AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My father hums. It’s his consideration tic. The sound of leather against polyester is like some form of fucked-up music to my ears as I realize he’s threading his belt back through his pants.
“Suppose you’re right, son. You’re free to punish her as you see fit. Try to keep the evidence to a minimum.”
My father’s footsteps thud against the floor, vibrating my cheek as they approach where I’m lying.
Once his feet are next to my face, he grips my hair and harshly brings me to a sitting position, yanking a handful of hair out of my scalp and dropping it at my feet.
Tears gather in my eyes, the burning in my scalp painful but no match for the pain in my back. I force the tears away before looking into my father’s eyes.
He looks down his nose at me, and the anger in his dark eyes is palpable. There’s an unmistakable fire burning in the depths of his stare. One that tells me he may be ending this now, but this hell is in no way over.
“You are going to wish you’d have died that night with your brother by the time I’m finished with you. And then”—he pauses dramatically and kicks at the dark-brown handful of hair between us—“the fun will really begin. Santiago will see to it.”
His words aren’t only a threat.
They are a promise.
And my father always delivers.
He turns and leaves the room, and I inhale a jagged breath. It causes my chest to spasm, and pain ricochets in my back.
“Giana, I am so sorry,” Niccolò whispers to me, checking to be sure my father is gone and bending down to get on my level. “Fuck, G.” He winces, shirking away from me, and shakes his head. “How can I fix this?”
He places his hands on either side of his head and stands, looking around the barren room. My father had his workers clear the room out so the only thing in here would be me and my fucking thoughts.
I try to take another deep breath, but the excruciating pain in my back only intensifies.
“I’m going to get some first-aid supplies, and we can at least treat it, even if I can’t dress them.”
I nod in understanding.
He can’t act like he helped me or he risks my father’s rage, too.
“We’ve got a couple hours before he comes back. There’s a meeting with a supplier downtown, and he has to show face. Let me go grab a few things. I’ll be right back, I swear.”
He flees from the room, and I lay face-first on the concrete.
It’s the only position that’s even mildly comfortable…and still…it isn’t comfortable at all. Just less painful than anything else.
I’m grateful for Niccolò. For his willingness to help even though he’s risking his position in our family. In more ways than one. He’s the one brother I’ve been able to count on, and he isn’t even blood. Lucky him.
He’s the only person in my family who has ever come to my defense, and multiple times. If it would’ve been my mother or anyone else who walked in here…I don’t know when my father would have stopped. Matteo doesn’t go against my father, and the two of us have never been close. He’s ten years older than me, and he’s never come to my rescue like Niccolò, but he also never hurt me like Gabriel Jr.…
Thank God Gabriel Jr. is gone… He would have only added fuel to the fire that is my father’s fury.
Niccolò bursts through the door and slams it shut behind him by kicking it, his arms full of medical supplies.
“This is gonna hurt like a bitch, G,” he says somberly.
I shrug and immediately regret it. It’s unbelievable how many small, everyday movements come straight from your back muscles. Pain radiates from the top of my spine and downward, and I groan, finally letting my tears get the best of me and spill down my cheeks. I ignore his words, nodding to him. I’ll be fine. There’s no way it’ll be worse than the lashes.
I focus on the ground. The musty smell that swirls all around me.
And I try not to think of him…but it’s no use.
I’ve had plenty of time to think about my every move since the night Remi and I went to Dante’s club. From the very first time I locked my eyes on his, and we set this whole deadly game into motion.
He knew.
