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Is it weird that I miss her even though I haven’t really been here that long? It’s crazy to me the connection I feel with her and the impact her smile has on my life.
If the De Luca brothers don’t fuck me over emotionally, then it will be Nonna instead.
Fuck, I need to do something else. With a sigh, I slow my pace, the beeping of the buttons on the machine echoing in the otherwise silent room as I glance around at the other equipment available to me.
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I glance from the door to the window and back again. It feels like someone’s watching me. My spine stiffens as I strain my ears, but there’s nothing.
Shaking it off, I bring the machine to a stop and step down, reaching for my water bottle as I guzzle half of it in one go. My gaze settles on the rowing machine over by the floor-length window and I stretch my neck from side to side as I make my way over to it.
I drop down into the seat with a mixture of a groan and a sigh, my body begging me to stop despite my efforts to continue. Linking up my chosen weight, I grab the handles and take a deep breath before pulling back with all of my strength.
Fuck, that feels good.
I repeat the motion in a perfect rhythm as I control my breathing. Seconds spin into minutes, my limbs ready to crumble into a heap. Then I hear the sound of the door clicking open behind me.
Nonna?
Glancing back over my shoulder, I pause my stroke to see if it’s her, but to my dismay, it’s Teto I find in the open doorway.
Fucker.
I really don’t have the time or energy for this asshole today. By the glare on his face, he looks like he wants to end me rather than deal with me.
When his gaze doesn’t falter as he stands with his arms folded over his chest, I release my hold on the bar and turn in my seat to face him better. His black cargo pants and fitted black tee make him look every inch of the henchman orhenchboyhe thinks he is.
I can’t sayman;it doesn’t feel like he’s earned his stripes for that.
Rolling my eyes, I brace my hands on my knees as I watch his every move. “I wasn’t aware there was an issue with me being in here, and to be honest, if there is, I’ll hear it from one of the brothers, not you. So, unless you’re here about something else, you can fuck off.” The saccharine smile on my face is fake as hell, and it does nothing to stop the sneer spreading across his face.
“You talk a big game for a little girl.” What is it with assholes thinking they can call me a bitch or a little girl when it’s them getting their panties in a twist? I’m not offended by the names they throw in my direction, I’ve dodged far worse.
Raising my eyebrow at him, I take my time dragging my gaze from the tips of his black boots all the way to his slicked back hair, before settling on his eyes.
“I’m sure I do talk a big game, Teto, but why don’t you come closer and see if my bite is as good as my bark?” I snap my teeth at him, watching as his sneer turns into a grin while he shakes his head at me dismissively.
He takes two steps toward me, unfolding his arms and tucking his hands into his pockets. A clear sign to show me he isn’t worried about having to defend himself against me.
“Big words for a little bitch. All this mayhem going on around us leads back to you somehow. It only seems to have intensified since you arrived. Am I wrong?”
I flutter my eyes innocently, remaining bolted to my seat even though every fiber of my being wants to stand so he can’t have the advantage of looking down at me. But this will only make catching him off guard all the better.
“What mayhem?”
He scoffs at my response, shaking his head again as he takes another step toward me. “Torres.”
My gut twists from the pain I remember seeing in Enzo’s eyes last night, but I tamp it down, refusing to let this fucker see any kind of emotion from me. “Nope,” I reply, popping the ‘p’ like a child as I shrug. “That one had nothing to do with me, and believe me when I say, I don’t lie about this shit. If I take a life, I make sure to take all the credit.”
His sneer reappears on his face as he grunts, cutting another two steps toward me as my hands start to clench in my lap. “You have no idea what you’re getting involved in, bitch.”
I chuckle despite myself, cocking my brow at him as I point my finger in his direction. “Are you sure? Because you just said I’m the problem behind the mayhem. I can’t be the problemandhave no idea what I’m getting involved in. That fails to make sense.”
Fucking idiot.
Without any warning, he lunges for me, and I’m far too eager to see what it is he’s going to do. So when his hand grabs the neckline of my tank, I don’t stop him, letting him haul me to my feet.
“Don’t play games with me, little girl. I’m the big bad wolf and you don’t want to get on my bad side. I don’t mind cutting out your fucking heart whether the De Luca brothers allow it or not,” he grunts, our noses nearly touching as he glares at me.
Adrenaline pumps through my veins, my body igniting to fuck him up, so it takes everything within me to remain calm and still.
