s a vow.”
“You are to protect and respect her. Not to harm or treat her like the motherfucker next to you!” My voice rose. “Disrespect me in my house or my word again and I will educate you all on the meaning of torture until I burn your last minutes of life in fire.”
An ominous silence spread through the stream of nodding faces.
“Did I make myself clear?” Apologetic and casting eyes agreed. “Now, get out.”
Slowly they all made their way up the stairs, and I found Sergio at the end of the line with crossed arms, waiting to be the last one out. His eyes fell to the floor before me, and when I took a closer look, I saw the young boy’s busted face.
Domenico, his younger cousin. He turned eighteen three months ago and was initiated shortly after. Eager, quick to follow orders, and ready to please, Sergio’s cousin was now tossing on the ground in pain.
“Get Mimmo out of here and clean him up,” I ordered. Sergio’s rigid posture eased as he walked closer to the boy. Arlo met him, and they both picked up the groaning kid. “And Sergio,” I added. “Make sure he understands what reckless decisions lead to in our world. If not, this may be his only lesson.”
“Yes, boss.” Sergio’s head dipped, and with Arlo’s help, all three disappeared up the stairs.
As I turned back to Katia, there was still one body comfortably sitting a few feet behind her. I shouldn’t have missed the blond hair in the crowd. However, as he sat back and relaxed in the iron chair, he hadn’t been seen in the sea of dark hair.
